IN THE ICE. 35 



but its influence Avas every where the same, 1824. 

 and the distant ice appeared to form one con- August. 

 tinned high wall, which entirely encircled us. 

 A fresh north-west wind set in at night-fall, 

 and we hung to the largest piece of floe-ice we 

 could find. The Aurora was visible tor several 

 hours, chiefly in the zenith, where the figure 

 it most delighted to assume, was that of a long 

 waving serpent of the most dazzling brilliancy; 

 and I was now fully convinced of my error in 

 having formerly asserted, ^ that the prismatic 

 colours are not visible in this phenomenon,* 

 for the most vivid purple, light blue, pink, yel- 

 low, and green, alternately bordered and min- 

 gled with the wild fire above us. 



At daylight on the 12th we had driven con- 

 siderably, owing to the smallness of our floe, 

 but no other was found of a greater size. 

 Standing alongside in the forenoon and la- 

 menting to one of the ofiicers the want of 

 amusing incident so much required while lying 

 helpless in the ice, we suddenly saw^ an Esqui- 

 maux close at hand, and paddling very quietly 

 towards us. He required but little encourage- 

 ment to land, and having hauled his boat up 

 on the ice, immediately began to barter the 

 little fortune he carried in his kayak. I was 

 happy to find that he understood me perfectly, 



D 2 



