54 RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 



March 11, 1821. 



"At midnight, a zone of light was observed extending from the E. to the N. IF., lying about 20° 

 above the horizon, and emitting a yellowish-gray light. This zone exhibited some intestine 

 motion, but it was faint, and consisted rather of a brightening up and fading away again of the 

 light than of flashes. 



At this time, sounds were heard at intervals of from five to ten minutes to a few seconds, resembling 

 the noise of a wand waved smartly through the air. The sounds appeared to issue from various 

 parts of the sky, and as they were frequently simultaneous with a brightening of the Aurora, I 

 was at first inclined to regard them as reports of its motions, but Mr. Wentzel stated them to arise 

 from the contracting of the snow upon the sudden increase of cold, and his opinion was further 

 supported by the same sounds being heard next morning. 



We heard in the evening from 50 to 100 of these reports, and they continued nearly as frequent 

 after the Aurora had almost faded away as when it was brightest. 



The air was not very favorable for the transmission of sound, as the Rapid was scarcely audible." 

 —Ibid., p. 628. 



Cape Lavenorn (Greenland).— Lat. 64° 30' N. Long. 39° 30' W. August 23, 1829. Graah. 



"This evening, for the first time since April last, we saw the Northern Lights." — Graah, p. 103. 

 [Graah remained at Nukarbik from October 1, 1829, to April 5, 1830, but does not mention a 



single appearance of the Aurora. 

 Nukarbik is in lat. 63° 21' 38" N., long. 40° 50' W.] 



Fort Norman.— Lat. 64° 40' 38" N. Long. 124° 44' 41" W. October, 1849. Lieut. Hooper. 



"16th. At llh. p. m., a fine Aurora extended in a broad undulating curve from N. E. to W. S. W. 

 The sky was clear; temperature considerably below freezing. 



22d. At llh. p. m., I observed a dim Aurora extending in a segment from N. N. W. to W., at 

 about 45° of elevation. 



23d. At midnight, Aurora was visible spanning the sky in a broad belt, passing through Orion in 

 the E. and the Pleiades at S. E., and continuing to W. and N. W. Night clear and stars 

 brilliant. 



25th. At Th. 20m. p. m., I saw a very fine Aurora formiug a brilliant arch from E. to N. by W. 

 (true), the centre being about 20° in altitude. At N. N. W., a column rose from the visible 

 horizon to the zenith, very fine below, and widely outspread above, somewhat in the shape of an 

 open fan which has been much torn in the web. At ten, the Aurora had shifted in position and 

 form, being now extended from S. S. E. through the zenith towards the western horizon, where 

 it formed a magnificent scroll at about 40° elevation. It was a most superb spectacle. 



The rays of both of these were uncolored, except that they seemed to possess a more brightly golden 

 hue than usual, the moon being nearly at the full and very bright, and the stars brilliantly dis- 

 played. The moon went down about eleven, when also the Aurora disappeared, and the sky 

 became entirely overcast. 



26th. At 8h. 30m., I observed an Aurora nearly similar in form and position to that first seen last 

 night, but not nearly so brilliant, and of greater altitude, as the inner line of curve was now just 

 above the Pleiades ; whereas, in that of last night, at an earlier hour, the upper edge intersected 

 that constellation. 



29th. A faint Aurora visible, very nearly in the form and position of that of the 26th instant, with 

 an additional column, irregular and uncertain in form and place. 



31st. A fine clear and cold day; a light air from southward, with an almost cloudless sky. 

 The night one of the most lovely I have seen here; perfectly cloudless; the moon high, and, 

 with the stars, very bright; and a beautiful Aurora, in waving tremors, all over the sky; its 

 laic a pale and somewhat yellowish green."— Iloopcr's Journal, 156. 



