830 LIFE IN THE ALPS. 



the colours of these bows expand and overlap each other, 

 producing by their mixture the uncoloured white bow. 

 We sometimes hear of ' fog bows/ but it may be doubted 

 whether true impalpable fog can produce a bow. At 

 all events, we may have very dense fogs with all the 

 conditions of light necessary for producing the bow, 

 without its appearance. A sensible drizzle must be 

 mixed with the fog when the bow is produced. 



On the occasion to which I have referred, my friend and 

 I noticed another singular phenomenon, which is usually 

 known as the ' Spectre of the Brocken.' The Brocken, 

 or Blocksberg, is a mountain in Germany rendered 

 famous by the poet Groethe. As I stood with my back 

 to the sinking sun, my shadow was cast on the fog 

 before me. It was surrounded by a coloured halo. 

 When I stood beside my friend, our shadows were 

 seen with an iridescent fringe. We shook our heads ; 

 the shadows did the same. We raised our arms and 

 thrust our ice-axes upwards ; the shadows did the same. 

 All our motions, indeed, were imitated by the shadows. 

 They appeared like gigantic spectres in the mist, thus 

 justifying the name by which they are usually known. 

 The combination of the Brocken spectre and white bow 

 constituted a most striking phenomenon. 



