Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-05-24
WONDERFUL PHENOMENA.

Singular appearance Of the black SPOT on the sur
taee-the moon split into trdgmeRtS-igkS shooting of
from and forming into the shape Of a man!
Mr. James ID. King, respectable citizen of this county,
and gentleman OF undoubted veraciy, called Office
on Wednesday and gave the following deta!s of
markabe appearance OF the moon for about an hour b.,
tween and nine o'clock on Tuesday night last.
He states that being in the habit OF noticing the appear.
OF the at this of the year. with 10
the common prOgnostcaton of whether would be or
d" he observed, while looking with that object Tues
day night, that 1t appeared III much larger thun
common, nearly three times the usual size aud like
sheet OF hre than like an ordinary In few
very dark and deep black SPOT plainly dis
cernabe about the of the disc which imme-
dsiely commenced playing up an down. backwards and
forwards the surface and approached the up
"rSdsc tgrew less, and fantgh distinctly shoae through
IT, This spot finally became stationary in the centre when
the moon divided into three separate fragments each CIV.
ing distinct and separate lights, being OF irregular forms
and appearing though the spot had split off, Then
the gradually returned original appearance and
from that again looked naturally
What he had already was SO remarkable that Mr.
King, with his family, continued the observation and but
few moments hadeapsed before the black spot again
ed, and again the moon dvided-ths into four dis
unct irregular parts or fragments. And Immediately a
light resembling the tail Of comet shot from the lower
fragment the southeast corner apparently some three or
four feet downward while another much larger from the
upper portion north corner struck off directly up
wards TO the length OF between five six feet This last
now went off and lethe apparently four ormore
and formed INTO the shape Of man! standing erec-The
figure Of the perfect imaginable syminetary OF
about the medium size and height clothed in the plres
white and the back alone presenting itself 10 view
il was visible few moments, when gradually the figure
changed the simple light tine lights reeaied TO the ag
mens these again came together and the
tural appearance
The family OF Mr. King, consisting of his wife and
daughter thirteen years Of age, with another young lady al
witnessed what Is above related Mr. King lives about five
miles east Of this place. He protests that in calling ON US
10 make public these facts, he has but 10 tell
plain unvnrnsbed tale OF TRUTH and leaves Others 10 Judge Of
us mPOr-that he not IN the least alarmed ugated
but much in his sober ever was in ms life
and IN order that should have occasion TO doubt the
sincerity OF his narrative, he has authorized to give h
name aud 10 refer to his family scene with
himself To what causes Is attributable he does not know
whether was an optical illusion affecting his whole fam
~ at once-an operation Of nature before witnessed
something OF miraculous character he does not under
take TO determines but avOws that his statement from which
we have dcviaed If nj ALL in essential particular s true
and will al all times be maintained be true on ms honor
and character man, as he will any more fully
who may choose TO enquire Of him further in relation 10 H.