1874.] W. H. Ball— Operations of the U. S. Coast Survey. 245 



A long time must elapse before any final results can be arrived at, but already many 

 accounts have appeared in the newspapers giving the personal impression left by the 

 event on different observers ; and in some respects these are very conflicting. 



Some say they saw no appearance of a ' black drop/ while according to others in 

 was most distinct. 



The phenomena seemed almost a repetition of model practice in 'Egyipt, according 

 to telegrams in the Times, whereas at Eoorkee no resemblance was found, and we 

 learn from other observers in India, using powerful instruments, that they saw no ap- 

 pearance of the ' black drop.' The different appearances must be greatly due to differ- 

 ences of instrumental power and atmospheric conditions, probably the more perfect the 

 instruments, the less the ' black drop' features. 



Many observers saw distinctly the whole of Venus, while more than half her disc 

 was outside the sun's limb, her dark outline being fringed with light, and M. Janssen 

 telegraphs from Japan that her disc was seen outside the siin's limb against the corona. 

 Much discussion as to the planet's atmosphere will doubtless arise from this appearance, 

 which seems to be confirmed by some of the photographs. 



Other observers, notably the Italian party at Muddapur, found proofs of her atmos- 

 phere by means of the spectroscope. 



4. Extracts from a Letter from W. H. Dall, oftlie JJ. S. Coast Survet/ 

 to Eev. C. H. a. Dall, M. A.j Calcutta. 

 " TlnalasliJca ; Alaska Territory ; — Septemher 22nd, 1874; — 

 Tlnit^ States Coast Survey, — Schooner Yulcon, 



" Our work is practically closed for the season, and we start for San 

 Francisco about the end of this month. 1 commence now a letter, in order 

 that you may have the fullest and earliest account of our doings. .. .Our 

 work has extended over a large part of the coast of the territory this year. 

 We began by rating chronometers and making some corrections of the 

 charts, at Sitka. Thence we sailed for a very remarkable place called 

 Lituya Bay. This was surveyed by La Perouse in the last century, and is 

 very difficult to get in and out of. Across the narrow entrance the breakers 

 roll continually, except at slack water, in calm weather. La Perouse lost, 

 in this tide bore, two boats and sixteen men. We got in and out by a 

 lucky combination of circumstances ; in five days making a reconnaisance 

 of the entrance ; which is not correctly represented on the old charts. 

 We came near having trouble with a party of Sitka natives here : they were 

 very insolent, and attempted to board the vessel while we were away survey- 

 ing ; but those left on board fortunately prevented it without bloodshed. 

 These natives are the worst I know. They are well armed and have advanced 

 far enough in civilization to distil their own rum out of molasses which 

 they buy from the traders. They invited one of our party to drink, when 

 he was ashore, and he reported the liquor to be tolerably good. They are 

 also quite fearless, and when opportunity offers, very impudent. 



Five large glaciers impinge on this Bay. The upper part of it is a 

 mere rift in mountains 6,000 to 8,000 feet high -, and resembles a 



