Mr Harvey oti a Luminous Arch seen atPlymouth. 147 



nied by a progressive increase of its splendour in the same di- 

 rection, so the gentle diminution of its light was, by the same 

 gradual steps, in the opposite direction, from east to west. At 

 25 minutes before 9, no traces of it could be perceived in the 

 east, and the Pleiades glittered with their primitive lustre. At 

 10 minutes before 9, a faint portion of its extremity could 

 be seen in the constellation Andromeda ; and at 5 minutes be- 

 fore 9, the last traces of it were perceptible in the wing of 

 Cygnus. The clouds that had lingered in the west now began 

 to rise ; and at 20 minutes after 9, only a small portion of 

 it Could be seen in the west, at about an elevation of 30°. At 

 half past 9, the whole sky was hid in a mass of vapour, and all 

 traces of the splendid phenomenon lost. 



From 20 minutes after 8, till the general shrouding of the 

 whole hemisphere in vapour, the entire quadrant of the Hea- 

 vens, from the north to the western points of the horizon, Was 

 illuminated by a strong light, bearing a close resemblance to 

 the clear and beautiful twihght which has sometimes announ- 

 ced the approach of the sun, on those very fine mornings in 

 summer which I have dedicated to the interesting subject of 

 dew. 



■ During the coiitinuance of this beautiful phenomenon, the 

 Milky Way shone with extraordinary brightness, and seemed 

 to derive new splendour from it. 



During the time these interesting observations were made, 

 I was accompanied by my intelligent young friend, Mr Richard 

 Rawle, who called my attention to the light existing between 

 the north and western points of the horizon ; and I have been 

 favoured by my gallant friend. Captain Rotheram, R. N., with 

 the following extract from his valuable meteorological register. 



Barom. Temp, at Temp, at Rain. Wind, 



m A, M. 10 p. M. 



Sept. 28, 29.90 64° 58" 0.100 N. W.andW. 



29, 29.95 62 57 0.066 W. 



30, 29.85 63 57 0.050 W. 



Pi^YMouTH, October 1, 1828. 



