ICE SCENERY. 271 



spot tlie ice rose like steep rocky masses, or solitary 

 columns, points, and peaks, to a height of from twenty 

 to thirty feet. Forcing our way through this labyrinth, 

 we were astonished at the sight of a fine broad sea of 

 clear, light green water. The snow, changed into ice, 

 covered these floes so thickly that we often sank as if in 

 soft snow-drifts to the depth of from two to four feet. 



We were particularly interested in watching the small 

 creatures in the sea, which we did by lying flat upon the 

 ice and looking over the edge of the floe : the stickleback 

 (Galanus liypevhoreiis, K.) were turning summersaults up 

 to the surface, their red feelers coming into strong relief 

 against the blue background ; then came a yellow spot, 

 gradually increasing until we recognized a small craw- 

 fish (Lysianassa) hmTiedly wending its way to the surface, 

 and then laying itself in a niche, or on a tongue of ice to 

 rest, nothing but the constant motion of its webbed feet 

 showing that the creature lived. Now and again in the 

 depths, a fine Beroe might be seen moving slowly on its 

 way. 



It was a fine, still midnight, too wonderfully solemn 

 and grand to be easily forgotten. The fog had almost 

 entirely disappeared, and lay to the east, like a bank over 

 the water. The sea was perfectly calm, so that the ice 

 was clearly reflected, and where the water was visible it 

 had taken different colours ; under the clouds it lay dark, 

 and from blackish brown to yellowish ; and where the 

 atmosphere was clear it glistened a transparent green. 

 Even to the brush of an experienced artist, it would be 

 no light task to render the different colours and lights 

 truly; this soft red of the sun upon the ice; on the 

 shady side of the blocks, the softest blue and violet ; and 

 between, the deepest, coldest shadow. Effects such as 



