1823.] Capt» Franklin^ s Narrative of a Journey, S^c, 67 



seldom regained its usual position before three or four p. m. 

 on the following day." 



" On February 13, at IP 50'"p.m., the needle had a quick 

 vibratory motion between 343'' 50' and 344° 40'. This is the 

 only occasion on which a vibratory motion was observed." 



" The disturbances produced by the Aurora were so great, 

 that no accurate deductions could be made respecting the diur- 

 nal variation." 



" I have not heard the noise ascribed to the Aurora, but 

 the uniform testimony of the natives and of the residents in 

 this country, induces me to believe that it is occasionally audi- 

 ble. The circumstance, however, must be of rare occurrence, 

 as is evidenced by our having witnessed the Aurora upwards of 

 two hundred times without being able to attest the fact. I 

 was almost inclined, last year, to suppose that unusual agita- 

 tions of the Aurora were followed by storms of wind ; but the 

 more extended opportunities I enjoyed of observing it in 1821, 

 at Fort Entreprise, have convinced me that no such inference 

 ought to have been drawn." 



" The Pith Ball Electrometer, which was placed in an ele- 

 vated situation in the air, never indicated an atmosphere 

 charged with electricity." P. 551 — 553. 



The succeeding remarks and experiments on this curious 

 subject were made at Fort Entreprise, by the ill-fated Lieut. 

 Hood, and are extracted from his Journal. 



" On the 27th of April, 1821, at 10'^ 30"'p.m., a single co- 

 lumn of Aurora rose in the north, and traversed the zenith 

 towards the south ; another column appearing, NE by E and 

 taking a parallel direction. The frost was slightly agitated, 

 and the beams momentarily visible. It passed to the western 

 horizon in ten minutes, and was followed by the other, which 

 became brighter as it approached the zenith, I am now con- 

 vinced they were borne away by the wind, because the columns 

 preserved exactly their distance from each other during their 

 evolution ; and some detached wreaths, projected from them, 

 retained the same relative situations of all their parts ; which 

 never happens when the A urora is carried through the air by 

 its own direct motion. The wind was E by N, a strong gale, 

 and the temperature of the air 9°." 



" It must be admitted that the influence of the wind upon the 

 Aurora was never suspected until the 27th of April. However, 

 there are several particulars connected with the subject, which 

 may have prevented such an influence from manifesting itself 

 on former occasions. 1st. When the coruscations were rapid 

 and brilliant, they forced themselves against the wind, or in 

 the contrary direction, without any perceptible difference of 

 speed ; from which circumstance, I was led to suppose that 

 they were not in any degree affected by the wind, and did not 

 afterwards jpay sufficient attention to discover my error* 



