RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 41 



but the uniform testimony of the natives — both Crees, Copper Indians, and Esquimaux — aud of 

 all the older residents in the country, induce me to believe that its motions are sometimes audible. 

 These instances are, however, rare, as will appear when I state that I have now had an oppor- 

 tunity of observing that meteor for upwards of two hundred different nights." — 1 Franklin 

 (Richardson), 599. 



November 13, 1820. 



"In the evening the sky was covered by a stratum of fleecy clouds, their forms generally orbicular 



and texture rare. They were separated from each other by intervals of clear blue sky of various 



extent, but in some points came in contact. 

 The Aurora was observed to move along these clouds, strongly illuminating their faces next to the 



earth, and very seldom passing across the blue sky, but spreading from cloud to cloud by their 



points of contact, sometimes slowly, more often with considerable rapidity. 

 The light was generally brightest in the centre of the cloud, and it often originated simultaneously 



in various parts of the heavens, more or less distant from each other. 

 At some moments the whole sky was illuminated. 

 No distinct beams were seen, and the light had uniformly a grayish color, with a light tinge of 



yellow. 

 Thermometer at noon +10°, in the evening 4 8°." — Ibid., p. 600. 



N. B. — 1. In the evening the sky was covered by a stratum of fleecy clouds. 



2. Aurora was observed to move along these clouds, strongly illuminating their faces next 



the earth. 



3. The light was generally brightest in the centre of the cloud. 



November 24, 1820. 



"A bright moonlight evening, cloudless sky, with a slight breeze from "W. N. \V. 



An arch-formed Aurora, extending from S. E. to N. W. This arch was composed of several dis- 

 united portions of arches, every succeeding one having a higher commencement and termination 

 than that which preceded it, reckoning from the horizon to the zenith. 



Their altitude near the centre of the imperfect arch which they formed by their arrangement was 

 from 40° to 60°. 



One of these portions presented a smooth edge inferiorly, or towards the south, but its northern 

 border was fringed with long falcate pointed rays, whose bases appeared to twist together to 

 form the southern edge. 



It had a striking resemblance to a shoot of the moss called dicranum scoparium majus." — Ibid., p. 600. 



N. B. — 1. Clear moonlight. 



2. An arch-formed Aurora extending from S. E. to N. W. 



November 2G, 1820. 



"Thermometer at noon — 13°; in the evening — 25°. Sky cloudless, and of a pretty deep blue. 



An Aurora appeared in the early part of the night, having a general direction from N. W. to 

 E. S. E. It consisted of several concentric but irregular arches, all of which, without changing 

 their position, occasionally assumed the falcate form observed on the 24th. The uppermost 

 arch nearly reached the zenith. The smaller stars became invisible when the brighter parts of 

 the Aurora passed over them. 



Although the air appeared perfectly clear during the time the Aurora was visible, yet there was a 

 fall of very small snow. Its particles were so minute as to be scarcely visible to the naked eye, 

 and were most readily detected by their melting upon the skin. The same phenomenon of an 

 almost imperceptible snow falling from a clear sky, had been before observed in a bright sun, 

 which rendered visible a great number of icy spicule floating in the air." — Ibid., p. 600. 



N. B.— 1. Sky cloudless. 



2. An Aurora early in the evening from N. W. to E. S. E. 



3. It consisted of several concentric but irregular arches. 



4. The smaller stars became invisible when the brighter parts of the Aurora passed over 



them. 

 6 



