St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-07
Interesting Stories Of Natural
Phenomena Not Easily
Explained.
Many Thrilling Experiences
Given Of People on a
Desert.

twelve or thirteen times as high as it is
long. Rocks are seen drawn up to ten or
twelve times their proper height.
Houses, as well as human beings and
animals, appear in like exaggerated
shape.
Another form of mirage is when a
ship, or some other object near the wa
ter, seems greatly elongated, and a sec
ond inverted image meets it from
above. Sometimes the proper image OF
the Object is elevated far above the lake
or sea, while the second image strange
ly appears inverted beneath it; the
whole surrounded by sheet of sky,
which is mirrOred and repeated within
it.
In 1922, in the Arctic region, Capt.
Scoresby recognized, by its inverted
image in the air, the ship Flame. which
afterwards proved to be 17miles beyond
the vizible horizon Of his observation.
DR.. Vince, on Aug. 6, 1906, at p M,
only the tops of Dover Castle towers are
usually visible, the whole of the castle.
1t appears as though lifted up and bod
lily placed OH the near side of the Inter
vening hill. So perfect was this Illus
ion that the hill itself actually could
not be seen through the figure.
Some forms of mirage are lateral as
we'll as vertical, arising from unequal
density of two contiguous vertical
Bodies Of Air.
Thus on Lake Geneva. boat has
been seen double, the two images some
distance apart. Persons have been du-
pIicated in the same way. Any one on
hot day, by placing his eye near to
heated wall, may see lateral mirages OF
objects at a distance, and nearly on
line with the wall.
Here, on the shores of Lake Ontario,
many beautiful and wonderful mrageS
are witnessed. The lake is so wide, the
opposite side is not at all visible. And
yet during some peculiar states of the
atmosphere it is clearly outlined. A
gentleman witnesses a most perfect
mirage from Sheldon's Point. Oswego.
1t was about o'clock in the afternoon,
when splendid view of the Canada
shore was given. 1t extended from
point nearly opposite OSWego City to
Cape Vincent, at points on the Jeffer-
son county shore. Whole blocks of the
city Of Kingston were visible, and local
tiles distinctly defined. From Sack
ett's harbof to Point Peninsula, ten
miles distant, has appeared not more
than two or three miles away. and so
plainly in view that the limbs of trees
were visible. Stony island stood out
plainly in view, and far beyond it could
be seen GallOp and Duck island. Even
the Canada shore in the vicinity OF
Long point and Prince Edwards bay
was at times
Plainly in Sight.
A vessel has been seen sailing along the
horizon with the hull uppermoSt, visible
at Lake Bluff. Accompanying the APP
pearance of the ship was that of noun
tains and hills, as though the Canadian
shore was coming into view. A puff of
wind apparently caused the whole
phantaSmagoria to melt away as if by
magic.
In Syracuse, distant city, remark
able mirage was witnessed by many
persons. 1t lasted two hours and was
best observed from University hill look
ing northwest over Onondaga lake.
Lake Ontario was plainly visible, and
Stretching out at an angle of Is degrees
of the horizon it looked like an ocean.
Prof. Comfort says that few years
previous similar mirage occurred. and
it was so distinct that by means of a
glass he could discern town, probably
Kingston.
Portions of Rochester and sections of
the country lying south of it have been
seen out in the lake six and ten miles
distant, as though the city was standing
erect in the air. Trains of moving cars
and other objects were clearly defined,
the aerial phenomena continuing for
nearly all hour.
A well-known lake captain has also
witnessed a wonderful mirage out on
Lake Ontario. While on his way from
the st. Lawrence up the lake and near
the islands known as the False Ducks.
and while standing at the wheel, there
burst into view the city of Os-
wego. thirty-oHe miles distant, with the
gas lights in the streets. and all the ap-
pearance a town lighted up would
present from hill i'll the immediate
vicinity at night. The lighthouse at
Oswego, as well as others on the lake
shore below as far as Sackett's Harbor,
were distinctly seen. 1t was sort of
night mirage, and rare sight indeed.
1t lasted for several minutes, then
slowly faded away
Into Darkness.
At Rochester, which is about twenty
miles inland from Lake Ontario, mir
age of a most surprising character was
witnessed by many. The entire north
ern sky as far as the angle, or bison,
was lighted above the landmark with
the blue waters of Lake Ontario, while
rejecting from her bosom could be seen
the mountains, hills, valleys, bays and
rivers of the Canadian shore inland for
miles. The coast could be plainly seen
over stretch of twenty miles,
and so perfect at one time thai the for.
ests could readily be distinguished. The
reader can form some idea of its grand
eur by knowing that a country separ-
ated fIom Rochester by lake seventy
miles in width was, as if suddenly by
the hand of its great creator, painted
upon the heavens SO plain as to be seen
from a standpoint of near 100 miles dis
tant.
Gentlemen in Rochester who were fa- !
miliar with the Canada shore could /
easily distinguish Rice lake, Belvidere,
and other prominent points in Canada.
The lake looked as though it had, by a |
great tidal wave, rolled upon RocheS- |
ter and covered one-half of the city, as |
Main street, or any land between the |
city and the lake.
Upon land mirages are best seen over
desert plains in hot climates. The in
tense heat of the sands greatly rarifes
the air in contact with them, and rays |
Of light coming from the distant objects
are gradually bent by approaching the
rare stratum until they strike it at an |
angie greater than the Limiting angle.
Total reflection then OCCURS, the air
near the sand acting as mirror, or
body of water in which inverted images t
are seen. Thus is presented to the in
traveller over the desert
plains the appearance of tranquil lakes,
aud, parehed with thirst, he is sadly de-
Iuded by them.
Many thrilling incidents are given
where whole parties in crossing the
sandy deserts, overcome with the heat
and parched with thirst, have reached t