134 



Account of an Aurora Borealis. 



in Ursa Major, on the left, had lost all their splendor, and the con- 

 stellation could just be traced. The obscuration of the heavenly 

 bodies reached almost to the zenith, above the center of the arch, 

 and was less over the extremities. 



This first appearance lasted long enough to enable me to go into 

 another part of the house and make a hasty sketch ; on my return 

 to the window, it was altering to the following form. 



The lower arch had somewhat heightened and become darker, 

 with here and there spots of light in it, whilst from its circumference 

 shot out brilliant rays and pencils of light. The second arch had 

 altogether disappeared, but the upper one held its wonted place. It 

 must be observed, that the upper arch was always paler, and more 

 indistinct in its outline, than the others. Faint stars now appeared 

 through the darkish vapor, between the two bands or arches of light, 

 and the lower band was indistinct, excepting to the left of its central 

 space, where it was vividly depicted and extremely well defined, by 

 a sharp band of bright light, cut off, both above and below, by very 

 black vapory masses. This second appearance lasted, also, long 

 enough to enable me to make a hasty sketch of it. 



None of the pencils or rays, which shot out of either of these 

 changes of the Aurora, were so quick or so intensely vivid in their 

 action or light, as those seen in the more northern regions, nor were 

 they colored ; but they were always accompanied by the black va- 

 pory shroud, which hid every thing else from view, and added great- 

 ly to the lustre of their exodus from the horizon. 



