The Observatory on Mt. Whitney. 143 



The object of the 1909 expedition was twofold: first, 

 to continue Langley's work and redetermine the value of 

 the solar constant; second, to study the absorption lines 

 due to water vapor and oxygen in the atmospheres of 

 Mars and the Moon. The main party left Lone Pine with 

 Mr. W. L. Skinner as guide August 23d, and camped 

 for two nights and three days at a height of 10,300 feet. 

 Dr. Abbot preceded the party several days. Mr. G. F. 

 Marsh of Lone Pine had been on the summit since July 

 8th, superintending the erection of the observatory. Of 

 Marsh I think I voice the sentiment of the entire party 

 that he was a host in himself. To him more than to any 

 other one man is due the successful completion of the 

 trail and the building of the observatory. One instance 

 of his devotion was deeply appreciated by all of us at the 

 time and we are not willing now to pass it by in silence. 

 The night before the arrival of the main party a violent 

 thunder-storm swept the summit. The men employed in 

 finishing the building, not without good reason, sought 

 safety below. Marsh remained at his post with Dr. Abbot. 



From the very scattered notes in my Journal, under 

 date of August 28th, I gather : 



''Reached observatory 1:15 p. m. Abbot and Marsh 

 opened the door. Whole party well soaked. Many peals, 

 of thunder with distant lightning; hair on mules' necks 

 bristling. A rather near flash just as we reached the 

 summit. Felt a sharp stinging pain in right temple. At 

 1 :50 p. M. all present and accounted for, with four visitors 

 from Lone Pine. Fourteen animals in our pack-train. 

 Two of the mules. Jack and Lucky, were specially hon- 

 ored because they carried the mirrors safely to the top. 

 These are flat, silver-on-glass mirrors, one about nineteen 

 inches and the other seventeen inches in diameter. If 

 accident had befallen these en route the party would have 

 turned back, for there would have been no way to make 

 spectrograms." 



More than once on the way up the Director's heart was 

 in his mouth, as some particular animal, loaded with deli- 

 cate instruments, would jeopardize his burden. There was 



