The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-08-23


ted that the safe of the atmosphere had
prevented them from observing several phe
nOnena, and hoped that observers in otba
quarters had been more successful. He
saw that curious breaking up of the lines
OF light between the sun and moon, just u,
the moment of total observation, described
by Francis Baily in 1887, and called ssBai
ley's beads.' They also saw the phenome
non, but the fragments did not present Jus,
that rotundity which cntitle them to be
called beads. Their appearance, he said
was so beautiful that the chief of the cxpe
ditlon was carried away and, forgetting
himself, broke the law Of silence by ex.
claiming "Bailey's Beads"
Prof Al beg to correct DR. Barnard.
Somcbo'lS else said "Bailcy's beads" and
Che chief cried, "Be still!' Laughter.1
e Mr.. Canard accepted the correction, and
said that t.ail the time of The phenomenon,
he was trying to count the number of beads,
and did not see the phenomenon observed
by Lieut.. Ash. Previously to the meeting
OF the two limbs, it had been noticed that
the moons edge was very rough, while the
sun was smooth. They saw nothing of
that drawing out OF the beads and their
breaking as if they were the filamcnts of
viscous fluids. Baily himself did not sec
them when in Italy in 1872. DIR. Barnard
thinks the beads are owing to the irrcgu-
larity Of the lunar disc ut the edge where
it meets the solar edge.
On passing the Straits of Belle Isle, July
Z, the expedition met with series of opti-
cal phenomena. The irregular rciractions
of light were exhibited on a large scale all
around the horizon, constantly changing.
lie analyzcd the three kinds of mirage.
specimens OF all Of which they saw. The
iccberSs, under this rciraction presented a
constantly changing aspect, extremely in
tercstng; sometimes the true, sometimes
the false, image was greatly exaggerated
Sometimes the phenomenon lasted 50 long
that they could uot take correct views ai
the coast The company observed fifteen
auroras; those in the high ATTITUDES were
chiefly coronas; a number of them very
lasting, but not very dense. On the coast
oi Labrador there seems to be no spot
where loose stone cou Il lie, that is not
covered with loose stones; if loose stones
cannot lie there, the surface Is rocky. \
very little vegetation grows in the assures
of the rocks. Animal life has almost dis
appeared; they found very few land birds
and few ducks, but baggcd no game.
They saw no human beings, and no quad
rupcds; only n few bones. The whole
scene presented grand and almost sublime
Golgotha
Prof Alexander corrected DR.. Barnard
in SO far rs To say that there was II little
animal life, which came out most beaut-
fully, when the sun was halfcovcrcL. \
little bird, sweet as II nightingale, but un-
known to them, i'll the midst of the silence
and gloom, burst out into song Some of
the party also saw black bear stalking
over the mountains, 50 that the "Grcat
Bear was seen un the earth us well IS in
the heavens.
Mr. Barnard said he had forgotten to
mention another animal, which was exceed
ingly abundant even though the tompcra.
turc was but little above the freezing point.
The mosquitoes were so thick that perhaps
the swamps of Mississippi could hardly
compete with that region
Prof. Alexander spo<c of the magnetic
variations, which were extreme. Under
the influence of the eclipse, however, the,
were quiet.