Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/286

1841
Jan. 17.

of light which the different forms of their icy coverings exhibited; and which, whilst attracting the admiration, and delighting the eye, could not fail also to improve the mind; for how was it possible thus to admire the stupendous and magnificent fabric, without our thoughts rising in adoration of the Author, and Maker, and Preserver of all?

The fine afternoon proved a source of real enjoyment after so much bad weather, and a proof of the extraordinary clearness of the atmosphere occurred worthy of notice. We had been sailing directly off to the eastward during the whole of the late gale, and on the fog and snow clearing away, both the angles and observations concurred in placing us at a distance of ninety miles from the mountains, which we still saw so clearly that many, unaccustomed to the deceptive appearances and uncertainty in estimating distances from land, would have supposed we were not more than thirty or forty miles from them. Mount Herschel subtended an angle with the horizon of thirty-six minutes, and might have been seen under equally favourable circumstances at thirty or forty miles further off. A heavy stream of ice, about a mile broad, lying in the direction of the wind, and extending to the north and south beyond the reach of vision from the mast-head, was passed through without difficulty, and with only a few severe blows as we forced our way amongst it. The temperature of the sea had fallen to 28°, and we naturally expected soon to meet with the main pack, of which a strong