At the narrow end the hills dwindled somewhat, but straight across the widest part of the valley the dark-blue mountains of Swaziland were piled in abrupt immensity, shimmering through an opaline medium which I cannot describe as haze, for the atmosphere was as clear and limpid as a dew-drop.
"Reminiscences of a South African Pioneer"
W. C. Scully
The sky was cloudless and the contours of the lovely island were bathed in opaline light.
"Reminiscences of a South African Pioneer"
W. C. Scully
Speaking of gems, there were also fine specimens of the native product offered by those who dealt in jewelry,-among them some very fine Alexandrites, a comparatively modern discovery from the Ural mines, which were named after the Emperor Alexander I. The Alexandrite is opaline, being dark green by daylight and ruby red by artificial light at night, though strong artificial light will bring out its peculiar properties at any time.
"Due North or Glimpses of Scandinavia and Russia"
Maturin M. Ballou