3G4 FXl'KJHTION TO POINT BAKi;OW. ALASKA. 



ut' nebulous light resembling rirro-riiiimlus cloud. Changed rapidly, and was succeeded by a, 

 brilliant convoluted arch running up through Orion's "belt," through Taurus, and through Cassi- 

 opeia, which \vns in the xenith towards the. NAV. Faint and irregular until 7 a. m., when there 

 was another burst of brilliancy. A brilliant serpentine arch extended from the NNW. through 

 1'rsa Major to the SE. It exhibited none of the usual quiescence, but was rapidly and intensely in 

 motion with streamers shooting u])wards and eon verging towards a point in Auriga. There was 

 no predominant direction of motion, and the general diameters changed with great rapidity. The 

 sky near the zenith was tilled with bands, patches, and segments of arches, but all was changing 

 every minute. The amount of light was 2, but uo traces of color appeared other than white ami 

 pale sulphur yellow. After this there was no further display. The light became diffused and dif- 

 ficult to locate, with isolated patches appearing at intervals in different parts of the sky until it 

 finally faded about 1. p. in. 



Xovember 28 and 20, LSS1, 11. ,10 p. m to (i a. m. First observed as a faint band starting exactly 

 at Arc-turns and running a little below Ursa Major until lost in the clouds near Gemini. This 

 was rapidly succeeded by other bands and patches in various parts of the sky until about 1.50 a. 

 m. of the 29th, when a magnificent burst of energy occurred. Over every part of the sky uncov- 

 ered by clouds masses of light of every shape and form Hashed out all in a condition of intense 

 vibration. There seemed to be three foci of activity, one E., one S., and one W. (magnetic), each 

 about 20 above the horizon. The changes in character were extremely rapid, so that it was 

 impossible to get a mental image of the whole phenomena' at any particular instant of time owing 

 to this fact : the variety and multiplicity of features being such that the mind could not grasp 

 them all at once. A brilliant but irregularly formed corona appeared with its converging point 

 in Cassiopeia, which was then in the zenith, and (lashed and gyrated, changing its character and 

 shape every instant. The colors displayed were various and very intense orange, green, pink, 

 rose, yellow, and crimson ; green and rose predominated. .Magnet at this time was deflected 4 17' 

 to the west of magnetic meridian. The display lasted about twenty minutes, after which it gradu- 

 ally faded ami assumed the usual diffused and indistinct form. The increasing cloudiness pre- 

 vented its being clearly observed afterwards, but traces were visible until 6 a. m. 



November 30, 1881, 4.30 a. w. to l.'2~> a. m. Patches of nebulous light, incipient arches, and 

 occasional pale rays slowly developed in various parts of the sky, all more or less diffused, but 

 constantly changing in character. A pale wavy arch at 7 a. in. ran from the X W. through Cygnns 

 to Arcturus, where it bent off to the S. until lost in the clouds at the feet of Orion. Sky obscured 

 after 7 a. m. 



December 1, 1881, 1.50 a. m. to JO n. m. Faint band appeared extending from a point almost 

 due X.. passing through Taurus and ending in Orion ; narrow and moving slowly to the south- 

 ward. Patches and bands and much diffused light succeeded, but assumed no very definite forms: 

 obscured by clouds about .">.:!() a. in. ; still visible, though faint, until 10 a. m. 



Decntnhrr r> ,mil 6', 1881, 11 p. m. to 2 . m. First observed as a faint baud running from E. to 

 SS\V.. wiih an altitude of L'0. Remained faint, and laded away occasionally, but very difficult to 

 observe from the haziness of the sky. At 12 in. several bauds appeared to the northward, passing 

 through I'rsa Major. Not seen after 2 a. in. of the 6th, but as the magnetic needles were con- 

 stantly disturbed for several hours afterwards, it probably still continued, though obscured by 

 clouds. 



Diri-n.hf,- 7. 1SS1, S <\. m. Small patches of curtain aurora in XW. at 8 a. m., with an altitude 

 of 10, sending up one long streamer; changing rapidly. 



l>e<-emberS, 1881, 12. 30 . in. to 12 midday. This was one of the most magnificent displays 

 that lias yet occurred here. First appearance was in the S. and SE., and for several hours nothing 

 appeared but a few pale arches and bands which had no remarkable feature worthy of notice ex- 

 cept the rapidity with which they changed their position and character. They appeared faded, 

 and reappeared in various [/arts of the sky so quickly that it was very difficult to localixe them. 

 At 2.40 a. m. a narrow greenish-yellow arch with a beautiful rosy fringe developed in the SSE. 

 and in a few minutes extended through Taurus, Cassiopeia, and Cygnus down to the X.. and for 

 about ten minutes displayed some extremely beautiful tints, especially along its northern half; it 

 seemed to be composed of an infinite number of short rays in a condition of intense vibration, the 



