ICE CHANGES. 
223 
by the sextant, was 22° 04'; that of the outer, 40° 15'. 
The lower portions of "both were beneath the horizon, 
and of course not seen. 
" From the central disk proceeded four radii, coin- 
cident with the vertical and the horizontal diameters 
of the circles. 
" Their visible points of intersection were marked 
by bright parhelia; each parhelion having its circum- 
ference well defined, but compressed so as to have no 
resemblance to the solar disk. 
Six of these were visible at the same moment ; those 
of the outer circle being fainter than the inner. Touch- 
ing the upper circumference of this outer circle was 
the arc of a third, which extended toward the zenith. 
Indeed, at one time I thought I saw a luminosity over- 
head, which may have corresponded to its centre. The 
tints of this supplemental circle were very bright. The 
glowing atmosphere about the sun was very striking. 
" The strange openings in the water of a few hours 
ago are now great rivers, lined by banks of hummocks, 
and wreathed in frost smoke. The continually in- 
creasing wind from the northward explains this south- 
ern drift of the ice, and with it these unwelcome open- 
ings. We are stationary, and the detached ice is leav- 
ing us. 
" The strong floe of ice-table under ice-table, and 
hummock upon hummock, makes our position one of 
nearly complete solidity. We are glued up in ice ; 
and to liberate us, some fearful disruption must take 
place. Twenty. five feet of solid ice is no feeble ma- 
trix for a brig drawing but ten. Yet the water is wider, 
and still widening aiound us ; so that now we hold 
on — ^that is, our floe holds on, to the great mass to the 
north of us, like a little peninsular cape. 
