22 Icebergs of the Ant Arctic Sea. [July, 



mid-summer — that snows did not descend, and water congeal into 

 ice upon our decks. 



The powerful winds which prevail in these high latitudes, act- 

 ing with their usual energy upon such portions of the land as are 

 freely exposed to their sweeping influence, have a direct tendency 

 in the first instance, to drift up and fill the valleys and other de- 

 pressions with snow, until they become almost even with the 

 adjoining hills; it is then, by the pressure of the enormous 

 weight, that it is speedily condensed into solid ice. During this 

 process it is, that those numerous shrinkage fissures are also pro- 

 duced, that are to be seen traversing the glaciers in almost every 

 possible direction. 



In passing along the surfaces of these glaciers, the journey oft- 

 times becomes one of extreme peril to the incautious traveller, 

 from the circumstance that the fissures are not unfrequently crust- 

 ed over by a thin and fragile covering of snow, which readily 

 yields to his footstep, and suddenly precipitates him some hun- 

 dreds of feet below.* It is in this manner that animals some- 

 times perish, and when at length discovered, firmly imbeded in 

 the drifting ice, give rise to no small degree of surprise and va- 

 ried speculation. 



The carcasses of penguins and seals, which in the greatest pro- 

 fusion inhabit the southern lands, were, in several instances, ob- 

 served in such positions; and it is in this way that the remains of 

 animals are frequently conveyed to distant shores, and deposited 

 in climes in every way uncongenial to their species. 



From the constantly increasing w'eight of accumulating snows 

 above, these glaciers are silently and almost imperceptibly en- 

 croaching on the sea, so as, in many places, to project far over 

 its foaming waves. Sometimes they are seen gradually to ap- 

 proach from opposite directions, and eventually to bridge over 

 some of the narrower straits that in various places divide the 

 land ; in most instances, however, they are observed to encompass 



• This, but to an unimportant depth, occurred to one of the officers of our 

 ship, and it was only after a considerable time had elapsed, and some exer- 

 tion on our part, that he was ultimately relieved. 



