THE ARCTIC SEAS. I33 



pale yellow ; the redness would flash about, as did 

 the white light before, still not breaki ng the general 

 form of the corona. In a few minutes all the red 

 hue had vanished, leaving the upper sky nearly un- 

 occupied. The arch also was now totally gone, and 

 in its place there were only irregular patches of 

 yellow light, of varying radiance. At a quarter 

 past nine the upper sky was again filled with pale 

 flashes: in the north were perpendicular pillars of 

 light, comparatively stationary. At half-past nine 

 there was no material change, and at ten all had 

 assumed a very ordinary appearance, merely large 

 clouds of pale light being visible."- The cause 

 which produces these beautiful coruscations of light 

 in high latitudes has not yet been satisfactorily 

 known : it seems pretty certain that their origin is 

 in general far above our atmosphere. 



Montgomery alludes to the Aurora in the follow- 

 ing: beautiful lines : — 



"Midnight hath told his hour: the moon, yet young, 

 Hangs, in the argent west, her bow unstrung; 

 Larger and fairer, as her lustre fades, 

 Sparkle the stars amidst the deepening shades : 

 Jewels more rich than night's regalia gem 

 The distant Ice-Blink's spangled diadem ; 

 Like a new morn from orient darkness, there 

 Phosphoric splendours kindle in mid-air, 

 As though from heaven's self-opening portals came 

 Legions of spirits in an orb of flame, — 

 Flame that from every point an arrow sends, 

 Far as the concave firmament extends: 

 Spun with the tissue of a million lines, 

 Glistening like gossamer the welkin shines : 



* Canadian Naturalist, p. 47. 

 M 



