158 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBEBGEN. 
the men sleep off the effects of yesterday’s rough 
toil. 
The men are satisfied that our seemingly new plan 
of sealing (by sailing our ship itself in their direction) 
is far preferable to the one in general use—in foggy 
weather especially. If silence can be secured on 
board, the ship slips through the thick atmosphere, 
and she may easily be mistaken for a harmless iceberg. 
Gliding along the sea, just out of reach of the long 
tongues of ice, but still near enough to shoot the bask¬ 
ing seals. The small icebergs are often muddy and 
discoloured near the water’s edge, and black blocks of 
ice are not uncommon. In this way their resemblance 
to a ship is not so difficult to comprehend. The men 
inspect their weapons and spin yarns as they give 
themselves up to a few hours of idle enjoyment. 
Next day, the 30th of June, the sun shines out upon 
the silver sea, whose surface is without a ripple. No 
one has as yet described the loveliness of an Arctic 
summer’s day, and we shall not be betrayed into the 
attempt. All nature enjoys the calm, and the little 
roaches (mergulus) in large flocks, forgetful of their 
constant employment in the search of food, give them¬ 
selves up to long hours of enjoyment; they come 
whirring past the bows of the schooner, and wheeling 
in their rapid flight, they rush with a surprising sound 
