The most astonishing instance of mirage of which I have ever heard is thus narrated: "The cliffs on the French coast are 50 miles distant from Hastings, on the coast of Sussex, and they are actually hidden from the eye by the convexity of the earth; that is to say, a straight line drawn from Hastings to Calais or Boulogne would pass through the sea. A year or two ago, however, a Fellow of the Royal Society, who was residing at Hastings, was surprised to see a crowd of people running to the sea-side. Upon inquiry as to the cause of this he was informed that the coast of France could be seen by the naked eye. He immediately went down to the shore to witness so singular a sight, and there discovered distinctly the French cliffs extending for some leagues along the horizon, and so vividly that they appeared to be only a few miles off. The sailors and fishermen, with whom Mr. Latham walked along the water's edge, could hardly at first be persuaded of the reality of the appearance; but as the cliffs gradually became more elevated they were so convinced that they pointed out to Mr. Latham the different places they were accustomed to visit--such as the bay and the wind-mill at Boulogne, St. Vallery, and other places on the coast of Picardy, even as far as Dieppe, all the French shores appearing to the English sailors as if they were sailing at a short distance from them toward the harbors. With the aid of a telescope the French fishing-boats were plainly seen at anchor; and the different colors of the land upon the heights, together with the buildings, were perfectly discernible. The day when this occurred is said to have been extremely hot, without a breath of wind stirring, and the phenomenon continued visible in the highest splendor until past eight o'clock in the evening, having been seen for three hours continuously." [Illustration: Fig. 236.] [Illustration: Fig. 237.]