The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-24
SCIENCE ON A MAN-OF-WAR.
TARS HAVING THEIR Fun WITH TIE
LEARNED PROEESSORS

Not stop Mt LOando. Where It Was WIS.,
Ibie, but Went Down the African Coas ut
and There Struck Cloudy Weather.
The old frigate Pensacola dropped anchor of
Staten Island yesterday morning after an alb
sence from American waters OF moro than
eight months She brought homo the news OF
some OF the stranRest experiences that ever
fell to the lot Of modern man-of-war's men.
The famous old ship sailed away last Octo-
ber having on board a 30 called Government
scientific expedition" which was delegated to
go to the coast OF Africa and make obssrva-
tons OF the total eclipse OF the sun. which was
visible on that coast Dec. 90. Congress appro-
priated $500 for the expenses Of ten scien-
tilc men who should compose the party.
and directed the Secretary OF the Navy
TO assign man-of-war to transport the
expedition. Prof. David T. Todd OF
Amherst College was appointed director
OF the expedition. The new cruiser Yorktown
was first assigned to the trip Prof. Todd In
spected her and then buried to Washington
to inform tho Secretary OF the Navy that the
splendid new cruiser wasn't half big enough to
carry the necessary scientific apparatus. The
Professor was sent to examine the Pensacola,
which, with her extra gun deck offered tho
greatest carrying capacity OF any available
ship in the navy. He decided that he could
get along with her by packing things snugly.
On Oct 16 the loading Of the great frigate
with all manner OF strange baggage was COM
pleted. and Prof. Todd with q retinue of six
teen associates instead Of nine, the legal num-
ber. won't on board. They we're welcomed by
Capt. Yates and the 400 officers and mon at
tsched to the ship, and they set sail. The
cruise was expected to last three or possibly
four months. and pleasant trip. on the whole.
was anticipated by everybody. The only draw
back was the crowded condition OF the ship on
account OF the great mass OF truck which filled
the hold and the gun and spar decks. There
were portable houses. forty-foot telescopes.
besides all manner of things which were never
used and never unpacked.
The officers OF the Pensacola looked up to
their companions as men OF high attainments
In the various branches OF science they repre-
sented and they thought the expedition would
Yield them some valuable Information. 3d.
after the scientific men had got over their sea-
sickness, the officers invited them to give a
series Of talks or lectures in the cabin on some
OF the points involved in their quest. Two such
lectures were given. 1t happened on the
day that the first lecture was given that
several waters pouts were seen from the Ship
and the lecturer took that phenomenon for his
subject He astonished the naval officers by
calmly informing them that waterspouts were
nothing but optical decisions. They were not
Watorspouts at all. but dry whirltng columns
Of air. Inasmuch as nearly all OF his hearers
had seen waterspoutS at close quarters had
seen ships struck by them. and knew that they
were made OF very real water. the learned
incredulous amusement
Another scientific man undertook to tell the
country to which they were going. 1t was a
very peculiar country according to his descrip-
tEn and his hSaeF En- the to draw hin
grayely about the snakes.
20, yes; ! almost forgot about the snakes"
very Yenomous and plentiful; but they are
quite harmless In the morning. In the early
ssa HPs tPa IL he
or six feet and then they are very dangerous"
The officers Of the Pensacola didn't laugh Or
for any more lectures. They thought they
would wait until they reached Africa. where
minimum for the whole twenty-four hours.
and then see, the Professor again. No sooner
eHz the ma %h FS
eral trunks. and he was never heard from
again by the officers Of the P ,sE, He
After tho ship had been ont. about a week
which he proposed. to iberate In order to
ascertain the force Of the wind The obstinate
next morning when he tried again he observed
tsns TSe6 he FAD BsssS h hs q pssySS5
imDortapt .taet was promptly entered
probable that it was erased when It leaked out
that some mischievous Jackie had stolen q lot
OF the balloons the day before and let them
loose In the morning when the Professor be-
.1nstead OF quarters and drills for the crew Of
portion Of the very unfinished .equipmept Of
skill and hearty good will d the Pensacola's
people enabled the scientific men 70 bring
been thrown. Scarcely anything was In shape
for use and the members Of The party sidn't
had crowded upon the biz ship.
Favored by delightful weather. the ship
ssSed The S hs
of numerous and interesting family. Having
proceeded next to Palo Grande. another coal
mander. had recently died OF African fever.
after few days illness. near the scone o: the
a visible impression upon the scientific men
ihat the aschisvously Inclined among the
the expedition, or some OF them, In
contempt, began persistent series Of bulk:
those Who %isHt oHerhe i1 it. They Synf talked
with each other about the deadly climate Of |
Ing. Of the sure death in the fever germ at |
mosphere OF some spots &c The wicked |
bCHbiut DOIs ITull- InD Wtll-nlR1
panic stricken party at once abandoned thelr |
carefully made plans TO establish their obser- |
walton station at Musima, on the CoanZa River, |
and It was decided that tho expedition must |
use the ship as n base.
The Pensacola sailed and steamed slowly |
along from the coal pile at Pala Grande to tho |
more expensive one at Froetown. thence to the |
still higher. priced one at ,E!mina, and finally
Loaudo. In equatorial Africa. There they |
found that tho Portuguese Governor. In |
anticipation OF the arrival Of the expedi- |
ton had made extensive, preparations
and their establishment at Musima. Il was |
true that q washout, u few hundred feet wide |
temporarily blocked tho railroad, but ample |
gangs OF carriers had been engaged to bridge |
the gap. But 1t was admitted II was not par |
ticularly healthy then, md the Director hardly |
stopped to, thank the Governor for his care be-
ready to go to ,Cape Lido, a rer- |
down the coast. A small English gunboat with |
one astronomer had pEeceded tho Pensacola
statlons TOO near together but no such fears |
agtated Prof. Todd. He quite paraly2ed the |
acting United States Consul at Loando by ask |
Ing to be supplied with forty tons OF Ice when |