468 Professor Tyndall [Jan 18, 



from its rareness, is spoken of as a possible occurrence only. The 

 stratum of fog from the Konkun on some occasions rose somewhat 

 above the level of the top of a precipice forming the north-west scarp 

 of the hill fort of Hurreechundurghur, from 2000 to 3000 feet per- 

 pendicular, without coming over upon the table-land. I was placed 

 at the edge of the precipice just without the limits of the fog, and 

 with a cloudless sun at my back at a very low elevation. Under such 

 a combination of favourable circumstances, the circular rainbow 

 appeared quite perfect, of the most vivid colours, one half above the 

 level on which I stood, the other half below it. Shadows in distinct 

 outline of myself, my horse, and people appeared in the centre of the 

 circle as a picture, to which the bow formed a resplendent frame. My 

 attendants were incredulous that the figures they saw under such 

 extraordinary circumstances could be their own shadows, and they 

 tossed their arms and legs about, and put their bodies into various 

 postures, to be assured of the fact by the corresponding movements of 

 the objects within the circle ; and it was some little time ere the 

 superstitious feeling with which the spectacle w\as viewed wore off. 

 From our proximity to the fog, I believe the diameter of the circle at 

 no time exceeded fifty or sixty feet. The brilliant circle was 

 accompanied by the usual outer bow in fainter colours." 



Mr. E. Colborne Baber, an accomplished and intrepid traveller, 

 has recently enriched the ' Transactions ' of the Royal Geographical 

 Society by a paper of rare merit, in which his travels in Western 

 China are described. He made there the ascent of Mount — an 

 eminence of great celebrity. Its height is about 11,000 feet above 

 the sea, and it is flanked on one side by a cliff " a good deal more 

 than a mile in height." From the edge of this cliff, which is guarded 

 by posts and chains, you look into an abyss, and if fortune, or rather 

 the mists, favour you, you see there a miracle, which is thus described 

 by Mr. Baber :— 



"Naturally enough it is with some trepidation that pilgrims 

 approach this fearsome brink, but they are drawn to it by the hope of 

 beholding the mysterious apparition known as the ' Fo-Kuang,' or 

 ' Glory of Buddha,' which floats in mid-air, half-way down. So many 

 eye-witnesses had told me of this wonder, that I could not doubt ; but 

 I gazed long and steadfastly into the gulf without success, and came 

 away disappointed, but not incredulous. It was described to me as a 

 circle of brilliant and many-coloured radiance, broken on the outside 

 with quick flashes and surrounding a central disk as bright as the sun, 

 but more beautiful. Devout Buddhists assert that it is an emanation 

 from the aureole of Buddha, and a visible sign of the holiness of 

 Mount O. 



" Impossible as it may be deemed, the phenomenon does really exist. 

 I suppose no better evidence could be desired for the attestation of a 

 Buddhist miracle than that of a Ba; tist missionary, unless, indeed, it 

 be, as in this case, that of two Baptist missionaries. Two gentlemen 

 of that persuasion have ascended the mountain since my visit, and 



