AURORA. BOREALIS. Itl 



the zenith, their movement was performed in a time not exceeding 

 one second, a velocity greater than we have ever noticed be- 

 fore, which was still distinctly progressive. 



Five minutes after eleven o'clock, a few large streamers, of 

 the whiteness of burnished silver, radiated from the common 

 focus towards the east and the west. These were soon superse- 

 ded by a mass of crimson vapor, rising simultaneously a little 

 south of west, and north of east, and ascending 1 towards the focus 

 in columns eight or ten degrees broad below, but tapering above; 

 these disappeared in about ten minutes, and the lights were sub- 

 sequently a pure white, except an occasional tinge of red. During 

 the appearance of the crimson columns a rosy hue was reflected 

 from white houses and other favorable surfaces, imparting -to 

 them an aspect peculiarly attractive. 



From this time until half past two o'clock, our attention was 

 almost wholly absorbed in contemplating the sublime movements 

 of the auroral waves : they evidently were formations entirely 

 distinct from the columns, which either remained stationary, or 

 shot out a broad stream of white light towards the focus, while 

 the waves apparently occupied a region far below them. 



At half past two o'clock, a covering of light clouds was spread 



over a large portion o r the sky, and our observations were dis- 



