314 PARHELIA, 



The cold was at times very severe ; our breath, 

 congealing as it passed the ear, became audible in a 

 sharp whirr, like a small escape of steam, and flannel 

 froze so rigidly that it could be broken asunder like a 

 brittle stick : the inside of our dwelling, particularly 

 at the windows, was encrusted with a thick coating 

 of rime, formed by the congelation of breath and other 

 vapour. 



February was mild even to occasional thaws, and 

 this period was prolific in parhelia, haloes, &c. 

 We saw one such very curious " child of mist " 

 which I think worthy of mention. Around the 

 moon was a vertical halo, slightly flattened on 

 the upper part, of about forty degrees diameter. 

 On each side of the moon at the outer edges of 

 the ring was a mock or false moon, tolerably well 

 defined, and throwing a ray of light to the eastward. 

 From these extended a continuous and horizontal 

 halo at about thirty-five degrees elevation, in parts 

 very bright ; and at W. by S. another mock-moon 

 was presented in it, also throwing a light to the east- 

 ward, but downwards. The sky was much brightened 

 under the vertical ring ; above it was misty, the 

 horizon clear and the wind gentle from west. 

 Our old Indian (the man-eater) prognosticated 

 great cold and strong winds from this appearance. 



