RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 61 



of Aurora visible, darting lather and thither through the heavens like lightning flashes. The 

 stars very bright. 



7th. A fine day, calm and very cold. A most lovely Aurora at night, extending from east, through 

 north, to west, with coruscations towards the zenith. 



8th. As I have generally observed to be the case, the Aurora of last evening was followed by a 

 strong breeze, the weather completely changing during the night ; the clear starlit sky becoming 

 overcast with a heavy drift of clouds from N. E., from which quarter the wind was strong, 

 accompanied by thickly falling and driving snow. The weather continued thus all day, and was, 

 moreover, bitterly cold, but improved a little towards night, the wind and snow ceasing, and a 

 few stars peeping out. 



9th. The night was very fine ; a gentle breeze from west, a cloudless sky, and a beautiful Aurora ; 

 which latter first formed in an arch from N. N. E. to N. N. W., but later appeared similar to that 

 of the seventh, in broken and vertical rays, coruscating towards the zenith. The stars visible 

 in myriads, and very bright. 



llh p. m. I have just come in from viewing (aye, and listening to) the Aurora, which now pre- 

 sents a gorgeous spectacle. It has shifted from its first position, and now covers one-half of 

 the heavens, from east, through south, to west. Oh, it is exquisite 1 I cannot describe it, for it 

 is too splendid for description, even if viewed by a Byron, but I will try to set down an idea of 

 it, although it can be but a faint one. 



Orion is now bearing about S. S. W., and on each side of that constellation to about four points 

 rays are converging very nearly to the zenith, while they are perfectly regular in distance one 

 from the other, and in form remind me of the lines of longitude on a globe, like which, also, 

 they are cut just below the zenith. Around and about them are wreaths and rolls, lines and 

 curves, masses and skirmishers of the luminous fluid, never still for an instant, but waving and 

 rolling, advancing and retiring, folding and unfolding, fast and changeful as thought can fly; 

 never twice alike, but, like the fickle kaleidoscope, ever presenting some new appearance, beau- 

 tiful and wondrous as those already seen and vanished. The converging curved rays before 

 mentioned are just in shape, &c, as we see in those pictures where the Spirit of God is 

 represented descending upon the Saviour in the form of a dove. I do not think nor write this 

 with levity, for the phenomenon is too awe-inspiring to excite mirth or ridicule. 



As the heavy curtain in a theatre is drawn up or let down, so are some of the flying lines expand- 

 ing and contracting incessantly; others, again, seem heavy breakers, curling and turning under 

 and about. There was one large mass, a perfect blaze of light, which seemed to be not twenty 

 feet above me; others with less body appearing far, far away. It was a glorious sight, and I 

 stood gazing in rapture, although not very poetical, until I found myself chilled throughout; 

 but one who is privileged to view a scene like this can have little soul, little of the spirit con- 

 templative, an he feel not his very heart-striugs thrill with solemn joy at the sight. 



And now, too, a question long doubted is by me doubted no more. I have heard the Auror^ 

 not once, nor twice, merely, but many times; not faint nor indistinct, but loud and unmistakable ; 

 now from this quarter, now from that; now from on high, and again from low down. At first 

 it seemed to be like a field of ice cracking, then like the distant stroke of an axe ; again it 

 resembled the noise of pile driving by a monkey, and at last like the whirring of a cannon-shot 

 when heard from a short distance. Once, three like this followed in rapid succession, and I 

 thought I could see the mass whence the sounds proceeded tumbling or vibrating. 1 



The night is intensely cold, the sky perfectly clear, the stars showing as brilliantly through the 

 illumined fluid as where the 'lights ' are not; the wind is moderate from N. N. W. I have no 

 doubt that we shall have heavy weather after this display. I have read that in other northern 

 voyages, the sound of the Aurora resembles the cracking of a whip, but to-night I heard nothing 

 like this, to my idea. 



In a few minutes, the character of the phenomenon changed, the tremors and rays all disappearing, 

 and nought now appeared to view but a long low arch from E. S. E. to S. W., banking a rising 



1 This error respecting the Aurora's sound affords a curious indication of the power of imagination in assisting 

 delusion. 



