SURVEY OF THE GREENLAND SEA. 175 



give the water a lighter or darker shade ; but it has 

 little effect on its real colour. For, observed in this 

 vv^ay, the same colours may be recognised in storm, 

 or calm, in fine weather or foul, clear or cloudy, 

 fair or showery, being ahvays nearly the same. 



The colour of the Greenland Sea varies from ul- 

 tramarine blue to olive green, and from the most 

 pure transparency to striking opacity. These ap- 

 pearances are not transitory, but permanent ; not 

 depending on the state of the weather, but on the 

 quality of the water. Hudson, when he visited 

 this quarter in the year 1607, noticed the changes 

 in the colour of the sea, and made the observation, 

 that the sea was blue where there was ice, and green 

 where it was most open. This circumstance, however, 

 was merely accidental. Captain Phipps does not ap- 

 pear to have met with any of the green water. This 

 kind of water occurs in considerable quantity, form- 

 ing, perhaps, one-fourth part of the surface of the 

 Greenland Sea, between the parallels of 74° and 80". 

 It is liable to alterations in its position, from 

 the action of the current ; but still it is always re- 

 newed, near certain situations, from year to year. 

 Often it constitutes long bands or streams, lying 

 north and south, or north-east and south-west ; but 

 of very variable dimensions : sometimes, I have seen 

 it extend two or three degrees of latitude in length, 

 and from a few miles, to ten or fifteen leagues in 

 breadth. It occurs very commonly about the meri- 



