851 
East Coast of West Greenland. 
W. Long., distinguished by two remarkable hummocks at its extre- 
mities, was also seen ; its distance, by calculation, founded on astro- 
nomical observations, being 140 geographical, or 1 60 English miles. 
In an ordinary state of the atmosphere (supposing the refraction to 
be one-twelfth of the distance), any land to have been visible from a 
ship’s mast-head, 100 feet high, at a distance of 140 miles, must 
have been at least two nautical miles, or 12,000 feet in elevation ; 
but, as the land in question is not more than 3500 feet in altitude 
(by estimation), there must have been an extraordinary effect of re- 
fraction equal to 8500 feet. Nov/. angle corresponding with an 
altitude of 8500 feet, and a distance of 140 miles, is 34 / 47 // , the value 
of the extraordinary refraction, at the time the land was thus seen : 
or, calculating in the proportion of the distance, which is the most 
usual manner of estimating the refraction, it amounted to one-fourth 
of the arch of distance, instead of one-twelfth, the mean quantity. 
“ That land was seen under these circumstances there cannot be a 
doubt ; for it was observed to be in the same position, and under a 
similar form, on the 18th, 23d, 24th, and 25tlr July 1 821, when the ship 
was in longitude from 12° 30' to 1 1°50 / W., and on the 23d it remained 
visible for twenty -four hours together ; and, though often changing its 
appearance, by the varying influence of the refraction, it constantly 
preserved a uniformity of position, and general similarity of character. 
In my journal of this day, I find I have observed, that my doubts 
about the reality of the land were now entirely removed, since, with 
a telescope, from the mast-head f hills, dells, patches of snow, and 
masses of naked rock, could be satisfactorily traced, during four- 
and-twenty hours successively/ This extraordinary effect of refrac- 
tion, therefore, I conceive to be fully established.” P. 106 — 108. 
A thick fog prevailed the greater part of the 1 5th J une. On 
the 17th the weather was perfectly clear, and the land in sight 
all the day. As they advanced southward, some additional 
headlands were discovered, and the bearings of them taken. 
The Latitude at noon was 78° 17', Long. 17’ 40' W. On the 
18th, an opportunity again offered of prosecuting the surveys, 
and some additional bays, headlands, and islands, appeared in 
sight, but the distance was too great for getting their accurate 
outline. One of these we observe named Cape Franklin, in 
honour of the distinguished leader of the Arctic Land Expedi- 
tion, and others, in compliment to Freycinet, Humboldt, &c. 
The Latitude, at noon, was 78° 1', Long. 18’ 1' W. On the 
19th June the weather was calm and clear, and the sun warm 
and most oppressive. The sea reflected objects as accurately as 
a mirror, from its unruffled surface. 
“ Fj 6 st . ron £> ac d° n of the sun’s rays soon produced such an un- 
equal density in the atmosphere, that some of the most extraordina- 
ry phenomena to which this circumstance gives rise were exhibited. 
