dy of the berg, a pure marble-like white in the
centre, gradually assumed a translucent appearance toward the edges, in
which the rays of the sun gleamed and sparkled so brilliantly that the
mass resembled nothing so much as a gigantic opal.

The other large berg, which in the first instance was only remarkable
for its enormous size, lay on the western horizon at a distance of some
eleven miles, and, when the travellers first directed their gaze upon
it, presented the appearance of a vast mass of a uniform very pale tint
of opaque blue rising above the rosy waters. But as they looked upon it
the setting sun drew round toward its rear, and then the pale blue
opaque tint gradually quickened into translucency and quivered here and
there with sudden golden and roseate gleams of indescribable beauty. As
the sun neared the berg these gleams and flashes deepened in tint and
became mingled in the most bewildering and delightful manner with rays
of rich sea-green, warm violet, and delicate purple. Finally the sun,
just skimming the edge of the horizon, passed behind the berg, when it
at once flamed out into a dazzling blinding blaze, as though the berg
had taken fire. For a space of perhaps half a minute this dazzling
spectacle continued with scarcely diminished brilliancy; then the blaze
deepened from gold to crimson, momentarily subsiding in intensity and
increasing in depth of colour until it stood out against the horizon an
immense mass of blood-red hue. The red deepened into purple, the purple
into violet, and at last, probably when the sun had entirely sunk
beneath the horizon, the violet faded gradually to a pale cold lifeless
grey.

"Superb!"

"Magnificent!"

"Delightful!"

"Beautiful as a dream!"

Such were the exclamations which burst from the lips of the travellers
as they turned away with a sigh at the transitory nature of the beauties
they had just been witnessing, when lo! the scene to the eastward had
donned new glories. The sun had vanished below the horizon, and the
lower portions of the bergs were therefore in cold blue shadow; but as
the glance travelled upwards the blue became merged by imperceptible
degrees into a delicate amethystine tint, which, growing gradually
warmer and more ruddy, passed by a thousand gradations through the
richest rose and orange tints to the purest golden-yellow, out of which
the projecting points and pinnacles of ice flashed and sparkled like
living flame. This fairy