>b, 
'Cr, 
LUMEN BOREALE. 
op(g- equal to 464 English miles. 
427 
it,ji' 1737, was ascertained, by a mean of thirty 
°iis, to have an average height from the earth ot 
in his first voyage round the world, oh- 
JSi"'. 
'll •‘>iia,- - coruscations are frequently visible in 
“*^udes. , On the l6th of September, 1770) I'c 
'v'*lii)(r appearance of this kind about ten at night, 
l3tv i* a dull, reddish light, and extending about 
p --‘i. above the horizon. Its extent was very 
point never less than eight 
''tr of tlip ppmoasg. Hays of light, of a brighter 
and without it; and these rays 
^ere renewed nearly in the, same time as those 
vibration. Its 
'h>t 
*t*^,.'^Orl°^ borealis, but had little or no 
oofg ■ ‘j'Jieans, Duc naa iime or no viorauon. its 
. ®-E. from the ship, and continued, without 
^fk -lAUUl tlic Oiiiy, <UiU WillUJUt^U, WUllUUL 
V^OtVf. brightness, till twelve o’clock, when 
Nfc^'^etired - 
V tlip 
% ’ 
The ship was at this time within the 
.1. 
'7th of February, 1773) during his second 
Cook speaks of a beautiful phenomenon 
* *1 tlie heavens. “ It consisted of 
hori^ ® clear white light, shooting up from 
din eastward, almost to the zenith, and 
, 
^ "''y^ ^f'''ially over the whole southern parts of 
'^Ppe 
Vi^.' These columns even sometimes bent sideways 
.'■''c northern lights (the 
'1 0^ * at extremity ; and, although in most respects 
northern lights (the aurora borealis of 
p *S|k '''hit' K differed from them in being always 
I. 'pt '^allv tk > 'whereas ours assume various tints, 
'• 'otn ® purple hue. The stars 
V \ *aen .j^bwes hidden by, and sometimes faintly to 
,, ^ '‘°ugh the substance of these southern lights, 
,ili.{appgg The sky was generally clear w(ien 
f ther^'^’ the air sharp and cold, the mercury 
Xj bein? standing at the freezing point ; the 
'he ^ bi 58 degrees south.” On six different 
'oh, 
s" ^'owing month (March) the same phenorae- 
. , '■rved. 
V'^Sfh OR STREAMING LIGHTS. 
^''^•bkg^j^'^'cber, 1726, uncommon streams of light 
" m every part of the heavens, about eight 
