Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-09
Astronomical.

From the following extract of a letter from
Lieut.. Gilliss, who visited South America to
observe the total eclipse of the sun in Sep
TENDER, it is to be feared that the condition OF
the atmosphere in that country at the hour OF
the eclipse was such as prevented his Obser-
walton
A postscript to my last letter, written just
before we arrived at ASpinwalI will have in
formed you that | had safely reached Panama
on the morning of the 18th. But our bag
gage was still on the road, and there was no
certainty when it would get in, and the hour
appointed for the departure of the British
steamer was 10 A. NJ. On showing my letter
to the agent, who is also the British Consul,
he said at once. Il will detain the steamer for
you; so that | was at once relieved from
doubt The local authorities at Payta per
mtted every thing to be land ID without trOu-
bic, and the letters | brought to the house of
MessrS. Ruben 4 Co. secured me immediatc
invitation to take up my quarters under their
roof.
The several COnsuls came to see me very
soon, and French Admiral, accidentally here
with two of his ships, sent the captain Of the
smaller Ia steamer) to place her at my dispo-
sal. should be disposed TO proceed to anOth-
err point on the coast. This liberal and
prompt ACT Oh Inc Hlllc luloftIld-
ton had been able to gather up TO that time
convinced me Of the Importance of having
more than one party in the field, and, AS the
French Astronomer went from Paris to Bra
I'll. | have finally arranged to supply the Off
GERS of the steamer with instruments and they
will proceed south of this TO some point with
in thirty miles of the coast. Up to this time
there had been hut one clear sunrise, and they
tell me such is the character of the mornings
all over the land at this season of the year.
If so-for none are really definitely Informed
the chance for observations is small and the
obstacles to reaching the top of the noun
tains enormous. For three days the travel il
over desert, where | must not only carry
water for our own use. but also for the aui-
mails require. OF course then il is of great
importance that no more instruments be ta-
ken than are indispensable to the work, rs ev-
cry two animals require third for the con-
veyance of water and food.
Exact information it has been impossible to
obtain here, no two natives agreeing either
about the climate or the country, and the best
informed man being a Yankee, who came TO
this country some years ago to make an ex-
animation into the practicability of bringing
water into the town. Even he, however can
not tell me about the point desire to attain;
therefore, have determined to leave here to-
morrow at daylight for Piura, "A town forty
miles inland, over "A desert road. / shall on
ly have three mule loads of instruments. &C.
and expect to reach there early in the after
noon. There. | am referred to people who
know (my. references say all about the Cor
dilleras in this province, and there shall de-
eide upon upon future movements. l may
go to the top of the Andes; or, if the obsta-
cles are represented insurmountable. or the
clouds there at sunrise more numerous than
on the plain. shall proceed rs nearly south
from Piura as is possible. / should have pre-
ferr d to remain day longer, the steamer
will arrive from the south on the 30h. but as
a 40 miles horseback ride is likely to leave
me with aching bones for a day or two, aud
the mail will follow twelve hours after the
steamer, it is better for me to have the long
est time at Piura in which to rest and make
inquiries.