Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-31


cred his last lecture Solar Ecpses last evening
ut the Smithsonian. large audience was In at.
tendance; and those who were not present lost
lures ever delivered in any CITY The lecturer
having been a witness of the scenes he described
so graphically, peculiar interest was lent TO his
1 Wvia pncdnres Of po,af pnenomsda and the sub
. After sIluding to the grad system Of coopefa.
tion lately inaugurated ,.nonr The astronomers of
all nations the iecfr .rer took up the narrative OF
great eclipse Of .s6l Astronomer, wrre stationed
on Lne Vs. Il coast OF the contine mt 20 catch the
mrs. suao' ~ that struck our shores; another was
t t. no into tie interior, near Lake Winnipeg.
Su' Tho was unable to reach the appointed spot
" lore the shadow swept over, and the party Of
which he was a member was sent to bid II fare
well IS II careered out upon the wastes ofthe At
Iansic, and stretched away toward the shores Of
Europe.
The party sent to Labrador was composed Of
Prof Barnard, Lieut.. Ashe, Prof. Smith, Prof.
low, Mr. Walker, Mr Darbockoi Com. Murray,
Lieut.. ellis, and the lecturer, Prof. Alexander,
who was appointed to the responsible position Of
superintendent Of the expedition. This party did
were betrayed by Government, but they received
compensation aside from the additional scien-
tifc facts obtained, and the sublime spectacle OF
total eclipse The point at which they made their
observations was sbeut 90 degrees of North lati
tude As they sailed along at a distance Of about
SO miles from the shore, they could distinctly zee
ing up in their grandeur and desolation, looking
precisely as though they were Of cast iron. Nota
tree was to be seen upon the dreary wastes. But
few small strntsd plants and little clinging
moss was all that relieved the barrenness Of the
hills, while here and there patches Of snow
stretched away upon the cliffs.
The average hight ofthese mountains was about
i,CCO feet, There were no vallies nor entrances
for vCssel but the chain seemed to be success
sion OF layers, which overlapped each other and
Reserved almost u uniform altitude. Along the
Frrar, atra III 10 l6o
sleeping mists which, chilled and condensed by
che congealiug influences of the mountain range,
never lifted their dreary folds. No rainbow hung
about IL; ray Of Ugh crept through the dreary
GLOOM friendly harbor stretched out its shelter
ing arms TO protect them from the biting blasts
and drifting seas; but one unbrokep, ock-bound
coast grit with eternal mists, repelled them while
the sounding line now marked the warning shall
lows and then plunged down into the chasms Of
the ocenn bed. Here the party began to fear that
they would be unable to accomplish their Grand
first from the difficulty in landing, and next the
mist, which would prevent their taking any Oh
servation. They fually found an inlet, into whish
they sailed, and got behind The mist, where IL
was bright and clear. when they found that the
apparent difficulty which had caused the most
nneasiness was really a convenience. The thick
ness Of the mists prevented the keen winds from
striking them very hard, and they were enabled
to keep very comfortable behind the screen; while
TOW and then, as the blast swept up against the
rocks, the mists would tower up above the cliffs
and look In upon them, and then sink back like
q serpent despoiled Of its prey.
Having pitched their tents, each man had his
particular duty assigned him. One or two were
appointed to look for the first approach OF the
moon; another TO announce its contact with the
rays Of the sun; three to note the time of contact
50 that II the attention Of one was attracted two
would remain; one TO call the seconds from the
chronometer; another to call the minutes; others
ready to let e y the screen upon the Photographic
apparatus, 50 as to catch the first picture of the
eclipse; others with telescopes searching for the
planets only seen In total cell pses Others shut In
m tn afch h Nrsfc nan Ce
Of the suns shadow upon paper; others to mari
the motion Of the magnetic needle; others to note
the changes Of the moon; and the engineer Of the
ship was statiDne upon the hill to mark the
changes Of the wind and temperature, while the
seamen ana sub-oficers were on board the ship
making such observations as were in their power
Here was a beautiful illustration Of faith in the
deductions OF science. Here was party OF men
collected upon the barren wastes Of Labrador, two
thoussBd miles away from civilization, each with
bis particular duty assigned him, anxiously await
ing the appointed minute when the most subli me
phenomenon Of nature was TO transpire When
tie moon first touched the sun II presented rough
Jagged edge, and the telescope bad hardly re
Vealed the contact before the bright RAYS vanished
and a shadow like the early twilight spread owe
tie earth which darkeBed with great rapidity
until the sun seemed entirely consumed and ex
tingaished. Just as the moon struck the sun, and
the first shadow fell upon the party, the song OF
bird TITLED out clear and distinct, like the note
of skylark, and then all was silent as the grave
until the first glittering edge Of the sun PeePec
mysterious notes again rang out on the stiffness
tae scene.
One was stationed to watch for the shadow
who described q as a vast column sweep ping alon,
with stresks down its sides like an immense rail-
cloud, with the rain streaming down I'm the dis
lance. Just in the most important stage Of tn
eclipse, when the sun was completely hidden b
the moon, dark clouds swept across the sky, oh
structng the view of the planet venus, whic
they were anxious to see, but they were Tepai'
for this by the immediate appearance OF vivid re-
AZ ..,AA H. .lA
they might not have understood. While the
were in the center of the dark shadow they coul,
see a blush Of light far away over the plains
while overhead the heavens were of dull cope
color. Something Of an idea Of tie strength O
the suns light may be inferred from the fact tina
when the first delicate spot Of the sun was reveals
by the telescope, the light flashed out as brigt
was surrounded by brilliant halo and vivid re
spots. The effect of the eclipse upon the mag
netic needle was singular. When the moon fr
passed before the sun the motions Of the need
were very violent, oscillating upon its pivot wit
great velocity, aud describing large arc. w be,
the sun was completely hidden IL was hardly pc
ceptible, but as the shadow passed of IL renewe
Us vibrations, unfY the shadow was entirely goD,
when IL resumed Its usual station. The win
and temperature was hardly affected at all.
From their station the shadow swept across
Europe, crossing Spain near the Peninsula, an
career:ng across Africa near the Red Sea- was 10
on the untrodden plains of Ethiopia. The Past
Of Egypt had an astronomer stationed In T. hiop
who gave very Interesting and important a.
count Of It's appearance az that place.
The lecturer then described the icebergs of Il
Polar seas, but our limited space will not adm
Of publishing his remarks
In closing his lecture he referred to the trump
achieved by the United States Coast Survey, an
the rapid march Of science under the fosteril
care Of our Republic. His illusions to pa
national glory and the dark picture Of the futu
were particularly affecting; and his prayer th
this Government might never be destroyed w
responded to by the audience In loud and lor
applause.
The LIeEr ARTILLERY QUARTERS Last mig
workmen under the direction Of Mr. 6. Nayl
>were engaged in erecting the stabling, &c, necs
sary for the horses of the light artillery expect
here this evening, and to quarter at the CT
Hall The stables, Of course, will be tempora
structures, requiring TO be up In time for q
no Sos when they arrive They are placed on
northwest part Of the City-Hall let, extendii
about 90 feet The work was commenced !,
night, by laborers cleaning away the snow 81
ice Mr. Naylor employed six men TO do Il
work; but all Swampoodls seemed DESTROYS
engaging in ID, and turned out gang 80 nHm
Gus that Mr. Naylor found himself surrounded
a crowd each Individual insisting that be W
employed. They created 50 much confusion q
Captain Goddard was sent for. He not being
hand, Justice Dom was called upon, who start
with Detectives Allen and Busher and Omt