REV. JAMES FARQUHARSON ON THE AURORA BOREALIS. 109 



ever, it had much increased in breadth, exhibiting at the same time a renewal 

 of short streamers at its vertex, parallel to the magnetic meridian, and streamers 

 placed angularly to its own line near the extremities, but now increasing their 

 angles in a reversed order, and still directed lengthwise to a point somewhat 

 south of the zenith. 



The more northerly arch in the mean time gradually came forward towards 

 the zenith, exhibiting in succession the appearances which I have already de- 

 scribed. When it had attained a high elevation, its western bent end became 

 resolved into two abrupt portions of arches, occupying planes parallel with 

 that of the eastern end ; but both of them thrown back in relation to the 

 eastern end, and the one in relation to the other, by a distance of 6° or 8°, in 

 the manner of troops in echelon. The eastern part of this arch had reached 

 very near the zenith, when it suddenly disappeared, and the two westerly 

 fragments gradually faded and became extinct. Both these arches were like 

 the others at right angles to'the magnetic meridian. 



By this time the light at the northern horizon was greatly enlarged, and soon 

 assumed the form of a new arch of vertical streamers, raised at its centre a few 

 degrees above the horizon ; but it did not continue long. After it disappeared, 

 a narrow space at the magnetic meridian again became bright, but the obser- 

 vations were discontinued. On this evening there was a gentle south-westerly 

 breeze, carrying before it a few detached clouds ; and an extensive low cloud 

 rested on the tops of the remote mountains in the west. The moon shone 

 brightly ; but the light of the meteors literally contended with the power of 

 her beams. 



Lest this letter should be extended to too great a length, I shall now only 

 briefly state the observations of one other evening, that of the 29th of Sep- 

 tember 1828, which may be interesting to you as contemporaneous with your 

 own observation of a luminous arch at Rosemorran. 



About ten minutes before eight o'clock I first noticed a remarkable appear- 

 ance of aurora, and called out some persons then at my house, to witness it 

 with me. At this time the meteor appeared dispersed irregularly into every 

 quarter of the heavens, chiefly in the form of groups of unusually long 

 streamers, all however directed to a point a little south of the zenith ; and I 

 had the satisfaction, for the first time, of seeing streamers near the southern as 



