32 Hon. Ralph Abercromby on the peculiar 



we saw the pointed shadow of the Peak lying on the misty 

 land. Driving condensed vapour was floating about, and a 

 fragment of rainbow- tinted mist appeared near the top of the 

 shadow. Soon this fragment grew into a complete prismatic 

 circle of about 8° diameter by estimation, with the red 

 outside, formed round the summit of the Peak as a centre. 

 The author instantly saw that with this bow there ought to 

 be spectral figures, so he waved his arms about and immedi- 

 ately found shadowy arms moving in the centre of the rain- 

 bow. Two dark rays shot upwards and outwards on either side 



Fig. 2. — Diagram of rainbow round the shadow. 



of the centre, as shown in the diagram fig. 2, and appeared 

 to be nearly in a prolongation of the lines of the slope of the 

 Peak below. The centre of the bow appeared to be just 

 below the point of the shadow, not on it ; because we were 

 standing on a platform below a pointed shrine, and the sub- 

 jective bow centred from our own eyes. If we did not stand 

 fairly out in the sun, only a portion of the bow could be 

 seen. Three times, within a quarter of an hour, this appearance 

 was repeated as mist drove up in proper quantities, and fitful 

 glimpses of the sun gave sufficient light to throw a shadow 



