Chorus:-"How jolly we are with flights so airy; Happy is the mosquito that dwells on the prairie." And then they quarrelled and fought with each other, and made speeches,--and so the dreary hours dragged along; but when the eastern horizon was tinted with beams of light, they staggered off to their respective marshes-some to die of apoplexy, others of _delirium tremens_. Verdict--served them right. From dawn until six, I had a refreshing sleep, and when my relief came, I awoke up, and began to think whether I had heard all this, or only dreamt it. I suppose I dreamt it. The work now made rapid progress: doors with locks, dark room settled, platform for telescope support firmly laid. The next day, began to mount the telescope, but when we came to screw in the object-glass, we found out that the brass seat in the tube had been pressed into an oval. What was to be done? No one in Jefferson that knew anything about it; too late to send it anywhere; here was a great break-down. However, a Mr. Kelly said he would try; and after some hours' hard work, he got the object-glass screwed home, but could not be unscrewed; so the flats that hold the bolts that secure the object-glass to the telescope could not be put on, but we secured it as well as we could. 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. By Friday night, all preparations were made, and we retired to rest with great doubts about having a fine day. [Photograph: CLEAR FOR ACTION.] However, Saturday came at last, and the morning was hazy and overcast; but about eight, the clouds began to break and Mr. Vail and I took some observations for "time." The afternoon was cloudless; but still a haze near the horizon. At half-past three, we "Beat to quarters." Mr. Douglas shut himself up in the dark room; I took charge of the telescope; Mr. Stanton, with a light cloth, covered and uncovered the "object glass;" Mr. Vail had his telescope nicely adjusted; and Mr. Falconer was seated in a very good position to observe the dark shadow crossing the country, and to note any other phenomena. At 3h. 38m. 40s., local mean time, the first contact took place, and the first photogram taken, shewing a slight indentation on the sun's limb. We took the partial eclipse with an eye-piece, giving a 3-inch picture but as it was hazy, I removed it before totality, and took the photograms in the principal focus.