THE ARCTIC SEAS. I39 



able in indicating the presence of ice below the hori- 

 zon ; or by the dark spots and patches in it corre- 

 sponding to the openings of water, directing the 

 seamen, when beset, how to reach them, when other- 

 wise their existence would be unknown. 



The officers engaged in the late expeditions of dis- 

 covery have remarked the impossibility of correctly 

 measuring distances by the eye when traversing a 

 plain of unbroken snow or ice. Sometimes in tra- 

 velling, they would discern what appeared to be a 

 rock or a hummoek of ice of considerable magnitude, 

 and at a great distance ; and having set their course 

 by it, rejoicing that for some time the painful strain- 

 ing of the sight in keeping the direction would be 

 spared by the advantage of so conspicuous a mark, in 

 a minute or two they would reach it, when it would 

 turn out to be some insignificant object, scarcely 

 larger than a hat. 



Some of the effects of intense cold, as witnessed 

 in these northern climes, are mentioned by Mr. 

 Scoresby, and are interesting, because they never 

 occur in -our own country. After mentioning a very 

 sudden depression of the temperature, he says : — 

 "This remarkable change was attended with singular 

 effects. The circulation of the blood was accelerated ; 

 a sense of parched dryness was excited in the nose ; 

 the mouth, or rather the lips, were contracted in all 

 their dimensions, as by a sphincter, and the articula- 

 tion of many words was rendered difficult and imper- 

 fect ; indeed, every part of the body was more or less 

 stimulated or disordered by the severitv of the cold. 

 A piece of metal, when applied to the tongue, in- 



