The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-09-02

The AarerS 1900

The New York Post has nne deserfutto,
OF the Aurora Borealis, Mondnx,nieht vhicl
was not visible here because Of lktn. H :. 8.
AT the zenith, directly aboye The spectasor
appeared large circlet Of white and red dnf .
ted with stars, while from this corpuet rndis
ted IN every direction spears and currents Of
quisering light, both white and red Most al
these shoots oil light were transparent, and
the stars beyond beamed through with ,inrb.
structed beauty. To the east and to the west
lay huge fields Of luminous clouds, tinted with
q bright rosy flnsh wholly unlike that pro-
d need by the rising sun, and, Ii possible, even
more beautiful. For some ten minutes this
climax remained. The ruby crown, gemmesl
and fringed by sparkling stars. retained lis
lous waves of light fioated and quivered down.
wards like some imperial train waved by the
cool night winds. At times it suggested a
mighty hand and an outstretched arm, bound
at the wrist with q bracelet of ruby and dia-
diction over the earth, while the fingers Of
light reached almost to the distant horizon.
Soon, as Everett has beautifully spoken Of a
somewhat similar scene, "the hands of angels
shifted the glorious scenery of the heavens ?
The mass of apparent red cloud to the East
moved away southwerd, gradually fading,
while the corresponding red clouds on the
West seemed to sink into chaos Of dark cloud
that, with fringe Of blue, skirted the western
horizon. While these changes were taking
place in the East and West, the wondrous
crown above moved few degrees and then
gradually faded. Flashes of light covering
many degrees slowly condensed into q mighty
luminous cloud with its top near the zenith.
This cloud, gradually altering its shape, as
lssumed forms both singular and suggestive.
At one time it bore a striking resemblance TO
| an eagle, and then the slightest almost tmper-
| ceptibIe, change transformed it into tortoise.
| Then, again, it seemed to sweep across the
| heavens, presenting the appearance of a con-
| fused procession of beings clad in ghostly
shrouds, and reminding one Of the dim heroes
| of Ossian. For about half an hour these re-
markable changes took place. and then the
| lights gradually disappeared. In a short time,
| however, they were resumed. Sheets of the
same white luminous clouds again illuminated
| the sky, producing about the same amount of
/ light as the full moon, and the night became
almost as the day.
The aurora borealis is to-day the chief topic
| ofconyersation, and all agree that they have
| seldom or never witnessed SO extensive and
remarkable an atmospheric phenomenon 1t
| must have been much like those described by
DIR. Kane, Bayard Taylor, and other nor .hern
| Travellers and it was observed that last night
was very cold for the season, a stiff chilly
| breeze blowing almost all night. OF the extent
| of the phenomena we have some idea from the
| fact that the telegraph wires were affected in
every direction. All the operators on the east
| ern lines speak of the display of the aurora
borealis as the most magnificent they ever
witnessed. Certainly not since the appear
ance of the last comet have the heavens de-
| clared the glory of God in q sublimer manner,
or the armament shown His handiwork in
more gorgeous manifestations.