J 26 TBK OCEAN^. 



zon ; or by the dark spots and patches m 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 travel- 

 ling, 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 straining 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 tlie 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, Avhen applied to the tongue, in- 

 stantly adhered to it, and could not be removed 



