384 AURORA BOREALIS. 



to say that the thermometer had been below — 70 at 

 Fort Confidence. 



It is very cmious to "wdtness the congelation of 

 mercm-y, which takes place about — 40 : when 

 brought into the atmosphere from a considerably higher 

 temperature the process is necessarily very gradual ; 

 the quicksilver slowly contracts itself, a dull film 

 overspreads the mass> and, immediately previous to 

 complete congelation, a thin bright fluid appears on 

 the surface ; the substance is then of a doughlike 

 consistence, and may be indented with a pointed 

 instriunent; but speedily the final change occurs; 

 King Frost asserts his sway, and the usually restless 

 metal, which whilom played fiist and loose with 

 finger and dish in its frolicsome gambols, is reduced 

 to an inert, indurated solid, presenting the appearance 

 of frosted silver. 



Few nights passed without a greater or less display 

 of the Aurora Borealis, that wondrous phenomenon 

 whose existence after more than half a century of 

 research, is yet unaccounted for satisfactorily. Lan- 

 guage is vain in the attempt to describe its ever- 

 varying and gorgeous phases ; no pen nor pencil can 

 pomtray its fickle hues, its radiance, and its grandeur. 

 I insert the following notice of a display which 

 occurred on the 22nd of February, 1851, more as an 



