204 
LETTERS FROM HIGH LATITUDES. 
branches, and a foliage as delicate as the efflorescence of 
molten metal; or a fairy dragon, that breasted the water 
in scales of emerald; or anything else that yonr fancy 
chose to conjure up. After a little time the mist again 
descended on the scene, and dulled each glittering form 
to a shapeless mass of white; while in spite of all our 
endeavours to keep upon our northerly course, we were 
constantly compelled to turn and wind about in every 
direction—sometimes standing on for several hours at 
a stretch to the southward and eastward. These per¬ 
petual embarrassments became at length very wearying, 
and in order to relieve the tedium of our progress 
I requested the Doctor to remove one of my teeth. 
This he did with the greatest ability—a wrench to 
starboard,—another to port,—and up it flew through 
the cabin sky-light. 
During the whole of that afternoon and the follow¬ 
ing night we made but little Northing at all, and the 
next day the ice seemed more pertinaciously in our way 
than ever; neither could we relieve the monotony of 
the hours by conversing with each other on the black 
boards, as the mist was too thick for us to distinguish 
from on board one ship anything that was passing on 
