18(58.] 



Solar Eclipse of 18G8. 



121 



azimuth could be referred to the graduations on the card circle, should 

 measures of position or change of azimuth appear desirable. 



" I was also furnished with a hand spectroscope for direct vision. 



" The point chosen for my station was on the northern slope of a low 

 range of hills, about ly mile W. by S. of Jamkandi. The flatness of the 

 hills on top offered no point from which an uninterrupted view could be 

 obtained in all directions ; and from my station I only had a view of the 

 northern half of the distant horizon over the plains extending in that di- 

 rection for many miles, above the level of which I was raised about 

 200 feet, 



"Early on the morning of the 18th I proceeded to the spot, having pre- 

 viously sent up the instruments and a tent for shelter in case of necessity. 



" At sunrise the sky was beautifully clear, except in the northern horizon, 

 where there were low clouds lying over the river Kistna. There was a 

 gentle breeze from S.W. by W. A little later light flocculent clouds began 

 to rise and form in an arch overhead from west to east, continuing to in- 

 crease as the morning wore on ; then a light scud set in, and turned gra- 

 dually into broken masses of thick dark clouds. 



" Before the commencement of the eclipse I took observations for time 

 with a small theodolite, from which I computed the error of my chrono- 

 meter (a mean time one by M'Cabe) to be l h 14 m 55 s, 5 fast on local appa- 

 rent time ; and by that quantity I have accordingly corrected all observed 

 chronometer times in the statements of time which follow. 



"I observed the first contact, which took place at 7 h 45 m 13 s (local 

 apparent time), about 15° from the vertex; after which I watched the 

 progress of the eclipse, and noted the times of occultation of three sun- 

 spots. No. 1 was a large double ragged spot, No. 2 a small well-defined 

 one, No. 3 also double, but not so large or distinct as No. 1. After tota- 

 lity I saw a fourth spot very near the sun's limb. 



" During the progress of the eclipse I observed no unevenness in the 

 moon's limb, nor any want of sharpness in the cusps, using magnifying- 

 power 27. 



" The following notes were taken on the spot : — 



At first contact. Sun very slightly obscured by clouds. 



At 8 h m . Clouds thick, and gathering from" S.W. and W. Wind 

 higher and gusty. 



At 8 h 10 m . Clouds overhead, increasing and thickening and rising 

 steadily from west. 



At 8 h 20 m . Sky nearly entirely overcast ; clouds thickest in neigh- 

 bourhood of sun. 



At 8 h 25 m . A clear break. 



At 8 h 30 m . I thought I could discern very faintly the dark limb of 

 the moon beyond that of the sun ; and at this time, making allow- 

 ance for the general cloudiness, I did not perceive any decrease of 

 light on the landscape. 



