New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-28
IAppS. RENDERS, AURORAS.
A SCIENTIST IN THE LAND OF HE MIL
NIGHT SUN.

UNpEK THE , n 20 ,bc Lamps and Kvoens. BY soPHus
Tno%nonT With map and $50 il1', s,ssrs pIf
Two y,l,imes Boston: H0ughton. Mnin * 20
Tho autbor of these volumes IS a native oil Schles
wig man of scientific attainmehts' VINO '''''0"
A., nost ,ortbern inhabited carts of Europe as
..a,,I.r of the International Polar Research
Expcditions of 1928. His task was TO ehec'
observations of the Aurora Boreais. anu ~
conjunction with the Norwegian Station a"
Bossckop. In Finnmarken and the FINNISH o"' "
Sodankyla, in Finland, to take measurement, ~.
determining the height of the phenomenon "oo,
the carth,s crust. His station was at koutoNoeino'
ON tho pusso.Norwepian frontier. a lonely Lapp
settlement, where during hall the year ''
himself almost the only inhabtaht
Th, stat;on was as desolate place as can DC
.,',o;rod II possessel no element OF the pictur-
o.ouo beirp sandy. FIAT and monotonous- D"i'ns
.,o ,oro winter. when for months the sun scarcely
rose above the horizon, and for many weeks was NV
seen at all. life at Koutokoeino wouid nave 'o."
;nsunnortable to an educated man whose haha'
zero not full But fortunately for himself MI
rombolt had no time to be lonely, for the taxing 0,
observations the tending upon his Instruments u"
the keeping of his log left him little enough
while in watching the marvellous d'spi"!' y, 'no
Aurora he enjoyed delight seldom gvcn W ,no "'
hest nrenared TO appreciate II. Nothing could 10
s,ra,cc, indeed than his life at this soil
torv sation. His solo companions were
the sheriff of the district the one mer-
chant or trader of the place, and Tor part
of tho time tho vicar These did all in their power
20 .rl;v.n his soiourn among them, but IN spite VI
everything tho stagnation of the place must hnNo
becu dopressing As to the cold. he ala not SUMO
,ouch from II. having found himself apie' when
dressed in the heavy clothing of the country, !"
remain out of doors during whole nights WV" ~.
morcury registering fifty degrees OF i.oS'' me.
bowcvcr was when there was no wihd ioi "h0'
,,lew the cold became most penetra'lhg' anu
handling tho instruments was "orh Va k'"'
d;t,;caltv and often considerable suffering.
Mfr. Tromholt has recorded probaoiy inc iuiies'
aud m.st ca, cful descriptions OF the aurora noreaS
oxtant IIo dcvotes d long chapter TO the pheho'n,
enon. and writes of it with equai kho"icuso anu
del;gbt but e has to admit in conclusion that the
no,nr. Of tho Northern Light is still as great
rs,,rv as ever though there is reason to hope that
IN few years the secret may be penetrated he
himself leans to the theory of its connection with
&cllnric magnetism, and certainly much OF the
evidence points in this direction AT one OF the
Polar Research stations experiments were maze III
tho PRODUCTION of al artificial Aurora by electrical
APPARATUS but he docs not think the results were AT
all satisfactory, though it seems that something
resembling phantom Aurora was produced ON one
occasion. Spectrum analysis, which has done so
much for our knowledge of planetary ana solar
constitutions, has hitherto failed to solve inc
problem of tho Aurora. 1t appears, III fact TO DC
the product of such subtle forces, such rehhed
elements as defy the analytic lnstrumehtaiities d.
present applicable There in the lar nofth .ne
wondrous lights disport themselves. Across the
darL heavens the mystic forces spread gimmcr of
light; the grand play of light color, form ana
motion has begun Soon the silent energy raises'a
magnificent tent of flames over the earth, woven OF
mvrials of trembling streamers which. resting on
the horizon, shoot upward to the coronal point IN
tho zcnith; and now it unfolds garands and
draperes in all the lovely colOrs OF the rainbow
Auttering from north to south. from cast TO west'
and moment after the entire heavens resemble
bath of liquid fire In violent motion. with con-
slant change and incessant renewal this marvellous
display continues through the long winter night
until the last ickering remains of the elements OF
light vanish before the approaching dawn
During the intervals of observation the author
availed himself of his opportunities to study the
Lamps. who arc divided into Mountain and Sea
Lapps. The first are the owners of the reindeer
herds. curious nomadic people. not at all unlike
the Turko,nans in their habits. being dirty. hos
pitable. honest and mpressonable. Like many
noIoad races they possess latent capacity ior
strong religious excitement, and Mr. lroinho'
gives highly interesting illustration of this IN the
narrative of a singular outbreak OF fanaticisn
which occurred in 1882, resulting in short reign
of terror and having to be put down by the Govern
ment with a st.ong hand. In its leading features
this outbreak resembled what the Church OF Rome
would call obsession. The subjects were seized
during revival meetings with kind OF mania
They forthwith believed themselves to be saints or
even one of tho Persons of the Trinity, and they
insisted that everybody should worship them. ana
proceeded TO matreat and abuse those who refused
10 do 40. This fanaticism smouldered for "a year
among the Mountain Laps. and at last broke out
in serious uprising, accompanied by some dreadful
nur,crs. but the people of neighboring settlements
promptly went to the rescue, and the instruction
was suppressed sternly. aud the leaders who
survived were tried and punished severely. No real
intellectual awakening was observable In this
curious movement IL was blind. ignorant,
pervcrse kind of convulsion but parallel cases can
be found in the history of all European countries.
and the common analogy is to physical epldemcs.
1t il to be remarked that in several Instances the
men and women who had been raving about the
country insisting upon their santship. and cursng
all who would not do homage to Them presently
came to their right minds, and declared themselves
altogether oblvious of what they had last been
doing. This is suggestive of epileptiform mania,
and it is quite possible that these epidemcs really
consist in mild form of that disease.
Mr.. Tromholt had much experience in the driving
of reindeer; kind of sport which requires cool
load and a stout heart. The sleigh or "pulk is
like low boat cnt in half and closed at the stern
with Q perpendicular sheet Of wood. 1t has keel
from four of six inches Wide and finishing in point
In front The reindeer is driven with single
reis, the free end of which must be wound round
che driving hand Of the dSTver, IS if 1t is ever
dropped or let 20 reindeer and pulk will Instantly
vanish, andis may take several days to find them
The deer are never tame and never broken to
harness. As result they travel after their own
fashion, and it is queer one. They prefer zigzaG