Eddington had set off by now...

In the days of steamships and postwar troop transportation, it took a long time to sail to Africa. Eddington had to set off on the 8th of March 1919. Well, he intended to arrive in time to take some pre-eclipse exposures of the Hyades star cluster while it was still visible at night, so he left earlier than he needed to. In the end, it was lucky because he spent a month waiting for onward transportation from Madeira. But in the mean time, at least he enjoyed the cakes on board - which were not subject to rationing and filled with raisins to "pre-war levels". And the bananas on Madeira. Sir Arthur Eddington seems to have some sort of banana adict.