FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109  
110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>   >|  
it to have been just the contrary."--W. The rapidity of the current of moist air would be no doubt greater on the other side, and therefore, as moisture occasions cold, would lower the thermometer on that side. On the weather-side, on the contrary, the air would be less quickly changed, and of course preserve greater uniformity of temperature. This explanation, however, depends on a certain supposition as to the form of the cabin, and its kind of communication with the external air.--E. [2] "The natural state of the heavens, except in the south-east quarter, and for about ten degrees of altitude all round the horizon, was a whitish haze, through which stars of the third magnitude were just discernible. All round, the horizon was covered with thick clouds, out of which arose many streams of a pale reddish light, that ascended towards the zenith. These streams had not that motion which they are sometimes seen to have in England; but were perfectly steady, except a small tremulous motion which some of them had near their edges. "19th.--In the night the southern lights were very bright at times, and the colours much more various and vivid than they were on Wednesday night, their motion also was greater, so that on the whole they were extremely beautiful. "20th.--At nine o'clock in the evening, the southern light sprung up very bright about the east point of the horizon, in a single steady pillar, of a pale reddish light. Its direction was not directly towards the zenith, but gradually deflected towards the south, and grew fainter as it ascended, so as to vanish about south-east, and at forty-five degrees of altitude. "15th March.--The southern lights very bright at times, and exceeding beautiful; their colours being vivid, and their motion quick and curious. "18th.--A little after nine o'clock in the evening it was very clear, and the southern lights were exceeding bright and beautiful, and appeared of a semi-circular or rainbow-like form, whose two extremities were nearly in the east and west points of the horizon. This bow, when it first made its appearance, passed a considerable way to the north of the zenith; but rose by degrees, turning, as it were, on its diameter, and passing through the zenith, settled at length towards the southern horizon. These light
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109  
110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

horizon

 

southern

 

zenith

 
motion
 

bright

 

beautiful

 

degrees

 
greater
 

lights

 

streams


altitude

 

exceeding

 
evening
 

colours

 

ascended

 
steady
 

reddish

 

contrary

 

fainter

 

gradually


direction
 

directly

 
deflected
 

vanish

 

extremely

 

rapidity

 

current

 

Wednesday

 
curious
 

single


sprung
 

pillar

 

passed

 

considerable

 
appearance
 

settled

 

length

 

passing

 
diameter
 

turning


points

 

appeared

 

circular

 

rainbow

 
extremities
 

covered

 

discernible

 

depends

 
magnitude
 

clouds