195 



20th, 4.00 An auroral glow on the S.E. horizon. A bright 

 streamer in the zenith. Several patches of nebula 

 and small curtains in the AY. and N. 



17.15 Daylight expiring in the W.N.W. A faint fog 

 formed on the N. highlands of Ross Island; this 

 resembled the luminous haze frequently observed 

 in that direction when the condition of darkness 

 was favourable. 



18.00 The twilight was now less, and by looking forward 

 and staring sideways faint streamers could be 

 detected in the faintly luminous fog along the 

 slopes of the X. highlands of Ross Island. Look- 

 ing straight at the phenomenon, nothing was 

 specially noticeable excepting a faint greenish- 

 white luminescence. After waiting for a few 

 minutes, the best denned of the streamers bright- 

 ened up for the space of a minute, so that it 

 could be distinctly seen when looking directly at 

 it. Apparently a fog was forming accompanying 

 the falling temperature, and this appeared 

 luminous against the darkness of night. The 

 faint streamers visible to the strained eye 

 appeared to be rising from amongst this, and 

 formed a connecting link with the normal aurora. 

 Or were the streamers rising from behind the 

 fog? . 



18.30 The luminous haze more apparent. 



20.00 A luminous haze enveloped the whole of the slopes 

 of Ross Island. Minute spicules of ice were falling 

 from the atmosphere. The haze had now settled 

 down everywhere, and we appeared to be envel- 

 oped in a faintly luminous fog. 



21.00 The haze persisted, but no definite auroral streamers 

 were visible. 



22.00 The conditions remained the same, excepting for the 

 addition of a faint curtain in the sky to the E. 



23.1-5 Two strong parallel curtains; one in the zenith, the 

 other 30° E. of the zenith, extending from the N. 

 horizon to a point somewhat S. of Cape Royds : 

 trend, X. and S. A body-drift carried them some- 

 what W. and X. of the zenith in ten minutes. 

 21st. 17.30 Daylight obscured any auroral effects that may have 

 otherwise been visible. Xo fog on the slopes of 

 Ross Island. 



18.15 Xo aurora observed. 



20.45 A great auroral display in progress in the S.E. por- 

 tions of the heavens. Most prominent was a 

 great curtain extending from above Mount Erebus 

 towards the S.AY. "by S., reaching the S.W. 

 horizon. The highest elevation was 20°. Another 

 faint curtain appeared parallel just to the X. of 

 the zenith. Along the northern highlands towards 

 Cape Bird a streamer display was in progress. The 

 centre of the display was Mount Erebus, where 

 the whole sky was a thin veil of auroral haze with 

 nebulous knots scattered through it. A few 

 minutes later a curtain ran out towards the hut 

 from the great centre over Mount Erebus. A 

 h2 



