166 
GKEEKLAND VOYAGE. 
ject to a distortive influence;—these appeared 
above a cliff of ice, elevated by refraction, like ob¬ 
long black streaks, lengthened out, but compressed 
almost to the breadth of a line. 
The land also exhibited some curious appear¬ 
ances. In many places there were patches resem¬ 
bling two obtuse pyramids united by their apices, 
the upper one, though quite as distinct as the 
other, being evidently the inverted image only of 
the lower one. In occasional positions, where 
two of these double pyramids were near together, 
the upper limbs of the higher pyramids coalesced, 
so as to present the appearance of prodigious 
bridges, some leagues in extent, with a clear at¬ 
mosphere beneath them. Sometimes these pyra¬ 
mids were so compressed and multiplied, that 
three or four were seen in a vertical series, forming 
so many distinct horizontal strata, joining in the 
middle, but all detached at the extremities. 
The general telescopic appearance of these 
coasts, when under the influence of unequal refrac¬ 
tion, is frequently that of an extensive ancient 
city, abounding with the ruins of castles, obelisks, 
churches, andmonuments, with other large andcon- 
spieuous buildings. Some of the hills often appear 
to be surmounted with turrets, battlements, spires, 
and pinnacles; while others, subjected to another 
kind of refraction, exhibit large masses of rock, an- 
