Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-12
A WONDERFUL ILLUSION
Frost Rhine Produces Great City Peopled
With Giants.
MarYeIons Vision Seen by the Crew of
Marvellous Vision Seen by the Crew of
a Schooner OFF the Coast of
Newfoundland.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
No stranger revelation concerning a most
peculiar phenomenon, generally observed
only at rare intervals in the inaccessible
regions beyond the Arctic circle, has proba
bly, ever been made than in the story told
by Captain Irvine of the British schooner
Satellite. which arrived from Newfound-
land recently.
Although in a latitude far south of where
the marvellous optical illusions have their
birth in the peculiar atmospheric cOndi-
lions Of the frozen north, the crew of the
vessel mentioned have looked upon the
most weird OF these curious manifestations.
They have been afforded the unusual spec
tacIe OF the frost rime'' in all its terribly
ing realism.
The frost rime is in the nature of
mirage. Its regularity and the manner in
which it differs from the latter is the fact
that in it the reflected mirage is magniied
to abnormal proportions. 1t has been men
toned by Peary and other arctic explorers
and has been fully described by DR.. Kane.
Scientists have been disposed to deny its
existence.
Captain Irvine, however. closely studied
the IrCst rime FOR nearly TWO hours under
the most advantageous conditions and Las
prepared a renaT kably comprehensive re-
port, which he INTENDS submitting to the
Royal Geographical Society Of England.
When d reporter boarded the Satellite
yesterday the captain gave most interest
ing account Of his unique experience. 1t is
one certainly without 4 parallel in the case
OF a vessel voyaging only to newfoundland.
We sailed from New York for Bluff
Head about June % said Captain Irvine,
where we were to load a big cargo of
frozen fish. Ii was while entering that port
we saw this curious optical illusion which
/ have often heard mentioned by the Es
qulmauX when l sailed in the cryolite trade.
Incidentally | may say that We all eXpe-
rieneed the greatest scare we ever had in
our lives.
1t was on June 30 and shortly after day
break. Floating ice was in the narrow hay
and it was one of those cold, dark mornings
which AVA, $ Cypress ore with sense Of
gloom and fear OF impending danger.
Il was below at the time and the first in
timati9n l had of anything being wrong
was when the mate, Wid-eyed ana shaking
with terror, rushed into the cabin.
The shore, the Shore he cried; look at
the shore
Il hurried on deck and saw a spectacle
which well might appall the sioutest heart
Imagine that peaceful little fishing vii
lage transformed as though by enchant-
ment into Il mighty collection OF houses of
Il size before which GulliyerS portrayal
pales into insigniticance Men forty feet
Tall walked The narrow streets and dogs en-
IarSed by the mirage to the size OF eIe-
phauts &s,rnboled along the wharyes and
nearby lands.
ION cur own ship terror reigned supreme
1he men threw themselves upon the deck
4 in aDJeCJ lear. TWO leaGed INTO the sea
! The Satellite lost her sIeeTage Way and
grounded heavily On bar, where she re-
| iHaiHeG many hours. | tried in vain to rea-
| son with the men. l told them that the
| curiosity could be explained. After awhile
| quiet was restored in Il measure
And now comes the strangest part of
| the StOrS-the manner in which the frost
! rime, as then recognized it To be- was dis
| PEELED.
You remmeber that | told YOU enormous
dogs were playing in the streets. While we
watched one OF these monsters attacked an
! Einel tower resident. He must have fas-
I tened his teeth in the latter's leg for in an
instant ne mad drawn q revolver and dis
| charged Il into the animals body
"Ihe sudden report did the business In
! the twinkiing of an eye the wild eAaggerat-
| ed phantasma presented by sea and land
gave way TO peaceful serenity we were
! I.IIie miles from shore and Bluff Head
| looked Just as ii would look when viewed
| from that distance. OF course the dogs
/ the men and the little sloop mentioned were
! imperceptible. va
I After we We're pulled off the bar and
/ ued 10 the wharf l hurried in town to in
! 4ulre about the extraordinary delt,sion
! strange 10 say, no enc seemed To know,
/ any thInS about 1t. The people laughed az
= me and | was about to regard The. whole
/ thiH5 as Il Authorization, wnen suddenIv /
/ came upon the body Of the dead dog He
/ h;td been shot almost directly through the
heart. 'ie
/ The schooner was badly strained from
! oeinS aground, and on our way dovn here
, We We're obliged TO put in at Halifax for
| thirteen days 10 repair"