AN ECLIPSE EXPEDITION TO SPAIN 



56r 



ance. The little blotches of light under the trees, instead of being the 

 familiar circles, were little crescents, exact counterparts of the sun 

 itself. The darkness began to make itself really felt, and without look- 

 ing at the sun one would know that something out of the ordinary was 

 happening, for the gloom did not in the slightest degree resemble that 

 of sunset. A hush fell upon the crowd of assembled and talkative 

 Spaniards when, ten minutes before totality, a big cloud drifted over the 

 sun. Would this cloud move away? Or were we going to be disap- 

 pointed? It hung there for a space of time that seemed to be an age, 

 while in reality it was only five minutes. It was a big scare, but when 



Corona, August 30, 1905. 83 seconds Exposure. Photographed with a -10 ft. camera 

 by VV. W. Dinwiddie. 



that passed, with a shout from us all, there wasn't another cloud any- 

 where to bother us. Fifteen seconds before the calculated time, with 

 the last disappearing ray of sunlight, the corona broke forth into view. 

 What a magnificent sight it is shining out with its pale, pearly light 

 for a couple of diameters round the edge of the sun, with its streamers 

 and brushes of delicate light ! True to prediction, the corona was 

 almost square in shape, and was not at all alike in appearance' to the 



VOL. LXYJII. — 36. 



