82 RECORD OF AURORAL THEN OMEN A. 



an appearance as if constantly receiving accessions of fire, which were equally distributed to it 

 from every part of the foundation of the tent. The illuminated part gradually diminished in 

 splendor as it approached the zenith. 

 It lasted about two hours, and did a little affect the electrometer." — Cochrane, p. 184. 



Virehni Kovima. — Winter of 1186-87. Billings. 



"The effects of the cold are wonderful. Upon coming out of a warm room, it is absolutely neces- 

 sary to breathe through a handkerchief; and you find yourself immediately surrounded by an 

 atmosphere, arising from breath and the heat of the body, which incloses you in a mist, and 

 consists of small nodules of hoar ice. Breathing causes a noise like the tearing of coarse paper 

 or the breaking of thin twigs, and the expired breath is immediately condensed in the fine sub- 

 stance mentioned above. 

 The Northern Lights are constant and very brilliant; they seem close to you, and you may sometimes 

 hear them shoot along; they assume an amazing diversity of shapes; and the Tungoose say that 

 they are spirits at variance fighting in the air." — Sauer (Billings), p. 57. 



Hearne's Sea, north of Coppermine.— Lat. 68° 48' 27 " N. Long. 115° 31' W. September 

 9-16, 1839. Simpson. 



"Stress of weather sadly retarded our return. The last of the Canada and snow geese quitted the 

 shores of the Polar Sea, and our deer hunters' excursions were fruitless, the animals having 

 already made a move inland. 



One night there was a most superb display of the Aurora without the prismatic tints; and on another, 

 that was pitch dark, the flashing of the sea almost rivalled that strange lustre of the heavens. 



We pursued our way unremittingly night aud day, fair and foul, wheuever the winds permitted ; 

 and on the 16th, in a bitter frost, and the surrounding country covered with snow, we made our 

 entrance into the Coppermine, after by far the longest voyage ever performed in boats on the 

 Polar Sea, the distance we had gone not being less than 1,408 geographical, or 1,631 statute 

 miles." — Simpson, p. 388. 



Igloolik.— Lat. 69° 15' N. Long. 81° 45' W. 1822-23. Pabry. 

 November 7, 1822. 



"The appearances of the Aurora Borealis were neither frequent nor brilliant during this month. 

 On the 7th, near midnight, this phenomenon appeared from E. S. E. to S. W., forming an irregular 

 arch of white light, not continuous in every part, and about 8° high in the centre. From the 

 upper margin of this arch, coruscations now and then shot upwards towards the zenith." — 2 

 Parry, 381. 



Novembeb 21, 1822. 



" On the morning of the 21st, Mr. Ross remarked a bright arch of the Aurora passing through the 



zenith from east to west, aud meeting the horizon at each end. Besides this, two smaller, and 



apparently concentric arches, were visible to the southward; the higher arch being in the centre 



about twenty degrees above the horizon, and the other about teu degrees. 



An arch of the same kind appeared at night in the southivest quarter of the heavens." — Ibid., p. 381. 



December 13, 1822. 



"Between one and two a. m. on the 13th, while Messrs. Ross and Bushnan were employed in taking' 

 some observations alongside the Fury, they saw a vivid flash of light, which it afterwards 

 occurred to them must have come down the electric chain attached to the masthead, directly 

 under which they happened to be standing at the time. 



