THE GREAT ECLIPSE. [From the "Polynesian," August 10.]

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 464, 25 September 1850, Page 3

THE GREAT ECLIPSE. [From the " Polynesian," August 1 0.]

On Tuesday, of thi» week, pieparations began to be made for witnessing this rare phenomenon in Honolulu. At first, it was talked about rather wonderingly by children and natives, who cannot divest themsevles of many lingering superstit om in regard to it. At length * towards evening, but little else was heanj among all clanes ; and after the sun had sunk to his accustomed couch in the West, preparation! began in earnest, and broken glass, green ipccthcles, &c. suddenly assumed an upward tendency in the market. Bottles were broken, and the clear, smooth pieces carefully put away for the morrow's campaign. The stars were scrutinized with unwonted derotion ; constellation! traced out, and Venus and Jupiter, as they sank together below the Western horizon, were regarded with peculiar interest, as it was supposed they would be again visiable on the morrow, in the East, at the time of the eclipse. Wednesday morning opened wiih a dense bank of clouds lying along the mountain range to the eastward of the town, arid a drizzling, rainy, mist threatened to spoil the expected observations, which it certainly would, had the eclipse happened before eight o'clock. But towards nine, the sun rose above it, and the fleecy clouds began to fly off before his approach, occasionally obscuring his glory, and thrusting themselves before him, with peculiar obtrutivensii. Anxieties and doubts .were felt and expressed in regard to the critical moments when, only the grand phenomenon could be witnessed ; and when the morning breeze set in, and <lrove up the clouds in the wuke of th.> sun, it began to be a matter of perplexing uncertainty whether, after all the cup of enjoyment was not to be dashed, just as it vi at ruiscd to the eager lip*. But »oon all dyubul

were removed, and the sun rose triumphantly and un< obscured above the clouds, and at the expected moment the eclipse commenced, and a most splendid sight it was.— Gliding up noiselessly, but with an unerring motion, the sun pasted behind the moon, and in 79 minutei wai totally eclipsed. As this obscurity incieased, the light became dim, and a feeling of awe seemed to prevade the minds of all. — Objects near nnd at a distance,*stood out with n marvellous distinctness ; and when the last ray wai obstructed, a ihout rose from the multitude of spectators, which made the welkin ring. For 1G minutes before and after the eclipse wai total, Venua became visible; and for 7 minutes Jupiter glimmered in the twilight, close by her side. During the total obscuration, ten stars, in different pans of the heavens, shone out distinctly, but were all quickly lost, when the rays of the sun were again teleased. The light was greater at the darkest period, than the brightest monlight, and the outline of the Waianae mountains, 25 miles distant, could be distinctly seen. The shops were lighted for a few moments, but the interests in the eclipse was so universal and intense, and we doubt if much was bought and sold during the six minutes the total eclipse lasted. Nothing could be more satisfactory than this opportunity to observe a phenomenon to raiely witnessed; Not a cloud intervened, to obstruct the vision in Honolulu; but while the atmosphere was clear in town, «c noticed frequentlya shadow of adense cloud passing over the valley of Nuuanu, where many were noting the progress of the eclipse. During tho total eclipse, the air was chilly. like that of n cool, damp 'evening, but this state of the atmosphere soon changed upon the re-appearencc of the sun. We conclude by alluding to the superstition of the nation of the subject of eclipses. From time immemorial they have associated an eclipse, of either the sun or moon, wiili the death of their chiefs, and leadily alluded to them as having happened iv conjunction. In regard to the one above noticed, they are not entirely free from their old opinions ; though the better informed freely admit that they have no connection in reality. We aie happy to know that considerable extra influence has been employed to explain the reason of eclipses, and that they could be calculated with certainty for periods in the future, exceeding the life-time of the oldest men. These explanations have had a benefici.il effect in eradicating the superstifion of many, but others are still faithless. Even but the day before the eclipse a native told us lie was utterly faithless in regard to its occurring at all, and did not beliere such things could possibly be mathematically demonstrated. We have not seen him since, but it would have afforded us much satisfaction could we have know the operations of his mind as the eclipus commenced, progressed and passed off precisely as he was told it would, but which he had no faith in. We hope this demo nitration of tie precision of science in calculating eclipses, and the perfection with which tn e works of the Creator are conducted, will tend to establish in the minds of the doubting natives the superiority of knowledge over ignorance, and to elevate their ideas of the character of that God who-e attributes are, on occasions like the one noticed above, so clearly revealed to the univeise.