Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/104

Rh Resolute had been found by the very vessel I was now on, the George Henry.

I have just been describing the beauty of icebergs as seen on our way across; let me now attempt to picture some of those gorgeous sunsets and phenomena of Nature we witnessed. I extract from my diary at the time:—

"July 28th.—This evening the whole horizon has presented a most beautiful sight. A zone of rich mellow purple, with matchless tints darting upward to the height of some thirty degrees, met the eye. Then all at once, as the sun disappeared, the purple was replaced by a deep blue. As to the 'tints' of which I write, I am at a loss to describe them. Take a thousand rainbows—stretch them around the horizon—intermix them—entwine them—spin and twist them together, and you have the appearance of those tints crowning that zone, first of purple, then of blue.

"July 31st.—Strange sights to-night. Looking through my marine glass to the north-east, when the sun was about three degrees above the horizon, I was astonished at the view before me. Mountains, islands, icebergs, and the sea were in one vast confusion. From the sun northerly to the south-east, wherever I turned my glass, confusion worse than things confounded met my sight. A little reflection, however, brought me to a realization of the fact. The extraordinary appearance of every thing at and beyond the horizon was from 'refraction,' so called.

"We speak of this and that 'looming up' at home, but little did I think what it signified until this night. Mountains far distant—mountains whose true position was considerably below the horizon—were now considerably above it, and icebergs dangling from their tops! This refraction? It was Nature turned inside out! Nature turned topsy-turvy!! !!! Yes, Nature on a spree!

"As I went forward I was met by many of the crew (those now on their first voyage to these regions), who called my attention to some icebergs ahead that looked just like 'Bunker's Hill Monument,' only much higher. A few G 2