96 GREENLAND VOYAGE. 
In connection with the observations for deter¬ 
mining the Baffin’s deviation, I took the neces¬ 
sary altitudes and azimuths of the sun for the 
variation of the compass, which, on a mean of 
two sets, gave 42° 8' W. The latitude, at the 
same time, was 78° 54', and the longitude, by the 
chronometer (its rate corrected by subsequent ob¬ 
servations), was 16° 39' W. I also took a set of 
bearings of the most remarkable points, moun¬ 
tains, and inlets of the coast of Greenland, a con¬ 
siderable extent of which was in sight, for the 
purpose of conducting a survey of this unknown 
country, should sufficient opportunities during 
the voyage occur. 
The weather during this busy day was most 
favourable for my various observations and ope¬ 
rations. In the evening it was calm, with a bril¬ 
liant sun, and very curious exhibitions of the phe¬ 
nomena of unequal refraction. Hummocks of 
ice assumed the forms of castles, obelisks, and 
spires; and the laud presented extraordinary fea¬ 
tures. In some places, the distant ice was so 
extremely irregular, and appeared so full of pin¬ 
nacles, that it resembled a forest of naked trees, 
(Plate II. Fig. l. # ): in others it had the cha- 
* In the plates illustrative of the optical effects of un¬ 
equal refraction, it should be observed, that many anachro- 
