Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-08
ALAsKA's STRANGE MIRAGE.
An Expedition to Solve Mystery of the
Silent City.

Silent City.
From the London Mail.
The Silent City, the popular name for the
mirage which is frequently seen over the
Muir glacier, In Alaska, is a great scien-
tfic mystery and may well be termed the
eighth wonder of the world.
scientific expedition will leave British
Columbia this summer with the object of
finally settling this mystery, and it is UNI
derstood that after investigating it on the
spot members of the expedition will con-
duct an inquiry in England.
The mirage takes the form of a great
city, which hangs suspended over or near
the Muir glacier. 1t changes it's form fire.
quently and becomes distorted in every
conceivable manner. Prof. Bruce gave a
new and peculiar interest to The mirage
when in his work on Alaska Mines he
declared it a reflection of the ancient
city of Bristol, 5000 miles away. An old
prospector named Willoughby haj already
taken a photograph of the mirage, which
showed a considerable resemblance 20 Bris-
toll
The Duke of the Abruzzi, the royal polar
explorer saw the Muir glacier mirage while
on his way to explore Mount ST. Elias IN
1897. He thus describes it:
The southern ridges of Mount st. Elias
stood out clearly, merging in the long chain
of Chalk hills which, as it approached the
Malaspina glacier. assumed a series of
strange Shapes, winch we were no longer
able to recognize. Their outlines UNDER
went changes before our very eyes, as
Stunning the forms of spires. belfries, min
arets and architectural outlines of fantas-
tic cathedrals, all of which slowly appear
ed and disappeared, to be succeeded by
buildings Of lesser height severely rectili-
near"
Capt. J. Walbran of the Canadian gov
eminent steamer Quadra is among those
who affirm that, reflected like great pho
tograph five miles long on the top of Muir
glacier, Is representation of the city of
Bristol. Captain Walbran, whose vessel
it was that took Lord Mimic, the Canadian
governor general, and his retinue to
Alaska, recently said that this coming
summer the existence of the Silent City
would be shown beyond doubt. Arrange
ments now being made for the charter
of a vessel to take the scientists to the
spot. The expedition will make a COM
plete investigation of the mirage, and will
make arrangements to take the time so
that 1t will be possible to know whether
the weather conditions at the glacier are
the same those simultaneously prevalent
at Bristol. If it be raining and cloudy at
Bristol and clear at the Silent CITY thew
hold it cannot be reflection of Bristol.
Prof. Garrett P. Serviss, writing on the
subject, asks what must happen If we as
sumo that a mirage can render an English
city visible in the air in Alaska? Bristol
lies in latitude about 5l1a degrees north
and in longitude about 2la degrees west of
Greenwich. The Muir glacier is in latitude
about % degrees north and in longitude
about 1856 degrees west of Greenwich. The
difference in latitude is considerable, while
that in longitude is sufficient to separate
them by more than one-third Of the way
round the earth along a parallel to the
equator. But, since they lie so far north
the real distance between them is not one
third Of the maximum circumference Of the
earth, but only about 5000 miles,
over this distance, then, 1t must be as
sHmed that the light rays proceeding from
Bristol pass through the air bent in such a
manner that they virtually follow the cur
vature of the earth, and are then, through
some peculiar retroactive property of the
atmosphere above the glacier. brought to
the eyes of the spectator upon it's surface
Now, at the distance of 5000 miles, the
city Of Bristol, assuming it's diameter to
be about two miles, would-if seen direct
the eye If well lighted. In order that it's
image should be so clearly seen in the
mirage as to enable the spectator to recog-
niZe familiar features of the city a strong
magnification would have to be effected in
the atmosphere as a result of refraction
Such an effect is possible, or at least con-
ceivable
1.-TWO difficulties remain, although pos
sibly an explanation may be found for
them. In the first place. it may be asked
is 1t probable that the peculiar retroactive
condition of the air needed to bend the
light rays in the necessary direction to
connect England with Alaska can stimuli
taneOuSly exist over a distance Of 5000
miles, and, secondly, If such a condition
does occasionally exist, how happens 1t
that a particular city is seen, instead of a
general view of a more extended range of
country?