73 



CHAP. II.] AXTHELIA. 



and convex surfaces ; and to the spectator his own 

 figure, but more particularly the head, appears sur- 



ANTHEUA A3 IT APPEARS TO THE PERSON HIMSELF. 



rounded by a halo as vivid as if radiated from dia- 

 monds. 1 The Buddhists may possibly have taken from 

 this beautifid object their idea of the agni or emblem 

 of the sun, with which the head of Buddha is sur- 

 mounted. But unable to express a halo in sculpture, 

 they concentrated it into aflame. 



Another luminous phenomenon which sometimes ap- 

 pears in the hill country, consists of beams of light, 

 which intersect the sky, whilst the sun is yet in the 

 ascendant ; sometimes horizontally, accompanied by in- 

 termitting movements, and sometimes vertically, a broad 



1 SCORESBT describes the occur- 

 rence of a similar phenomenon in the 

 Arctic Seas in July, 1813, the lumi- 

 nous circle being produced on the 

 particles of fog which rested on the 

 calm water. "The lower part of 

 the circle descended beneath my feet 

 to the side of the ship, and although 

 it could not be a hundred feet 

 from the eye, it was perfect, and the 

 colours distinct. The centre of the 

 coloured circle was distinguished by 

 my own shadow, the head of which, 

 enveloped by a halo, was most con- 

 spicuously pourtrayed. The halo or 

 glory was evidently impressed on the 

 fog, but the figure appeared to be a 

 shadow on the water ; the different 



parts became obscure in proportion 

 to their remoteness from the head, so 

 that the lower extremities were not 

 perceptible." Account of the Arctic 

 Regio>is, vol. i. ch. v. sec. vi. p. 394. 

 A similar phenomenon occurs in the 

 Khasia Hills, in the north-east of 

 Bengal. Asiat. Soc. Journ. Seng. 

 vol. xiii. p. 616. Dr. M'Gee of Belfast 

 writes to me that he has observed the 

 anthelia in the north of Ireland, when 

 the rays of the sun were projected 

 obliquely on the dewy grass; and 

 that he has seen the same pheno- 

 menon on the sea at Ardglass, in the 

 county of Down, when the surface 

 of the water was crisped by a faint 

 breath of wind. 



