ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 381 



different form, until after midnight, when it appeared in arches, 

 reaching nearly to the horizon, at from 45° to 73° of altitude, and 

 composed of short perpendicular lines, blending at one moment into 

 a sheet of misty light, and then breaking out into brighter lines, some 

 of which were broad. It then again shifted to the zenith, with radia- 

 tions extending in every direction, in straight and wavy lines. The 

 changes were incessant, but not shooting. 



On the morning of the 15th, they again had a display of the 

 aurora. It first appeared in the southern heavens, at an altitude of 

 45°, flashing to the zenith, where it disappeared. After midnight it 

 was again visible in the southern quarter, at about 30° of altitude. 

 It finally centered in a bright spot, which changed into a crescent, 

 with the rounded side to the northward. From this, feathery-edged 

 rays of pale orange-colour branched off in every direction, over 

 which the prismatic colours seemed to flit in rapid succession. 

 The rays would sometimes fold into one another like a fan, and 

 reach the horizon in one direction, while in another they were 

 drawn up to the zenith, again to burst forth in repetitions, until lost 

 in daylight. On the 19th the aurora again appeared in an arch of 

 15° altitude. 



They passed the last icebergs in latitude 55° 30' S., longitude 145° 

 30' E. 



On the 22d they spoke a French whaler from Hobart Town, who 

 expressed much surprise at finding so small a vessel in such high 

 latitudes. The captain sent a boat on board, and invited them to 

 " soup" with him. 



On the 23d they made the southern island of New Zealand. On 

 the 1st of March they experienced a most violent gale. The wind, 

 about noon on the 29th of February, hauled to the southward and 

 eastward, and by midnight it blew a gale, hauling to the eastward, 

 until about 8 p. m., when its violence moderated. Their latitude 

 was 40° S., longitude 178° 30' E. For several days previous to this, a 

 noise was heard about the heel of the main-mast ; an examination 

 was had, and the conclusion arrived at that it worked in the step, the 

 wedges in the partners having been driven without obviating it. On 

 the 9th of March they arrived at the Bay of Islands, where they 

 found the gentlemen who had gone there to pursue their researches 

 in natural history waiting our arrival. 



The Vincennes was left on the 21st of February on her way north. 

 On the 22d, strong gales from the west-northwest, with snow-squalls, 



vol. ii. 96 



