OBSERVATORY AT CORDOBA, ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 277 



sum would soon be contributed from private sources to enable me to 

 carry out the plan of securiug photographic impressions of the chief 

 southern star-clusters without appealing to the Observatory or to any 

 other institution. The telescope is adapted for either photographic or 

 optical use, since the two object-glasses are easily interchangeable, and a 

 camera can readily be substituted for the astronomical eye-piece. Im- 

 mediately on arriving in Buenos Ayres 1 explained these plans to the 

 President and Minister, and received tlieir cordial promise of all needful 

 aid — promises which, like all others from the same source, were more 

 than fulfilled. Inasmuch as the direct observations proposed would 

 clearly demand all my available time and strength, I naturally desired 

 to secure the photographic impressions from my private resources -, not 

 only because all of the observatory's funds would be required for the 

 regular work, but also that I might be justified in reserving the photo- 

 • graphs for measurement and study at my subsequent leisure, and might 

 remove them from the country without impropriety, should I desire. 

 Consequently, I addressed to the government a formal application for 

 leave to use the large telescope for this purpose, at such times as might 

 not interfere with the regular work of the observatory, an<l this per- 

 mission was at once accorded with great cordiality, and a full under- 

 standing of the case. 



The endeavor to secure the requisite funds by private subscription 

 met with the same fate as the similar one in 1865, in behalf of the expe- 

 dition then proposed. Promises were secured for a portion of the 

 necessary means, but the difficulty of obtaining the full sum was found 

 too serious to warrant a continuance of the efforts, and the plan was 

 therefore abandoned. But this disappointment was alleviated by an 

 unexpected and delightful encouragement. My parents, by blood and 

 marriage, gave a practical support and token of sympathy by author- 

 izing me to draw on them for the means of carrying out my fondly 

 cherished jjlan. And although I was fortunately able to go forward 

 without availing myself of this generous permission, it was of essential 

 service in the justification it afforded me in undertaking this work, upon 

 which I might not otherwise have ventured. 



That this undertaking has. thus far been less successful than the rest 

 of the work, many of you know : and I will not dwell upon the various 

 troubles, mortifications, and disappointments which have attended my 

 struggles in this direction. A photographer was engaged in New 

 York by the friendly efl'orts of Mr. Rutherfurd, who caused him to be 

 instructed in his observatory, and sent him out to me, with all the need- 

 ful apparatus and chemicals. But when, after his arrival in Cordoba, I 

 unpacked the photographic object-glass, the flint lens was found broken 

 in two, and all efforts to restore it to full usefulness proved fruitless. 

 Nevertheless, a contrivance was carried into effect by a skillful Swiss 

 watchmaker in. Cordoba, by means of which each of the broken pieces 

 was supported by three pairs of adjusting screws, thus permitting it to be 



