104 
selected had been upon the Cascade Mountains near Puget’s 
Sound, since this eclipse also would occur nearly at sunrise, 
and it was feared that the mountain ranges might intercept 
the view. But on arriving at Fort Steilacoom the officers 
of the garrison relieved his apprehensions on this score by 
showing the inaccuracy of the topographical information 
previously obtained. A point was found only ten miles 
from the fort, upon a small open prairie, which commanded 
an excellent view of the sun at its rising, and, profiting by 
the experience gained at Olmos, and the greater force at his 
disposal, the observations made here were even more suc 
cessful. A very singular phenomenon, was here observed, 
which is most graphically described in Gilliss’s report. All 
the prismatic colors flashed with wondrous prillianey in cir- 
cular bands and rapid revolution over the black disk of the 
moon, changing their relative places like the figures of a 
kaleidoscope. The suspicion naturally arises that this phe- 
nomenon was physiological, but the contemporaneous view 
of the same spectacle by an observer at Fort Steilacoom, ten 
miles distant, using an opera-glass, seems to throw some 
doubt upon this explanation. 
On the memorable 15th of April, 1861, Commander 
Maury fled from his post at the Naval Observatory, leaving 
in his haste unquestionable proofs of treasonable correspond- 
ence with the public enemy. A day or two later, orders 
were issued to Gilliss to assume the charge of the Institu- 
tion, and poetic justice, though long deferred, was at last 
_ falfilled. The sudden transformation which took place was 
like the touch of an enchanter’s wand. Order sprang from 
_ chaos, system from confusion, and the hearts of the faithful 
_ few who had struggled on for years, hoping against hope; 
__were filled with sudden joy. Short time elapsed before their 
number was augmented by the advent of new astronomers, 
