It is important to mention that before arriving at Jefferson, we made the acquaintance of a Mr. Vail, from Philadelphia, who was going to Des Moines to observe the eclipse, and as I had a 42-inch telescope by Dolland, without an observer, I asked him to join our party and observe the eclipse with it, which he kindly consented to do; and his report is of the very greatest consequence, as it confirms, in a most striking manner, the details that are seen in the negatives.
"Canadian Eclipse Party 1869"
Commander E. D. Ashe
Here, then, the telescope must have received two blows; and by drawing a line along the top of the three figures, we get the direction of the motion, or disturbance; and on looking at the different directions of the two motions, we see that the telescope moved two ways at once, and also, that one part of the plate was disturbed once, whilst another part of the same plate was disturbed twice-which is absurd; and lastly, Mr. Vail who had not seen the photograms when he wrote his report, gives a description of certain lines and cracks that are to be seen in the negatives when they are examined by a lens.
"Canadian Eclipse Party 1869"
Commander E. D. Ashe
3 are seen; and here I must make an extract from the report of Mr. Vail, who was observing the eclipse with an excellent 42-inch telescope, by Dolland, and who made his report long before I had examined the negatives with a lens.
"Canadian Eclipse Party 1869"
Commander E. D. Ashe
