2Q2 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 17 17. 



from the north, whence the whole intercepted arc of the horizon would have 

 been of nearly 100 degrees, had not some few degrees in the east been hid by 

 clouds, which lay between the eye and the meteor. 



The seeming black cloud, when I first saw it, ran nearly parallel to the 

 horizon, and at the distance of 6 or 7 degrees : but in about half an hour it 

 changed its figure very much, sinking down in the north to about half its 

 height, and rising in the west nearly as much. Why I principally took notice 

 of this, was that the light issuing from behind it did not change with it, but 

 remained of the same figure, however the cloud approached or receded from 

 different parts of its limb. 



There arose at first some streams in the N.N.W. but of no considerable 

 length, few of them passing 5 degrees above the arc; but beginning from 

 behind the seeming cloud, so as to be about 12 degrees high in all. They 

 were pointed at the ends, and nearly vertical to the horizon. At times nothing 

 but the arc was to be seen, and that only resembling a common aurora ; and 

 again in an instant, by a sort of tremulous motion, several parts of it would 

 appear converted into a vast number of parallel streams, for the most part very 

 little higher than the arc itself. About 20 minutes before 10, a small part of 

 the arc, almost due north, grew remarkably lighter than the rest, and con- 

 tinued to increase for about half a minute; when there suddenly broke out 

 some very tall streams, of at least 6o° high, as I found by one in particular 

 which arose full north, and passing over the pole star itself, reached some 

 degrees beyond it. This was the most remarkable time of the appearance, 

 some such lances, though not so high, immediately shooting out of the place 

 that first of all radiated, as did some more a good way to the east. They were 

 all nearly perpendicular to the horizon, and most of them arose quite from the 

 black substance at bottom ; though I saw some few that did not reach so low, 

 appearing as if their lower parts had been broken off. Some of them were full 

 as bright as any I saw the last year (17 1 6), the axes (if I may so call them) 

 of some of the tallest streams coming up very near to the colour of that pale 

 fire we see in some sorts of lightning. About this time the ground westward 

 was all covered with an odd sort of mist, the same from which I remember last 

 year a great many people said there came an ill smell, which I did not at all 

 perceive ; however as I remember it to be the very same appearance, I thought 

 it might not be improper just to take notice of it. 



About 10, the phenomenon very much decreased, and so continued till 

 after 11, only sending up now and then 2 or 3 streams. At half after 11, it 

 was again pretty much increased, and I saw it again send out some streams 

 almost as considerable as any of the former ; the arc still continued, but not so 



