AMONGST THE SOUTHERN ICE. 247 



This was due to their being thrown in shade by clouds passing 

 between them and the sun, and the heightening of this effect 

 by the contrast with brilliantly lighted up bergs around them. 

 They looked like rocks of basalt. 



On February 15th, a remarkable twilight effect was seen 

 to the southward at about 10 p.m. A narrow band or line of 

 dazzling bright yellow light shone out through a long narrow 

 gap intervening between the lower edge of a densely dark cloud 

 bank and the equally dark, almost black, horizon line. The 

 horizon line was uneven, showing minute black projections or 

 jags, due to hummocky pack ice. 



The distant flat-topped icebergs showed out black and sharp, 

 with rectangular outlines against the bright band, and some of 

 them joined with their dark bodies, the dark cloud line to the 

 dark horizon line, bridging over the band of light. The whole 

 effect was very curious, and drew all on deck to gaze at it. 



We frequently enjoyed the sight of brilliant red sunsets. 

 Then the bergs directly between the observer and the illuminated 

 sky show a hard, almost black outline. Bergs lying on the 

 horizon, right and left of the setting sun, reflect the light from 

 their entire faces, or from those parts of their faces which lie at 

 the necessary angle. Hence, bright red bergs, and also fantastic 

 red forms, due to reflection from very uneven surfaces, appear on 

 the horizon. Bergs that are nearer take a salmon tint. 



In one remarkably brilliant sunset, just before the lower 

 limb of the sun reached the horizon, it was of a brilliant golden- 

 yellow, wdiich lit up the spars and shrouds of the ship with 

 a dazzling light. Later on, the horizon became excessively 

 dark. Above it was a streak of golden light, succeeded by 

 a band of green sky, the two colours being separated by a 

 narrow horizontal violet cloud. Above the green were dark 

 clouds lighted up with bright crimson at the edges. The 

 bergs reflected the crimson and yellow light, and assumed the 

 brightest hues. 



Bergs in the far distance, in ordinary daylight, when lighted 

 up often have a pinkish tinge, and then look remarkably like 

 land. The deception is very complete. No doubt Commodore 

 Wilkes was deceived by it. Bergs often also, from the presence 



