16 RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 



Hudson's Eay.— Lat. 62° 18' N. Long. 87° 12' 12" W. September 18, 1824. Lyon. 



"Running till 10 p. m., we lay to for the night, as I had reason to suppose we were to the south- 

 ward of Cape Southampton, and was more particularly confirmed in this opinion from the com- 

 passes having all again become restless. 



This agitation having frequently been observed on other nights, between the hours of nine and 

 eleven, had always been the cause of great anxiety to me, while endeavoring to steer a course 

 after dark, unless the moon or stars were clearly visible ; and it is well worthy of consideration 

 whether this wildness of motion in the compasses is at all caused by the absence of the sun, or 

 is in any way occasioned by the presence of the Aurora, which phenomenon was rarely seen 

 earlier than 9 p. m., and the time when it was most vivid was generally at about 10. At this 

 hour, on one occasion, Mr. Kendall observed, that during the prevalence of an unusually bril- 

 liant Aurora, the larboard binnacle compass would remain stationary at no particular point, 

 while the starboard one, by a bearing of the pole star, had lessened its accustomed error two 

 points. 



By a bearing of the sun, on the following morning, it was found to have resumed its original 

 position." — Lyon, pp. 118-19. 



"At 10 p.m., I hove to, in consequence of the compasses becoming greatly agitated. This had 

 frequently been observed on other nights, between the hours of nine and eleven, and had always 

 been the cause of great anxiety to me while endeavoring to steer a course after dark. 



It is well worthy of consideration, whether this agitation of the compasses is at all to be attributed 

 to the absence of the sun, or is in any way occasioned by the presence of the aurora, which 

 phenomenon was rarely seen earlier than 9 p. in., and its greatest brilliancy was generally at 

 about 10, although the sun had then been set some hours. 



On one occasion, during the prevalence of an unusually brilliant aurora, at 10 p. m., Mr. Kendall 

 observed that the larboard binuacle compass would not remain steady at any point, while the 

 starboard one, by a bearing of the pole star, had decreased its accustomed error two points ; 

 but on the following morning, by a bearing of the sun, it was found to have resumed them. 



N. 15. — Up to this period, the error on this bearing had been eight points E." — Lyon, p. 1GT. 



N. 13. — Agitation of the compasses. 



At Sea.— Lat. 02° 30' N. Long. G3° W. October 1, 1818. Robertson. 



"At eight in the evening the Aurora was seen in the true S. S. W. to £. S. E. At nine, the lumi- 

 nous appearance spread from S. W., round by the S. E. quarter, to N. E., in an arched form; the 

 centre of the arch 18° high, the luminous part of arch 3° broad. There was a very dark appear- 

 ance under the arch, through which the stars appeared with the same glimmering light that they 

 shone with through the luminous parts. Small bundles of sharp pointed rays were shot perpen- 

 dicular from all parts of the arch to the altitude of 40°. About ten the arch shifted more 

 to the westward, and soon disappeared; fresh breezes from W. S. W." — 1 John Ross (Robert- 

 son), App., exxi. 



N. B.— 1. At 8 p. m., seen in true S. S. W. to S. S. E. 



2. At 9 p. m., from S. W. by S. E. to N. E., in an arch. 



3. Dark appearance under the arch. 



4. At 10 p. m., arch shifted more to W., and soon disappeared. 



Near Rankin's Inlet.— Lat. 62° 35' 47" N. August 22, 1847. Rae. 



"The Aurora was very bright last night. It appeared first to the S. S. E., moved rapidly north- 

 ward, spreading all over the sky, and finally disappeared in the north. 

 This agrees with what Wrangel asserts, ' that the Aurora is affected by the wind in the same way 

 as clouds arc.' " — Rae, p. 188. 



