4j40 account of the akctic iiegions. 



that whatever form the first few particles that com- 

 bine may assume, others, which afterwards come 

 within their attraction, can adhere in no other than 

 con-espondent positions, until the figure is perfect- 

 ed by the balancing or the neutralizing of their 

 united polarities. And as the connecting of the 

 two poles of a magnet by a piece of iron, suppresses 

 its power and intercepts its attraction for other iron, 

 so, the perfecting of a snow-crystal, after a regular 

 geometrical form, it appears, suspends the attractive 

 property of its substance for extraneous atoms ; but 

 so long, it would seem, as one single particle is 

 wanting, the annexed surfaces exert their attraction, 

 until some particle comes within their influence an(| 

 completes the crystal. 



Fog or mist, is the last meteor that remains to 

 be considered. This is one of the greatest annoy- 

 ances that the arctic whalers have to encounter. It 

 frequently prevails during the greater part of the 

 month of July, and sometimes for considerable in- 

 tervals in June and August. Its density is often 

 such, that it circumscribes the prospect to an area 

 of a few acres, not being pervious to sight at the dis- 

 tance of 100 yards. It frequently lies so very low, 

 that the brightness of the sun is scarcely at all in- 

 tercepted ; in such cases, substances warmed by the 

 sun's rays, give to the air immediately above them, 

 .an increased capacity for moisture, by which evapora- 



