196 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION (May 



appearance of open water to the north is most extraordinary and 

 quite inexplicable. 



Have had some very interesting discussions with Wilson, 

 Wright, and Taylor on the ice formations to the west. How 

 to account for the marine organisms found on the weathered 

 glacier ice north of the Koettlitz Glacier? We have been 

 elaborating a theory under which this ice had once a negative 

 buoyancy due to the morainic material on top and in the lower 

 layers of the ice mass, and had subsequently floated when the 

 greater amount of this material had weathered out. 



Have arranged to go to C. Royds to-morrow. 



The temperatures have sunk very steadily this year; for 

 a long time they hung about zero, then for a considerable inter- 

 val remained about — 10° ; now they are down in the — twenties, 

 with signs of falling (to-day —24°). 



Bowers' meteorological stations have been amusingly named 

 Archibald, Bertram, Clarence — they are entered by the initial 

 letter, but spoken of by full title. 



To-night we had a glorious auroral display — quite the most 

 brilliant I have seen. At one time the sky from N.N.W. to 

 S.S.E. as high as the zenith was massed with arches, band, and 

 curtains, always in rapid movement. The waving curtains were 

 especially fascinating — a wave of bright light would start at 

 one end and run along to the other, or a patch of brighter light 

 would spread as if to reinforce the failing light of the curtain. 



Auroral Notes 



The auroral light is of a palish green colour, but we now see 

 distinctly a red flush preceding the motion of any bright part. 



The green ghostly light seems suddenly to spring to life 

 with rosy blushes. There is infinite suggestion in this phe- 

 nomenon, and in that lies its charm; the suggestion of life, 

 form, colour and movement never less than evanescent, mys- 

 terious, — no reality. It is the language of mystic signs and por- 

 tents — the inspiration of the gods — wholly spiritual — divine sig- 

 nalling. Remindful of superstition, provocative of imagination. 

 Might not the inhabitants of some other world (Mars) con- 

 trolling mighty forces thus surround our globe with fiery symbols, 

 a golden writing which we have not the key to decipher? 



