SPITZBERGEN. EXCURSION ON SHOEE. 127 



of the mountain were larger than any we had yet 

 met with, the fracture was less fresh, and they were 

 more generally covered with lichens. 



From the brow of the mountain, on the side by 

 which we ascended, many masses of stone wore dis- 

 lodged by design or accident, which, whatever might 

 be their size, shape or weight, generally made their 

 way with accelerated velocity to the bottom. As 

 they bounded from rock to rock, they produced con- 

 siderable smoke at each concussion, and setting in 

 motion numerous fragments in their course, they 

 were usually accompanied by showers of stones, all 

 of which were lodged in a bed of snow, lying 2000 

 feet below the place where the first were disengaged. 

 This may aflbrd some idea of the nature of the incli- 

 nation. ]Most of the larger stones v»liich were set 

 off, broke into numbers of pieces ; but some consider- 

 able masses of a tabular form, wheeled down upon 

 their edges, and though they made bounds of several 

 hundred feet at a time, and acquired a most asto- 

 nishing velocity, they sometimes got to the bottom 

 without breaking. 



The prospect was most extensive and grand. A 

 fine sheltered bay was seen on the east of us, an 

 arm of the same on the north-east, and the sea, 

 whose glassy surface was unruffled by a breeze, 

 formed an immense expanse on the west ; the ice- 

 bergs rearing their proud crests almost to the tops 

 ©f the mountains between which they were lodged. 



