March, 1848. FALSE SUNRISE AND SUNSET. 63 



birch-bordered pool in the mountains of Wales or Scotland, 

 sequestered and picturesque. It was dark before I got 

 back, with heavy clouds and vivid lightning approaching 

 from the south-west. The day had been very hot (3 p.m., 

 90°), and the evening the same ; but the barometer did 

 not foretell the coming tempest, which broke with fury at 

 7 p.m., blowing open the doors, and accompanied with 

 vivid lightning and heavy thunder, close by and all round, 

 though no rain fell. 



In the clear dry mornings of these regions, a curious 

 optical phenomena may be observed, of a sunrise in 

 the west, and sunset in the east. In either case, bright 

 and well-defined beams rise to the zenith, often crossing to 

 the opposite horizon. It is a beautiful feature in the fir- 

 mament, and equally visible whether the horizon be cloudy 

 or clear, the white beams being projected indifferently against 

 a dark vapour or the blue serene. The zodiacal light shines 

 from an hour or two after sunset till midnight, with 

 singular brightness, almost equalling the milky way. 



March 7. — Left Shahgunj for Mirzapore, following 

 the road to Goorawal, over a dead alluvial flat without a 

 feature to remark. Turning north from that village, 

 the country undulates, exposing the rocky nucleus, and 

 presenting the usual concomitant vegetation. Occasionally 

 park-like views occurred, which, where diversified by the 

 rocky valleys, resemble much the noble scenery of the Forest 

 of Dean on the borders of Wales ; the Ma/iotva especially 

 representing the oak, with its spreading and often gnarled 

 branches. Many of the exposed slabs of sandstone 

 are beautifully waved on the surface with the ripple-mark 

 impression. 



Amowee, where I arrived at 9 p.m., is on an open 

 grassy flat, about fifteen miles from the Ganges, which is 



