.O^. \^ - .^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) k # .^/ % ^<^ '^ c^. '/. y '^. f/. 1.0 I.I ^1^ 1^ 2 ?^ Mi 12.2 ^ US, 12.0 L25 i 1.4 18 1.6 V] / Photographic Sciences Corooration ■1>^ \ ^ ^x \ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S30 (716) S72-4S03 # o r/. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Tachnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa The Instituta haa anamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in the raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha uaual method of filming, ara chackad balow. □ Coloured covara/ Couvartura da eoulaur I — I Covers damaged/ Couvertura andommagia □ Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ et/ou palliculAa r~~l Cover title missing/ D D D D Le titre de couvertura monque Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiquas en eoulaur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encra da eoulaur (i.e. autre qua biaua ou noire) n~] Coloured platee and/or illuatrationa/ D Planchaa et/ou illuatrationa en couleur Bound with other material/ Rali4 avac d'autrac documents Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liura serr^ peut cauaar de I'ombre ou da la distorsion l« long da la mat ga Intiriaura Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within tha text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaicaant dana la taxta, mala, lorsqua cela Atait possible, cea pagaa n'ont paa it* filmias. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl^mantairaa: L'Instltut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaira qu'il lui a iti possible de se procurer. Les ditails de cet exemplaira qui sont paut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibiiographiqua, qui pauvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dana la mAthoda normaia de fiimage sont indiqute ci-deasous. □ Coloured pagaa/ Pagaa d« eoulaur □ Pagaa damaged/ Pagaa andommagias r~~| Puges restored and/or laminated/ T ti D Pages reataurias et/ou pellicuiies Pagaa discoloured, stained or foxei Pages dicoiortes, tachaties ou piquias Pagaa detached/ Pages ditachies Showthroughy Transparence Quality of prir Qualit^ inigala da I'impraasion Includaa supplementary matarii Comprend du material suppiimantaire Only edition available/ Seule Mition disponibie r^ Pagaa discoloured, stained or foxed/ ry\ Pagaa detached/ rrj Showthrough/ rn Quality of print varies/ r^ Includea supplementary material/ I — I Only edition available/ T P o C fa t s f s c 1 s 1 V d e b ri n n Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Lea pages totalament ou partieilement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M filmtes A nouveau de faqon i obtenir la msiilaure image possible. This Item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est fiimi au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X LLi i 12X 16X aox 24X 28X 32X Th« oapy fllmad her* hu b««n rvproducsd thank* to th« ganarosity of: Legislature du Quebec Quebec Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality poaaibia conaidaring tha condition and lagibiiity of tha originai copy and in Icaaping with tha filming contract spacificationa. Originai copiaa in printad papar eovara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion, or tha bacic covar whan appropriata. A'.\ othar originai copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha firat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion. and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. L'axampiaira film* fut raproduit grica i la gAniroait* da: Legislature du QuMmc Quibac Laa imagaa auivantaa ont it* raproduitaa avac la piva grand aoin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattati da Taxampiaira film*, at wt conformKA avac laa conditiona du contrat da flimaga. Ljm axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura 9n papiar aat imprimia sont fiimte an commanpant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la damiira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illuatration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la eas. Toua laa autrss sxamplairss originaux sont film*a an commandant par la prami*ra paga qui comporta una amprainta dimprassion ou dliiuatration at 9n tarminant par la dami*ra paga qui comporta una taila amprainta. Tha laat racordad frama on aaeh microfleha shall contain tha symbol --^ (moaning "COAf- TINUEO"). or tha symbol ▼ (meaning "END"), whichavar appiiaa. Mapa. piataa. charts, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant reduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraiy included in one expoaura <«ra filmed beginning in the upper left hand comer, left tc right and top to bottom, aa many framea aa required. The following diagrama illuatrate the method: Un dee symbolaa suivants apperaltra sur la damiire image de cheque microfiche, seion le eaa: le symboie -^ signifie "A SUIVRE". te symbole ▼ signifie "FIN". Lee cartes, planches, tableaux, ate. pauvant *tra film*e i dee taux de r*duction diffirents. Lorsque le document eat trop grand pour *tra reproduit an un saul clicii*. il est film* * partir de I'angie 8up*rieur gauche, de gauciie * droite, et de haut tt baa. an prenant le nombre d'imagea n*caaaaira. Lea diagrammes suivants illuatrent la m*thoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i Vr The Late Eclipse. — Journal of a Voyage from New York to Labrador, By Lieu- tenant E, />. Ashe, R.I\,, Director of the Observatory at Quebec. Having heard that an American Expedition was about to visit Cape Chidley, the northern point, of Labrador, for the purpose of observing the total eclipse of the sun on July 18th, 1860, I made application to the Hon. Minister of Finance for an appropriation to enable me join it, and a sum was granted for that purpose. Sir Edmund Head, Governor-General of British North America, wrote to our Ambassador at Washing- ton, Lord Lyons, and the result was that I received a most kind invitation to join the American Expedition either at New York or at Sidney, C.B., with the understanding that I should be incorporated with ths American astronomers, and that my observations should be given to them. All things being now arranged, I made up my mind to join the expedition at New York instead of meeting it at Sidney, and on Saturday, the 23rd of June I left Quebec by the morn- ing train, and on Tuesday 26th, arrived at New York and went to the Brevoort House, were the party was to assemble. On Wednesday, the 27th, most of the expedition had arriv- ed, and Prolessor Bache, who had the formation of the party, made the several members known to each other, and we drank success to the expedition in a glass of champagne. On the morning of Thursday the 28th, after breakfastino- on 2 THE LATE ECLIPSE. board the vessel that was to take us to Labrador, (the U.S. coast surveying steamer Bibb,) Professor Bache mustered all the party with their instruments, which consisted of Lieuten- ant Murray, U.S.N., Commander ; Professor Stephen Alex- ander, Professor J. A. P. Barnard, fjieutenant E. D. Ashe, R.N., and Professor Smith, Astronomers ; Professor C. S. Venables, Oscar Lieber, and William Henry, Meteorological Department ; T. C. Goodfellow and Henry Walker, Magne- tic ; Peter Duchochais and A. W. Thompson, Photographers, and Oscar Lieber,, Geologist and Draughtsman. About ten a.m. our little vessel steamed out of the haibour and passed through Hell Gate, inside Long Island ; and our ex- pedition was now fairly afloat. Boxes began to be stowed away, and the party to know each other; and we all felt quite at home although we were at sea. At an early hour we retired to our berths for the night. In the middle watch I heard the cry '* Man overboard," and went on deck. It was a calm night, with smooth water. The vessel was soon stopped and a boat lowered. The man was heard crying out astern, but as there was no lifebuoy he sank before the boat reached him. The young sailor who fell overboard had a brother in the same vessel, who naturally was in the greatest state of suspense while the boat was away, and when she returned without him, and the order " Go ahead " was given, it was truly distressing to witness the agony of the poor boy : far worse than hearing the clay rattle on the coffin of a loved one, for in your sad moments you can return to the grave and weep in silence' — but here, all traces are for ever gone, the close affection of brotherhood snapped in a moment, — and the feelings crushed by the routine of the ship going on as if there never had been such a person on board. I . t . THE LATE ECLIPSK. 3 We had light fair winds for the first two or three days with tolerahly smooth water ; but not sufficiently so to pre- vent the Professors from feeling t!iat most dreadful of all maladies — sea sickness. Monday 2nd. — Smooth water : all the parly in good spirits. Eight p.m., rounded Scatarie Island, and stood in for the harbour of Sidney, and anchored ch)se to the coal wharf. Zrd. — Found H.M.S. Cossack here, commanded by an old messmate (Moorman); and as our vessel had to take in coal, I went on shore to North Sidney with him, and had a talk of byegone days and of former messmates. Some had risen to the top of the profession, others were dead, and some worse than dead— they had turned out drunkards. Some of the most noble and gifted of our profession had fallen victims to that vice. I look upon it as a disease, and no more capable of being cured than cancer. We completed coaling and started again that night about eleven. Captain Murray had wisely contrived to charter a schooner with coal to go some 500 miles to the northward, on the Labrador coast, to meet us on our way back at a fishing station (Domino). As I was charged with the astronomical arrangements for getting time, before starting I had the materials for a small wooden observatory cut out, so that I should have nothing to do when I arrived at our place of destination but to nail it together. 4th. — Strong winds and much sea. At eleven a.m. all hands assembled in the cabin to drink the ^'American Independence." THE LATE ECLIPSE. I joined most cordially, being the only Britisher on board, and was glad to see so much enthusiasm, for without it no narion can Ik great. 5(A.-Gale blowing from the N.W , and out little craft was scarcely making |,eaclway; there was a great sea on and we shipped a great deal of water. I was much pleased with the sea qualities of the BWb. Set the fore trysail and kept away Ji.JN L. Noon, weather more moderate. 6M.-.Fresh breezes from the North. Labrador coust in sight, .^et fore and aft sails. Showe.l oar colours to the SI Lawrence, steamer, going to Quebec, in the afternoon passed the hghthouse on Point A.nour. Several large icebergs in sight. Night fine and clear. ^ 7M.-Beautiful weather. Passed Belle Isle and kept close to the Labrador shore ; patches of snow on the land and several curiously shape.l icebergs in sight. They are of all sizes and forms, and vary in colour according to the light seen in A common form for the icebergs that are seen in these low latitudes, and that have weathered many gales of wind, is that of a decayed tooth, the centre part being filled with water .ome look like Parian marble, whilst others are the colour of b ue vuno and some are a beautiful sea green with purple reaks. Most of them have rents or cracks that run aero .hem, and which are filled up with frozen wa,er,andthen , el veins present beautiful colors as different lights fill upon them AS we got to the northward they increase.l in size anS number.' Nothing could be more dangerous to navigation than these icebergs ; m a fog they cannot be seen ;h. length of a ship and have sharp projections beneath the water far more fetal to a sip than a rock, for alongside the iceberg there is deep water an.l the ship goes down before the boats can be lowered I f J f TttK Late eclipse. 5 One of (he pilots told me that he was in a brig on the coast of Labrador that ran into an old decayed iceberg and the smooth water .n the centre enabled them to lower their boats, and ultimately they were picked up by a schooner. A Hsherman from Sydney told me that he was in company with a fishing schooner that fried to pass between the icebergs, but struck agamst a projecting piece of ice beneath the water and went down immediately, the crew saving themselves by jumping overboard, and were picked up by the other schooner I have not the slightest doubt that many of the missing vessels have been lost on these islands of desolation. We kept close in with the land and spoke a fishing-boat. There are several hundreds of fishermen that come every spring from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the States, and even from England, erect their huts on one of the thousand islands that are offthe coast, leave their wives and families on shore to clean and dry the fish, whilst the men are out catching more. Small American and other schooners make a good thing of It by exchanging provisions for green fish, and barter- ing skins from the Indians. The fishing ground extends up the coast as far as lat. 56^ ; beyond this the water at the bottom is too cold for cod. Our charts were not of much service to us, no two being alike, and none having any pretensions to accuracy. Great caution was therefore necessary and a most careful look-out had to be kept. We had a great advantage in having a strong twilight all night, even in lat. 53'=*. ° Monday, 9/A.-Strong fair winds all night; kept offshore. At sunrise no land in sight; altered course and kept well in for the land. About four p.m. saw several islands about Nukasusuktok ; ran in, and at nine p.m. anchored between THK LATE ECLIP9E^ 8ome isliinds. Keyed up the engine and put on a new float to replace one that had been knocked oil' by the ice. lOlh. — Detained by foj;. Went on shore to the island with a party and collected plants and geological specinnens. Ob- tained observations of the sun at noon with artificial horizon ; lat. 56*=* 43' N. Caught a few fish. 1 l//t.--Strong gales from the N.E., with rain. Noon, gale broke and weather cleared up; got underway and comuienced picking our way between the islands. It is a complete archipe- lago, and often difficult to discover how you got in and still more so how to get out. Saw several of the Esquimaux, and in exchange for tobacco and biscuit obtained fish. 1 was glad to see that they refused spirits when offered to them. We wc^e not far from the Moravian settlement of Nain, but could get no information of our position or on any other subject, although we tried them with Dutch, German, French, English and Irish. Some of the passages were very narrow, and, rounding a point, the Bibb ran with great force upon a ledge of rocks, and carried away the fore foot and a great part of the false keel. As she had run upon the rocks at the rate of about eight knots, we found that there was about four feet less water under her bows than she required to float in. I was very anxious to see if she made much water, as in that event our case would have been hopeless and the astronomical expedi- tion would have ended there, and we should have been obliged to have coasted along a bleak and desolate shore without help for five hundred miles in open boats ; but our little vessel was staunch, and no leak of any great consequence had been sprung ; so we set to work with a will to get her off by laying out two anchors astern, and bringing one of the hawsers to the . t t h \ I V" tHE LATia ACLlPflB. (^ donkey engine ami clapping all hands on the other. The men worked well and were all sailors,-a rare thing in these days. Ahout eleven, p.m., we managed to get her off and rode by one of .he anchors until four a.m. (12th), when we got under way and 8tood to the northward. Being completely land-locked and not having the slightest idea of the way out amongst w many islands, I proposed to Captain Murray that we should land and get on the top of a mountain, and learn the way out We accordingly landed on one of the islands that had a commanding height, and commenced the ascent. The island was covered with rich moss, with a few coniferous trees. It was like walking on a spring mattrass, the moss was so rich and elastic. Captain Murray, who was a long way ahead was brought up by a ravine, whilst T, a few yanis to his right, had a good road, and succeeded in being the first up. From our position we observed the ocean, which was separated from us by numerous islands, and that our passage out was most intricate. I however drew a plan of the most likely way to gain the open sea ; after which we commenced our descent, and when we got on board again we found that some Esquimaux had been on board, and one had drawn the way out on the log slate, which exactly agreed with the bird»s eye sketch I had taken. In the kyacks that came alongside were two women ; one young and good-looking enough, the other had a baby in her arms,_so there are babies even in this outlandish place They appeared to be perfectly happy and without any care. * The navigation was of a very remarkable nature. We had to pass between very high rocks, and close under mountains that appeared to rise perpendicularly out of the water They had not the slightest vegetation on them, and those enormous i Trr latk eclipsk. masses of granite had several streams of water tumbling down their sides, giving the scenery a grandeur that far surpassed anything that I have seen. We succeeded in reaching the open sea about noon, near the place marked Port Manvers on the chart. From Cape Mugford to Cape Chidley the land has the same aspect of ex- treme desolation, with a high range of mountains without any vegetation, having only patches of snow on them. It is impos- sible to conceive a grander or more sublime scenery than that exhibited on this coast. The rugged out-line of this vast chain of mountains presents a barrenness and an unfitness for human habitation not to be described. At noon of the 13th we were in latitude SQ** 4' N., and dur- ing the afternoon we had to run between numerous sunken rocks and breakers. Had there not been daylight and clear weather I do not think we could have gone six miles without being wrecked. About midnight we entered a bay that was thought by Captain Murray to be the place we were looking for ; and, although there was plenty of light ior all purposes of navigation, we let go a kedge until sunrise, when we could take observations and ascertain if we were on the central line of the eclipse. 14M. — At about seven, a.m., went on shore and took obser- vations, and at noon found our latitude to be 49** 48', three miles only to the southward of the computed centre ; and as there was a beautiful harbour we got the vessel in, and selected a site for our observations on the westernmost side of a small neck of land that connected a high mountain at the entrance of the harbour with a range that appeared to run along the island. By this means the fog that came in from the sea was dissipated by the warm surface of the land that we had between the sen and us. *tnm LATB BCLIPSC. All hands were now busy in landing the different inntru- ments and pitching tents. As I had brought a house already cut out, I commenced, with th* ssistance of Captain Murray and Mr. French (our talented engineer), to put it up. It came on foggy and squally from the S.E., and during the night it blew very hard in squalls. About daylight the wind shifted to the N. W., and blew with equal violence. 15th. — Windy and foggj ; squalls from the N. W. ; some of the party on shore. Monday^ 16th. — Fine clear weather ; wind N. W. The different parties employed in getting their instruments into position. I got my hammock on shore and took up my quarters there. A barrel with the heads knocked out, partly sunk in the ground, filled with earth and well rammed, and then having a fiat stone placed upon the top, offered a firm support for my transit instrument. The magnetic and meteorological parties were supplied with tents, and had taken up a position sorne little way ofT. The difficulty that I laboured under was that the short interval that stars of the fourth or fifth magnitudes were visible — the only slow moving stars near the pole that passed at that time, — gave me so little time that I was unable to get the transit instrument into the meridian, and had to get time with sextant and artificial horizon : but as Professors Alexander and Smith also observed, we had the time to a fraction of a second. , The night came on stormy .ind cloudy, wind from S.E., and no observation could be taken. nih, — More moderate, but still cloudy. The astronomers employed fixing their telescopes for to-morrow ; great anxiety about the weather. Afternoon, strong wind from N.W. 10 THE LATE ECLIPSE. 18M.— At daylight, passing c!ouds from N W., with open blue sky. Six a.m., weather improviiig ; great hopes of clear weather. The different parMer were now actively employed in making final arrangements. All the telescopes were placed close together nnd all round our chi^f— Professor Alexander, who was in the middle. Near him Mr. Henry was placed] with a chronometer, who counted the seconds aloud in order that each astronomer might note the exact time of any phe- nomenon. The photographers were close behind, so that at any given signal a picture of the sun could be taken. The meteorological and magnetic departments were well attended to and had every convenience. We all had our instructions given to us. At about half-past seven ihe party, after a hurried breakfast, formed, and there were fine clear openings in the clouds which promised to give us an uninterrupted view of the eclipse. I must now confine my remarks to the eclipse as seen by me. My telescope had a 42-inch focus, aperture Scinches, by Dolland. 1 used a power of about 40. It was mounted upon a tripod having a rack ard pinion motion, and was so adjusted that by moving it in right ascension only I kept the object in the middle of the field. I was comfortably seated, and was steadily looking at that part of the sun where the first contact was expected to lake place, when, at 8h. 8m. 5s. (mean time and place), the dark edge of the moon was seen upon the sun's surfao. I must confess that notwithstanding I had promised to keep myself quite calm and collected, I was so much startled by the pbeno- menon thai I am doubtful of the time to two seconds. T signal to the photographers was given, and they instantly pull- ed the trigger, and in the smallest fraction of a second they » T / THK LATE ECLIPSE. u had a good picture showing the moon's limb just entering upon the jurface ol the sun, (as seen in plate i.) There did not ap- pear to be any disturbance of the sun's limb before contact. Clouds passed occasionally over the sun's surface, but they did not prevent our taking the time of the moon's passing over the principal spots on the sun's surface, which took place without any apparent attraction or repulsion between the moon's limb and spots. Two high mountains were seen on the surface of the moon just under the upper cusp, (and which •are distinctly seen in plates iv. and v.) About eight minutes before the total eclipse I removed the coloured screen from the telescope ; and as there was a light thin cloud over the sun, I could look on the bright part with- out protection to the eye. At this time I looked around upon the several objects that were before brightly illuminated by the sun, but now a great change had taken place : a gloomy unearthly light fell upon the surrounding objects, impressing me with the idea that some fearful calamity was about to hap- pen, and well can I imagine that armies engaged in battle would lay down their arms when Nature threw such a ghast- ly light upon the combatants. When the bright crescent was reduced to a thin line of light extending round the edge of the moon about 130 degrees, it was a beautiful object to behold. Shortly afterwards it broke up mto fragments--" Baily's Beads "-which appeared '.0 swim from the centre towards the cusps. At 9h. I3m. 32s. thg last speck of light vanished and a bright halo surrounded that part of the moon that I was looking at, and at about twenty degrees in the second quadrant I saw distinctly a white flame shooting up to a considerable distance. A dense cloud now passed over the sun, preventing further observations being made until the emersion. 13 THE I4ATB ECLIPSE. At the time of the total eclipse the wind, which had been blowing in gusts, now fell, and a death-like stillness prevailed ; a little solitary bird poured forth a mplancholy song, and then the stillness appeared even greater than before. Between the clouds I saw Capella shining brightly with its natural light. The darkness was not so great as I had anticipated. I could see the remarks in my note book without much trouble. The light is very different from that of morning or evening, and well calculated to excite great fear in the minds of the igno- rant. The emersion was seen, and the time (lOh. 2!5m. 2-6s.) taken with accuracy. The least portion of the sun's surface was sufficient to light up the surrounding country : it was like bringing a candle into a dark room. I could follow the edge of the moon off the oun for nine or ten degrees. The cusps of the sun appeared sharp and well defined, excepting one occasion, when the lower one, instead of coming to a point, appeared to be broken off, which was caused no doubt by a mountain in the moon intercepting the light. The faculae on the sun's surface round the edge of the moon at the last part of emersion, appeared very plain, more so than I had ever seen them before. The corona was seen by those on board with the naked eye, and a good drawing was made of it. I have spoken of the parts of the sun and moon as seen through an inverting telescope, and supposed a vertical line drawn through the sun, and the time given is the mean time at place of observation. As my observations are incorporated with those of the American expedition, I must wait until they are all reduced before any deduction is made with regard to the longitude of the place of observation. 'I V THE LATE ECLIPSR. Id •*! V 19/ A.— Professor Alexander, Professor lith, and myself, were busy in taking every opportunity of ng the time. I remained on shore and took observations t« ime and latitude. 20th. — All the parties returned on boaru, leaving me only on shore. I remained in my little wooden hut on this bleak de- solate land in order that 1 might continue my observations un- til the last moment. As i was walking backwards and for- ward during the night, waiting until certain stars passed the meridian, I thought what an uncomfortable position I should be in if a bear came to reconnoitre the place left by the other parties, as the only weapon in my possession was a clasp knife. It so happened that on board the vessel, shortly after sunset, they saw a bear coming down the mountain, but I am happy to say it was not on my side of the harbour. 21s/. — 1 took my house down and went on board, hoping that we should be able to get to sea at noon. After the eclipse we had more time to look about, and sev- eral parties were formed to survey and explore. We discov- ered that we were on the island called Anlezavik. One party went into an Esqui' mux hut that apparently had recent- ly been occupied, for they discovered several portions of deer and also the head and paws of a young bear, so cleanly picked that they made capital specimens. There is plenty of game, as the marks of deer and other animals were seen ; but we were so much taken up with our respective duties that no time could be spared for the sports- men. We weie detained until Tuesday, 24th, by heavy gales of wind, and felt very thankful that we had the shelter of a good harbor, instead of being at the mercy of the winds and waves outside, amidst so many dangers that beset that iron-bound li THE LATE ECLIPSE. At sunrise of ilie 24th the gule ahatecJ, and at G, a.m., we got under way and stood out under easy steam. There was h great swell outside, which broke on all the sunken rocks, and thereby showed us how to avoid those dangers. We found that in consequence of losing our false keel and forefoot some of the seams had opened, and that our little vessel was making much water. We had but one hand pump, which threw a stream no bigger than that which comes from a tea- pot, and, should the leak increase, would not enable us to free the ship; therefore Mr. French made an excellent pump of some boards, which, together with that worked by the engine, could keep under any leak that might reasonably be ex- pected. 26//t.— Fine day, with smooth water. We had made great progress. At noon passed Cape Webuck and succcedell in taking a photograph of an iceberg. The night rame on over- cast and rainy. 21th — Thick weather, with rain. Ran past Domino, where we had ordered our coal schoonei to meet us, and had to turn back. At noon we arrived Iheie. Jt is merely an anchorage between two islands, where iome fishermen have erected huts to clean and dry their fish. There are excellent fishing grounds in the neighborhood Wt saw a great number of boats employed, and obtained some hih from a boat that came longsido : gave the men whiskey, bibles, and tracts in exchange, for which they seemed very thhnkful. 2Sih. — Went on shore with Capt, Murray at one of the islands, which is about fifteen miles from the mainland. A few small shrubs and rich mosses compose the vegetable king- dom. We caught a few small trout. We went into a fisher- man's hut bofo.e going on board : found his wife and grown . THE LATE ECLIPSE. 16 up daugliters, who were delighted to see us. I hey live in one of the bays of Newfoundland, and come every spring to the!-e trout ; but the flies and mosquitoes are so nume- rous that it was impossible to remain on shore, so after catching a few very large ones, we were fairly driven away and glad to escape from our tormentors. We remained until Tuesday before the gale was over, and then a fog came on ; but in the afternoon we steamed out, leaving our coal schooner (cleared) behind, 2nd.— Fair wind and weather. Cape Ray on the beam. Arrived at Sydney at eleven p. m. 3^^;. — The U.S. coast surveying steamer Bibb completed her coaling and proceeded to sea, and then I parted company with my American cousins, who had treated me with kindness and hospitality and showed so much attention and civility to 16 THE LATE ECLlPSB. me that I shall ever look back wi.h extreme pleasure ,„ „,« fortunate occurrence that brouglu us toge.l.er. On arriving^ Quebec, .,a Halifax, , f„uncl .,.elf jus. in .i„e for au'h gay proceedings consequent on the Prince's visit. [Bead before the Society, 24th October, 1860J i