The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1871-08-16

A REMARKABLE MIRAeE--Thus graphically does
at Gloucester, Mass:
The atmospheric lens interposed by the great op-
tican between the north and south shore ofour bay
on Sunday evening, occasioned grand spectacle to
several people at Gloucester who happened to be
the hills of the Cape and provided with glasses
Quite looming of the south shore was discerned,
which promised somewhat of display. All the
buildings along the coast, including Boston light
house, the Rockland House, Minots Ledge light
house, Cohasset meeting house, etc, were duplica
ted by inverted images. There were several mirror
ed spots of considerable extent occasionally formed
upon the coast which appeared much like sheets of
calm water, arranged in parallelograms. Similar
ponds are seen upon the desert. Across these
would now AID then glide schooner or sloop.
Suddenly she would be Implicated, and heraceumu-
lative shadows or images, piled like 0ssa upon Pc
lion, and Pelion upon Ossa again, to prodiguous
height Once in while elumps oftrees would shoot
upward their images. These would lie leisurey
along in parallel lines upon the atmosphere for few
moments and then abruptly disappear. This feat
would be succeeded by an upshoot of one or two
tree-tops seemingly attached bya chord (the eloDga
the haze below During these performances, a long,
straight, horizontal line stretched from the shore
eastwardly as far as one could see from our stand
point. Between this and the waters edge was sus-
pended the magic mirror of Neptune. Hereupon
vessels in duplicate, sailing in all direc
tions. The atmospheric strata were more uniform
than toward the land. One vessel sailing head on
toward Eastern Point with fair wind free sheets,
and sails well illuminated by the sun, sent forth
above her an image which seemed like snow-white
balloon, attached to her by long, straight cord,
(the elongated mast,) and as she neared the Point
the image gradually faded, presenting various pha-
ses, and finally vanished without ceremony. An
other was in stays sails shaking ifin spasm
and passing through several optical metamorphoses,
at last got about and started off with her Elusive
convoy upon another tack. Many of these sailing
vessels, which were included within the proper an
gle, pictured their aerial antics upon the polished
screen overhead. The view of naval fight thus du-
plicated would be magnificent. The third and last
part of this splendid diorama of dissolving views
was especially grand Terrene and marine contri-
buted their magical powers Of illusion to the
The vapors began to waver; so did the images
Like infatuated dervishes lighthouses hotels dwell
lighthouses, groves and vessels, moved by the spi-
rit-geDius Of undulation, glided toward and from
each other, in Vholes and in parts, gradually in
creasing their locomoton, until they became almost
frantic, pitching into one another like madcaps,
dashing themselves into fragments and breaking up
the stupendous theatrical in gigantic row, while
the terra frma edifces seemed TO maintain their own
position undisturbed and to regard the grotesque
commotion above with imperturbable grayity'