December 15, 1820.
Hour. Temp.
9 —32
Noon -2 8
Wind.
N.b.E.
E.N.E.
Light,
do.
9 —16
Midnight
E.
Strong
Clear. Much mist from the rapid.
Clouds of low cirro-stratus. Bright sun-shine
illuminating multitudes of small icy spicuhe
floating in the air. A flight of small birds
hovering near the house, (red caps).
Fresh. Snow,
gales. Small snow.
December 16th, 1820.
Hour, Temp. Wind.
A.M. 9 —6 S.E. Moderate. Snow falling in minute flakes:
Noon —6 s. do. do. Sun seen obscurely.
9 ^ 6 N.N.W. do. do.
Midnight do. Fresh. Hazy.
Hour. Temp. A.M. 9 —8.. Wind. N.N.W.
December 17th, 1820.
Strong gale. Clouds of cirro-stratus; a few flakes
Noon —21 do. do.
of snow falling.
Sun obscured.
P. M. 9 —30 N.N.E. do. Dark weather; much snow drift. . 11 - W.N.W. do. Cleared up. Bright moon-light, with
dark blue sky.
At l|h. (a. m. 18th) a number of detached irregular masses of light were so
arranged as to form an arch 30° high, having a direction from N.W. to S.E.
Weather clear, strong wind.
December 18th, 1820. Hour. Temp. Wind. A.M. 9 —33 N.N.W. Fresh. Clear. Little mist rising from the rapid. Noon —31 do. do. do.
9 -3 3 do. Mod. do. Very bright moon-light. Stars clearly
Midnight —37 seen. Light winds; varying rapidly from S. W. to W.
At lljh. p.m., the sky, which had previously been clear, was covered by a
thin stratum of clouds, belonging to that modification of cirrus which forms the
mackerel sky of sailors, conjoined with small portions of what are termed by
the same people mares'-tails. Between1 the bars of the former, and the long
fringes of the latter, streaks of deep-blue sky appeared.
These clouds were not dense enough to hide the larger stars completely; and
from their first appearance, until they spread entirely over the sky, not more
than a quarter of an hour elapsed. :
On attentively regarding the sky for some time, the more rounded parts of
the mackerel sky were observed to send shoots across thé blue spaces, to unite
with similar processes of the neighbouring masses. At the moment of junction,
a' yellowish light, with a slight tinge of red,-was. emitted, most brightly from
the centres of the two' clouds, but extending, though more faintly, to their
margins. A longer space of time had not elapsed, than was required to note
down these appearances, when an arch of light was observed to cross the zenith,
its extremities bearitig east and wést, and terminating about 50° from the
horizon. It was from 3° to 4° broad, andhad a pale gold-yellow colour. When
it ceased to emit light, its site was seen to be occupied by a range of small
fleecy' clouds,' similar to those already described, but more closely aggregated.
The moon now bore nearly south, and shone brightly, strongly illuminating the
arch-formed range of clouds just mentioned'; but their rarity was. such, that
they showed no dark sides. Winds very variable from S.W.to ,W.
About a quarter of an hour after the last observation, a round mass of
cloud in the S.E. was observed to assume, suddenly, an appearance of greater
density, at the same time emitting from its centre a yellowish light. Immediately
after which, it shot forth towards the S.E. several bright parallel horizontal
streaks of light, which, crossing the. near face of a neighbouring mass of
clouds, became slightly curved from' the:south. They were about 8° or: 10°
above the horizon, and were prolonged after passing before the clouds, through
a portion of clear sky. A few degrees beneath them, there were two or three
darTkh lea ydeórus'd os,f ciinrr toh-esitrr agteuns.eral arrangement at this period, had that appearance
of convergency in opposite points of the horizon, which has been frequently
noticed in a sky covered with cirri. In the present instance, these points were
at right angles to the magnetic north and south. In the zenith, the mackerel