NOTICES OF THE APPEARANCES OF THE AURORA, 



AT FORT ENTERPRISE, 

 EXTRACTED FROM CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S JOURNAL. 



The following appearances of the Aurora Borealis were noted at the times when 

 the position of the horizontal needle was observed, and are intended to illus- 

 trate, Table, No. II. They have been described as they appeared to the eye, 

 without any regard to perspective. The bearings of the terminations of the 

 arches or beams, are reckoned from the magnetic north towards the east round 

 the whole circle. 



January 12th, 1821, midnight, a very faint arch in the zenith, lying 324° 

 and 144°. The sky cloudless. 



14th. At 7h. 30' p. m., the Aurora first appeared in a patch, bearing 279°, 

 from which darted a slender faint beam, which passed about 4° east of the 

 zenith, and then instantly disappeared. A horizontal stream extended from 

 279° to 54°, elevated about 20°. At 8h. 20', a faint coruscation across the 

 zenith. At llh. 20', a brilliant irregular wreathed arch across the zenith, 

 from 279° to 99°, the interior motion passing rapidly from the horizon at 

 the former bearing, to the latter. Soon afterwards this arch twisted round, so 

 that its extremities were directed to 122° and 234°, the internal motion very 

 rapid. At llh. 30', the coruscation had removed from the zenith, and ap- 

 peared in a line parallel to the horizon, extending from 99° to 234. At mid- 

 night, horizontal streams from 99° to 234°, and from 279 to 234° ; but the lat- 

 ter had the greater elevation. The needle drawn considerably to the west- 

 ward. Just as I had left the instrument, a flash darted from a beam 113° to- 

 wards the zenith, and instantly a different Aurora appeared tinged with the 

 prismatic colours, having an agitated circular motion. A few seconds after- 

 wards, a beam flashed from 279°, and united with that which shot from bear- 

 ing 113°; and then a continuous, though irregular arch, was formed from the one 

 horizon to the other, and the interior motion passed rapidly from both these 

 extremities towards the zenith. As long as the arch continued in that direc- 



