96 Observations an the Arctic Sea and Ice, and 



from its fragility, must be the sport of the waves and the cur- 

 rents ; and, as one portion drifts away, another, [formed on the 

 same spot, succeeds. Similar revolutions take place after the 

 breaking up of the firmer produce of winter, and continue even 

 till late in May : hence masses of ice are met with, of various 

 strength and magnitude, some being only a foot or two thick, 

 which, formed by the spring frosts, are only seen in lov»^er lati- 

 tudes, during the early months ; whilst others are fathoms thick, 

 forming immense fields, which have been the produce of many 

 winters, in more remote regions. Now, if such revolutions take 

 place, much more ice than is sufficient to cover the Greenland 

 Seas must be annually formed on their surface ; and no doubt 

 this is the case, demonstrated by the diff*erence of latitude which 

 exists in the winter limits of the northern ice ; for the current, 

 coming down through the east, carries along its course all the 

 new produce ; and, whilst the sea of Nova Zembla can scarce sup- 

 ply the waste, an accumulation of foreign ice takes place around 

 Jan Mayen Island, and Cape Farewell, where it covers the sea 

 as low as latitude 58° ; whilst, towards Nova Zembla, all remains 

 open as high as 73° or 74°. 



4. Action of Attrition. — Attrition has beei^numerated among 

 the ice-destroying agents in the north ; and, although Captain 

 King, who continued Cook's narrative, esteems it as a principal 

 one in Behring'*s Straits, it seems to be an inefficient one in Green- 

 land. No doubt, during the gale, the heaving to and from may 

 wedge each adjacent piece ; and the collision of icebergs may 

 overthrow their frozen battlements ; but change of position alone 

 is effected. 



5. Action of the Wind-Upper. — The Upper, too, may act its 

 part, and appears to destroy much ice in lower latitudes ; but, far 

 to the north, where the temperature of the water is low, its effects 

 are trivial. Its little splashings undermine the margin of each 

 piece, giving rise to many a fantastic form. In miniature we of- 

 ten see cities, towers, temples, trees, villages, and many lively re- 

 presentations of animated nature. This destroyer of the ice, in- 

 significant as it may appear, is the source of annoyance to the 

 mariner ; for, as the superjacent portion alone is worked away, 

 that which lies under retains its original extent \ and, stretch- 

 ing horizontally, forms what whalers call tongues, which, from 



