'I 



XXV. 



On the extraordinary darkness that was observed in so?ne parts of 



the United States and Canada^ in the month of Nov. 1819. 



BY FREDERICK HALL, 



PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND NATUHAIi PHILOSOPHY IS MIDDLEBURT 



COLLEGE, YERMONT. 



JL HIS phenomenon first attracted my attention on the morning 

 of the 9tll of November 1819. I rose at a quarter before seven, 

 and found it much darker than it ordinarily is in the evening at the 

 time of full moon. It snowed fast for about an hour j this was suc- 

 ceeded by a moderate rain, which continued most of the day. Be- 

 ing occupied, I took no further notice of the uncommon darkness 

 till about nine o^clock. At this time, the obscurity, instead of di- 

 minishing, had considerably increased. The thermometer stood 

 at 34**. A strong, steady, but not violent wind blew from the south. 



was so great, that a person, when sitting by a 



The darkness 



window, could not see 



r 



serious inconvenience. 



read 



book 



small typ 



Several of the students in the 



J leg 



studied the whole day by candlelight 



A number of the mechan- 



ics in this village were unable to carry on their work without the 



assistance of lamps. 



The sky exhibited a pale yellowish-white aspect, which, in 

 som'c degree, resembled the evening twilight a few moments before 



■ars Indeed we had little else but twilight through the 



disapp 



day 



and such 



'; 



takes place when the sun is five 



ft! 



