Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-05-28
A MIRAGE AT SEA.
A Novel Sight at Sea Witnessed by q
Captain and His Crew.

ouPtoih hbu ITO NiVWs
Capt. WInant of Yaquina Bay
writes to the Republican and de
scribes IA novel sight at sea while OF
passage from the Columbia river.
"With an experience of over TWEEN
ty-five years on the coast ! have new
er witnessed anything like 1t In the
shape Of a mirage, which 1t undoubt
edly was. Our attention was first
called to it while Off Cape Lookout
by noticing what appeared to bt
heavy surf dashing against Gas
cade-head' about twenty miles dis
tant. As the sea was comparately
smooth at the time and surf would
not be visible at that distance We
were somewhat puzzled at the sight
AZ we approached nearer we could
see what appeared to be "A great wall
hundreds Of feet high with two dis.
tinct lines of surf one above the 9th.
er and exactly alike in appearance.
Then In looking further south below
Cascade head we could see lake ele-
waited above the line of the horizon,
with the mountains and trees reach
ing down to its very edge. am in
formed that there il a lake in
this vicinity which Is quite large al
though | have never seen II as it Is
not visible from IA vessel passing up
and down the coast. BY this time
we had passed Cascade head and on
looking back toward Haystack rock
which stands near the mouth of the
Nestucca river and has an elevation
of 1927 feet we could see the surf ap-
parently dashing up against 1t near
ly to it's top, or ut least two-thirds
Of the way up, while the surface Of
the water ut its base was smooth
aud glossy, and beyond 1t we could
zee the Nestucca river for miles in
side and could follow its course dis
tinctlv with the eye, and could trace
the line of the low sand spit lying
between the river and ocean and SET
the surf breaking on the outside of
1t. All this ! may say is not visible
under natural conditions but we
were looking at objects as from an
elevation of two and three hundred
feet above the sea. Then Haystack
rock would assume different shapes
and peculiar forms. Its natural
shape Is indicated by its name, but
on this occasion II looked like n
great building with n square base
and II great dome rising from the
center similar to the capital at
Washington. Then II would change
until II resembled II great inverted
pyramid with it's base In the clouds
and Its apex touching the sea, and
finally the scene wound up sun.
set with n grand fantastic perfor-
nance by Cape Lookout which was
by this time about twenty miles
distant, IL assumed different
forms and shapes so rapid that in
photography would
have been put 10 severe test To have
kept pace with H. At one time re-
sembling n great animal with its
JAWS extended then closing them
suddenly. Then II piece of the cape
would fly oil as though rent by an
earthquake, forming an island, then
"A number of islands. Then rising
suddenly out of the sea To a great
height, next suddenly falling to its
natural condition. The whole scene
loan observer was Ikea dream where
change rapidly without
regard 10 law or honor. Aud had il
Deen witnessed aud described by
'nly single person, | myself with
most everyone else would he apt To
question his veacity or doubt his
'anity, or most probably have attri.
,uted II 10 the effects of Astoria
whisky which Is said 10 possess Won
ierful qualities Ia produce strange
ensalions. hut as this was wit
leSsed by the entire crw aud will
n vouohed for hy them Il will stand
s fact. Hut must say In conclu.
ION that Il was sight that would
AVE 10 be witnessed Ia be apprecia-
ed; no written description could
'egin 10 convey the novelty of the
light, II may Ia well to add that |
he water al. the time was perfectly I
lear, and not cloud In the sky,
nth light breIe blowing from the .
Iorthwest but the barometer WAS
,lling rapidly all day, aud during
he night IL came ON to blow fn,sh
ROM the SOUTH
A New York pilot SAYS that IL one