168 



COAST OF MEXICO. 



whole of the coast ridge, were actually sunk below 

 the horizon. Owing to the great distance, it was 

 only at a certain hour of the day that these moun- 

 tains could be seen at all. They came first in 

 wght about forty minutes before the sun rose, and 

 remained visible for about thirty minutes after it 

 was above the horizon. On first coming in sight, 

 their outline was sharp and clear, but it became 

 gradually less and less so as the light increased. 

 There was something very striking in the majes- 

 tic way in which th^y gradually made their ap- 

 pearance, as the night yielded to the dawn ; and 

 in the mysterious manner in which they slowly 

 melted away, and at length vanished totally from 

 our view in the broad daylight. 



As it is rather an interesting problem to deter- 

 mine the height of distant mountains, observed 

 from sea, I subjoin, in a note, the necessary data 

 for the computation, * 



* Data for computing the distance and height of the 

 peaks near Guatimala in Mexico, 23d of February. 



Lat. by mer. alt. of An tares, after the day had broke, 

 and the horizon consequently perfectly sharp and distinct. 

 23d, ^ =^14° 23' N. long, by chron. 93^ 7' W. 



g4th, - = 15 3 N. 93 38 W. 



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