8 PM. Camp 34. m. W. of Woody Mt.
B. 26.84 calm clear
T. 40"

Observed a curious phenomenon at sunrise this morning. Standing on the brow of a hill looking Westward across the prairie with Ashe & trying to define the edge of the distant plateau. The sun just about to rise but not yet shining on us. Observed a bright patch of light on a distant swell of land & on the prairie beyond it, in a line produced through the sun, & ourselves. On seperating the bright spot did not become double. A few seconds afterwards the sunís rays struck us & the appearance became more distinct. On seperating now saw only one bright spot, that produced by myself, but saw Asheís image as a dark shadow. A. seeing his image as a bright spot & mine as a shadow.
Have seen a similar effect described somewhere & put down to refraction of dew on grass. The grass in this case perfectly dry.

Saw the same thing last year at sunset, but in this case the image was falling on level prairie only a few yards away. There was a distinct shadow, but surrounded by a corna [corona?] of brightness. There could have been no dew in this case either.
Probably due to diffraction.