44 HE CORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA, 



an equal breadth with its centre, and bore JV. W. and S. E. respectively. Wind a little more 

 northerly; sky clear. 



At lib., two bright arches passed near the zenith in a direction from N. W. to S. E. ; one complete, 

 extending from horizon to horizon, the other reaching one-half way across the sky, the west end 

 being deficient. The edges of both arches were well defined, their apparent acuteness throwing 

 the clear blue sky far back. 



The arches were broadest near the zenith; and, when most bright, appeared to consist of several 

 streams of light, nearly but not exactly parallel to each other, and having the same direction 

 with the arch. 



These streams receded from each other by a lateral motion, leaving interstices, sometimes of a 

 fainter light, sometimes of a clear blue sky ; and they were at times gathered together toward 

 one side of the arch, which then shone with a very dense light. The S. E. extremities of the 

 two arches were united near the horizon, and, bending to an angle, ran horizontally to the north- 

 ward for a considerable distance. 



After the arches had continued for some time, they moved slowly to the southward, became rarer 

 and broader, were blended into each other, and finally broke into several irregular masses of light. 



During the evening, many of the meteors termed falling stars were observed. The Rapid was very 

 loud."— Ibid., p. 605. 



N. B. — At 5h. p. m., several broad arches of rare light appeared extending from N. W. to S. E. 



December 12, 1820. Temp. —40°. 



"At 9h. p. m , there was a broad, faint, irregular arch of light, whose extremities bore A 7 ". N. W. 

 and S. E. by S. 



At llh., weather rather hazy, a bur or halo closely encircling the moon. A low arch of light 

 from E. to S. E., and a broad horizontal mass in the north. 



At midnight, there were two faint but distinct arches whose extremities, originating and termi- 

 nating in consort, bore N. N. E. and S. E. The upper arch had of course a greater curvature. 

 It nearly reached the zenith; the other was about *T0° high. 



At the same time, many faint and irregular masses of light existed in other parts of the sky. After 

 the circles had remained stationary for a short time, they broke in the middle. The S. E. ends 

 disappeared ; whilst the remainder, separating laterally into several long streaks of light, shot 

 quickly up in flashes from the iV. W. to S. E., crossing the zenith. Sky moderately clear. 



About lh. a. m. (13th), there were many masses of light in various parts of the sky, which bore a 

 strong resemblance to assemblages of the clouds denominated cirro-cumuli. 



At one time, a remarkable body of light appeared in the N. N. E., which occasionally split into 

 detached parts by a lateral recession, but its general motion was directly to the S. W. It 

 obscured the smaller stars, but did not completely hide those of the first magnitude.". — Ibid., 

 p. GOG. 



N. B.— 1. At 9h. p. m., a broad, faint, irregular arch, N. N. W. to S. E. by S. 



2. It obscured the smaller stars, but did not completely hide those of the first magnitude. 



December 13, 1820. Temp. —34°. 



" At lh. a. m. (14th), a broad arch of faint light, crossing the zenith, extended from horizon to 

 horizon, its extremities bearing E. and W. 

 A meteor, termed a falling star, was observed at this time. It remained luminous until it came 



below the near side of a tree-top at no great distance. 

 When the arch broke up, its west end disappeared entirely, but its eastern extremities assumed for 

 some time the semblance of a group of cirro-cumuli." — Ibid., p. G07. 



December 14, 1820. Temp. — 1G°. 



"At midnight, a faint arch extended from the horizon in the S.E. by E. to the N. W. by W., its 

 centre passing to the southward of the zenith. Bright moonlight."— Ibid., p. GOT. 



