MIRAGE. 3P, 



up" by the opposing shore, when they generally all take wing 

 and move off elsewhere. ****** jr^ir play is a 

 jewel,' says the old saw, and so, perhaps, thinks the hareld ; 

 for it would really appear as if it adopted the somewhat cu- 

 rious manoeuvre just mentioned to prevent its companions 

 from going over the ground previously." 



The day after our arrival we moved our small craft with- 

 in half a mile of the shore, and, as soon as she was safely 

 anchored, we proceeded to reconnoitre the neighborhood. 

 The first thing which attracted our attention was a mirage 

 of the most striking character and intensity of effect. Ob- 

 jects, distant only a few hundred feet, became perfectly met- 

 amorphosed. Thus, for instance, a small bird would look as 

 big as a rock, or the trunk of a tree ; pelicans assumed the 

 appearance of ships under canvas ; the numerous skeletons 

 and bones of stranded whales. were exaggerated into clusters 

 of lofty houses, and dreary and sterile plains presented the 

 aspect of charming lakes. In short, every object had a be- 

 wildering and supernatural appearance, and the whole at- 

 mosphere was misty, tremulous, and wavy. This phenome- 

 non is at all times very remarkable, but during the hot 

 season of the year it is more surprising and deceptive. At 

 an after period Mr. Galton tried to map the bay, but this 

 mirage frustrated all his endeavors. An object that he had, 

 perhaps, chosen for a mark, became totally indistinguishable 

 when he moved to the next station. 



On the beach we found a small house, constructed of 

 planks, in tolerable preservation, which at high water was 

 completely surrounded by the sea. This had originally been 

 erected by a Captain Greybourn for trading purposes, but 

 was now in the possession of the Rhenish Missionary Society. 

 It was kindly thrown open to our use, and proved of the 

 greatest comfort to us ; for at this season the nights were 

 bitterly cold, and the dew so heavy as completely to satu- 

 rate every article of clothing that was exposed. 



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