THE BEN LOMOND SPECTRE. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10034, 27 April 1894, Page 3

THE BEN LOMOND SPECTRE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—The interesting letters from Mr M'Hutcheaon and others respecting the atmospheric phenomenon which may be Been from the top of Ben Lomond, neat Qu^enstown, on certain ccsosions and in certain Btates of the weather adds another charm to that locality whic'i will no doubt induce -many tourists to pay it a visit. It is a phenomenon easily accounted for, and brings to my remembrance a. similar display which I experienced from the top of Mount Snowden, in North Wales, many years ago. A party of us from Manchester, staying at Llanberris, got up at 3 o'clock oneinorniujr, and having engaged a guide Bet out to see the sun rise from tho top of the mount. When I got there I found batches of light woolly cloud creeping np the eastern side of the mountain below me. When these masses reached the lop the breeze that was blowing would mika them vanish over the highest ridge and form a bank of white vapaur on thn western aide. Directly tho sun rose I found my figure, which was standing on the summit, reflected on the white clouds, surrounded by a circular rainbow. Every motion I made was responded to by the figure opposite, and I felt myself in a kind of glorification, upon which I gazed in wonder till the clouda began to disperse and the reflection vanished. The same phenomena can no doubt ba Been at any time from the top of Ben Lomond under the same atmospheric conditions. It requires a broken, cloudy morning or evening, with the sun not too high in the heaven?, so that its rayß may cast the shadow Bomewhat horizontally. It is wall worth the trouble to those who are fond of a climb just to see how imposiDg a figure a little mortal may be mads by Nature's magnifying glass. I should think the same principles which produce the phenomena mentioned are in operation in the new methods which are now and then being adopted by certain scientific business firms in advertising in the clouds at night by means of the powerful Mggind electric light.— I am, &0.,

Moroiogton, April 21. Thomas Couli.