112 THE OCEAN. 



which these polar glaciers ever present. A strong 

 north-westerly swell having for some hours been 

 beating on the shore, had loosened a number of frag- 

 ments attached to the iceberg, and various heaps of 

 broken ice denoted recent shoots of the seaward edge. 

 As we rode towards it, with a view of proceeding 

 clo-se to its base, I observed a few little pieces fall 

 from the top ; and while my eye was fixed upon the 

 place, an immense column, probably fifty feet square, 

 and one hundred and fifty feet high, began to leave 

 the parent ice at the top, and leaning majestically 

 forward, with an accelerated velocity fell with an 

 awful crash into the sea. The water into which it 

 plunged was converted into an appearance of vapour 

 or smoke, like that from a furious cannonading. The 

 noise was equal to that of thunder, which it nearly 

 resembled. The column which fell was nearly square, 

 and in mamitude resembled a church. It broke into 

 thousands of pieces. This circumstance was a happy 

 caution, for we might inadvertently have gone to the 

 very base of the icy cliff, from whence masses of 

 ignitude were continually breaking. 



considerable magnitude were continually breaking."* 



" 'Tis sunset : to the firmament serene 

 The Atlantic wave refiects a gorgeous scene ; 

 Broad in the cloudless west, a belt of gold 

 Girds the blue hemisphere ; above unroll'd, 

 The keen clear air grows palpable to sight, 

 Embodied in a flush of crimson light, 

 Through which the evening star, with milder gleam. 

 Descends to meet her image in the stream. 

 Far in the east, what spectacle unknown 

 Allures the eye to gaze on it alone ? 



• Arctic Regions, i. 104. 



