Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1860-09-06

blush Of the corona but 4 was white and
no red prominences were visible.
On shlpboard they were more fortunate.
During the totality, a momentary rift in
the clouds revealed the spectacle to the
sailors. They saw the corona, and de-
scribed It precisely as if they had read
description IN an astronomical work. The
drawing taken from their statements he
considered In every sense reliable. Il
exhibits the corona with unequal shoots of
light.
DR.. F. A. Bernard, amember Of The
expedition, gave few results which are
really very interesting. The phenome-
non known as "Baily's heads" was dis
tinctly seen. This consists Of a series Of
round dots of light, like a great string
of beads, which. Immediately succeeds
total observation. He attributed to them
similar cause to that which is attributed
for mirage. The passage of shadow
created the same inequality of density in
the atmosphere as that on the principal
Of refraction produces mirage.
DIR. B. stated some interesting facts
connected with the voyage. His ideas
of icebergs were entirely incorrect. He
had had no conception Of their enormous
hight. This, too, wasin latitude 50 deg.
of the cost of Belle Isle. Other re-
markable features of these high attitudes
were the great number and. brilIiancy of
auroras, and great disturbance of the
magnetic needle. What was quite as
remarkable, too, the latter became quiet
during the totalily of the eclipse. The
almost total absence of animal life, with
the exception Of mosquitoes, was also re-
marked.
The eclipse was also observed by a
company or Britise saaGns ut Santander,
in Spain. The following is a thrilling
extract from the journal of one of their
number:
The totality at Oh. 58m. 24s., and lasted
until 3h. I'm. 44s. At 3h., most of the
thermometers laid upon the grass had
fallen from II deg. ] min. to ga deg. 5
min, and there was percepGble chill
in the air, increased, perhaps, by thewind
having veered almost due north at Oh.
Sm. During the totality the following
phenomenon were also observed: At the
moment in which darkness began to de-
scend rapidly. CONSERVATION seemed to
seize nature pigeons flew about in
clusters, confused and scared poultry
sought their roost; nay dog whined at my
feen; small birds futtered and twitted
excltedly, as if a hawk was in view; a
cow moaned loudly, and the dew wgathered
ike sweat on the flowers as the dropped
and closed their petals. But the most
impressive moment was yet to come; as
darkness descended, and the winds and
the deep grew hushed, man and beast
were struck dumb with awe. Such might
well seem the last day, as indeed 1t did
to many; but the prophets of science had |
foretold the event, and deprived it of the
terror of a surprise. Nevertheless, during
those sinister, ghastly and absorbing three
minutes, enlightened spirits prostrated |
themselves before the power of God, and |
the sceptic whom the radiance Of the sun
could not convince, nor the regularly of /
the seasons convert, was forced at that
supreme moment to own the influence of
the first great cause.
During the totality the bits of blue sky
in the northwest and eastern horizon as
sumed the same appearance as they do at
dawn on a cloudy morning, with the ex
ception that the former was the brighter.
The flowers closed as follows