206 THE OTANDO AND APONO REGION. Chap. X. 



chanting scene, the zodiacal h'ght rose after the sun 

 had set, increasing in brilliancy, of a bright yellow 

 colour, and rising in a pyramidal shape high into 

 the sky, often so bright that it overshadowed the 

 brightness of the milky way and the rays of the 

 moon, the beautiful yellow light gradually diminish- 

 ing towards the apex. It cast a gentle radiance on the 

 clouds round it, and sometimes formed almost a ring, 

 but never perfect, having a break near the meridian ; 

 at times being reflected in the east with nearly as 

 much brilliancy, if not as much, as in the west, and 

 making me almost imagine a second sunrise. 



I had noticed this yellow glow before at Olenda 

 in March, where it was sometimes very bright ; but 

 it was only at Mayolo I began to write down obser- 

 vations upon it. April and May were the months 

 when the light showed itself in its greatest brilliancy. 

 It often became visible half an hour after the sun liad 

 disappeared, and was very brilliant, like a second 

 sunset. It still increased in brilliancy, and attained 

 often a very bright orange colour at the base. It 

 rose in a very distinct pyramidal shape, which some- 

 times, if I remember well, must have extended about 

 40°, the bright yellow gradually becoming fainter and 

 fainter at the top. The brilliancy and duration varied 

 considerably on different days, and also the breadth 

 and height. It could be seen most every day when 

 the sky was clear ; and as it faded away, it left behind 

 it a white light, which also showed itself in the east. 

 It was generally the brightest from a quarter to 

 seven to half-past seven, but there were exceptions ; 

 sometimes it would be later, and at times the glow 



