Notice of an Aurora Borealis. 87 



exhibited in great brilliancy and variety, the phenomenon fancifully 

 called the " Merry Dancers." It was the incessant play of a flick- 

 ering light, not so bright as the Vespertine, which in some respects 

 it resembled, glancing about in various directions, but chiefly towards 

 the zenith, over this vast expanse. Its motions were far too varied 

 and fantastic, to admit of description. In general, one flash seemed 

 to chase another, as they arose in graceful undulations, or rather 

 darted up the sky, along and between the white Auroral columns. 

 At half past eleven, the spectacle began to lose its attractive bril- 

 liancy. Still later, the luminous rays were intersected by two irre- 

 gular belts of white vapor, which appeared successively in the north 

 and north-east, one of them spanning an arc of about thirty, the 

 other of forty or forty five degrees. There were a few other nebu- 

 lous masses of the same substance, but of less extent. About twelve 

 o'clock, the Merry Dancers renewed the splendor of their exhibition, 

 and continued it with less and less brilliancy for an hour. Between 

 eleven and twelve, a dark cloud had arisen in the northeast ; before 

 two, the wind was blowing from the south, and the sky was so far 

 overcast as to hide completely from our view all that remained of 

 that magnificence and splendor, on which we had gazed for hours, 

 and would willingly have gazed at much longer. 



The magnetic needle was observed to oscillate during the phe- 

 nomenon. Its perceived variation was forty five seconds westward ; 

 but we have reason to suppose that a greater variation might have 

 been detected, had we been able to ascertain it with more perfect 

 accuracy. 



The morning of the 23d was cloudy, with a very high southeast 

 wind. The thermometer at sun-rise, stood at 42°, the barometer 

 at 29.98. It was fair at noon. At three o'clock, P. M. the ther- 

 mometer indicated 62°, the barometer 29.83. The wind had now 

 fallen, and a perfect calm ensued. At half past eight, P. M. of the 

 same day, a streak of red light was seen towards the north. Later, 

 there were a few other faint indications of an Aurora ; but the hopes 

 excited by them were disappointed. 



