976 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 286. 



Draper and C. W. B. Smith, exposed two 

 cameras of 3-inch aperture and 11-ft. 

 focus, and two of 4j-inch aperture and Si- 

 ft, focus ; all four of these telescopes be- 

 ing mounted on a single polar axis driven 

 by an excellent clock ; DeLancey Gill as- 

 sisting Mr. Smillie, removed the flash spec- 

 trum objective prism at second contact, and 

 made a single long exposure with a 6-inch 

 photographic lens of 7i-ft. focus equator- 

 ially mounted; Assistant G. R. Putman, 

 who by the kindness of the Superintendent 

 of the U. S. Coast Survey, was detailed for 

 latitude,* longitude,! and time observa- 

 tions, also observed contacts, directed the 

 striking of signals by Mr. Little, and ren- 

 dered other valuable services. Mr. Putman 

 was assisted in recording contacts by Mr. 

 Hoxie. R. C. Child, observing with a 

 6-inch telescope of 7i-ft. focus, made 

 sketches with special references to inner 

 coronal detail, and was in addition charged 

 with all electrical circuits for chronograph 

 and automatic photographic apparatus. 

 Father Woodman, with 3i-inch telescope, 

 observed contacts and made sketches. 



The first detachment, consisting of 

 Messrs. Abbot, Fowle, Kramer (instru- 

 ment maker) and Smith (carpenter), 

 reached Wadesboro May 4th, and were soon 

 joined by Messrs. Draper and Putnam. The 

 latter returned to Washington after a short 

 but satisfactory latitude and longitude cam- 

 paign, reaching Wadesboro again just before 

 the eclipse. Other members of the party 

 reached camp on and after the middle of 

 the month. The first comers found a very 

 satisfactory shed already erected and piers 

 begun. Not a day passed from the time of 

 the arrival of the apparatus. May 7th, to the 

 day before the eclipse, that was not fully 

 occupied in perfecting the arrangements. 



The most striking portion of the installa- 

 tion was the line beginning at the northwest 



* 34° 57' 52" N. 

 t 5" 20" 17^8 W. 



pier, with its equatorial and ccelostat, con- 

 tinued from thence south of east by the two 

 great diverging tubes of the 135-ft. tele- 

 scope and spectroscope. These tubes were 

 covered with white canvas, presenting the 

 appearance of two immensely prolonged 

 ' A ' tents, ending beyond the photographic 

 house, where the 38-ft. telescope tube 

 pointed east and upward at an angle of 42° 

 with the horizon. When the equatorial, 

 with its large special conical tube camera, 

 with all this long branching extent of white 

 canvas ending in the uplifted tube of the 

 38-ft. telescope, was seen in the light of the 

 moon, the extensive field with its prepara- 

 tions exhibited a still more picturesque 

 scene than by day. 



Less imposing, and perhaps more un- 

 gainly, was the combination of four great 

 cameras under the main shed, designed to 

 search for new planets and to depict the 

 outer corona. These might well be de- 

 scribed as like a cabin and an outbuild- 

 ing, mounted on a polar axis, yet despite 

 their awkward proportions they were made 

 to follow very accurately. 



The morning of the eclipse dawned cloud- 

 less and very fairly clear. Deep blue sky, 

 such as the writer had seen on Pike's Peak, 

 of course is not among the ordinary possi- 

 bilities of an eclipse, but the milkiness of 

 the blue was less pronounced than is usual 

 in the summer season, and all felt that the 

 seeing promised well. 



At fifteen minutes before totality a series 

 of rapid strokes on the bell called everyone 

 to his post, and one minute before the ex- 

 pected contact five- strokes were given as a 

 final warning. Coincidentally with the 

 actual observation of the second contact by 

 Mr. Putnam, the first of two strokes upon 

 the bell sounded, and the work began. 

 After 82 seconds (the duration of totality 

 from the Nautical Almanac was 92 seconds) 

 three strokes were given as a signal to stop 

 the long photographic exposures. Scarcely 



