
228 Dr. Buacpen’s Account of 
lights a hifling noifeis faid to be heard in fome very cold cli- 
‘mates; Gmeztin fpeaks of it in the moft pointed terms, as 
frequent and very loud in the north-eaftern parts of Siberia * ; 
and other travellers have related fimilar facts +. 
But, 
* Reife durch Siberien, vol. Ill. p. 135. As the whole paffage is very 
remarkable, and has never, that I know, appeared in Englifh, I thought the 
following tranflation of it might be acceptable. 
‘¢ Thefe northern lights begin with fingle bright pillars, rifing in the N. and 
** almoft at the fame time in the N.E. which gradually increafing comprehend a 
*¢ Jarge {pace of the heavens, rufh about from place to place with incredible velo- 
* city, and finally almoft cover the whole fky up to the zenith. The ftreams are 
‘© then feen meeting together in the zenith, and produce an appearance as if a 
‘¢ vaft tent was expanded in the heavens, glittering with gold, rubies, and fap- 
‘¢ phire. A more beautiful fpe&tacle cannot be painted; but whoever fhould fee 
‘< fuch a northern light for the firft time, could not behold it without terror. 
‘¢ For however fine the illumination may be, it is attended, as I have learned from 
‘¢ the relation of many perfons, with fuch a hiffing, cracking, and rufhing noife 
‘* throughout the air, as if the largeft fire-works were playing off. To defcribe 
‘¢ what they then hear, they make ufe of the expreffion, Spolochi chodjat, that is, 
‘¢ the raging hoft is paffing. The hunters who purfue the white and blue foxes 
** in the confines of the Icy Sea, are often overtaken in their courfe by thefe 
‘¢ northern lights. Their dogs are then fo much frightened, that they will not 
*¢ move, but lie obftinately on the ground till the noife has paffed. Commonly 
*¢ clear and calm weather follows this kind of northern lights. I have heard this 
** account, not from one perfon only, but confirmed by the uniform teftimony 
‘* of many, who have fpent part of feveral years in thefe very northern regions, 
‘© and inhabited different countries from the Yenifei to the Lena; fo that no 
s¢ doubt of its truth can remain. This feems indeed to be the real birth-place 
** of the avrera borealis.” 
It is here to be obferved, that Gmexin did not colle& the account himfelf, but 
extracted it from letters or papers of M. pz L’IsLE DE LA Croyere’s, who was 
himfelf far to the northward of Yakuttk, without hearing thefe noifes ; probably, 
therefore, it is much exaggerated, though one can fearcely fuppofe the whole 
to be fabulous. 
+ Mufichenbroeck Introdua&. § 2495. Beccaria dell’ Elletricifmo artif. et nat. 
2 Pp. 225. 
