130 



LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



bending their bodies and imitating the gestures of 

 the two spectators, they disappeared. Retaining 

 their position, and keeping their eyes still fixed 

 upon the same spot, the two gigantic spectres 

 again stood before them, and were joined by a 

 third. Every movement that they made was 

 imitated by the three figures, but the effect varied 

 in its intensity, being sometimes weak and faint, 

 and at other times strong and well defined. 

 Fig. 30. 



In the year 1798, M. Jordan saw the same phe- 

 nomenon at sunrise, and under similar circum- 

 stances, but with less distinctness, and without 

 any duplication of the figures.* 



Phenomena perfectly analogous to the pre- 

 ceding, though seen under less imposing circum- 

 stances, have been often witnessed. When the 

 spectator sees his own shadow opposite to the 

 sun upon a mass of thin fleecy vapour passing 

 near him, it not only imitates all his movements, 

 but its head is distinctly encircled with a halo of 



* See J. F. Gmelin's Gottingischen Journal der Wissen- 

 ehaften, vol. i., part Hi*, 1798. 



