Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-19
The Phantom Army

One of the most extraordinary eX-
amples of the phenomenon known as
| the mirage" was witnessed by Ed
ward Bryant, who crossed overland
to California in 1S47. His party had
left Utah Lake and was well out on
the great salt desert on August third
when a furious sandstorm assailed
them from the south. While the
storm was dying out he was walking
several rods ahead of the party, hay
ing turned his mule in with the other
stock.
Very often during the trip across
the plains he had been entertained
and fascinated by beautiful illusions
III the sky.
Now occurred something so entire
ly different that Mr., Bryant was
thoroughly deceived. AS he walked
along he was amazed to behold on
his right a score of men approaching,
some mounted, some on foot. Meas
uring from the horizon they were
from three to five miles away, but
instead of being dots on the drear
waste they looked as large as if only
few rods distant. Mr.. Bryant could
explain this amazing fact away only
by assuming them to be giants. His
next thought was that they must be
a band of Utah Indians, but he knew
no hunters or warriors would be cut
ting his trail. He called out to his
companions to join him as men of
gigantic stature were coming. His
followers ran forward. Then he saw
the score of newcomers increased to
three or four hundred, and they were
quickening their pace.
Although reason was staggered, yet
Mr.. Bryant sought an explanation.
Perhaps it might be Captain Ere
mont and his band returning from
California. although this theory did
not explain away the huge proper
tons of the newcomers.
To make sure the spectacle was not
the work of his imagination he ask
ed one of his followers if he saw them
The man replied he had glimpsed the
strange band several times but as 1t
disappeared and reappeared miracu-
lousy he assumed it to be mirage,
Mr.. Bryant in part says, TT was
then, for the first time. so perfect
was the deception, that I conjectured
that probably these figures were the
reflections of our own images by the
atmosphere, filled as it was with fine
particles of crystallized matter. or by
the distant horizon, covered Dy Cno
same substance"
Following out this line of reason
ing he studied the figure in advance
of the main band and discovered it
resembled himself 1t was uncanny
to see himself clearly apparent at a
distance of several miles. He half
turned and stretched his arms at full
length and instantly the strange fig
ure did the same. He ran forward
several PAGES. and the figure instant
ly did likewise. He tested his double
by other maneuvers and found it was
like posing before mirror. Every
movement of his and of his followers
was instantly duplicated by the new
corners. For nearly an hour the
spectral band continued to approach
them, but never drew any nearer and
gradually melted away. In conclu-
sion Mr.. Bryant says. THE figures
We're our own shadows, produced and
reproduced by the mirror like COM
position impregnating the atmos-
phere and covering the plain
And what must have been the ef-
feet on the aborigines of the plains
and deserts If they encountered the
same phenomenon? Doubtless 1t
would be the basis for many legends