92 



CRUISE OP STEAMER CO El WEST IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



AURORAS. 



The following gives the average frequency, monthly, of auroras witnessed at Saint Michael's 

 during the four years preceding April 30, 1881 (owing to the almost constant daylight it became 

 impossible to see an aurora from the last of April until the middle of August) : January, 1.5 ; 

 February, 5; March, 1.7; April, 0; May, 0; June, 0; July, 0; August, .2+; September, 1.5; 

 October, 2.5 ; November, 3.5 ; December, 1.7. The total number observed in four years is 71, or 

 17.7 per year. Brilliant displays are rare, and the majority consist of a pale arch, or a diffused, 

 half-disk shaped glow near the northern horizon. 



Below a complete list is given of the auroras as observed by Mr. Nelson, with remarks upon 

 the character of each, and the date and time of occurrence: 



1877. 



August 10 (6.30 to 10 p. in.)- — Faiut glow in the northern horizon. Wind east, light. 



October 11 (5.45 to 12 p. in.). — Low arch with pale yellow tongues and hars of light projecting and waving on upper 



border. Wind variable. Linear bands north-northeast, south-southwest. 

 October 12 (midnight to near morning). — Pale glow from display of last evening and again in evening. Northeast 



gale in afternoon. 

 Ootober 13 (5.30 to 9 p. in.). — Faint glow in northern horizon where aurora of 11th and 12th instant was seen. Gale 



from northeast. 

 November 7. — A faint glow discerned through a rift in the clouds to the north at 7 p. m. Change of wind from north 



to east at 8 p. m. 

 November 26.— Faint glow in the north, light northeast winds (6 p. m. to midnight). Gale from northeast, and haze 



the next day. 

 December 5 (7 to 9 p. m.). — Faiut glow in north ; wind light and variable ; snow next day. 

 December 31 (9 to 10 p. m.). — Faint arch in north ; east wind ; gale next day and falling temperature. 



1878. 



February 5. — Faint arch near northern horizon ; high south wind 9 p. in. ; in early evening of the 6th lowest temper- 

 ature of year. 52°. 



February 26. — Two faiut arches in the north, low down ; about 25° to upper one from horizon ; separated by 10° ; 

 brightest at 9 p. in. ; no color or motion. Wind light and variable. 



February 27 (midnight to daylight). — In forenoon the same aurora continued as last evening. Wind brisk from north 

 all day. At 9 p. m. the arches were visible as yesterday, but very faint ; they lasted about two hours. 



September 22. — Sky cleared at lip. in., showing a glow extending over 20° of azimuth and 10° above horizon; this 

 continued unchanged until — 



September 23, 2.30 a. m., when it faded away. Wind variable in morning; northeast, steady, rest of day. First in 

 early evening, at 9 30 p. m., a faint arch was formed in the position of outer edge of last night's glow, aud 

 continued till midnight. 



September 24. — Midnight to early morn, the arch of last evening continued. Frost 10.30 p. m. to midnight. Arch same 

 as last evening renewed ; east wind. 



September 25.— Midnight to early morning the arch continued; light northeast gale. About 8 p. m. the aurora ap- 

 peared, and at 9 p. m. the display was well marked. First there arose from the horizon, in the magnetic 

 north, a half disk (the arc uppermost) of what appeared to be a bank of jet black stratus cloud ; presently it 

 became bordered with a pale light and arose until about 25° above the horizon, aud shutting out the light 

 from all the stars in that quarter, and extended 35° of azimuth. In the magnetic south simultaneously formed 

 an exactly similar disk, except that it arose about 45° from the horizon, and covered 60° to 75° of the azimuth. 

 The light bordering the dark disk in the south was much paler than that in the north, but its intensity waxed 

 and waned with the display in the north. The dark disk was also less intense, as the larger stars could be 

 faintly seen. In the north the display was fine. The bordering arc of light would become more intense, then 

 a flickering light would appear in the midst of the dark disk, and spreading rapidly, it would form an interior 

 moving band of light parallel to the border, toward which it sent up tongues and bars of light, until the pro- 

 jections touched the light of the border, when increased activity ensued, and suddenly numerous tongues of 

 intense yellow light bridged the intervening space, aud then the bordering arch appeared to draw and incorporate 

 the lower arc with itself, leaving the disk unbroken, black as before. Then, close to the horizou near each 

 end of the dark half disk, appeared a patch of light, which developed rapidly aud soon appeared to flow to- 

 ward the center where it seemed to unite with its fellow aud vanish as it came, after a short display. This 

 continued for hours, the bordering arc also sending out moving tongues of light, both up and down. After 

 each display the black disk was left intact, and only once was a star seen within the outer arc, aud this 

 showed through one of the developing patches of light near the center, but the closest scrutiny, after the 

 light had vanished, failed to reveal the star again, though it was quite distinct when seen through what 

 appeared like a rent in the curtain. 



