The Washington times., 1903-03-15

tension was still at the maximum. The
sun was rising. and would set the para
6olic mirrors in action. There was no
reason why the experiment should not
go on to the nd by itself How i'm
patiently did the young astronomer
await the return Of the moon to con
Jinue his observations
She rose that day at thirty-six min
utes after Z O'Clock in the afternoon.
Long before that time Norbert mad his
eye glued to the telescope. in readiness
TO take a fresh measurement. No
sooner did she appear above the horizon
than it became perfectly clear that it
would be quite useless TO take a mi
crometic measurement. for since the
evening before her diameter had more
than doubled, she now described an arc
of one degree, six minutes, twenty-eight
seconds.
The increase was so remarkable that
everyone was struck by it. Soon
groups of Arabs stood about the plain,
contemplating the moon with a5-5Eish-
ment Doubtless they considered the
phenomenon TO be a favorable augury
for they did not seem to be in the least
terrified
At 3 o'clock in the morning, shortly
before the moon set. Norbert discovered
that her diameter had again Increased.
and now measured nearly two degrees
On the third day the moon appeared
in the east at forty-two minutes after
o'clock. 1t was not as yet very bright.
the sun now being in the west, but the
circumference was immense: the moon
now described an arc Of nine degrees!
That is to say. forty full moons OF this
size would have sufficed, If close to-
gether. to fll up the entire circum-
ference OF the horizon.
When evening came. and the sun.
having set a little before Z. left the
enormous lunar globe reigning alone in
the heavens, a feeling OF indescrtb able
dread came 10 all who looked at her. She
was be it remembered. only as yet in
the eleventh day Of lunation.
In the abnormal moonlight. almost as
bright as day. they could discern from
the top OF the terrace the behavior OF
the Arabs in the plain below Pros
trated on the earth with extended arms.
the Mahdists were evidently disturbed.
The sound OF the tom-tom could be
plainly heard. and in the still evening
air the voices OF the imams and der
wishes fioated up as in deep earnest tones
they implored aloud the Divine protec-
ton.
These applications went on all night.
until. about 3;37 in the worning. when
the moon disappearing beneath the
horizon, the Arabs concluded that the
-. 4 81.
their cause.
This assumption on their part was a
disappointment to Norbert. It was
clear that they had been terrified vet
not sufficiently so to make them give up
their enterprise
Howbeit. when the moon rose on the
following day az Gas in the evening. &C.
cupying p degrees. or nearly a quarter
OF the half-circle OF the horizon. the
Arabs recommended their saIaams and
prayers, but evineed no intention Of
raising the siege OF TehbaH.
The moon now filled up. so TO say. all
one side OF the heavens. with the OK
ception Of a blue space between Ter
edge and the horizon. She was nearly
round, and white as milk. the protu-
berances On her surface standing OUT
plainly. With the naked eye could be
seen chains of mountains. plains dotted
over with mountainous peaks and yauu-
ing craters, great blue spaces that were
either oceans or deserts. coasts bristIilg
With cliffs, frowning rocks. and deep
ADVISES.
With the telescope far more was dis
cernible. The least detail OF the land
scape appeared as plainly as does the
earth when viewed from balloon.
Amy doubt that Gertrude may have
entertained concerning the correctness
Of the lunar photographs adjoining the
observatory walls was now entirely
dissipatcd. for in the planet now draw
ing so near she beheld all the notable
features OF the lunar map as photo
graphed. standing out clearly and dis
tinctly.
The evening was passed in admira-
tion OF these marvels. until a little
before midnight. the edge OF the disk
having the western horizon, the planet
began TO slowly disappear. an opera
ton that lasted four hours. and took
twenty minutes longer than had been
the case when it rose in the morning.
They had reached the fifth day Of the
experiment, and no one had seemed TO
be disturbed by it. The Arabs had be-
come so accustomed 20 the phenomenon
that IL was now only by way OF a form
ula that they continued the ceremonies
I of the first evening. while as 20 the be-
I sieged. they locked out for the moon
each evening with the utmost impad-
encc TO examine afresh the marvels dis
played through the telescope.
But when that evening. at forty-four
minutes past :. the planet of the
night appeared on the Eastern horizon
everyone was iranshxed with awe at
its formidable appearance. II now oc-
cupied more than half the circle; or, tc
speak more correctly. the diameter now
described an arc OF ninety-two degrees
J fifteen minutes and twenty-five seconds
What was stiU more alarming. only
the edge OF the disk now was frinscd
as il were. with siIvery light. while
All :ha roSt annpared m immense solid