about two o'clock
Besides this , the aurora borealis frequently lighted up the sky with its brilliant hues , like some magnificent firework on a grand scale . I watched a very beautiful aurora one night in the south-west , which extended its glowing radiance as far as the zenith . Fancy a bright arch suddenly bursting forth in the dark-blue sky , sending up streamers of many hues -- orange , crimson , and purple -- while bright coruscations were emitted from it , completely obscuring the stars in the neighbourhood ! Two bright nebulae afterwards appeared beneath it : and about two o'clock it broke up into fragments , the coruscations becoming more frequent and irregular till it vanished entirely . Even during the coldest weather , provided there was no wind , we could enjoy ourselves in the open air ; but the slightest wind made us feel a smarting sensation all over the face , with a considerable pain in the forehead . We could not touch our guns in the open air without our mittens ; and when by accident one of us put his hand to anything iron , it felt as if it was red-hot , and took off the flesh exactly in the same manner . We were very comfortable in our house , but we had to make some alterations .