The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-09-05
MOON SHINE.

New York Sun, purPorlang &c be extract
ed from Supplement 10 the Ediaburg
journal Of Science, M,d communicating
intelligence of slupendous discoveries in
the moon, mad, by Sir John Herscht J.,
from his observatory on the cape of Good
Hope-efiecsed by the assistance of u
new telescope of immense power, which
brought the planet within forty miles ofthe
eye ofthe observer, and rendered objects,
not more than troenty- tico yards in dame
ter, distinctly visible. Nearly half the
article, (Which occupies sevea columns OF
New York pnpers, iosr times the damen-
sions Of oarse~ro is employed oa u de-
scription of the nn.nstr, us telescope whch
has effected these wonders, and the hastsry
of ils origin and progress Of construction.
IL is written ia scientific vein, which
mocks gravity, and evinces ,nuch ieaning
acumea, and deep Observation-Disclosures
with a salericle propensity, that marks
the author as no ordinary a'aa. We have
not room for the whole article, or scarce
ly for a small poriioa Of it, or we would
gladly translate il to our columns for the
readers entertainmcnt. We, must con-
fine ourselves therefore, 10 a brief alb
strnct OF the .Ne,c L,.er Discoveries, ex-
pressing our asotnishment that any one
could have been found, of common capt c.
ity, SO credulous as to believe such pre-
posterous eXtravaganccs.
The first night Of observation, with a
series of brilliant discoveries. Basaliic
Rock, of greenish brown color, was
first observed, Of very perfect formation |;
aext flowers Of dark red hue, resea,bling
the "papaver Rheas, or rose poppy .,
our sublinary cornfelds )" then trees, like
the yews Of the english church-yard, fol-
lowed by forest Of mountain frs, at
the foot Of which was beautiful lake,
bounded by shores, fairier than, which an-
gels never coasted, whose waters laved a
beach of brilliant white sand, girt with
wild casteIated rocks, apparently ofgreen
marble, varied chasms, occurring every
two or three hundred feet, with grotesque
blocks of chalk gypsum, and ieathered
and festooned ut the SUBMITS with the
clustering foliage OF unknown trees. The
water was nearly as bine as that Of the
deep ocean, and broke in large white
pillows upon the strand. The action Of
very high tides was quite manifest upon
the face Of the cliff, tor more than hun
dred miles.
The details Of other discoveries in ge-
oiogy and botany-eQuaIIy interesting
we must pass by, aD0 come I" deep val
ley in the shade the woods, on the south
eastern side Of which were herds ofbrown
quadrupeds, tav,ng all the external char
acterstics of the bison. 1t had, however
one widely distinctive feature, common to
every lunar quadruped discovered, na,ae-
iy, remarkably fesay appendage over
the eyes, crossing the Whole breadth, OF
the forehead, und united to the ears like
,he upper front outline of the cap known
to the ladies as Mary queen Of scots's
cap, lifted and lowered by means of the
ears--u providentinl contrivance to pro-
tect the eyes fthe animal from the great
extremes cflight and darkness to which
all thc animals Of our side oflhc moon are
periodically subjected. The next animal
discovered resembled an antelope
bounding along tho accl;viuous gludes
Of the woods, and running with great
speed over the turf, with most graceful
and facinatIng motion.
Through the center OF the valley flow
ed large branching river, abounding in
island and water birds mountains and
lakes, and craters Of extinct volcanoes,
were numerous. DR. Herschel classified
not less than thirty-eight species Of forest
trees, and nearly twice this number oI
plants. found in one track alone. OF ami
mails, he clacificd nine species of NAM
malta, and five of oviparia. Among the
former is small kind of reindeer, the
elk, the moose, the horned bear, and the
piped bccver. But time would fail us, n
we were to describe twentieth part OF
the wonders. and we pass on to the great
d,scovery-the probable manki,ld Of the
MOon.
They averaged four feet in height,
were covered except on the face, with
short and glossy copper colored hair
and had wings composed Of u thin mem
brane, without hair, lying snugly upon
their backs, from the top OF the shoulders
to the calves of,he legs. The face, which
was of a yellowish flesh color, was
a slight Improvement upon that of large
ourang outang being more opea and intel.
ligent in its expression, and giving much
greater expansion of forehead. The
mouth, however, was Va prominent,
though some what relieved by thick
heard upon the lower jaw, and by lips far
more human than those Of any species Of