RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 81 



Kolymsk.' The difference, however, may proceed from local circumstances, which often either 

 prevent the sea-winds from reaching so far inland, or alter their direction. For example, it 

 often happens that there is a strong northerly wind at Pochodsk, seventy wersts north of 

 Kolymsk, while at the latter place the wind is southerly. 



8. The finest Auroras always appear at the beginning of strong gales in November and January; 

 when the cold is most intense, they are more rare. 



9. A remarkable phenomenon which I often witnessed deserves to be recorded; i. e., when shoot- 

 ing stars fell near the lower portion of an auroral arch, fresh kindled streamers instantly appeared, 

 and shot up from the spot where the star fell. 



From some of the above remarks, it may be inferred that the freezing of the sea may be connected 

 with the appearance of Auroras. Perhaps a great quantity of electricity may be produced by 

 the suddenly rising vapors, or by the friction of large masses of ice against each other. 



The Aurora does not always occupy the higher regions of the atmosphere; it is usually nearer the 

 surface of the earth, and this is shown by the visible influence of the lower current of the atmo- 

 sphere on the beams of the Aurora. We have frequently seen the effect of the wind on the 

 streamers as obvious as it is on clouds ; and it is almost always the wind which is blowing at the 

 surface of the earth." — Von Wrangell, p. 506. 



N. B. — 1. We have frequently seen the effect of the wind on the streamers as obvious as it is on 

 the clouds; 

 2. And it is almost always the wind that is blowing on the surface of the earth. 



"There is a remarkable phenomenon known here by the name of Teploi Weter (the warm wind), 

 blowing from the S. E. by S. It sometimes begins suddenly, when the sky is quite clear, and in 

 the middle of winter raises the temperature, in a short time, from — 4t° to +35°; so that the 

 plates of ice which are the substitute for glass in the windows begin to melt. In the valleys of 

 the Aniui, the warm wind is frequently felt; its influence does not extend to the west of Cape 

 Tchukotski. It is seldom of longer continuance than twenty-four hours." — Ibid., p. 49. 



"Northeast wind, or more often E. N. E., is seldom of long continuance and violent. It usually 

 clears the atmosphere from mist, and thus causes the thermometer to rise in summer and to fall 

 in winter. Auroras often accompany this wind in winter. 

 Southeast wind drives away mist, and may be regarded as the prevailing wind in autumn and 

 winter. Sometimes, in the middle of winter, a wind from the S. E. by E., or S. E. |E., causes 

 the temperature to rise suddenly from —24° to +25°, or even to 32°; previously to this, the 

 barometer sinks as much as four-tenths of an inch in the course of eight hours. The S. S. E. 

 wind has no particular influence either on the barometer or thermometer. S. E. winds, but more 

 particularly E. by S. and E. winds, are frequently accompanied by Auroras." — Ibid., p. 513. 



Nijnei Kolymsk.— Lat. 68° 31' 53" N. Long. 160° 56' E. March 1, 1821. Cochrane. 



"The only meteorological phenomenon which occurred during my stay at the Kolynia, was the Aurora 

 Borealis. The scene fell far short of my expectations. I understood, however, that the months 

 of October and November are the most proper to view them in their greatest splendor. 



Those which appeared during my stay were generally from the north, and consisted of columns of 

 fire moving in an horizontal direction, and generally disappearing in the southwest; the height 

 of the columns being from 50° to 60°. 



At times, an immense illuminated space from north to east would advance very close to us, and 

 throwing up rays or rockets of fire, and, forming into concave arches, approached us so near 

 as apparently to endanger our situation, exhibiting at the same time every color of the rainbow. 



The most beautiful Aurora which I saw was at midnight of the 1st of March, 1821. The wind 

 was from the N. N. "W., and the glass at 36° of cold. The Aurora occupied the whole circle 

 of the heavens, at an elevation of 28° or 30°, and, gradually rising, disappeared in the zenith. 

 The figure was as an illuminated tent, with festoons or fringes at the lower part, and which had 

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