370 SIMPSON'S EXPLOEATIONS—18BQ-39. 



OHAPTEE X. 



IN WINTER QUARTERS, 1838-39— DOES THE AURORA EMIT SOUND? — RETURN 

 TO THE POLAR SEA — FRESH DISCOVERIES — EXPEDITION SUCCESSFULLY CON- 

 CLUDED — TRAGICAL DEATH OF SIMPSON — MURDER OR SUICIDE 1 



On his arrival at Fort Confidence, Simpson had the satisfaction of finding 

 everything in great order. Ritch, the officer who had been left in charge, 

 had been working upon the buildings during the summer, and had succeeded 

 in making them comparatively weather-proof. He had also purchased a 

 considerable quantity of dried venison from the Indians, and had cured 

 several thousand trout and white fish caught at the different stations near 

 the fort. Thus provided, in a measure, against want, the explorers passed 

 the dark days comfortably, nor were the general transactions at the fort, 

 during the winter of 1838-39, varied by extraordinary adventure or incident. 

 On the question whether, under any circumstances, the aurora emits 

 sound, a good deal has been written by different explorers. On this subject 

 Simpson adduces a curious point of evidence, to the efiect that the aurora 

 does emit sound, and this evidence is corroborated by the testimony on per- 

 sonal observation given years later by Admiral PuUen. During the winter 

 of 1838-39, which was much less severe than its predecessor, the aurora 

 was visible every clear night, and was brightest and most active in the morn- 

 ings before daylight. At about four a.m. a most brilliant exhibition of this 

 singular phenomenon was witnessed by Mr Eitch. " It formed a quadrant," 

 writes Simpson, " issuing from west-north-west, and extending to the zenith. 

 There it doubled on itself, and terminated in a semi-elliptical figure, appar- 

 ently very near the earth, in rapid motion, and tinged with red, purple, and 

 green. The half ellipse seemed to descend and ascend, accompanied by an 

 audible sound, resembling the rustling of silk. This lasted for about ten 

 minutes, when the whole phenomenon suddenly rose upwards, and its 

 splendour was gone. Eitch," continues Simpson, " is an intelligent and 

 credible person ; and, on questioning him closely, he assured me that he had 

 perfectly distinguished the sound of the aurora from that produced by the 

 congelation of his breath, for the temperature at the time was 44° below zero. 

 I can therefore no longer entertain any doubt of a fact, uniformly asserted by 



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