THE APPEARANCE OF THE CORONA. 99 



At about ten o'clock a clergyman was asked to give a few 

 words of explanation concerning the phenomenon, but he had 

 scarcely commenced when the alarm was given that the eclipse 

 had begun. This took us completely by surprise, for we had 

 been told officially that morning that the eclipse would begin 

 at 11.58; but it was evidently totality that was meant. It 

 was most amusing to see how that meeting broke up ; lecturer 

 and audience rushed away ; and sure enough, when we looked 

 through our smoked glass there was a part of the sun's circum- 

 ference obscured. 



The progress of the moon was scarcely perceptible; but 

 gradually the sun was blotted out, the temperature fell con- 

 siderably, and the light began to grow less. About five 

 minutes before totality a most uncanny light prevailed ; there 

 was a kind of dull greyish hue over everything, and the general 

 appearance of the sea was like that dead calm which marks the 

 approach of a great storm ; and then, as we watched, we could 

 see a silvery light suddenly appear all round the moon : a 

 moment later, and the sun was entirely blotted out. 



The sky overhead was dark blue, fading into grey, and finally 

 into lilac near the horizon. The whole effect was not unlike 

 a sunset, only the same colours were visible all round the 

 horizon. A few stars could be seen in the neighbourhood of 

 the eclipsed luminary, but at the darkest it was not necessary 

 to have any artificial light to read or write. 



The corona itself was a magnificent sight. All round the 

 moon beams of silvery light shone out, reaching in some places 

 to about twice the moon's diameter. The 2 minutes 9i seconds 

 of totality was all too short to admire the beautiful sight ; and 

 almost before we had taken it all in a beam of light shot out 

 from the other side of the moon, and seemed to chase away the 

 darkness immediately : the sky and sea soon assumed their 

 natural colours, and the eclipse of 1898 was over. 



Our position at the time was 1256' N. lat., 6831' E. long. 



