RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 105 



radiation always issuing, as it would appear, from behind the cirro-stratus, and having a cirrous 

 consistence, and all those appearances being usually succeeded by a wind from the opposite 

 point, besides the correspondence with the variation, are circumstances well worthy the philoso- 

 pher's attention."— O'Reilly, pp. 169-71. 



Northumberland Sound (Winter Quarters). — Lat. 76° 52' N. Long. 97° W. December, 

 1852. Belcher. 



"On the evening of the 2d of December, about nine p. in., the first well-authenticated Aurora was 

 observed. All our instruments being then available, I was anxious to ascertain its effect on 

 them. Mr. Cheyne was directed to report on the electrometers, and I add his remarks, as I 

 believe he was called in time to see it in part. 



'Sir: Last night, at 9.20, I observed an Aurora, a light narrow streak, extend from the summit of 

 the Observatory Hill, passing immediately through the zenith in a direction south by east (true), 

 terminating in a feather about 25° north of the zenith (?). Four cumulous-shaped masses 

 appeared as though only about a couple of hundred feet from the mastheads ; these masses lasted 

 about three minutes, and then suddenly disappeared, having apparently shifted their position 

 about twenty feet during that time. The long streak gradually vanished in about eight minutes. 

 The magnetometer read 116.50°, was perfectly steady ; nor was the electrometer in the least affected. 

 The sky was perfectly clear. 



(Signed) J. P. Cheyne, Lieutenant. 



December 3, 1852.' 



Mr. Cheyne was not an observer; he probably took this 116. 5u° from the register for nine hours, 1 

 which is there so recorded, but he could not judge of the steadiness of the magnetometer: at 

 eight it was 117.30° ; at ten, 120.60°. But it is not clear to my mind that it was not affected, 

 and that the causes which produced this Aurora had not been in action the last eight hours ; viz : 

 from four p. m. until midnight, when it reached 137.80°, equal to 27.60° of deflection; a dis- 

 turbance not before recorded. Even between nine and midnight, we have a deflection of 21.30° ! 



The barometer, during the interval between eight and midnight, suddenly changed from 29.860 to 

 29.650, regaining its height, and rising to 29.900 when the magnetometer, at sixteen hours, 

 showed 107.90. 



I had almost begun to conjecture that we were in too cold a medium, or that it might not extend 

 to so high a latitude. Considering, too, that its first appearance generally occurs with the first 

 shades of winter, I could hardly understand its prolonged absence. I had observed it to the 

 north of Behring's Strait on the 25th August, and continuously up to the 5th October, in its 

 greatest brilliancy ; and in Wales, at Swansey, in August. But I notice that Parry, in his 

 first voyage, and nearest to us, did not record it until the 8th of January; on his third, which 

 follows in order of latitude, in October and November; and in his second, in October. I did 

 not witness it myself; indeed, it was not reported. I casually heard of it next day, and issued 

 orders ' invariably to call me.' It was only on perusing the official report called for from Lieut. 

 Cheyne, that I was induced to search the magnetometer records for its motions. 



December 5. Another Aurora, noticed this evening, presented vertical shoots or broom-like fasciae 

 shooting towards the zenith (from behind the hill N. N. W), in pale flame-tinted rays, to an 

 altitude of 20°. No disturbance was recorded, but it is highly probable that the variations 

 registered at nine and ten p. m. are attributable to this influence. It recurred about midnight, 

 but it is not indicated by the magnetometer. At noon, it is suddenly deflected." — Belcher, 1, 

 p. 173. 



"On the 6th, 9th, and 10th of December, further exhibitions of Aurora occurred, and .sonic slight 

 deflections of the magnetometer were apparent, but generally preceding or following. 



1 All terms of time refer to astronomical periods from noon to noon. 

 14 



