394 Royal Astronomical Society. 
hue which I have remarked in other eclipses of nine or ten digits: 
I know not whether this was due to the cloudiness of the day, or 
to the continued correction of my eye by reference to the light of 
the candle. 
I saw no spots whatever on the sun’s disc. 
About six minutes before the totality I specially recorded the re- 
mark that there was a slight undulation on the limbs, but that the 
cusps were perfectly sharp. I cite this particular observation, be- 
cause I find it noticed in pencil at the time; but I am quite certain 
that the cusps were seen perfectly sharp at every other time. The 
general aspect of objects was now very. gloomy. 
As the totality approached, the gloom increased very rapidly. 
About two minutes (or perhaps more) before the totality, my com- 
panion exclaimed that it was darker towards the Val d’ Aosta. I 
immediately looked in that direction, and am satisfied that it was 
not darker there. The country, however, looked blacker on that 
side, partly, I think, because it is more encumbered with wood, 
and partly (perhaps) because the mountains are nearer than on the 
south side, and therefore have less of the whitish atmospheric tinge. 
At this time, and to the totality, the appearances were very 
awful. The gloom increased every moment; the candle seemed to 
blaze with unnatural brilliancy ; a large cloud over our heads, whose 
appearance I had not particularly remarked, but which, I think, was 
of cumulo-stratus character, became converted into a black nimbus, 
blacker, if possible, than pitch, and seemed to be descending ra- 
pidly ; its aspect became horribly menacing, and I could almost 
imagine that it appeared animated. Of all the appearances of the 
eclipse, there is none which has dwelt more powerfully upon my 
imagination than the sight of that terrible cloud. The sun was very 
little clouded; his narrow crescent form could be seen with the 
naked eye when the eyelids were partially closed ; there was, how- 
ever, a dark cloud immediately above him, and fainter clouds about 
him. Immediately before applying my eye to the telescope to view 
the completion of the obscuration, I imagined that the light which 
the sun cast upon the ground was of a reddish colour. But the 
light was so very faint that I cannot at all vouch for this observa- 
tion. : 
I have now to mention a very strange observation. I was view- 
ing the sun most carefully with the dark glass upon the eye-piece, 
while the small illuminated ring was closing rapidly ; my watch 
was lying on the parapet on which the short telescope-stand was 
placed, and I was counting its beats, with the intention of observing 
the time which might elapse between the appearance of Mr. Baily’s 
beads and the total obscurity. I saw the moon’s limb advance to 
the sun’s, and cover it completely. I withdrew my eye for a mo- 
ment from the eye-piece, when I heard my companion remark that 
the sun was nearly gone, I said firmly, ‘It is out.” On being as- 
sured that it was not, I again applied my eye to the telescope, and 
to my infinite surprise I again saw the narrow ring of the sun’s disc, 
not quite so bright as before. I again saw the moon’s limb advance 
