evening we got the last glimpse of Victoria Land; Mount Elliot could be discerned dimly through the mist at a distance of seventy miles; it was blowing a strong gale at the time, but we continued our course until midnight, having seen far enough a-head before dark to ensure not running into danger. At 11 30 p.m. we saw for the first time the Aurora Australis bearing (magnetic) west. It consisted of two segments of a broken arch, at an altitude of 15°, from which bright coruscations shot upwards to the altitude of about 60°; the upper points of these rays were more beautifully attenuated than I ever remember to have seen those of the Aurora Borealis: the vertical beams had much lateral motion, and frequently disappeared and reappeared in a few seconds of time: we could not perceive any exhibitions of colour.
