New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-05
QUEER OPTICAL ILLUSIONS.
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE OF THB
OFFICERS AND CREW OF A FRENCH
BARK OFF THE PHILIPPINES.

and SkidlOvsky. announcing that on the night
OF October y. while they were in the Csteyng
district. they saw a balloon passing rapidly
| the village of Yakovleu and drifting toward
the forests in southeastern direction, many
persons have sighted" Andree's balloon. Evil
IDENTIFY ii Is q phantom airship that they have
seen. Well meaning people have affirmed that
they saw Andree's balloon floating over the
White Sea. Others have seen ii soaring over the
State of Iowa, In the United States. Others
again have seen it at North Cape, sometimes
rushing along in a tempest at the south Of thu
Disco Island. in Greenland. soaring over kO-
telly Island. in North Siberia; and among thu
latest reports is the one that announced its ap-
pearante over the village Of Yakovleu.
All this goes TO show that we are in tha
presence Of a new phenomenon produced by the
extreme suggestibility Of the throng. Each in.
dividual is. without knowing it, In a constant
state Of expectation. and when an extraordinary
affair. like the one with which we are dealing
is presented to the mind. the intensity Of the
impression is such that suggestion becomes
easy, and once formulated. 1t imposes itself
Immediately upon the mind of the masses by
contagiOn.
The whole world followed with constant inter-
est and emotion the preparations that were
going on at the Island of Danois but few peo-
pie knew that spot. and it may be said that
nobody knew what was going on there Never
theless everybody made a picture in his own
mind Of the place and of what was taking place
there. When this image became impressed upon
the mind it's tendency from the very first mo-
ment was to transform Itself into reality.
This Is so true that captain on a long voyage,
with perfectly sound and well-balanced mind
affirmed last year that he saw Andrees balloon
| In August 1896, northwest Of Newfoundland
and several OF the men Of his crew also testified
to the thing with as much energy as
honesty. And. as a matter Of fact. Andree was
obliged to postpone his ascension until this
year. He had not started in his balloon, ana
yet they saw him.
Examples Of collective Authorizations are very
numerous. Let us cite one that certainly Is not
generally known, and Of which a lieutenant IN
the French Navy. NJ. Lestonnat. was the victim
IN May ISL" said he Il was on board the
bark Caroline. We had just left llolo. in the
Philippines. and We were travelling toward the
Sunda Strait. one morning We were moNini
slowly. at the rate of about four or 1--WE knots,
in "A very light wind. when the man on the look
cut shouted To mo that b. saw plrogue or
sharpe the starbOdrd quarter Everything
that we see at sea, however insignificant, -
always interesting Consequently. placed my
self In position to see the object that the man
reported. But. on account Of the lower sails.
was Obliged to go forward. From there
saw. at about two points To Starboaid. thc
pirogue. which seemed as II she Was ABOUT 10
cross our bow Suidery the mate shouted:
1t is not pirogue; it is a yawl boat Then the
sailor cam" down from the rigging and reported
that h. saw distinctly man standing III the
boat and that he was making signals
1T is not necessary To be aloft To see that.
replied the mate. / can see him distinctly here
after having observed the boat with at
tcnton. | saw as plainly a. possible. ana an 'ne
crew saw just as | did a man making sghaiS
with something in his hand that we could M.
Yet recognize. but which evidently was gan
| or oar. at the end Of which was hXed piece
Of clOtn.
There was no longer any doubt. We had
discovered an unfortunate shipwrecked man,
whose vessel doubtless was lost upon the rocks
If the shores called. if my memory serves me
! correctly. the Thousand Isles Immediately
| reported to the captain. who took his glasses
and followed me To the forward deck. lie recos-
nzcd Just as we did. boat painted white. ana
! i'm the bow there was man dressed IN a piue
/ ganzy who was waving an oar. at the End OF
which VAS fastened piece Of sailcloth.
"' That poor devil is lucky. said the captain,
for if We had had more wind yesterday We
would have passed him in the night. and OF
course we could not have seen him
But a, the current was drawing the boat
away from us. he gave the order 10 the man al
the whccl To- let the vessel fall on So as To gel
the boat Npll our starh"ard. In tins way
we could easily reach II without the necesslt!
! nf low, ring A boat which Is always tediou1
| nn.r,tinn on board sailing vessels. The man.
| seeing that w"r" coming Tor MN. ceased 10
| signal and sat down IN IN" stern. ana win nus
oar h ste red the boat toward US. we couIu
distinctly see the boats mast was prokch IL
about three or four feet above the sailing thwart
when she was about 'n metres from us tne
captain who was on IN" poop asked 'he n',e
| II .vrrything was ready. and on the latterS
| Affirmative reply. he gave the order 10 heau her
up a little to starboard At this moment the
emotion on board the vessel was intense me
.ntir, crew leaned over the rail. Then suddenly.
] as if we al had been aroused from dream.
the man and the boat turned into a block OF
/ pumice-ston. which ware several branches
! of banana trees After drifting slowly along
the side of the vessel before the stupeed sailors
il vanished out of sight. The men were 81
utterly astonishcd that several Of them could
I not help CRYING out. But. by jingo, there WAS
a man on it, sure We all saw him.
IF the sea had been rough. 50 that "" couiu
not reach that little floating island. we woulo
| certainly have been convinced that ici'o"
creature had been left to perish -,
Nevertheless. our mind was free from an
| anterior preoccupatiDn Notwithstanding the
| spontaneity of the thing that mad started H.
M
! t,nsity was as strong in the mind OF the offcer
as II vas IN the mind OF each sailor and tins