Litchfield enquirer., 1835-09-10
GREAT ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES,
 LATELY MADE By SIR JOHN HERSCHEL, L. L. D. F. R.. 8. Gsc
 (ConfiRted,l


 three distinct cralers which have been long exiiS guiSed that the whole valley around lhem which is eleven miles in extent, densey crowded wiIh woods nearly to the sunnitS oi the hills. Not rod Ct va cant land, except the tops Of these craiere. could be descried, and no living creature except large white bird resembling the sDFk. Al the southern extremi. Iy of this valley is natural archway cavern, 200 feet high, and 100 wide, through which runs river that discharges itself precipce Oi grey rock 30 feet in depth, and then forms branching ihro' beautiful cb"mpaigG district for many miles, Wiih-
 in iweniy miles of this cataract is the largest lake inland sea, that has been found throughout the and half millions of square miles which this ill1mi- mated side Oi the moon contains. Its width, from east to west is l98 miles, and from north to sOuth 266 miles. Its shape, I0 the nOrthward, is not unlike that or the bay of Bengal, and it is studded with small islands, most oi which are volcanic. Two of these the side. are now violently erupliveS but lowest magniIying power was too great 10 anime them with convenience, on account oi the cIOu ofsmokc and ashes which becIouded our field ofvew; as seen by Lieut. Drummond, through our reheciing telescope Of 20OO times they exhibit great brillancy5 In bay, the side of the sea, is island 55 miles long, of crescent form, crowded through its entire Sweep with the most superb and wonderful natural beaniea both of vegetation and geology. Its hills pinnacled with tall quartz crysIals, of so ricr a yellow and orange hue that at first snppOseG them be pointed flames of fire; and they spring up thus from snooh round brows of hills which are cov-' cred as " th velvet mantle. Even iD the enclant- ing vaeys.uf this winding island, could Ofen see these splendid natural spires, mounting !" the midst of deep green woods, like church sieeples tn the wales of WesimorelaDd. We here first noticed the lunar palm Iree which differs from that of our tropical ati- 'udes only in the pecnliariy of very large crims"n' hnwers instead of the sadix prOruded from the com mon calx. We, however, perceived nO fruit on any specimens we saw; circums,ance which we atiemp- led 10 accovni for from vihe great (theoretica ex. i,emes in the lunar climate. On a curious kind Of trec mei0n we nevertheless fruit in great abum. dance aud in every stage Of incepiion and maturity The euevu colo, of these woods a dark green, though not without OccasiO nsl admlxiures of every tint of our torrs, The hectic flush of au- often kindea "pon the cheek oi earle spring; and the gay drapery of sun''ner in some places surrounding trees Ieaiess ibe victims ct winter I, seemed as if all the sensons here united hands in 9 circle of perpetual harmony. .-
 e Of animals Ooly an elegant striped quad. rnped about three feet high, like miniature Zebra :; which was!af~ays in small herds on the gree" sward "f Ihe tils; apd two three kinds of long tailed birds which judged to be golden and hlue pheas-- anis On the shores, however, we saw countless m"l- tiiudes of valve shell fish, and among them some huge flat winch all three of associates deca- red to he cornU amm0ne; and confess was here compelled to abandon my sceMcal sustiu"" oi Peh- bes The ehfs all along these shores were deeply undermined by tides; they were very eavernous. aud yellow cry siat s,alacIes larger than mans thigh, shoo,ing forth all sides. Indeed every rood of this isaAi appeared 10 be crysiazed; masses nf fallen crystals were found on every beach we expior- ed, and beaJned from every fractured head land. IL was more like a creation of nt ieD,a fancys than distant variefy Of nature brought up the powers af science to orenar demonstration. The striking dia- simnude of this island to every other we had i"nnd these writer's, and it's near proximity io the ma'"
 
 been part "f it; especially as s crescent bay embraced the first of chain of smaller ones which ra" directly lhiiher. This first one was pure quartz rock, about three miles im circumference, low erinX ia naked majesty from the blue deep, without either shore or shelier. But il slowcd in the sun almost like sapphire, did all the lesser of whom tt seemed the king. Our theory was speedily confirm ed for all the shore of the main land was bateMru- ted and spired with these u"obainabe jewels Gf na. lure ;; and as we brough, our field io view 10 inrude the utmost rim of the illuminated boundary of the planer, we conId s, them blazing in crowded hatalliOns as were, ihromgh region "t hundred" of miles. In fact could moi conjecture whrre this gorgeous land of encanimen nt terminated; for as the rotary motion of the planet bore these mo"nain. .snn- mits from view, we became further remote from their western boundary.
 "We were admonished ny this lose time in, seeking the proposed object of our srarci', 'Ie LaDgreDus, No. 26, which salmOs within the verge of the braon in longitude and of which, i''f ;.:A' reason, Dr. Hersche entertained some singular cx- peciaiiOns.
 "AEer short delay in advancing the observatory upon the levers and n regulating the lens we i"""d our object and surveyed it. h was dark narrow lake seventy miles long, bounded on the east, north and yves, by red mountains of the same character as those surrounding the valley of the Unicorn. from which it is distant to the south west about l6O miles, This lake, like ina, valley, opens to the south upon plain more than ten miles wide, which is here circled by truly magnificent amphltheaire oi the loiest order of lunar hills. For semi-crce of six vase pespendcularly the walls of the Cot oseum a, Rome; but here exhibiting the sublime ai- Iude of al least two lhousa0d feet, n smooth broken surface. How nature disposed of the huge mass which she thus prodigaily carried out, know not but certain il is that there are no fragme n's oi e lei upon the plain, which is decIiv,y without sin. gle prominence except billowy tract of woodland that rune in many wld vagary oibreadih and cour.e 10 the margin of the lake. The tremendous height and expansion of this perpendicular mountain, with its bright crimson front courasted with the i0ge or forest it's brow, and the verdure Oi the open paan beneath, filed our canvass wiih landscape unsur- passed iH unique grandeur by any we had beheld.- Our twenty five miles perspective included ihis re- narkable mountain. the p!an part of the lake, and the last graduated summiis of the range of hills by ~ hch the latter s nearly surrounded. We arden'Iy wished that all ihe world could view scene 50 strangely grand, and our pulse beat high with the hope of one day exhibiting it 10 couDirymen in scMe part Of native land. But we were al length compelled to destroy picture, a whole, for the purpose of magnying its parts for scientific inspec. ton. Our plate of course immediately covered with tue ruby front of this mighty amphiiheaire, it's tall figures, eaping cascades, and ragged caverns- As its almost interminable sweep was measured oil upon the canvas we frequently long lines of some yellow meta hanging from the crevices oi the hor- zontal strata tn wild net work, straight pendant branches. We of concluded tina, this was viFs gin g9ld and had assay master 10 prove tlfs contrary. On searching the plain, over which we had observed the woods rowing in all the shapes of clouds in the sky, were again delighted with tho discovery of animals. The first observed was Qnad~ rnped with amazingly long neck, head like sheePN bearing two long spiral horns, white as polished 'vo- ", and standing in perpendicular, para el to eacA oher Ita body was like that oi the deer, bat its fore legs disproportionaily long, and it's tail which was very bushy and of snowy whiieness, curled high over it's side. Its colOrs were bright bay and white tn brindIed patches, cearly defined, but of no regular form. IL was found only in pairs, n spaces cen inc woods and we hnd nn