278 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



beyond a doubt, the regular aijd constant flow of 

 the glacier, not merely from day to day, but absolutely 

 from hour to hour. You may believe how much this 

 result has delighted me. ... I am sorry to interrupt my 

 successful operations, but the eclipse of the sun calls me 

 to Turin, and I take the occasion of the trip to visit the 

 glaciers of the Alice Blanche, and spend some days at 

 Courmayeur, in order to make some meteorological ex- 

 periments. But I hope to return to Chamounix before 

 the 20th of July, and spend three weeks more in this 

 chalet. . . / 



On the 1st of July he started for Turin, in order to 

 observe the total eclipse of the sun which was to take 

 place on the 8th, and was accompanied across the Col du 

 Bonhomme to Courmayeur by his guide, Auguste Balmnt, 

 between whom and himself a strong feeling of esteem, 

 and even friendship, was already growing up. At Cour- 

 mayeur he fell in with Mr. and Mrs. Airy, who were 

 bound on the same errand as himself, and they had a 

 pleasant journey to Turin together. 



The daybreak of the 8th found them all at their posts, 

 Mr. Airy on the Superga, and Forbes at the Observatory, 

 where he had arranged to remain with Sig. Plana. 

 On the previous day the atmospheric disturbance had 

 been considerable, and their hopes of favourable weather 

 for the morrow were mingled with fears : the Abbd Barufli, 

 however, who was one of their party, refused to admit a 

 doubt on the subject; he declared it to be 'impossible 

 that the eclipse should not be seen. The clouds ?/ 

 clear away it would be " troppo sceleragine " if they 

 did not ! ' Alas ! the good Abbe"s ideas of possibility 

 were destined to be enlarged. 



o 



Journal, Friday, July 8th. 



' Slept very little last night. Often at the window. 

 The dim misty veil grew thicker by degrees, and about 

 1 A.M. the sky fairly clouded over, leaving scarcely a hope 

 of seeing the eclipse, which was to begin at 5.14. Sig. 



