532 DISCOVERIES OF 1786 and 



time. On the 20th June the two ships left Scol- 

 menshani, and on the 29th a phenomenon was 

 observed during the day-time which they con- 

 chided to be the aurora borealis. The atmosphere 

 was clouded and of an extraordinary whiteness; 

 the sun was surrounded by a circle of faint light; 

 towards the N.W. the air was less cloudy ; and 

 from the horizon streaks of light columns and 

 luminous points shot up resembling the aurora 

 horealis, darting and changing their shapes in the 

 same manner as this meteor. The same phenome- 

 non appeared again on the following day, but 

 more faintly. If it was the aurora borealis, it is 

 probably the first time it has been observed by 

 daylight, and when the sun was above the horizon. 

 On the 30th June, they perceived the Snoefell 

 Jokul in the east, at the distance of about ninety 

 miles. At the same time they thought they per- 

 ceived in the western quarter some white moun- 

 tains covered with snow, and directed their course 

 towards them. On the 1st of July the atmosphere 

 was cloudy, and at mid-day they imagined that 

 they saw mountainous land ; they were then 

 in latitude 65"" 13' 30", and longitude 31° 16' W. 

 of Paris. The fog was thick, but every now and 

 then it cleared away, and they fancied they saw 

 land ; but on the air becoming quite clear they 

 beheld nothing but masses of ice and some float- 

 ing ice-bergs. 



They entered a bay of ice on the 2d July ; but 



