The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-27
Mirage OH the Dcsert---What fros-
Meeting Party Saw ON tic Desert ne-


Mirage OH the Dcse-t---What a iros-
pectins Party Sa" ON thc Deser' "e
yond RagtOwn.
From the Virginia (Ncvadal Enterprise.
friend sends us the following in regard
to mirage he and a prospecting companion
witnessed on the Forty-alie Desert, beyond
Ragtown, one day last summer. lhc oeScrI
named is q level plain of alkai as WHITE
hard and smooth in many places rs pias-
tered wall:
We were toilirg through the wide
desert and had t1averscd half the distance
across it when an exclamation Of surprise
uttered bv Williams caused me to look be-
fore. Apparently in second the whole face
Of the landscape had changed. lnstlnchvely
and without word we both drew rein and
halted. Before us-where hut moment
nrcyious had stretched the white, glitterinS,
sterile desert, bounded by 4 high coast line
of rugged hills burnt TO various hues-eX-
banded
BROAD AND PLACID LAKE,
beyond which was seen the semblance Of VIII
In, and large castcllatcd piles. Some of the
latter occupied bold promontories, while
others crowned small islands which seemed
TO float upon the calm surface Of the lake.
Tall trees of tropical appearance-yet unlike
ANYTHING l had ever seen in any country
reared their heads above the castles and clus-
tered in groves about the villas. TO render
the deception more complete, all that was
seen on the seeming shore-castles, trees, and
yilIas-was seen perfectly mirrored in the
lake. Even upon that shore Of the lake near
est us was seen the work Of enchanlment
wrought by the mirage. There We're no
castles nor villas, but there was everywhere
TROPICAL LUXCRIASCE OF VEGETATION
trees loaded, or rather overloaded, with
the most wonderful masses OF bright
green foliage and grasses that lowered alo1t
and waved to the breeze like some African
jungle. A small flock of crows that had set
tied near the margin of the lake seemed at
least fifteen feet i'll height, and as they walk
ed about in their queer, swinging way, with
necks swaying to and fro, presented weird
appearance. But these are appearances which
frequently have been noted and described.
What I desire most particularly to mention
is what now took place, and OF which 1 have
as yet seen no account in descriptions OF
mirage phenomena. As we gazcd upon the
enchanted scene the lake began to glide
rapidly against the villas, castles, and groves,
and down, down, they went beneath its
CLASSY surface, while beyond new villas and
castles ran up. These were different in form
and location from the first, but we only had
time to note them slightly before they
MELTED DOWN AND DISAPPEARED
under the advancing waters of the lake, new
and still newer wonders rising upon the re-
ceding shore. Now, as suddenly Us the
former change, the land began advancing
upon the CLASSY bosom of the lake, pushing
forward grove, villa, and castle, so rapidly
that these objects seemed rolling over and
over each other and tossed here and there as
though by the throes OF mighty earthquake.
The land was then in turn driven back by
the water, and these changes soon became SO
rapid that the eye could hardly follow them,
reminding us of the rapid shifting of the
slides of magic lantern. This was sue.
ceeded by sudden lifting-up of the whole
scene, when the mountains were shown mucl
in their natural shape, but inverted, while
above them rose upmoving columns orspires
of white, glittering light, closely resembling
what Is seen in brilliant northern lights
There were some other
CURIOUS CHANGES,
but the only other we will note was that OIL
a second, third, and fourth inverted range
appearing above the first. AS we advanced
upon the scene it held its ground, though
with many Kaleidoscope changes, until we
were close upon the fairy realm. The road
we were following, though well worn and
plain, was cut of from our sight by the lake
at o distance of about three hundred yards
ahead; indeed, we moved much nearer be-
fore the illusion of the immediate presence OF
the lake was dispelled. Then the whole scene
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