156 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
feet in height. This phenomenon, so very extra- 
ordinary and singularly beautiful in these regions, 
is produced by two streams of air of different tem- 
peratures, which occasion an irregular deposition of 
imperfectly condensed vapour, passing the verge of 
the horizon. 
Had not the ship been surrounded by 
July 25 . would not have been possible to 
conceive that we were in the arctic regions, for a 
brighter sun never shone in England, and the 
thermometer, influenced by its beams, was at 66°. 
Its genial warmth animated the creatures of this 
frozen sea, and the ides of July brought with them 
their attendant consequences. The powerful blow- 
ings of unicorns were heard on every side, the 
males were chasing the females, and all were in an 
unusual state of gaiety. Such was the astonishing 
transparency of the sea, that I distinctly observed 
a narwal, at least a hundred feet below the surface, 
and not only saw it turn upon its side to look 
at the boat, but could afterwards plainly discover 
that it was a female fish. After coming to the 
surface several times in the most sportive manner, 
it at length rose upwards of thirty yards from the 
boat, when I fired a harpoon from my small gun 
designed only for shells ; but the excessive impetus 
of the discharge broke the shackle, and knocked 
me over the boat’s thwart, without any injury, 
however, beyond a slight bruise. From this acci- 
dent, I had the misfortune to lose the fish, for the 
gun having entangled the rope, the sharp p^rt af 
