12 FINE ARCTIC SCENERY. Chap. I. 



It was necessary to push through the Spitzbergen ice, and 

 we fortunately succeeded in doing so after eighteen hours 

 of buffeting with this formidable enemy ; at first we found it 

 tolerably loose, and the wind being strong and favourable, 

 we thumped along pleasantly enough ; but as we advanced, 

 the ice became much more closely packed, a thick fog came 

 on, and many hard knocks were exchanged ; at length our 

 steam carried us through into the broad belt of clear water 

 between the ice and land, which Petersen assured me always 

 exists here at this season. 



The dense fog now prevented further progress, and as 

 evening closed in I gave up all hope of improvement for 

 the night : when suddenly, the fog rolled back upon the land 

 disclosing some islets close to us, then the rugged points 

 of mainland, and at length, the distant snowy mountain- 

 peaks against a deep blue sky. We found ourselves to be 

 upon the Tallard Bank, 30 miles north of our port, having 

 been rapidly carried northward by the Spitzbergen current. 



The evening became bright and delightful ; the whole 

 extent of coast was fringed with innumerable islets, backed 

 by lofty mountains, and, being richly tinted by a glorious 

 western sun, formed an unusually splendid sight. Greenland 

 unveiled to our anxious gaze, that memorable evening, all 

 the magnificence of her wondrous natural beauty. It almost 

 seemed as if to welcome us, she thus suddenly cast off her 

 dingy mantle and shone forth with an impressive grandeur 

 which alpine scenery alone can equal. 



A faint streak apparently of mist, which we could not 

 account for, still extended across a low wide interval in the 

 mountain range ; the telescope revealed its true character, — 

 it was a portion of the distant mighty glacier. 



July 20th. — This morning the chief trader of the settle- 

 ment, or, as he is more usually styled by the English, the 

 Governor, came off to us, and his pilot soon conducted us 



