EXPEDITION TO POINT BA1UIOW, ALASKA. 361 



AURORA. 



The aurora was observed hourly during the whole period when there was sufficient darkness 

 to allow it to be visible, and any extraordinary appearances observed between the hours were 

 also noted. 



The bearings given all refer to the true meridian, and us well as the alt it udes arc all estimated, 

 as the aurora was never quiet enough for instrumental observation. 



The brightness of the aurora was estimated on a scale of to 4. 



AURORAL RECORD, OOGLAAMIE, ALASKA, 1881, 1832, 1883. 



Time of beginning and time of ending Washington time. 



October 17, 1881, 1.57 a. m. to 3.35 a. m. From a point 30 W. of N. through Ursa Major and the 

 Pleiades to a point about 15 E. of S. It was a brilliant arch of white light showing very little 

 tremulous or lateral motion and only a few merry-dancers were observed. As a whole it had a 

 motion to the S. and moved nearly 45 past the zenith before it Avas obscured. 



Oc1ob<r 1'-', 1881, 2.40 a. m. to G.30 a. m. From the NNW. to the SE., passing through Ursa 

 Major, the Pleiades and Hyades. Very brilliant white light without any changes of color. Very 

 bright toward its southern end. Several arches appeared in succession. Very little lateral motion. 



October 27, 1881, 7 a. m. to 7 a. m. Observed through breaks in the clouds. It was appar- 

 ently brilliant, but the weather was too cloudy to allow it to be observed. 



October 27 and 28, 1881, 10.30 p. m. to 8 a. m. From a point 5 W. of N. to the SE. Not 

 remarkably brilliant, but displayed a good deal of tremulous motion, and sometimes assumed the? 

 curtain form. At first it was white, but changed to sulphur yellow. Position constantly changing, 

 but the change confined, to the higher part of the arch, the ends retaining a comparatively fixed 

 position. Time of ending is the time last seen. 



October 30, 1881, 7 a. m. to 10 a. m. General position as usual, and not stationary for any time. 

 A bright arch of the curtain character possessed a good deal of motion, both of vibration and 

 translation. A few streamers at 7.30 a. m. 



November 3, 1881, 2.30 . m. to 5 a. m. NW. to SE., passing through Ursa Major and the 

 Pleiades. An arch of irregular form and pale color. Cloudiness prevented much observation. 

 But little motion observed. 



November C, 1881, 12.15 a. m. to 7.10 a. m. From NNW. to nearly SE. Position constantly 

 changing. Not very brilliant, but dimmed by the superior brilliance of the moon. There were 

 intervals of cessation amounting at times to an hour and more, when it became imperceptible. 

 At 7 a. m. it flashed into great brilliance for a short time. It then extended from the horizon 

 NNW. through Cygnus to Cassiopeia, where it curved back toward the NW. It was then full of 

 quivering vibratory motion, the motion being mainly lateral or back and forward from E. to W. 



November 7, 1881, G a. m. to 8.10 a. m. General direction from NW. to SE. ; position con- 

 stantly changing. Three bands sometimes uniting and forming one, and sometimes two arches. 

 Very brilliant at times and a great deal of vibratory motion observed. 



November 11, 1881, 9 . m. to 10 a. m. X. to NE. Faint bauds changing rapidly and vertical 

 to the horizon. There were several patches of flocculent light, sometimes approaching the curtain 

 form, but always very faint. 



November 12,1881. J.50 a. m. to 8. .'id . m. When first seen it was low down near the northern 

 horizon extending from NNW. to SE., and rising slowly. At 7 a. in. it extended through Ursa 

 Major and Leo down to the SE. At 8 a. m. nothing remained but a short curtain directly below 

 Cygnus. A faint and irregular arch with a slow upward motion. Very few traces of color and 

 very little quivering or lateral motion, Rendered fainter by the moonlight. Weather clear. 



November 12 and 13, 1881, 10.50 p. m. to 10.30 a. m. North, low down. At 12 m. a very faint 



arch with its center in Gemini. At 7 a. m. a faint light extending from Orion to the moon. A 



streamer in the E. at 9 a. in. ; still visible at 10 a. m. Faint rays perpendicular to the horizon, 



sometimes scarcely perceptible, but possessing a quick flashing motion as if it were the reflection 



II. Ex. 44 40 



