252 SALMON FISHING IN CANADA. 



the naked eye the impression of only one almost shapeless 

 mass, like that which has just been mentioned. 



"The most remarkable instance of mirage, which we 

 saw," says Dr. Kelly, e( was that in which a vessel with all 

 sail set, at one moment looked like an immense black 

 chest, no sails or masts being visible. On observing her 

 for a time the black body seemed to separate horizontally 

 into two parts, and two sets of mingled sails occupied the 

 intervening spaces, with one set of very small sails above. 

 The figures afterwards became more distinct, and three 

 images were clearly discerned. Another vessel changed 

 also from the form of a great square flat-topped chest, to 

 five distinct images, the upper with the sails erect, and the 

 two lower double images with their sails rather confusedly 

 intermingled. A raised horizon was parallel to the upper 

 figure of the hull." 



In a third instance, the chest-like figure divided into 

 two portions, of .which one appeared to be nearer than the 

 other, the sea seeming to be interposed. When we first 

 saw it we thought there really were two hulls, and the 

 deception was only removed by the figures gradually uniting 

 and forming one. 



Off Basque Island, on the 10th September 1836, at 

 3 P.M., two ships to the eastward seemed each to consist of 

 three immense columns of irregularly formed sails, with a 

 set of small distinct sails at the top of each column. The 

 images seemed, not only immensely raised but also ex- 



