1871.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 153 
French officer at Goreo in 1861, whose attention the Astronomer 
Royal called to it. 
In 1868, I asked Col. Addison of H. M.’s 2nd (the Queen’s) Regt. 
to examine this matter at Aden. I expressed considerable doubt 
as to the reality of the phenomenon which, save for M. Savournin’s 
statement, that the children ran after these shadows, I think one 
might have considered (in the absence of evidence to the contrary) 
as caused while resting a weary eye. Col. Addison had a large 
sheet hung up and (I quote from memory)* more than one of his 
officers saw these shadows passing rapidly across the sheet; so 
rapidly that they could not measure the velocity; in the direction 
in which the Moon was advancing on the Sun. 
Colonel Addison and M. Poulain are the sole persons I know, 
who have looked for this phenomenon, but it was seen again, 
unless I mistake, in 1869, and I believe that the following des- 
cription by Mr. Charles Coale refers to it. ‘‘The grandest of 
“all to us, who had no astronomical ambition, or astronomical 
“Knowledge, to gratify, was the effect upon the clouds during 
“the total obscuration. Those who have had the privilege of 
being on White Top” (mear Abingdon, Virginia and 5530 feet 
high) “and enjoying the westward scene, will remember the 
“grand panoramic view of mountains beginning on the north- 
“fern and southern horizon and stretching away to the west, 
** till they seem to meet, and will appreciate the scene, which we 
‘now attempt to describe. Stretching along this semicircle of 
‘mountains in long horizontal lines, far below the Sun lay light 
“and fleeey clouds, as if resting on their wings during the seem- 
“ing struggle between the orbs above them. At the moment of the 
‘falling of the dark shadow, when naught was to be seen above 
‘* but the stars and the circle of light around the moon, these clouds 
‘became arrayed in all the colours of the rainbow, presenting an 
“indescribable richnéss with their back ground of sombre moun- 
“tain. To our vision it was as if bands of broad ribbon of every 
“ conceivable hue had been stretched in parallel lines half round the 
“universe.”’ One sees here the pen work of the American Jour- 
nalist : indeed Mr. Coale in another letter remarks that he was 
* The papers were sent to the Royal Astronomical Society, 
