On Noises accompanying the Aurora Borealis. 157 



Scoresby * and Richardson -f-, never heard such noises, although 

 they have seen many polar lights. But their observations were 

 made during a minimum period of this meteoric phenomenon, 

 while those striking instances of which accounts are published, 

 occurred during a period when the energy of the polar lights 

 was great, or in a maximum state. Muschenbroek says, that 

 the Greenland fishers, in his time, assured him that they had 

 frequently heard noises proceeding from the aurora borealis. 

 Mr Nairne is confident that he has heard a hissing and whizzing 

 noise when the polar lights were very bright ; and Mr Cavallo 

 affirms that he more than once heard a crackling noise from po- 

 lar- lights. Giesecke, who resided so long in West or Old Green- 

 land, says, " The Polar lights sometimes appear very low, and 

 then they are much agitated, and a crashing and crackling 

 sound is heard, like that of an electric spark, or the falling of 

 hail." Professor Parrot of Dorpat, describes a magnificent po- 

 lar light he witnessed, on 22d October 1804, from which a 

 crackling and rustling noise proceeded. We learn from the in- 

 habitants, says Captain Brooke, in his interesting travels through 

 Norway, with respect to the polar or northern lights, that they 

 had frequently heard the noise that sometimes attends them, 

 which they describe like that of a rushing wind. At Hammer- 

 fest, they said they were violent, and descended so low that it 

 would appear almost possible to touch them. In a letter from 

 Mr Ramm, of Tonset in Norway, addressed to Professor Han- 

 steen, and published in the Magazinfur Naturwidenskaherne^ 

 Christiana 1825, st. 1., we are told that he several times heard a 

 quick whispering noise, simultaneously with the motion of the 

 beams of the polar lights. In the same journal Professor Han- 

 steen remarks, " The polar regions being, in reality, the na- 

 tive country of the polar light, we ought to be peculiarly inte- 

 rested in obtaining any additional information on the natural 

 history of this remarkable phenomenon ; and we have so many 

 certain accounts of the noise attending it, that the negative ex- 

 perience of southern nations cannot be brought in opposition to 



• Arctic B-egions and Journal of a Voyage to the Northern Whale Fishery. 



,t " Remarks on the Aurora Borealis" in Franklin and Richardson's Jour- 

 ney to the Shores of the Polar Sea. 



