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That Light In The Air
Victoria Daily Colonist 7th
August 1897
That strange aerial curiosity the fire
balloon that has been completely mystifying people of the northwest during the past two or
three months is evidently becoming bolder or more people are keeping late hours than
formerly and in consequence have had the good fortune to catch a glimpse of it. What it
is, or where it comes from or where it goes to, and who or what manner of men are
responsible for its movements, remains just as much as a puzzle as when the bright light
first made its appearance in the sky a few months ago.
For upwards of two and a half hours Firemen
North and Swain of the city brigade had opportunity to inspect the erratic visitor
yesterday morning. However when it was finally lost to sight in the morning air they were
completely mystified as to all its character as when they first sighted it. It was Swain
whose first attention was attracted to the light he and his companion having been left on
duty at the scene of a grass fire on the golf links that threatened if not carefully
watched to break out afresh and cause damage to adjoining property. It was floating low
then and he called to North to notice what a bright mast some ship was carrying. Then both
men looked and North observed it could not be a mast light as no ship in these waters
carried so bright a look out light. While they speculated the light came so near as to be
mirrored in the waters of the Straits in the direction and apparently hanging over
Discovery Island. It had no discernible form, balloon shape or otherwise, it was just a
great light as large from the distance it was viewed as a drum from one of the hose reels,
and brighter far, according to the two firemen than an electric light. As they watched it
slowly rose and took off sailing in a direction of almost eighth of the horizon circle and
then returning. As soon as it dawned upon the watchers that the object of their attention
was the light of which so many had been talking it resulted in new particulars, and
hurried over to the Mount Baker to procure a night glass. No instrument of the kind was
available however and they had to rest content with bringing the night clerk of the hotel
out to see what they had seen and be equally wonderstruck. Until four o'clock the
brilliant body remained suspended in mid air passing slowly from east to west and back
again three times and only disappearing with the coming of the day. At one time the
firemen believed they saw a dark body outlined behind the circle of intense light but they
could not identify it positively. To look at the light according to the witnesses was like
looking at the sun at high noon. What the light was they cannot conjecture, they have
listened to many theories during the past twenty four hours but can not reconcile any with
what they have witnessed. The favourite theory is that some local inventor is trying the
product of his daring in the privacy of the night, preparatory to giving his secret to the
world. It must be a fact that the inventor is the most successful keeper of a secret to
appear on the scene for quite some time and yet this seems the most rational explanation
put forward. Too many have seen the mid night visitor for people of common sense to doubt
the presence of a mysterious something . . . . .
Mr. B. Serope Shrapnel writing
from Old Oak Bay says myself and other members of my family watched the same brilliant
light as described by the above mentioned firemen for nearly two hours. The only
difference was that it appeared to be above Mary Todd Island swinging from side to side
slowly and sometimes rising and falling in a similar manner. It was decidedly no
reflection being quite as bright if not brighter than the nearest stars in view.
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