42 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



dotted with numerous fantastic icebergs. The contrast between 

 the dark sombre rocks of the hills and the dazzling whiteness of 

 the glaciers was enhanced by the streams of sunlight which 

 flooded the interior, while the coast was veiled by the fog clouds. 



The weather remained clear throughout the night and next 

 day, as we passed northward along the rugged coast of Green- 

 land, catching many views of its great ice-cap behind the 

 numerous high islands that fringe the coast. The greater part 

 of the surface of these islands was free from snow; glaciers 

 were only seen in the higher valleys. The ice in the long fiords 

 and the channels had broken up and been carried away, so that 

 only numerous icebergs were seen along the shores. In the 

 afternoon considerable heavy field ice was passed on the west. 

 Our noon observation placed us about twenty miles off the 

 Danish settlement of Upernivik, to the northward of which 

 the sea was filled with great icebergs, they being especially 

 numerous in the neighbourhood of the Devils Thumb island, 

 so named on account of the prominent peak bearing some resem- 

 blance to that member. 



When the Duck islands had been reached the ship's course 

 was changed to westward to cross the dreaded Melville bay. 

 This great bay owes its bad name to the quantities of heavy ice 

 infesting its waters during the early summer, and the whalers 

 count themselves lucky if the delay does not exceed three weeks. 



We steamed directly across for Cape York, ahead of a strong 

 gale of wind accompanied by heavy rain and sleet, and saw no 

 ice until within a short distance of the cape, where broken floes 

 and icebergs formed a fringe extending a mile or so from the 

 land. Continuing westward close along the outer margin of the 

 ice we were abreast of Cape York at three in the afternoon, 

 having made a record passage across the bay. 



The weather becoming very thick, we shortly after stood 

 inside the outer stringers of ice, and kept close to the ironbound 



