Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-03-28
gM Dawn on the MOon.

A ROCHESTER, journalist who visited
Prof. Swift, the other evening, and had
a view of the moon, says: The tel
escope, with power Of sc diameters,
was turned upon the moon. At first
the flood Of light was binding, and
the view was but cursory. The moon
looked like a shield of embossed silver
the shield of Achilles-hung by his
goddess mother in the azure of the
heavens. Prof. Swift looked over the
field, and noted, as he looked, many
of the interesting points, and suggested
that we follow The sunrise on the moon
On the moon the dawn advanced at the
rate of ten miles an hour, lighting up
new fields and furnishing to him an
eVer-changing panorama. Still, there
is naught but desolation, yawning
craters and sharp peaks of volcanic
mountains and circular walls with per-
pendicular sides that surround deep
pits. The moon is dead to all appear
ance-burned out with volcanic fires.
No water leaves the desolate and rug
7ged shores of IFS gay sea bottoms. But
in the gray plains, where some astron-
omers think an ocean once spread,
eraters are seen with perpendicular
walls.
The gray plans can be seen with
the naked eye, forming what IS called
sthe man in the moon,' on map like
the Eastern Continent. Under the tel
escope we could trace what seemed at
first to be shore lines on the borders of
this plain. Ol closer inspection, in
stead of wave-washed sand, these lines
appeared to be but rounded steps
formed by successive lava bursts
spreading over the plain and marking,
by the lessening- flow, the gradual ex-
haustiOn of the volcanic force From
one of the largest craters rise three
volcanic cones, the summits OF which
are tipped with sunlight before the
floor of the crater is lighted. In an
other large crater two cones arise.
From the larger crater rays spread out,
as though the volcanic force cracked
the firm crust in its upheaval, injecting
through the broken surface ridges Of
dazzling white lava, that spread out
like the arms of cutie fish, covering a
vast surface.
1.-The graDdest phenomena are to be
observed by following the sun on the
moon. The advancing dawn forms a
ragged crescent line upon the surface
still in darkness. The SUMS rays pass
over dark chasms and low fields, light
ing up ragged mountain tops far in ad-
vance. They appear like little islands
of light lying off the coast of an illumi-
mated sea. High mountains and crater
walls near the shore of light cast deep
shadows. The circular rims of crater
are illuminated, and shine like rings OF
silver, glittering upon cushion OF
darkness. The advancing dawn now
lights uk. the bases of the outlying
mountains that but a moment ago
showed but speck of light, and still
new mountain tops are tipped with
silver far in advance.
1.-The sunlight strikes upon the side
of circular wall of crater, and there
is silver crescent, with black space
between it and the sea of light. Slow
ly the summit of other portions of the
circular wall are lighted up, and then
the sunlight invedes the depth Of the
crater, while the shadow of the wall
nearest the sun stretches half across the
floor Of the chasm. Frequently great
gaps are broken in the crater walls and
strustks of light stream across the floor.
The Jagged rocks, in calm, cold beauty,
shine and glitter in the fierce white
| light The mountains are mountains
of desulation, and the valleys are val
leys of silence and death. They are
wrinkled with the dow of lava and torn
with upheavals. The moon is de d.
No air, no sea, no forest shade, or liv-
ing thing. The moon is never failing
source of delight. 1t is also awful in
its suggestions of power and in its
| loneliness of utter desolaion."