visible, much interest was taken in its observation. On the part of
the Nautical Almanac Office I computed the path of the shadow and
the times of crossing certain points in it. The results were laid
down on a map which was published by the office. One party, fitted
out in connection with the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, was sent to Greenland. Admiral Davis desired to send
another, on behalf of his own office, into the central regions of
the continent. As members of this party Mr. Ferrel and myself were
chosen. At the request of Professor Agassiz one of the assistants in
the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Mr. Samuel H. Scudder, accompanied
us. More than twenty years later Mr. Scudder published a little book
describing some of our adventures, which was illustrated with sketches
showing the experiences of a party in the wild West at that time.

Our course lay from St. Paul across Minnesota to the Red River of
the North, thence north to Fort Garry near the southern end of Lake
Winnipeg, then over the lake and some distance up the Saskatchewan
River. At St. Paul we paid our respects to Governor Ramsey, afterward
Senator from Minnesota and Secretary of War. We were much surprised
at the extraordinary deference paid by the community to a Mr. Burbank,
a leading citizen of the town, and owner of the stages which we had
to engage for our journey across the country. He seemed to be a man
whom every one was afraid to offend. Even the local newspapers were
careful what they printed about matters in which he was interested.

The two or three days which we passed in getting things ready
to start were rather dull. The morning after our arrival I saw,
during a morning walk, on a hill just outside the town, a large new
building, on which the word "Athenaeum" was conspicuously shown.
The Boston Athenaeum had a very fine library; is it not possible
that this may have a beginning of something of the same sort?
Animated by this hope, I went up the hill and entered the building,
which seemed to be entirely vacant. The first words that met my
eyes were "Bar Room" painted over a door. It was simply a theatre,
and I left it much disappointed.

Here we were joined by a young Methodist clergyman,--Edward
Eggleston,--and the four of us, with our instruments and appliances,
set out on our journey of five days over the plains. On the
first day we followed partly the line of a projected railway, of
which th