Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-21
ACCOUNT OF AN ECLIPSE.

scriptlon OF total eclipse oil the sun, given to HALEY
oy one oil his friends, is quoted by the great French
astronomer Arago and presents extraordinary appear
ances ofNatnre, different from those previously accred.
tied
II send you, according to promise, my observations
OF the solar ecliDses, though fear they will not be of
much use to you Not being furnished with the naces.
sary instruments Tor measuring time | confined INV
views to the spectacle presented by Nature-a sDecta-
Gle which has hitherto been neglected or perfectly
studied; chose tor my point OF observation place
called Harradow Hill, two miles from Amesburv and
east Of the avenue OF Stonehenge of which it closes
the vista-in front OF that celebrated edi6ce mon
which knew that the eclipse would be bisected
had, moreover, the advantage OF a very extensive
prospect in every direction being on the lofiies hill in
the nsghborhood and that nearest 10 the shadow. To
the west beyond Stonehenge, is another rather sean
NIL rising ilke the summit OF cone above the horizon
This clay hill, adjoining Westminster e? is situated
near the central line OF darkness. had with me Abra
ham ) !orges and Stephen Evans both natives of the
country, and able men, The sky, though overcast
gave out some struggling rays OF the SUI that
me to see around My two companions Looked
through the blackened glasses, while | made some
reconnaissance OF the country. 1t was 81 O'clock
by my watch when they informed me that the ecIinse
had begun. We watched its progress therefore VIII
the naked eye as the clouds performed for us the
vice OF coofed glasses. AT the moment when the en-
was half obscured, very evident circular rainhou,
formed at its circumference with perfect coors As
the darkness increased, saw the shepherds m ali
sides Fastening to their focks for they expected total
eclipse OF an hour and quarter duration When the
assumed the appearance OF the new moon the sl
tolerably clear. 1t was covered with deener
clouds.
The rainbow then vanished. The steep hill bava
named became very obscure, and on each side-tha is
north and souh-ihe horizon exhibited blue tint thai
it possesses in summer towards the close of the dav
Scarcely had we time to count ten, when Salisbury
spire, six miles to the SOUTH was enveoped in darkness
The hill disappeared entirely and the DEEPEST night spread
around us. We lost sight OF the sun, whose place Til
then had been able to distinguish in the clouds but
whose trace we could now no more discover than fit
had never existed. By my watch which could scarce.
y discern by light that reached us from the north
it thirty five minutes past six. Shortly before the
sky and the earth had assumed, literally speak ing a
lvid tint; for was mixture OF black and blue, only
the latter predomnated the earth and at the hori
zon. There was also much black dffused throu oh
the clouds so that the whole picture presented an awful
aspect, that seemed to announce the death OF nature
We Were now enveloped in total and palpabIe dark
ness, if may be allowed the expression 1t came on
rapidly, but watched so attenvely that | could per
celve It's progress 1t came upon like rain ling on
our left shoulders, 1--WE were looking to the Yves ~
like great black cloak thrown around u.s. or like cur.
tain drawn from that side. The horses we held bv the
bride seemed deeply struck by it, and pressed to Us with
marks OF extreme surprise AS well as l could per-
ceive, the countenances of my friends wore horrible
aspect. 1t was not without an involuntary exclama.
lion ofwcnder looked round me at this moment
distinguished coos in the sun, but the earth had lost
all its blue and was entire black. few rays shot
through the clouds for moment, but Immediately afH
forwards the earth and the sky appeared totally black
1t was the most awful sight had ever beheld in NV
life. Northwest OF the point whence the eclipse came
on, it was impossible for ne to distinguish in the least
degree the earth from the sky, for breadth of sixty
degrees or more. We looked in vain for the tovn ~
Amesbuy situated below US; scarcely could we see the
ground under feet. turned frequently during the
total darkness and observed that considerable distance
to the west the horizon perfect on both sides
that is to the north and to the SOUTH the earth was
black, and the lower part of the sky clear The Oh
security which extended to the horizon in those points
seemed like a canopy over our heads, adorned with
figures of lighter COLOR thai he upper edges Of ali
the hills, which cognsed perfectly by their outlines.
formed black line. saw perfectly that Inc inter-
val between light and darkness, Observable in the earth
was between Marlnsol q ana ST Anne but TO the
south it less distinctly marked
81 do TO say that the line of shadow mass
ed through these two hills which were twelve miles
distant from us; but as lar as | could distinguish the
horizon there behind and for this reason nav
elevated position enabled the light OF the sy
beyond the shadow: still that yeowsh green line of
light | saw was broader towards the north than 10
wards the south, where it of ton color At this
Period it 100 black behind us-that is TO the east
looking towards London-to enable me to see the hills
beyond Andover Tor the interior extremity of the sha-
dow lay beyond that place. The horizon was then d.
vided Into four parts, differing in in light and in
darkness. The broadest and most black was to the
northwest. The only change could perceive during
the whole time the phenomenon lasted was that the
horizon divided into two parsone clear the other OBJ
sucre The northern hemisphere then acquired more
length, brightness, and BREADTH and the two opposite
parts coaesced. Like the shadow in the beginning of
the eclipse. the light approached from the north and
fell our right shoulders. could not, indeed, dis
tngush that side either defined light or shadow on
the ca rth which watched atienvelv; but it was evil
dent that the light returned but gradually and with os
cilaon. 1t receded little, advanced rapidly until at
last at the first brilliant point that appeared in the sky
plainly enough an edge OF light that grazed our
sides for considerable time, or brushed our elbows
from west to east Having good reason, therefore, to
suppose the eclipse ended for us, looked my watch
and found that the hand had raversed three minutes and
half M air oo1or
the horizon at the point previously occupied by
the centre of the shadow. NV companions cried out
that they again saw the steephl toward which they had
been looking attenvely. 1t still, indeed, renamed
black to the southeast but will not say that the hor
zon difficult to discover. Presently we heard the
song of the arks, hang the return of light after the
profound and universal silence in which everything had
been plunged; The earth and sky appeared then as
they do in the morning before sunrise. The latter
was OF graylsh tint, inclning to blue The former, as
ia my eye could reach, was deep green russell
Gas as the sun appeared the clouds grew denser
and for several minutes the light did increase Just
happens al cloudy sunrise. The instant the eclipse
became total, till the ascension OF the sun, saw We
nus, but other stars. We perceived at this moment
the spire of Salisbury cathedral. The clouds not dis
pesng, we could not push our obse vations iurher-
They cleared up, however, considerably toward even
ing.
impression has the spectacle made my mind that
shall long be able to recount all the circumstances Oft
with as m uch precision asnow. After supper | made
sketch OF 1t from memory on the same paper on which
had previously drawn a view of the country.
Twill to you was methinks, the only person in
England who did not regret the presence of clouds
they added much to the soemnity of the specacle-n-
superior, in my opinion, to that of
17l5 which saw perfectly from The top OF the bafy
OF Boston, in Lincolnshire, where the sky was very
G lear. There, indeed saw the two sides OF the sha
dow coming from alar, and passing to great distance
behind US; but this eclipse exhibited great variety, end
was more awtully imposing, that cannot but con-
graduate myself on having had opportunities ofseeing,
under such different circumstances these two rare acct
dents OF Nature"
LATER FROM MEXICO.
Dates from the city OF Mexico the 18th July have
been received at New Orleans. The Government has