Curiosities of Science, Past and Present / A Book for Old and Young

by John Timbs

ICEBERG OF THE POLAR SEAS.

The ice of this berg, although opaque and vascular, is true glacier ice, having the fracture, lustre, and other external characters of a nearly homogeneous growth. The iceberg is true ice, and is always dreaded by ships. Indeed, though modified by climate, and especially by the alternation of day and night, the polar glacier must be regarded as strictly atmospheric in its increments, and not essentially differing from the glacier of the Alps. The general appearance of a berg may be compared to frosted silver; but when its fractures are very extensive, the exposed faces have a very brilliant lustre. Nothing can be more exquisite than a fresh, cleanly fractured berg surface: it reminds one of the recent cleavage of sulphate of strontian—a resemblance more striking from the slightly lazulitic tinge of each.—U. S. Grinnel Expedition in Search of Sir J. Franklin.