634 



NATURE 



[October 24, 1S95 



a . ICC. luiug I. iiR- >c,i>uii oi the year and the nature 



1.! Mow far these |x>ints would affect an astronomical 



;I1 be seen later on. 

 Irondhjem we take a north-north-east course, passing 

 en. an island of about Soo feel in height, and shortly 

 .littt pass the island of Donmcso, at the bottom of the map on 

 ihe west side, which will be on the border of the shadow during 

 totality ; steaming north to Tommen Oe, which will have about 

 tine minute totality, a careful search for stations is kept. Liiroe 

 is loo low, 0.\tindcn promontory loo much inland. Hest- 

 mandoe, well within the S5" line, and the island of Triinen, near 

 the I2lh parallel, are too far west, though the central line passes 

 close by; but having a longitude of only 12° 5', the sun is 

 rather low. The height of ground is 3710 feel. Rod Loven 

 also, somewhat further eastward, and Bolgen, a peaked island, 

 close to the central line, are rather too far westward ; passing 

 Omnscs Oe and Meloe, crossing the central line, wc next 



miles direct north of the central line, where there is a hill to the 

 north-east of the town. Excellent accommodation can be had 

 there, and a telegraph station exists. Vurther north is the island 

 of Lande (jode, within the 85" limit. The islands of Lundo 

 and Engelo are on the northerly limit of the shadow of totality, 

 and therefore useless. If Bodo were occupied as headquarters, 

 with a steam launch at the disjxisal of the party, and Sandhornel, 

 Arnoe, Fleina, Kunnen, or the lighthouse rock of Slot, Bolgen, 

 Rod Loven, or Ilestniando as detached stations, a valuable area 

 would be covered, although these positions have the astronomical 

 disadvantage of the sun's altitude being as low as (>%" to 73°, 

 and the duration of totality but little over l-J to l^ minutes. 

 Yet, owing to the stillness of the atmosphere on the west coast of 

 Norway at that time, and the general freedom from clouds on the 

 horizon, some good results should be obtained. The further fad 

 of the cort^na lacing seen through a considerable thickness of 

 I watery vapour would I'lv, Iw.ih aspcctroscop''' >ii.l ;ihoiographic 



rnund llic promontory of Kunnen, two or three miles above 



'hf rrnlral line, a rather inacce.ssiblc position of some 2000 



h. The lighthouse island of Slot is, however, in 



els a desirable position, and Kunnen has a telegraph 



.iii'.ti -a valuable ndjuncl. Proceeding eiisl-norlh-cast 



Ihe Inland of Kugloe is passed, 2300 feet high, steep 



■i"'l '" '• "'I li miles further norlh, Fleiiia, about 



■r good posii inn. On ihe right is the island of 



■■^ .S.indhornet Mountain of 3300 feet — a rare 



IMoiiioi, j.ii iiiouiiiaincers, only alxmt five or six miles above the 

 rcniral line, with a minuir and a half tolalily, and the sun an 

 .illiluilc of 7} ■ six or seven minutes 



■'Veri4'. II iiipted view all round. 



' '■' '■'■"''"■■ Ml ,ii».- west, where there are 



Host ef|uilly good posilion. 



ion with Hollo, Ihe lalilude 



I" 07 17, iiiid i'lnguiiile 14' 24' al>oul,and which islcn 



NO.' 135''' vol 



S2] 



interest in com]xirison with similar observations taken at about 

 double Ihe altitude on the east coasl. Although several island 

 could be useil as sites for station>, experience has .shown some to 

 be better adapted for many rea.sons than others. Thus Kuglbe 

 is sleep and rugged, and has no advantages over li'leina except 

 height; also Omnas Oe is a troublesome place; Kuniun is an 

 almost inaccessible promontory of chert and granite rocks; Ihe 

 island of .Sliit has a good anchor.age for boats, and llie sun would 

 not be masked by Kunnen during totality. Here also is a 

 telegraph slaiirm. 



Leaving the wcst-coa.st positions, we reach Tromso, and steam- 

 ing up to llanimerlesi, signs of civilisation die fiHully aw.ay. 

 After rounding the Norlli Cape, 71° lo' 40" N., and about 26° 

 K. and steering east, the Nordkin is passed, and from tl'.ere in a 

 south-east direction we travel along a bleak, inliospilable shore 

 of c)uarl):ile rocks lo Vardo, on an islanil; this is about the north- 

 east corner of Norway, a good-sized whaling station, and a fort, 



