ERECT AND INVERTED IMAGES OF SHIPS. 141 



fifteen miles began to change their form and mag- 

 nitude, and when examined by a telescope from 

 the mast-head, exhibited some extraordinary ap- 

 pearances, which differed at almost every point 

 of the compass. One ship had a perfect image, as 

 dark and distinct as the original, united to its 

 mast-head in a reverse position. Two others pre- 

 sented two distinct inverted images in the air, one 

 of them a perfect figure of the original, and the 

 other wanting the hull. Two or three more were 

 strangely distorted, their masts appearing of at 

 least twice their proper height, the top-gallant 

 mast forming one-half of the total elevation ; and 

 other vessels exhibited an appearance totally dif- 

 ferent from all the preceding, being as it were 

 compressed, in place of elongated. Their masts 

 seemed to be scarcely one-half of their proper 

 altitude, in consequence of which one would have 

 supposed that they were greatly heeled-to one 

 side, or in the position called careening. Along 

 with all the images of the ships a reflexion of the 

 ice, sometimes in two strata, also appeared in the 

 air, and these reflexions suggested the idea of 

 cliffs composed of vertical columns of alabaster. 



On the 15th, 16th, and 17th of the same month, 

 Mr. Scoresby observed similar phenomena, some- 

 times extending continuously through half the 

 circumference of the horizon, and at other times 

 appearing only in detached spots in various quar- 

 ters. The inverted images of distant vessels 

 were often seen in the air, while the ships them- 

 selves were far beyond the reach of vision. Some 

 ships were elevated to twice their proper height, 

 while others were compressed almost to a line. 

 Hummocks of ice were surprisingly enlarged, and 



