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1861 Mon Mar 11th I knew his meaning - Quick as thought my nether limbs were enclosed in [[strikethrough]] a pair of [[/strikethrough]] simply drawers & socks. I leaped from my "Birth" - tumbled headlong over my friends (Innuits Que-jesse & Tunukderlien, who were sound asleep on their "Tuk-too" bed on the floor of the little aft cabin - picked myself up & then [[strikethrough]] ran [[/strikethrough]] hastened with Capt B. & Gardiner for the "Companion way" stairs. As the door of the Main Cabin was swung back & we [[strikethrough]] held [[/strikethrough]] made our way [[strikethrough]] to [[/strikethrough]] on deck the light, as if the World [[underlined]] was on fire, [[/underlined]] burst upon us! 'Among the gods there [[strikethrough]] are [[/strikethrough]] is none like unto Thee, O, Lord: neither are there any [[underlined]] Works [[/underlined]] like unto [[underlined]] Thy Works.' [[/underlined]] This sacred sentiment & [[strikethrough]] with [[/strikethrough]] that which opens the Record of the incidents connected with this phenomenon, must have been those [[strikethrough]] of [[/strikethrough]] to wh. any one's heart would cry aloud: [[underlined]] 'Amen! [[/underlined]] on witnessing [[underlined]] what transpired in the heavens above us, within the space of five minutes after our 1st arrival on deck! [[/underlined]] I have already given [[strikethrough]] forth [[/strikethrough]] the idea that [[underlined]] no mortal hand can [[double underlined]] truthfully [[/double underlined]] describe what we saw. [[/underlined]] In feeble, broken words, I can only say: Piles of golden [[end page]] [[start page]] 1861 Mon Mar 11 light - & [[underlined]] Rain-bow light [[/underlined]] - scattered along the azure vault, extending from behind the western [[strikethrough]] horiz [[/strikethrough]] horizon to Zenith thence down to the Eastern, within a belt of space 20[[degree symbol]] in width, were the fountains of [[underlined]] beams [[/underlined]] (like fine threads of light) that shot with the rapidity of lightning, hither & thither, upward & athrust, the great pathway indicated. No Sun - No Moon - yet the heavens were a glorious sight, flooded with light! Even ordinary print could have been easily read on deck. Yes, [[underlined]] 'flooded' [[/underlined]] with rivers of light - & such light! The golden predominating but in rapid succession, [[underlined]] prismatic colors leaped [[/underlined]] forth. During the [[underlined]] five minutes [[/underlined]] of the [[underlined]] remarkable [[/underlined]] display, [[underlined]] each of us were awe-inspired! [[strikethrough]] struck [[/strikethrough]]. "His lightenings enlightened the World, [[underlined]] the Earth Saw & trembled.' [[/underlined]] A remark made by Capt B. on our 1st re-entering the Cabin, tells better than any language of mine, the effect it had [[strikethrough]] upon [[/strikethrough]] upon us: 'Well', said he, 'during the last eleven years, I have spent mostly in these Northern Regions, I never have seen anything of the Aurora to approach the glorious display we have just witnessed. To tell you [[underlined]] the truth, [[/underlined]] friend Hall, [[underlined]] I do not care to see the like ever again'! [[/underlined]] Truthfully, we [[double underlined]] Saw [[/double underlined]] - & [[/double underlined]] trembled! [[/double underlined]] The extension of my remarks may develope some of the reasons for this.
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