CONTINUED VOYAGE OF THE TWO SHIPS. 67 



undertaken by Dr. Berna, of Frankfort, and described by 

 Karl Vogt as one of those interested in the " Arctic 

 Expedition." He succeeded in landing at two places, 

 and the weather allowed of two days' interesting investi- 

 gation ; then the fog returned, and they were obliged to 

 set sail. 



The same envious fog made our landing impossible in 

 1869, and the strong rising sea-breeze and the high sea ren- 

 dered it unadvisable to go too near the land. We tacked, 

 therefore, and sailed in an east-south-easterly direction 

 from it, so as to go round the east side of the island, and 

 at midnight resume our northerly course. The fog was 

 continually getting thicker, so that our two ships could 

 scarcely see each other; and in order to keep together 

 at all were obliged to use the horn. A fine rain fell at 

 the same time, and it was about 2^ degrees warmer, 

 though, on the whole, most disagreeable weather. We 

 could now thoroughly enjoy the Arctic fog" as pictured 

 in books," and we felt the perfect truth and the full 

 meaning of the excellent descriptions given of it. 



We thought of the " sea-lungs " of Pytheas, that 

 impenetrable mixture encountered beyond Thule, which 

 is neither land, nor sea, nor atmosphere ; of that bit of 

 Horace, — 



" Quod latus muiuli nebula inalusque 

 Jupiter urget." 



We thought of the troublous gloominess with which the 

 northern legends enveloped the unknown ice region ; and 

 indeed began to believe in the influence which a long 

 sojourn in such a climate would have upon mind and body. 

 Indeed, there can be nothing more melancholy than 

 tliis everlasting grey veil ; even the sea, as f^ir as one can 



