OF THE POLAR SEA. 



23 



the Aurora Borealis appeared, of a pale 

 ochre colour, with a slight tinge of red, in 

 an arched form, crossing the zenith from 

 N.W. to S.E., but afterwards they assumed 

 various shapes, and had a rapid motion. 



On the 5th of August, a party of the offi- 

 cers endeavoured to get on one of the larger 

 icebergs, but ineffectually, owing to the 

 steepness and smoothness of its sides, and 

 the swell produced by its undulating mo- 

 tion. This was one of the largest we saw> 

 and Mr. Hood ascertained its height to be 

 one hundred and forty-nine feet ; but these 

 masses of ice are frequently magnified to 

 an immense size, through the illusive me- 

 dium of a hazy atmosphere, and on this 

 account their dimensions have often been 

 exaggerated by voyagers. 



In the morning of the 7th, the Island of 

 Resolution was indistinctly seen through the 

 haze, but was soon afterwards entirely 

 hidden by a very dense fog. The favour- 

 able breeze subsided into a perfect calm, 

 and left the ship surrounded by loose ice. 

 At this time the Eddystone was perceived 



