Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-05-09
MISC Z / L A N Y.
BAYARD TAYLOR IN NORTH
ERN EUROPE.
From Under the Aurora BoreaIis.

From the New-York Tribune
HApARANpA, Swedish Torneaa,) Jan. ., 1857.
Here we are at last, at the head Of the Both I
nian Gulf, within days journey of the Arc
tic Circle. The window of our room looks
Torneaa, now Il p. ny lighted by the last
rays Of the setting sun. DR.. Wreniholm,
whose aid have been obliged TO summon, for
bids me leaving the house for two days, and
thus secures me ample leisure for continuing
the story Of our adventures
Ny jaw was so painful on reaching Pieaa
that tossed about in torment The whole night,
utterly unable to sleep. The long northern
night seemed as if i, would never come 10 an
end, and arose in the morning much more ia
II was 8 deg. below zero, and the stern still
blowing, but the cold seemed to relieve my face
little, and so we set out. The roads were
heavy, but little broken, and still led over
hills and through intermnable forests of min
gled fir and pine, in the dark, imperfect day.
took but little note OF the scenery, but was
so drowsy and overcome that Braisied at last
filled the long baggage-sled with hay and sat
at the rear, so that could lie stretched out
with my head upon his lap. Here, in spite of
the cold and wind, lay in a warm, stupid half
sleep.
1t was dark when we reached Ersnas, whence
we had twelve miles TO Old Luleaa, with tired
horses, heavy roads, and lazy driver. | lay
down again, dozed as usual, and tried to forget
my torments. So passed three hours; the
night had long set in, with clear sky, l3 deg.
below zero, and a sharp wind blowing. All at
once an exclamation from Braisted aroused me.
opened my eyes, as l lay in his lap, looked
upward and saw narrow belt or scarf of sill
yer fire stretching directly across the zenith,
with its loose, frayed ends slowly swaying to
and fro down the slopes of the sky. Presently
it began to waver, bending back and forth,
sometimes slowly, sometimes with a quick,
springing motion, as if testing its elasticity
Now il took the shape Of bow, now undulat
ed into Hogarth's line of beauty, Frightening
and fading in its sinuous notion and finally
formed shepherds crook, the end of which
suddenly began 10 separate and fall off, as if
driven by strong wind, until the whole belt
shot away in long, drifting lines Of fiery snow
1t then gathered again into a dozen dancing
fragments, which alternately advanced and re-
treated, shot hiihe. and thilher, against and
across each other, bazed out in yellow and rosy
CLEANS or paled again, playing thousand fan
tastic pranks, as if guided by some wild whim.
We lay silent, with upturneG faces, watching
this wonderful spectacle. Suddenly, the scat
tered lights ran together, as by common i'm
pulse, joined their bright ends, twisted them
through each other, and fell in a broad, lumin-
Gus curtain straight downward through the air
until IFS fringed hem swung apparently but a
few yards over our heads. This phenomenon
was so unexpected and startling, that for mo-
ment thought our faces would be touched by
the skirts of the glorious auroral drapery. Ii
did not follow the spheric curve of the frma-
ment, but hung plumb from the zenith, falling,
apparently, millions of leagues through the air,
its folds gathered together among the STARS and
its embroidery of fame sweeping the earth and
shedding a pale, unearthly radiance over the
wastes of snow. A moment aflerward it was
again drawn up, parted, waved its fambeaux
and shot its lances hither and thiher, advancing
: and retreating as before Anything so strange
{ so capricious, so wonderful so gloriously beau
:, tiful, scarcely hope to see again.
o by this time we came upon the broad Lueai
i River, and were half an hour traversng III
! frozen surface, still watching the show above
us, which gradually became fainter and less ac
- tive. Finally we reached The opposite shore
> drove up long slope, through large village
of stables, and past the imposing church o
+ Old Luleaa to the inn. II was now nearly
q o'clock, very cold, and | was thoroughly ex
hausted. But the inn was already full of trav
- elers and there was no place 10 lay our heads
g The landlord, sublimely Indifferent Swede
:, coolly advised us 10 go on 10 Perso, ten mile
!, distant. told him | had not slept for tw
re nights, but he merely shrugged his shoulders
:. repeated his advice, and offered to furnish hor
De ses at once, to get us off. 1t was long, cold
dreary ride, and was in state OF semi-con