Year: 1874




Above Clouds and Viewed
the Grand Spectacle from the


Mountain Top.


From the Virginia City Enterprise, Oct. 25.l


Being determined not to lose the grand


sight of the total eclipse of the moon


last night on account Of the snow storm


which prevailed, we made the ascent OF


Mount Davidson, in order TO get above


the clouds. Accompanied by a half


dozen friends, we left the city about 8


o clock in the evening" and pressing up.


ward through the dense cload mass


which we entered on the upper slopes of
the mountain, at 10 o'clock we reached


the topmost peak and stood above the
clouds and storm. 1t was one of the
grandest sights ever Witnessed by NOR
tails. AS far as the eye could reach on
all sides stretched level sea of clouds;
all the surrounding mountains were shut
out--all the lower world was hidden, all
but the extreme point Of the peak on
which we stood-a little island some
fifty feet in circumference, measuring
from the flagstaff in the center. Above
the full moon shone in full splendor, and
in all quarters of the heavens the stars
twipkled brightly. The air was keen
and frosty, but we were provided with
blankets, overcoats and mutflers.


For some moments after rising up out
of the sea of clouds in which we had
been so long enveloped, our little party
stood at the foot of the flagstaff and
gazed in speechless awe. 1t almost
seemed that we had left the world. Our
little island seemed all that remained of
the earth. Hundreds of miles on all
sides, as it appeared to us, stretched a
smooth and level sea of pearl In the
distance this was motionless, but nearer
it seemed moving slowly and majesti
cally from west to east, while at the same
time peculiar swaying up and down
was seen as it passed along. On and
along the crests of these cloud waves, or
rather cloud swells, were seen to run and
family flicker such tints as we sometimes
see ia mother.of pearl. All this was
very beautiful, but with it was sense of
isolation from the world-a feeling of
loneliness that was most depressing
But as the moon began to enter penum
bra there were so many and such sudden
and wonderful changes in all about US
that our loneliness and littleness were
forgotten.


The sea about us, which before had
shown only the tints of the pearl, now
took on the hue OF amber, but still hoated
on and swayed up and down as had the
sea of pearl. AS the observation pro
gressed, the more distant portions of the
cloud-sea changed in hue from amber to
brown, and this to black, gradually clos
ing in upon us from all sides. In our
immediate vicinity all had changed from
amber to deep burnt sienna tinge. SO
deep and decided was this tint that, at
one time, it seemed to pervade the at
mosphere; our clothing partook of it,
and the tall flagstaff around which we
stood looked like a great rod of rusty
iron. During this stage heavy breeze
sprang up and the swells in the sea
about us rose in higher waves than be-
fore. At times these rose many feet
above our heads, and (the eclipse being
then nearly total we we're sometimes
for minutes left in midnight darkness;
and, but for the lanterns we had carried
in coming up the mountain, and which
we're standing on the ground near by, we
could not have seen our hands when
held before our faces. But these waves
of darkness seldom lasted more than
two or three minutes, and we had from
FIRST to last a most magniGcen. view Of
the eclipse. 1t is probable that total
eclipse of the moon has never before
been observed under precisely such cir
cumstances as was this of last night by
our little party.


AS the eclipse passed off, about the same
phenomena we're observed above and
about US as in its coming on. We left |
The top of the peak, however, while (ul. |
" half Of the face of the moon was still
obscured. Taking last lingering look |
at all about us, observing that our sea
was again assuming the hue Of amber,
and that the horizon was widening in all |
directions, as the light spread abroad |
and drove back the brown and the
black, we plunged down into the thick |
cloud. stratum, and guided by the light |
Of our lanterns, made the best OF our
way down a huge gorge in the face Of
he mountain and back into the city.
Strange as it may appear, we found it
much warmer in the midst Of the clouds
and snow than above on the peak of the
Not one of our party will |
ever forget this total eclipse of the moon,
as seen from old Mount Davidson
.opmost peak, nine thousand feet above
he level of the sea.