MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. S95 



diameter of the full moon, or about one-third of a degree. In about 

 20 minutes the sun came up; the air began to be tremulous with 

 warmth and the unusual sights disappeared. 



My homestead was at " Red Rocks," 4 miles west of Ellinwood, where 

 the high table-land north of the Arkansas makes its closest approach - 

 to the river. This is the narrowest part of the valley in Kansas, be- 

 ing not more than 3 miles wide. This was a noted camping-place for 

 Santa Fe freighters and emigrants. Wood and water were plentiful, 

 especially the water. After two years' teaching at Ellinwood and Ray- 

 mond, I built on a shelf of red Dakota sandstone near the base of the " 

 bluff and about 25 feet above a low part of the valley near by. My 

 instrument shelter was on another shelf back of the house about 15 

 feet higher. My view from the house to the north was cut off by the 

 bluff back of the house, the summit of which was 85 feet above the 

 river; to the south was interrupted about 6 miles distant by barren 

 sand-hills, probably 200 feet high, south of the river. The river itself 

 was half a mile distant, and ran straight east from Great Bend for a 

 distance of 8 or 9 miles along the township line. The view eastward 

 was over a broad, level valley terminated by a low range of sand-dunes 

 in Rice county. The horizon westward was limited by the high plains 

 of Rush county, 24 miles distant, terminating southward at Pawnee 

 Rock, about the same distance. This Rush county plain was a little 

 higher above the river than the bluff back of my house. From my 

 point of observation it gave a perfectly level sky line. 



Observations in the morning were taken at seven o'clock, or a few 

 minutes before, which, during winter, was always at or before sun- 

 rise. Observations on temperature at the summit, middle and base 

 of the hill were frequently made, especially if there were any mirage. 

 I quote from the record made during a remarkable mirage that oc- 

 curred on the morning of January 28, 1877: Temperature at station 

 on hillside back of the house, at 6:50 a. m., 15'. Taking a thermome- 

 ter graded exactly like the one in the shelter, I found the temperature 

 of the valley, 25 feet lower, at 6:51, to be 6'; at bottom of watercourse, 

 10 feet lower still, at 6:52, 2". 



Returning to the station quickly, the temperature rose as the hill 

 was ascended. At the station, at 6 : 55, the instrument in hand at first 

 showed 16.5° while the instrument in the shelter stood at 18"^. Both 

 instruments, however, soon stood at 18^ It was then noticed that 

 Great Bend, 6 miles distant, was unusually distinct and near, and 

 the hills of Rush county appeared over the roof of the court-house 

 at Great Bend, something never before seen. It was realized that 

 something unusual was occurring right then ; but, intent upon taking 

 an observation on temperature at the summit and getting back to the 

 station at seven o'clock, I started up without dwelling on the scenes. 



