ILLUSION. 
187 
We were now homeward bound, but a saddened 
homeward bound for all of us. The vessels of our 
gallant brethren soon lost themselves in the mist, and 
we steered our course with a fresh breeze for Cape 
Hotham. , 
" As we passed the sweep of coast between Capes 
Martyr and Hotham, and were making the chord of 
the curve, our captain called my attention to a point 
of the coast line about six miles off. On looking with- 
out a glass, I distinctly saw the naked spars of a couple 
of vessels. ' Brigs !' said I. ' Undoubtedly,' said De 
Haven ; and then both of us simultaneously, ' Penny !' 
On looking with the glass, the masts, yards, gaffs, ev- 
ery thing but the bowsprits, were made out distinctly. 
Lovell was called and saw the same, Murdaugh, 
who was half undressed, was summoned ; and he, ex- 
amining with the glass, saw a third, which De Haven, 
after a look, confirmed as a top-sail schooner, ' The 
Felix' of old Sir John. 
"We changed our course, ran in, and determined to 
convince ourselves of their character, and perhaps to 
speak them. The fog, however, closed around them. 
Still we stood on. Presently, a flaw of wind drove 
off the vapor ; and upon eagerly gazing at the spot, 
now less than three miles off, no vessels were to be 
seen. 
"I can hardly comment upon this strange circum- 
stance. It was a complete puzzle to all of us. Re- 
fractive distortion plays strange freaks in these Arctic 
solitudes ; but this could hardly be one of its illusions. 
Four persons saw the same image with the naked eye, 
and the glass confirmed the details. There was no 
disagreement. As plainly as I see these letters did 1 
see those brigs ; and although we supposed the Lady 
