The midnight sun cast a surreal glow over the landscape from "summary" of Travels in Alaska by John Muir
The long, white nights of the Alaskan summer are strangely fascinating. The sun, instead of sinking below the horizon, wheels slowly around, dipping just out of sight, and then rising again, lingering long on the edge of the world as if to show that it can go lower if it wants to. The colors of the sunset deepen and fade, but darkness never comes. The glow of the sun on the horizon throws a weird shadowless light over the landscape, making everything stand out with startling distinctness. Mountains that might appear commonplace by day are now transformed into grandeur, their rugged outlines etched against the sky. Valleys and glaciers and forests are bathed in this unearthly radiance, and seem like the scenery of dreams. The effect of this constant light on the mind is strange as well. It is hard to realize that it is really night, and that other parts of the world are in darkness. The sense of time is lost, and one feels as if caught in a spell, where the normal rules of day and night no longer apply. The mind becomes confused, and it is easy to forget the passage of hours. One might be tempted to stay up all night, drinking in the beauty of t...
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