The Recent Red Sunsets. 125 



sunsets, then it has been able to alter the state of the 

 atmosphere all round the world. The effect could not be 

 caused by volcanic dust, because the sunsets have continued 

 such a length of time, and the dust will have been 

 precipitated long ago. Hydrogen would not produce any- 

 thing like a red sunset. I have only to say, in the first 

 place, that the sunsets are not very remarkable. I have 

 seen far more wonderful ones in other parts of the world, 

 and no notice has been taken of them. In the Mediter- 

 ranean I have seen a red sky three hours after sunset ; and 

 we all know what grand sights are sometimes witnessed 

 in the tropics. There is nothing unusual in the sunsets, 

 except perhaps that they are a little uncommon in these 

 latitudes, and have lasted a little longer than usual. What 

 is rather singular is that above the yellowish or deep 

 orange tinge there has been a distinct purple region. That 

 is not very often seen. Still it is explained by the fact 

 that all these beautiful sights morning and evening are due 

 entirely to the prevalence of vapour in the higher regions 

 of the atmosphere. Indeed, any day during the occurrence 

 of these red sunsets it has been possible by careful examina- 

 tion with an opera glass to see that the atmosphere was not 

 quite clear of cloud. The trace of a slight filmy cloud could 

 just be seen, and there has evidently been vapour high up 

 in the atmosphere for a considerable time past ; in fact it 

 could always be seen on the clearest day. I believe there- 

 fore that the sunsets are simply due to the presence of 

 vapour in an unusual quantity, and for an unusual length 

 of time for this season of the year. I do not believe the 

 volcano has anything whatever to do with the phenomena. 

 The pumice-stone no doubt came from the Straits of Sunda, 

 but I do not think the red sunsets did. The earthquake 

 and the sunsets happening to occur about the same time, 

 people have connected them. 



Art. XXI. — The First Discoverers of the New Hebrides. 

 By Mr. A. Sutherland, M.A. 



[Read 15th November, 1883.] 



