night. At the first display, when the extremities of the arches pointed near
234° and 54°, and the interior motion followed the same direction, the needle
moved eastward as far as 345° 00'; but after midnight, the coruscations ceased
to appear in that direction, and at 12h. 10' were presented in three arches,
traversing the zenith, whose extremities pointed 121° and 302 : the needle
then receded towards the west, and rested at 349° 30', having varied its position
5° 40' in the course1 of twenty minutes.
‘February 14th, at llh. 30' a faint low band proceeded from 1.10° tp 178°
elevated 8° degrees, and another at a higher elevation’from .121° to 212°.
These streams crossed each other in the bearing 155?;. and it may be remarked,
that this is the only occasion on which I have seen the streams, to cross
each other. They separated before midnight: the eastern one ascended some
degrees higher, but the other remained in the same state. Cloudless sky. j
15th. At 9h. p. m. Aurora across the zenith from 257° to 76?—None visible
at midnight, yet the needle had moved forty minutes westward. .
18th. ’ At 9h. p. m. Aurora gleamed through the horizon in a continuous arch
from 279° to 99V
'19th. At 8h. p.m. Aurora appeared to the .eastward in five .arches,
having the same extremities at 88° and 279°; the upper arch crossed, the
zenith, and the others were elevated between 15° and.20°. At midnight, two
concentric arches. appeared through the haze, lying across the zenith, their
extremities bore 65° and 245°. The needle then pointed to 348° 5', having
moved 40° eastward. At 12h. 25' a broad and,more brilliant .arch crossed the
zenith, from 133° to 313° ; the needle then moved westward 1°. 5' to 349°
10'. This change is a further confirmation of the observations on February
13th.
20th. At 9h. p.m. beams of light issued at 99°, and .pointed towards
the zenith. At lOh. 30', a brilliant arch from 99° to;279°, elevated,80°, a
small arch in the zenith, and several beams at 279°. - At midnight, several
beams arose parallel to each other, between 335° and 349°. In a few seconds,
flashes were emitted from them, which first darted to the zenith, and then twisting
round, shot towards a stream that had proceeded at the same instant
from 212°, which they joined. The coruscation now resembled,an irregular
horse-shoe, composed of many slender beams of brilliant light. This display
soon passed off to the eastward, having descended to the horizon before it
disappeared. The needle was not in any way disturbed after nine, from which
circumstance I am induced to suppose that the Aurora was very distant. We
seldom witnessed a greater variety of arches, beams, and flashes, than were
displayed this night, both in the horizon and zenith. If these coruscations
had passed as near to the earth as.they appear to have done at other times,
s'ome effect I conceive would have been produced on the needle: the Sky was
cloudless.
On the following morning, it was perceived that the needle had receded two
degrees eastward, and it did not regain its usual position before 4h. p.m.^At
8h. p. m. a horizontal band of faint.light extended from 88° to 245° elevated
7 degrees, which remained almost stationary until midnight, at which hour two
brilliant arches appeared, whose united extremities bore 279° and 76°; and a
faint broad arch traversed the zenith from 279° to 88° ;—meedle moved eastward.
Shortly afterwards, the horizon was encircled with an illuminated zone,
and the northern part of the sky covered with Aurora.
22d. At 9h. p. m. a continuous arch across the zenith, from 279° to 99°, the
colour pale yellow :—needle moved westward.
23d. At 9h. p. m. a low band, parallel to the horizon, extending from 302°
to 346°, patches at 76°, and some faint streams in the zenith pointing to
234° and 54°:—the needle had moved eastward. At 1 lh. 15' a broad brilliant
arch extended from 29° to 99° across the zenith, reaching to each horizon.
The needle had since 9h. receded 24' westward. At midnight, two arches
appeared, one from 54° to 324°, elevated 50°, the other from 234° to 144°—
elevated 12°.
- 24th. At 9h. p. m. a continuous arch, through which the Stars were distinctly
visible, passed from 99° to 279° across the zenith, and a beam appeared
parallel to this, proceeding from 99°, which terminated in the zenith. At
midnight, two belts of brilliant light extended from 99° ; one by the south and
west, the other by the north, which encircled the horizon at an elevation of 20°,
except between the points 324° and 322°: no perceptible disturbance of the
needle.
26th. At midnight, a brilliant arch issued from 313°, and reached to 99°,
the centre being elevated 20°. At the latter point, the coruscation curved
upwards, and was then prolonged across the zenith to 200°. The stars shone