I J29 ] 
obfervation, it has invariably obtained. However, 
I beg leave to requefl, you will recommend it to 
the notice of the Royal Society, as a matter, which, 
when confirmed by further obfervations, and ge- 
nerally known, may be of more confequence than 
at firfl appears. To fhew that it may, give me 
leave to recite the circum fiance, which firfl occa- 
fioned my taking notice of it. Sailing down the 
Englifh channel in 1769, a few days before the 
autumnal equinox, we had a remarkably bright 
and vivid Aurora the whole night. In fhore, the 
wind was fluctuating, between N.N. W. and N. \V® 
and farther out, W. N. W. Delirous of benefiting 
.by the land wind, and alfo of taking advan- 
tage of an earlier ebb-tide, I difpenfed with the 
good old marine adage, never to approach too 
near a weather-JJjore , left it fuould prove a lee - 
feore , and, by fhort tacks, clung clofe along the 
Englifh coaft. Next day, the wind veered to the 
S. W. and foon after to S. S.W. and fometimes S. 
We were then in that dangerous bay between 
Portland and the Start Point, and carried a prefling 
fail, with hopes of reaching Torbay before dark ; 
but night fell upon us, with thick haze, and fmall 
rain, in fo much, that we could not have feen 
the land at the difiance of a fhip’s length. The 
gale was now increafed to a florm ; in this dilemma, 
nothing remained but to endeavour to keep off the 
fhore, till the wind fhould change. Luckily our 
fhip was a flout one, and well rigged. 
Reflecting fome time after, on the circumflances 
ot this florm, and the phenomena thaf preceded 
it, I determined to have particular attention to 
Vol. LXIV. S future 
