S84 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



observe, that on one occasion, my Father, in the 

 ship Resolution, accompanied by several other ves- 

 sels, was surrounded by a vast quantity of drift-ice, 

 aggregated so closfely, that the navigation became 

 extremely troublesome. Observing by the blink, a 

 field of ice surrounded with open water, at a great 

 distance northward, he immediately stood towards it, 

 though the wind was south *, the weather tempes- 

 tuous, and the intervening ice apparently closely 

 packed. To the astonishment of the seamen of his 

 own, and the masters of some accompanying ships, 

 he, after some hours of arduous manoeuvring, gained 

 the edge of the field. His crew immediately began 

 a successful fishery, while the people belonging the 

 ships they left, had sufficient employment in provid- 

 ing for their OAvn safety. 



There are several phenomena of the atmosphere 

 caused by refraction, which deserve to be noticed. 

 Under certain circumstances, all objects seen on the 

 horizon, seem to be lifted above it a distance of 2 

 to 4, or more minutes of altitude, or so far extend- 

 ed in height above their natural dimensions. Ice, 

 land, ships, boats, and other objects, when thus en- 

 larged and elevated, are said to loom. The lower 

 parts of looiiimg objects, are sometimes connected 

 with the sensible horizon, by an apparent fibrous or 



• The fishermen ha\'^e a great aversion to running north- 

 ward among crowded ice with a southerly wind^ as it can 

 rarely be accomplished without considerable hazard of getting 

 beset. 



