280 
GREENLAND VOYAGE. 
now described, to account for which, on the ordi¬ 
nary principles of reflection and refraction from 
globular bodies, seems to be difficult, if at all 
practicable. 
I have often contemplated these beautiful spec- 
trums with peculiar pleasure. The prospect, at 
the time of their occurrence, being circumscribed 
by the fog, to an area of a few acres, serves to fix 
the attention more closely on the only interesting 
object that meets the eye, whose radiance, and har¬ 
mony of colouring, added to the singular appear¬ 
ance of the observer’s shadow, dignified, as it were, 
by an attendant glory, can scarcely fail to be pro¬ 
ductive of sensations of admiration and delight. 
In the year 1820, I recollect observing another 
circle besides those that have been described, of 
larger diameter than No. 4. As it was a faint 
whitish-grey circle, while No. 4., seen at the 
same time, was variegated with the principal co¬ 
lours of the spectrum, it seems probable that it 
was merely the secondary rain-bow continued 
throughout the circle. The same number of co- 
ronaj also occurred on the day of the present 
voyage under which these remarks are introduced. 
The three interior circles were prismatic, the 
colours being in the same order as in those seen 
on the 23d July 1821, excepting No. 2., which 
seemed to commence with yellow towards the 
centre, then red, purple, blue, &c. No. 1. was ra. 
