AND ITS CONGENERS. 221 



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 eleva- 

 tion. Under such a combination of favourable circum- 

 stances 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 ap- 

 peared 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 ex- 

 traordinary 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 was 

 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. Colbourne Baber, an accomplished and in- 

 trepid traveller, has recently enriched the 'Transac- 

 tions' of the Koyal 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 



