The observations of the total eclipse of the sun made
at Vadso, in the extreme north-east of Norway, were, like those in Japan, from an astronomical point of view, a failure—the sky was obscured by mists—but for all that the spectacle must have been most impressive. The Times' correspondent relates how he followed the advice of Dr. Copeland, and so witnessed a sight of extraordinary interest. That advice was to look at the sun until the crescent of light was about to disappear, and then face round to the opposite point of the horizon. " The object of this manceuvre is to permit the observer to see the impressive spectacle of the advance of the lunar shadow over the earth." Those who took this advice saw the deep purple shadow sweeping over the distant mountains and plunging them in such obscurity that they became invisible. " As the shadow advanced across the fiord it enveloped the training squadron as it lay at anchor, the details of the ships' rigging disappeared from view, and their lights gleamed forth brilliantly. Still the shadow pressed on with its majestic speed of a mile in every couple of seconds. It moved as swiftly as a cannon-ball until it reached the observers at Vadso, and then announced to them in the most impressive manner that the supreme moment of their visit had arrived, and that totality was complete." That is an ably written piece of description, and recalls Wordsworth's account of the same phenomenon, wit- nessed on the Italian lakes. Writing of the passage of the shadow, he tells how-
" It tinged the Julian steeps,—it lay, Lugano, on thy ample bay."
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