The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-07-25

ter from Chancellor BARNARD. The scientli'
commission of which he is member, la,
not vet reached the destined point of its OBJ
sevations, and, Of course, we have nothing
about the great eclipse at Cape Chidley.-
But, for all that, We are sure that every read
err of the INTELLIGESoER will thank us fol
publishing this letter, and be prepared 10
read, with greater avidity, the future letters
which Judge HowRr has kindly promised
to finnish US.
! Sydney, ISLAND OF CAEP DREroN, July 3, 1850.
Ny DEAR 'JuDGE Ever since | parted
from you in Oxford, with the exception of a
brief twenty-fpur hours in New York, I have
been steadily in motion, and widening every
hour the distance between myself and ms
Mississippi friends. reached New York in
three days. From that point | could only
inform YOU of my arrival without accident
since the few hours at my disposal there had
to be devoted to some preparation for an ex-
petition into an unaccu,tomcd region; and
"a region where it would be found difficult to
supply ans unfortunate omissions in the orig
na provision for convenience and comfort.
found nearly all the party in New York on
my arrival. The chief of the coast survey,
DR.. Baehe, reached there almost simultane-
ously, to give his parting instructions, and
. Ia.1 Z
little steamer from which write, to this i'm
portant expedition; and the vessel was lying
at the Navy Yard, waiting only FOR her living
freight in order to put out.
On the morning of Thurs lay, June 2S-
precisely our Commencement Day in Oxford
we went on board at s o'clock As we
were about leaving the hotel in tie carriage
which was TO convey us to the water, we
were joined by DR.. |. /. Hays, the arctic ex-
plorcr, whose newly projected polar cxpcdi-
ton has been recently attracting so much at
tcntion, and exciting so much interest. 1t
was the first time had ever seen him, and
was very much interested both in his appear
ancc and in his conversation. lie is quite a
young man, slender and almost delicate in
frame, modest and unobtusive, but with a
calm and quiet decision in his eye, and an
expression Of perfect conviction in his coun-
tcnancc, as he speaks Of his difficult and
dangerous project, which assure one that, if
the north pole is ever found, he is the man
to find it. | esteem myself especially fortu-
nate in having had the opportunity to meet
and converse with so remarkable man. \
few days later should have missed it: mas
much as his arrangements for sailing were
perfected, aud his purpose was to put out
from Boston on the 3Oth of June, two DAYS
after us. did at first hope that we might
encounter him AZ sea; or that he might think
it worth while to join us ON the Labrador
coast, and assist in the Astronomical obscrya-
tons which we have in view there; bu; the
first of these mticipations is out of the ques-
ton, rs his course is outside of Newfound-
land, and ours within, while be goes under
sail and We by steam; and in regard to the
second, while he expressed strong desire
to cooperate with Us, lac observed that the |
season is now too far advanced to permit him !
10 linger on his way. Ny interest in DIR. |
llays aud his conversation was such, that, |
while the vessel still lay at the wharf, l sent
into the city and purchased his last volume,
" An Arctic Boat Journey which / read |
through, after he left us, almost without lay |
ing it down. If you wish to peruse a narrative
second only in interest to Robinson Crusoe,
advise you to purchase this volume.
Between ten and eleven o'clock, Professor
Bache went on shore. and our little vessel un- /
moorcd from the wharf The L. S. steamer |
Bibb is Of about 200 tons burthen. She is 4
ii.te.l up very comfortably: aud although, for
a party of eleven persons above the ordinary
ships company she affords but narrow quar-
tiers, vet we manage to ret along more pleas +.
autly than have always found practicable in
vessels of much higher pretensions. Oar I
party consists Of the five astronomers whose (
names have boon already mentioned in the
public prints, of two gentlemen of the coast
survey corps, charged with the duty Of ma
king magnetic observations, of two photo |
graphic artists, one geologist and one astro-
nomical assistant, All these gentlemen are
verv agreeable associates; and think II
would be difficult to assemble party Of the
same number who would work together more
tremendously.
But one Of our party has ever hitherto been
witness to the grand phenomenon Ct a cen
trial solar eclipse. Prof Alexander, however.
is sort Of veteran in this description Of OBJ |
having observed the four great
celipses of 1891, 1894, 1888 and 1854, three
Of which were annular, and the fourth total.
In order to accomplish this, he undertook, in
three of the years mentioned, long and occa-
sienally irving journeys. In the fourth in
stance, the phenomenon obligingly occurred
at Princeton, and he was able to observe il
without leaving home. His experience in
these matters makes him, very properly, the