The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1878-08-08
THE ECLIPSE on THE PEAK.
How the Daylight Darkness Appeared
to SpectatOrs.

How the Daylight Darkness Appeare,
to Spectators.
A gentleman who formed one of tn,
eclipse observing party on Pixies Peal
furnishes the Colorado Springs GazeH
with the following description:
The sky was cloudless and the atmos
phere wonderfully clear. The range o
vision extended for probably one hund
red miles in every direction. Tho
mountains north and west stood on
clear against the sky, and the plain!
to the eastward stretched away unit
they seemed to mingle with the hori
zon. 1t is a rare occasion when distant
objects can be so clearly and distinctly
seen from the peak There was no haze
or mist to cloud the view in any direc.
tion. There was perhaps no specia
feature observable in the eclipse as not
ed from the summit, which could moi
be seen from any point ON the plains
below, except such as might arise from
the clearness and rarity of the atmos
phere incident to the elevation. This
clearness and the absence of moisture
doubtless gave great advantages for sci,
entitic observation, and for the use OF
astronomical instruments.
But there was no point probably
within the entire limit of total obscur-
alton which afforded such an opportun-
ity for noting the approach of the shad-
ow of totality, or which gave an equal
opportunity for taking in at single
sweep of the eye such an extended area
of the earth's surface.
To the unscientifc observer, the
most remarkable phenomenon observa-
bic from the summit of the peak was
the approach of the shadow of totality
from the north, its swift passage, and
the sudden burst of sunlight which fol-
lowed.
1t must be remembered that the
movement of the shadow from north
to south was at the rate of about thirty
miles per second, and it was necessary
that one should have stretched beneath
him wild expanse of the earth's sur
face, in order that the eye could seize
with glance the line of the approach
ing shadow, and follow it as it rushed
away to the southward. This advan-
tage an observer who stood upon the
Peak possessed.
General Myers had very kindly ad-
yised our party where and how to look
for the coming shadow, and we had
taken our station on the Northern edge
of the summit several minutes before
the period of total obscuratlon of the
suns disc. Without the aid of q glass
the eye could at this time distinctly
note the shimmering of the bright sun
light on the mountains more than 100
miles to the Northward. Suddenly we
observed them disappear and a great
wall of darkness, stretching out on
either side as far as the eye could reach,
concealed them from us. With incon-
ceivable rapidity the shadow swept to-
wards us, its front clear black line
bordred with fringe of yellow. 1t
hid from sight range after range of the
more distant mountains, and quickly
covered with CHASTITY pail the peaks
and foothills and plains beneath came
us.
When the shadow reached and envel-
oped us, the eye could dimly outline
the nearer mountains, and could single
out with strange distinctness the houses
and farms in the valley below. The sky
overhead seemed heavy and leaden,
and every visible object was pallid and
ghastly. The very shadow seemed
tangible, and to weigh upon us, but the
horizon around us was brightly illumi-
mated by flashing rays of red and yell
low lights like those of the Aurora.
While we ON the Peak were still envel-
oped in the depth Of the shadow its up
per line passed over the far-off range to
the northward, and the clear sunlight
struck the mountains, and away beyond
aud through the darkness they burst
suddenly into view. In an instant 9TH
er and nearer mountains appeared and
then the dimly shaded parks and the
wooded Divide were bathed in sunlight,
and the shadow rushed past us.
During the period of darkness the
view around was weird and terrible, but
the burst of sunlight which appeared !
upon the distant mountains as they |
seemed to spring up instantaneoUsiy |
from the bosom of the earth, was ono Of
the most sublime and joyous visions
that it is ever given to mortal eyes to
witness. 1t brought a sense of relief
and delight, and no one who saw it can
forget it.
There was one peculiar phenomen Of
color, connected with the approach and
disappearance of the shadow of total
obscuration which may perhaps have
some scientific value, and be worthy of
note. 1t was observed that along both
lines of the shadow, and especially
along its departing edge perhaps more
than its advance line, there is
o well defined stripe of yellow color,
shading off into orange and light red.
This appearance was we'll defined and
bordered the dark lines like fringe.
These lines of color were noted by three
Or four persons who oil agree as to their
appearance. Will some scientist tell
us what they were there for and what
they indicate9
His mother was putting on her slipper
again when he brushed away the tears, and