296 



NATURE S TEACHINGS* 



Perhaps the most extraordinary part of it was the enormous 

 halo of rainbow colours round the head. No matter where I 

 moved, the halo surrounded the head of the image, its colours 

 being comparatively bright near the centre, and becoming 

 gradually paler towards the circumference. 



Another point about this natural Magic Lantern ought to be 

 mentioned. 



Wishing to show a friend the extraordinary sight of a 

 Brocken Spectre, I took him up the hill on a misty day like 

 that which has been briefly described. According to surmise, 

 two spectres appeared instead of one, but the halo was not 

 doubled as well as the shadow. I could see my friend's shadow, 



BROCKEN SPECTRE. 



and he could see mine. But, although the halo was as bright 

 as before, each of us could only see it encircling his own head. 

 We stood as close to each other as we could, we moved apart as 

 far as the nearly conical top of the hill would allow, and in 

 both cases each of us could only see his own halo. 



Perhaps the reader may remember the wonderful spectre- 

 scene drawn by Mr. Whymper, and viewed from the Matter- 

 horn just after the accident which had killed several of his 

 companions in the ascent of the hitherto impregnable peak. In 

 the mist there suddenly appeared three vast dark crosses enclosed 

 in an oval. Considering the highly-strung nerves of the sur- 

 vivors, it was no wonder that they were all shaken by such an 



