CANADIAN ECLIPSE PARTY

1869.

THE PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

CANADIAN ECLIPSE PARTY

1869.

BY COMMANDER ASHE.

Director Observatory, Quebec.

Quebec:
PRINTED BY MIDDLETON & DAWSON, AT THE “GAZETTE”
GENERAL PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT.
 
1870.

THE

CANADIAN ECLIPSE PARTY

1869.

Before giving an account of my proceedings in reference to the eclipse, I think it only right, in justice to our party, to state that the arrangements were made very hastily, as it was not until the last moment that would admit of my reaching the station allotted to me by the American astronomers, viz., Jefferson City, that I was informed that $400 had been appropriated for the purpose of taking my telescope to Iowa.

The party consisted of Mr. Douglas, Mr. Falconer, and myself.

As we had only three days to get ready, there was much to be done, dismounting the telescope and making cases for the several parts, and carefully packing photographic materials. Instead of the stone support for telescope (eight inches aperture and 9 feet focus) I had one made of wood, but as the centre of gravity was raised so high by using wood, I had to take great care in the formation of the base; however, the stability was excellent. Our arrangements were all complete by the 26th of July, and we started that evening by the Montreal boat.

For the benefit of those who may undertake an expedition of a similar kind, it may be well to mention a few incidents that occurred during our journey, which, although trifling in themselves, may prove useful to future eclipse parties. I may mention that two of the cases, containing parts of the telescope, were directed “Eclipse Expidition,” with three i’s in Expedition. This was pointed out to me at Montreal, but the mistake is excusable, for evidently the more eyes we have in an astronomical expedition the better. With regard to original spelling, I will relate the following anecdote, which would have suited “Artemus Ward.”

The boatswain of a man-of-war has to keep a rough expense book of the different stores that he uses, and this is checked by the master, who on one occasion sent for Mr. Parks, and when lie came, he said: “Oh, Mr. Parks, you have expended too much rope for those ‘jib guys;’ it will surely be found fault with; you had better reduce the quantity;” and on handing him the book, he said: “By the bye, b-l-o-x is not the way to spell blocks.” The boatswain took the book very sulkily; and after he had taken two steps towards the door, he turned round, and said “Well, sir, if b-l-o-x don’t spell blocks, what do it spell?”

We started on our journey by the evening train. When we arrived at Port Huron our first difficulty occurred; the Custom-House officers would not pass our baggage, although we pointed out the great importance of our party, and also, that the moon would not wait an instant for us. They did not see it; so our baggage was locked up for the night. We took rooms at a small inn, and then Mr. Douglas and I went by rail to Huron, to see the head of the Customs. After going up two flights of stairs, we were shewn into a room which two gentlemen occupied. The chief was smoking, with the chair resting on its two hind legs and his resting on the table. We told our story, and shewed him a certificate from the American Consul at Quebec. He looked very hard at me, took the cigar out of his mouth, wrote a pass which he handed to me, and then resumed his cigar and former position. We began to thank him, but as he hid himself in smoke, we retreated down stairs.

I never was more struck with the kindness of our American cousins than I was during this trip. On all occasions, they did all in their power to promote our convenience. In the morning we had time to see Mr. Muir, the director of the railway, who kindly gave us a free passage over his line, a kindness that was shewn to us by all the directors of the different lines that we travelled on. I may remark that the cases with the heavier parts of the telescope were broken, and I much feared that the instruments would be seriously damaged. Mr. Muir very kindly had outside cases put on, and I carried the most valuable part (the object glass) in my hand. After we left Chicago, and before going to bed, we left word to be called before crossing the Mississippi. It is not fair to judge of scenery from a view taken through the window of a railway car, but I must say that I was disappointed,—shallow, sluggish, and muddy; but then I ought to remember that I live on the banks of one of the finest and most beautiful rivers in the world.

In the morning we were on the prairie, which is not so flat as I had expected to see it, but it is a beautiful undulating country, and if there were trees upon it nothing more could be desired. It was explained to me by a gentleman who was travelling with us, the reason why trees do not grow on this beautiful land. It appears that on the eastern bank of all rivers and streams only do trees grow; now without entering into the cause of the prairies catching fire, I will only say that in September, when the long grass is quite dry, they do catch fire, and then burn until it is stopped by a river, and as it always burns to windward, and as the wind generally blows in one direction, we have a solution why the trees only grow on one side of a river; and once the primeval forest is removed, it never has a chance of growing again, as the young trees are sure to be burnt, and the beautiful black soil of the prairie is enriched by the deposit of burnt grass.

At one station where we stopped to water our engine, I saw two children of the soil; they have good reason to complain at their lot. The buffalo and antelope driven away, and if they are hungry they are told to go and dig; dig, how can they dig? let us reverse the picture. Suppose that our cities and towns were by the Indians turned into a prairie, and when we were hungry they told us to go away and catch a buffalo, a pretty hand I should make of catching a buffalo. The sooner the poor fellows are shot down or killed by small-pox, the sooner they will go to their happy hunting grounds.

As the Norway rat kills all other rats that it meets, so the savage must disappear, and the Northern races of Europe will exterminate them.

There is one exception, the African negro, and no matter what you do to him he thrives under the treatment; whether free or in slavery he multiplies and is happy. Strange that rum which kills the Indian, only makes him fat.

But the king of savages—the New Zealander—has the fairest island, in the most favored clime, taken from him, and civilization forced upon him.

There is no getting away from this civilization now. But I am thankful to say that I was at San Francisco before it arrived there. When out shooting I saw the fresh foot-prints of a grizzly bear, and did not know how far the gentleman might have been from me at that moment. Now, I should like to know how far you would have to travel, and how much you would have to spend, before you could experience the same delightful sensation.

I have seen real Indians with real bows and arrows, in Vancouver’s Island; and the place where I then saw them, now has become the head-quarters of the Pacific squadron; and the Indians, instead of flattening their heads, no doubt have put on the Grecian bend. Where is all this to