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ragingly, and ouer our heads the flames from the horizon round about 
rising did mecte, and there double and rolle one in another, as if it had 
bene a clearc furnace.”* 
In 1575, the Aurora Borealis was seen in Holland, and 
Cornelius Gemma, of the University of Louvaine, says: — 
“The form of the chasma of September 28 following, immediately after 
sunset, was, indeed, less dreadful, but stilt more confused and various [than 
a previous display which occurred in the same year], for in it was seen a 
great many bright arches, out of which gradually issued spears, cities, with 
towns and men in battle array ; after that there were excursions of rays 
every way ; waves of clouds, and battles mutually pursued and fled, and 
wheeling round in a surprising manner.” 
There is strong reason to believe that the Aurora has 
become much commoner in Europe than it formerly used to be, 
and has correspondingly diminished in the northern parts o f 
Asia, as Yon Wr angel was informed by the natives. The 
Shetlanders speak of the Aurora as the “ Merry-dancers.” 
The ancients, amongst other appellations, called it the “ Capra 
Saltans” (Dancing Goat). The wild Indian savage views in it 
the spirits of his forefathers roaming through the realms above. 
“ Flying dragons, hostile armies, and other signs and prodigies, 
have been traced by the superstitious in the bloody rods and 
burning spears of the Aurora, no difficulty being found in 
accommodating the modes of celestial warfare to the ideas of 
the beholders and the times.” 
* Annals. Fob London, 1G31. 
