102 THE FATA MORGANA. 



of the sea, being heated by the rays of the sun, communicates a portion 

 of its warmth to the stratum of air immediately superposed, which then 

 dilates and becomes consequently less dense, and, therefore, less 

 refracting than the superior. Thus, when an observer looks at an object 

 above the horizon, the rays which, in coming to him, traverse a layer of 

 air of uniform density, will exhibit it in the natural position, while the 

 light directed obliquely towards the surface of tbe earth will be bent 

 downward, and so come to the eye as if from an object placed inversely 

 and below the former. 



M. Monge, in Egypt, and Dr. Wollaston, in England, made experiments 

 at the same time, and both came to the same conclusion. 



THE FATA MORGANA, 



(Or Fairy Morgana) , of the Bay of Riggio, in the Straits of Messina, 

 Sicily, may be considered as of the same class of optical illusions. The 

 inhabitants of this part of Sicily (Calabria) are exceedingly superstitious 

 and ignorant; hence, when the "Fairy" makes her appearance (which, 

 by the way, is very rare), the people hail it with exultation and joy, 

 running down to the sea side, clapping their hands, and shouting out, 

 "Morgana! Morgana! Fata Morgana!'' 



The most reasonable description of this phenomenon is from the pen 

 of Manesi, a Dominican Friar, in 1773; who declares that he saw it 

 three several times, and that its beauty surpassed every thing which he 

 had ever seen or heard of in the world. Making allowance for his 

 evidently exaggerated statement, still we must give the worthy father 

 credit for something like fidelity of description, particulary, too, as he 

 is confirmed in some of the main facts by writers of credit, and who are 

 less imaginative; but let the friar speak for himself. " When the rising 

 sun shines from a point, whence its insident ray forms an angle of 45 

 degrees on the sea of Riggio, and the bright surface of the water in the 

 bay is not disturbed, either by the wind or the current, the spectator 

 being placed on an eminence of the city, with his back to the sun and 

 his face to the sea ; on a sudden he sees appear in the water, as in a 

 catoptric theatre, various multiplied objects, i. e. numberless series of 

 pilasters, arches, castles, well delineated regular columns, lofty towers, 

 superb palaces with balconies and windows, extended alleys of trees, 

 delightful planes with herds and flocks, &c., all in their natural colors 



