72 THE GEEMAN ATICTIC EXPEDITION. 



at work upon them for some time past. From the rushing 

 of the water the edges were rounded and hollowed ; they 

 ranged from four to twelve inches out of the water, whilst 

 the mass under the water was about four times as great. 

 On the surface, as we have already mentioned, they were 

 covered with the melting ice like snow some inches high ; 

 and on the larger ones small pools of water were found, 

 which generally make their appearance about the begin- 

 ning of July, and about the beginning of August are 

 again covered with a crust of ice. Remove the snow 

 and we come once more to the glistening blue ice. 

 Between the floes are hummocks, miniature mountains 

 so to speak, which rise in various forms, now elegant, 

 now bold, and from the crevices and shaded plains shed 

 the most beautiful blue light. This blue changes some- 

 times to a green ; indeed, one is often surprised to see a 

 most lovely emerald green. Taking also into considera- 

 tion that this almost always quiet water reflects the 

 clearest pictures, one can imagine how great a charm 

 this ice scenery must have for a novice. But it is not 

 only the beautiful and majestic which has such an effect, 

 but all sorts of fantastic shapes which delight the be- 

 holder by their wonderful variety. For instance, the 

 small or large ice-blocks, from melting and the washing 

 of the water, frequently assume the most peculiar forms. 

 Here rides a stately swan, there an eagle spreads its 

 mighty wings; here a staring seal stretches its head 

 out of the water, and there stands an elegant marble 

 table. 



At home, when wishing to picture such things out of 

 the clouds, or the ice-trees on the windows, one must exer- 

 cise a certain amount of imagination ; here they are forced 



