VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEX. 47 



surface of the water. Its circumference was con- 

 siderable. 



These floating mountains of ice, to which Dutch 

 navigators have given the name of Icebergs, and 

 which are of all different magnitudes, are origi- 

 nally formed on land. The sun, even in those 

 high latitudes, has a considerable power in melt- 

 ing the snow on the mountains, which, running 

 down into the valleys, and again congealing, seg- 

 ments frequently break off from the entire mass, 

 and fall into the sea. The ice of which these 

 floating masses are composed, is of various colours. 

 The original fresh water ice is sometimes incrust- 

 ed with that formed from the sea water, and this 

 again is covered with new ice formed of fallen 

 snow. The different positions of the spectator 

 relatively to the incidental rays of light, varies 

 likewise the seeming hue of the whole. In some 

 parts it emulates the vividness of the emerald, and 

 in others, the most beautiful sapphire. When 

 the iceberg is totally composed of melted snow, 

 which is sometimes but partly the case, the re- 

 fraction of the solar rays is the most beautiful ; 

 and the appearance of those floating mountains 

 on the side opposite the sun, presents such a blaze 

 of light, intermingled with different glowing tints, 

 as totally to baffle description. 



