THE ARCTIC SEAS. 139 



able in indicating the presence of ice below the hori- 

 zon; or by the dark spots and patches in it corre- 

 sponding to the openings of water, directing the 

 seamen, when beset, how to reach them, when other- 

 wise their existence would be unknown. 



The officers engaged in the late expeditions of dis- 

 covery have remarked the impossibility of correctly 

 measuring distances by the eye when traversing a 

 plain of unbroken snow or ice. Sometimes in tra- 

 velling, they would discern what appeared to be a 

 rock or a hummock of ice of considerable magnitude, 

 and at a great distance ; and having set their course 

 by it, rejoicing that for some time the painful strain- 

 ing of the sight in keeping the direction would be 

 spared by the advantage of so conspicuous a mark, in 

 a minute or two they would reach it, when it would 

 turn out to be some insignificant object, scarcely 

 larger than a hat. 



Some of the effects of intense cold, as witnessed 

 in these northern climes, are mentioned by Mr. 

 Scoresby, and are interesting, because they never 

 occur in our own country. After mentioning a very 

 sudden depression of the temperature, he says : — 

 "This remarkable change was attended with singular 

 effects. The circulation of the blood was accelerated ; 

 a sense of parched dryness was excited in the nose ; 

 the mouth, or rather the lips, were contracted in all 

 their dimensions, as by a sphincter, and the articula- 

 tion of many words was rendered difficult and imper- 

 fect ; indeed, every part of the body was more or less 

 stimulated or disordered by the severity of the cold. 

 A piece of metal, when applied to the tongue, in- 



