5 
the necessary dexterity and precision when the 
important hour arrived. Everything was 
done that could be done to ensure success. A 
number of cards with a black disk in the 
centre, intended to represent the dark body of 
the moon at the time of totality, were pre- 
pared, and each observer provided with one or 
more for the purpose of marking in outline 
any peculiarity which might be observable in 
the prominencies, corona or chromosphere. 
Every one was requested to act independently, 
and to delineate only what was impressed 
upon his own mind ; a scale of two colors of 
different intensities, from one to ten. was also 
provided for reference, in order that while the 
impression of the scene was fresh in the 
memory, each observer might select such as 
appeared most true and appropriate, in the 
various portions of the sketches made. 
The days were employed by a number of our 
voyagers in collecting shells or taking short 
sails in the neighborhood of the island. One 
party consisting of five passengers and two 
servants with three of the crew, went 
the day after our arrival to the main- 
land ; on the second day Captain 
Gowlland went to see how they were 
getting on, as the Captain of a vessel which 
anchored near us reported that the trip was 
very hazardous on account of the ferocity of 
the natives. He (Captain Gowlland) returned 
in the evening, reporting that he had met with 
them, and brought back with him one gentle- 
man who was anxious to return, and leaving 
another behind. The first party made an 
attempt to follow some time afterwards, and 
did not succeed, having to return and spend 
a miserable night in an open boat, exposed to 
torrents of rain. They arrived safely next 
evening, wet, tired, very hungry, and thirsty, 
and glad to be on board once more. The 
country was reported as barren and uninviting, 
and very destitute of water. The botanists, 
however made some interesting discoveries, 
one in particular being that of an edible fruit 
of good flavor, of which they ate a good many. 
The pitcher plant was also found and some 
other interesting shrubs. Ant hills of a 
curious and unusual structure, and of consi- 
derable size were also noticed, they were some 
of them 8 or 10 feet high, and arranged like 
spires or pinnacles, around a central part. 
What few natives were seen rapidly decamped, 
and Mr. Moore the botanist affirmed that he 
would not hesitate to land again with two men 
only to accompany himself and two to take 
charge of the boat. 
The morning ■ of the 1 1th December was a 
curious one. I was on deck about daybreak 
and much struck with the appearance of the 
sunrise. It was of a character I had seldom 
seen, being much more like a sunset than a 
sunrise, the clouds being gorgeously colored 
with all kinds of brilliant tints, red, yellow, 
and purple, I believe it occurred to ine that 
a sunrise of this kind portended bad weather. 
; The day throughout was unsettled and in the 
! evening a severe thunder storm was experi- 
enced, which might have resulted in damage 
to the ship had she been built of wood. 
Being a natural conductor no harm was done, 
though the impression on the minds of all 
was that the vessel was struck more than 
once by the lightning, the vivid flashes of 
which were simultaneous with the thunder 
claps. Some were of opinion that the weather 
would clear for the morrow, but the dawn of 
the great day was anything but promising. 
During the course of the morning large 
patches of blue sky were visible from time to 
! time, any one of which would have sufficed 
for our purpose, if happily favored with such 
an opening. But as the time drew near the 
clouds closed in more and more, and scarcely 
a glimpse of the first contact even was obtain- 
able. As the time for the totality approached 
the rain, which had been threatening, came 
down, and we then saw that no observation 
was possible. With feelings of deep disap- 
pointment the instruments were covered over, 
for protection, and the scene soon closed. 
Directly it was known the totality was over, 
great exertions were made to dismount and 
pack the instruments in their various cases, 
and everything was secured and shipped be- 
fore dusk. We left behind us the brick piers 
and the wooden photographic room, which 
will form a conspicuous object on that desolate 
spot, perhaps, for some time to come. On 
anchoring at Eclipse Island, as it will here- 
after be called, great doubt was expressed by 
some as to whether it was ISTo. 6, Claremont 
Group, but Captain Gowlland smilingly told 
them to wait for low waier and then they 
would see for themselves. At high water 
nothing is noticeable but a bank of coral sand 
about eight feet high in the middle, per- 
haps three quarters of a mile in length 
by a quarter of a mile in width. A 
few scanty shrubs and bushes were the 
most conspicuous objects, creeping plants 
I trail along the ground, and were intermingled 
) with tufts of a brown coarse grass which 
I present a burnt or scorched appearance ; but 
| at low water, a tract of flat coral, five miles in 
extent and covered with shells, etc., is ex- 
| posed to view, and many of the tourists 
! availed themselves of the opportunity then 
! offered to augment their collections. Sea- 
fowl existed here in great abundance, and on 
| our arrival were shot in some number, but 
j speedily became very wary and shy. Here I 
| had the pleasure of seeing the rare Egret, 
Demigretta Oreyi, for the first time, and took 
a sketch of it. The remainder of the species 
i noticed by me were of common oceurrance, 
! consisting of Dotterells, Sandpipers, Oyster 
! Catchers, Pelicans, and Terns. Insects were 
, almost absent, even the common house fly 
| was seldom, if ever, seen. A very few species 
of small coleoptera and a pair of pretty moths 
rewarded my search. Bats were plentiful 
