Chap. X.] ■ COLOUR OF ICEBERGS. 213 



The colouring of the crevasses, caves, and hollows is of the 

 deepest and purest possible azure blue. None of our artists on 

 board were able to approach a representation of its intensity. 

 It seemed to me a much more powerful colour than that which 

 is to be seen in the ice of Swiss glaciers. In the case of the 

 bergs with all their sides exposed, no doubt a greater amount 

 of light is able to penetrate than in glaciers where the light can 

 usually only enter at the top. A large berg full of cav'es and 

 crevasses, seen on a bright day, is a most beautiful and striking 

 object. 



One small berg was passed at a distance which was of 

 remarkable colour. It looked just like a huge crystal of sul- 

 phate of copper, being all intensely blue, but it seemed as if 

 attached to, and forming part of, another berg of normal colour. 

 Possibly it was part of the formerly submerged l)ase, and of 

 more than ordinary density. Only one other such was seen. 

 l"he intensity of the blue light is ordinarily such that the grey 

 sky behind appears distinctly reddened, assuming the comple- 

 mentary tint, and the reddening appears most intense close to 

 the berg. 



At night bergs appear as if they had a very slight luminous 

 glow, almost as if they were to very small extent phosphorescent. 



The sea at the foot of the bergs usually looks of a dark indigo 

 colour, partly, no doubt, out of contrast to the brighter blue of 

 the ice. Where spurs and platforms run out under water from 

 the bases of the cliffs, the shallow water is seen to be lighted 

 up by reflection of the light from these. 



The surf beats on the coast of an iceberg as on a rocky shore, 

 and washes and dashes in and out of the gullies and caverns, 

 and up against the cliffs. Washing in and out of the caves, it 

 makes a resounding roar, which, when many bergs surround the 

 ship, is very loud. So heavy is the surf, and so steep are 

 their sides as a rule, that we did not see one on which we could 

 well have landed from a boat. 



As the waves wash up into the wash-lines they form icicles, 

 which are to be seen hanging in rows from the upper border 

 of these grooves. 



A line of fragments is always to be seen drifting away from 

 a large berg. These are termed wash-pieces. They are very 

 instructive as showing the vast relative extent of submerged ice 

 required to float a small portion above water; the parts of the 

 fragments below water being visible from a ship's deck. 



The scenic effects produced by large numbers of icebergs, 

 some in the foreground, others scattered at all distances to the 

 horizon and beyond it, are very varied and remarkable, de- 

 pending on the varying effects of light and atmosphere. 



