FUKTHEIi VOYAGE OE THE IIANSA. 93 



ness at the point of contact of the two bows, thus giving 

 the impression that it stood across the vertical spot. The 

 two side mock suns, to the right and left of the sun, 

 were united by an elliptical arch, passing through it, 

 and were elongated, presenting the colours of the rain- 

 bow, and emitting a bright steel-grey pyramid or cone. 

 The red colour spread over the sun. 



Marine animal life was strikingly poor near the coast. 

 Gydippe and Beroe were not rare, but on the other hand 

 gammarus and amphipoda, which we noticed on the outer 

 ice boundary, were quite wanting. On the 15th of August 

 the dredge brought up some very fine Comatulcu and 

 Antedon Sarsii. Larus eburneus, the ivory gull, was often 

 fed from the ship, and caught by angling. Some birds 

 we let fly again, with a brass coin with " Hansa " upon 

 it fastened round their throats. At the beginning of 

 September Mergidus alle was common. We often saw 

 ravens. The hunting-expeditions from the 10th of 

 August to the blockading of the ship yielded nine seals, 

 amongst which were two crested seals, and one young 

 polar bear. 



Sunday, August 29th : steadily drifting forward in a 

 southerly direction. Of land we shall soon see nothing 

 more, and the ice is so dense on all sides that it is in vain 

 to look for an opening even from the crow's-nest. Our 

 position is growing every moment more serious ; but in 

 case of the worst, the boats are completely fitted and 

 victualled, on the deck, so that at a moment's notice they 

 can be lowered. 



