Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-07-12
MYSTERIOUS MIRAGEs.
Optical Illusions Thet Have Acton
tshed Those Who Saw Them.

ally seen arc the looming mirage and
the Eeta Morgana,
In looming miragcs distant objects
show an cXtravaRant increase in vertic-
al height without alteration in breadth,
says the New York Observer. Distant
hummocks of ice are thus magnified
into immense towers and pinnacles, and
ship is sometimes abnormally drawn
out until it appears twelve or thirteen
times as high as IL il long. Rocks are
seen drawn up to ten or twelve times
their proper height. Houses, as we'll as
human beings and animals, appear In
like exaggerated shape.
Another form OF mirage ia when a
ship, or some other object near the
water, seems greatly elongated, and a
second inverted image meets Il from
above. Sometimes the proper image OF
the object is elevated far above the
lake or sea, while the second image
strangely appears inverted beneath It;
the whole surrounded by sheet of sky,
which is mirrored and repeated within
it.
DR.. Vince, on Aug ust &, 1905, at seven
p. M, saw from Ramsgatc, at which
place only the tops Of Dover Castle tow
crs arc usually vi sible, the whole OF tho
Castle. 1t appeared as though lifted up
and bodily placed on tho near side OF
the intervening Hill. So perfect was
this illusion that the hill itself actually
could not be seen through the figure.
Some forms of mirage arc lateral
as we'll as vertical, arising from
unequal density of two contiru-
GUS vertical bodies OF air. Thus,
on Lake Geneva, a boat has boon
seen don bic, the two images some dis.
tancc apart Persons have been dupli.
Gated in tho Same way. Any one on a
hot day, by placing his eye near to a
heated wall, may SEQ lateral mirares OF
objects at n distance, and nearly on a
line with tho wall.
Here, on tho shores OF Lake Ontario,
many beautiful and wonderful mirages
arc witnessed. Tho lake Is so wide tho
opposite side Is not at all visible. And
yot Turing some peculiar states OF tho
atmosphere 1t is clearly outlined. A
gentleman witnessed most perfect
mirage from Shcldon's Point Oswero.
1t was about one o'clock in the after
noon whom splendid view Of the Can.
ada shore was given. Il extended from
point nearly opposite oswego City to
Capc Vincent, ut points on the Jcffc rson
County shore. Whole blocks OF tho
city Of Kingston wore visible and local.
itios distinctly defined. From Sackett's
llarbor. Point Peninsula, ten miles
distant, has appeared not moro than
two or three miles away, and so plainly
In view that tho limbs Of trccs wero Wis
iblo. Stony Island stood out plainly In
view, and TAR beyond IL count TO seen
Gallop and Duck Island. Even tho Cam
adn shore in tho vicinity Of Long Point
and Prince Edwards bay was ut times
plainly in sight
In Syracuse, n distant city, romark-
nblo mirage was Witnessed by many Dor
sons. 1t lasted two hours and was bcst
observed from University hill looking
northwest ovcr Onondaga lake. Lake
Ontario was plainly visible, and sLrotoh.
ing out ut mn anglo Of 25 degrees Of tho
horizon IL looked liko on ocean. Prof.
Comfort says that n fow years proviousn
similar mirage occurred, and It was 80
distinct that by means Of u glass no
could discern town, probably Kings
ton.
Portions OF Rochester and sections OF
Tho country lying south Of It have boon
icon out In tho lako six and ton miles
distant, rs though tho city was standing
erect In tho air. Trains OF moving oars
and other objects were clearly doilnod,
tho aerial phenomena continuing for
nearly mn hour.
A wcll.known lako captain has also
witnessed wonderful mirage out on
Lake Ontario. Nhilo on his way from
tho st. Lawrence up tho lake and nonr
tho islands known as tho False Ducks,
and while standing ut tho wheel, thcro
suddenly burst into Wow tho city OF
Oswogo, thirty-ono miles distant, with
tho gas lights In tho streets and oil tho
appearance town lighted up would pro-
sont from hill In tho immediate vicin-
ity ut night Tho lighthouse ut oswc.
go, as we'll rs others on tho lako shoro
below rs far rs Sackotts IIarbor, woro