Obfervatiom on afingular Phenomenon. 235 



pretty clear, but the Harz mountains had attracted feveral 

 thick clouds, which had been hovering around them, and 

 which beginning'to fettle on the Broken confined the pro- 

 fpett. In thcfe cl -uds. foon after the rifing of the fun, I 

 faw my own fhadow, of a mmftrou; iize, move itfelf for a. 

 couple of fecon s exactly as I moved \ but I was foon in- 

 volved in clouds, and the phenomenon difappeared. 



It is impofiible to fee this phenomenon, except when the 

 fun is. at fn'ch an alt- rude as to throw his rays upon he body 

 in a h riz mtal dire&ion ; for, if he is higher, the fhadow is 

 thrown rather under the body than before it. 



In the month of September laft year, as I was making a 

 tour through the darz with a ver/ agreeable party, and af- 

 cended the Br. ken, T found an excellent account and expla- 

 nation of this phenomenon, as fe^n by M. Haue on the 23d 

 of Mav 1797, in his diary ot an excurfion to that mountain. 

 iVhall theref-re take the liberty of tranfcribing it. " After 

 having been here for the thirtieth time," fays M. Haue, 

 " and, befides other objects of my attention, having procur- 

 ed information refpecting the above-mentioned atmofpheric 

 phenomenon, ( was at length fo fortunate as to have the 

 pleafure of feeing it ; and perhaps my defcription may afford 

 fatisfaclion to others who vilit the Broken through curiofity. 

 The fun rofe about four o'clock, and, the atmofphere being 

 qui e ferene towards the eall, his rays could pafs without any 

 obftruction over the Heinrichshohe. In the fouth-weft, how- 

 ever, towards Achrermannshohe, a brifk weft wind carried 

 beiure it thin tranf arcnt vapours, which were not yet con- 

 denfed into thick heavy clouds. 



" About a quarter paft four I went towards the inn, and 

 looked round to fee whether .the atmofphere would permit 

 me to have a free profpecT: to the fouth-wefi:; when I ob- 

 ferved, at a very great diflance towards Achtermannshohe, 

 a human figure of a monftrous fize. A violent guft of wind 

 having almott carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it 



by 



