Glaciers and Climate of Spiizbefgen. 93 



tion of 7791 feet for reducing that temperature to the freezing point ; and 

 hence we may reckon this about the altitude of the upper line of congelation 

 when frost perpetually prevails." Now, certainly in this statement it is dis- 

 tinctly stated that the warmth of the climate during summer is so great, as is 

 sufficient for the solution of the snow, even on the tops of the mountains, which cir* 

 cumstance is rendered remarkable, when contrasted with the condition of 

 mountains in lower latitudes ; and Ben Nevis in Scotland is exemplified as 

 retaining its crest of snow throughout the year, though nearly of the same ele- 

 vation as the hills in Spitzbergen. ! Now, what other conclusion could we 

 draw from such a statement, than that our author meant to convey the notion, 

 that at the one place the warmth of the climate in summer is somehow so 

 great, that all the snow of winter, even on the tops of the mountains, is dissolved 

 by it, whilst, at the other place, hills of equal elevation retain their crest of 

 snow, the warmth of the climate not being sufficient for its solution. No doubt it is 

 well known that the presence of snow in summer on Ben Nevis, like that on 

 Lebanon, Mount Jura, and various sequestered nooks in the Apennines, with 

 other alpine situations below the circle of perpetual frost, depends not on the 

 frigidity of the atmosphere, but almost entirely on local peculiarities, and is 

 nearly as little under the influence of climate, as the frozen stores in our 

 ice-houses ; but Mr Scoresby here does not seem to reckon on the effects of 

 local situation, but mentions the appearance as a matter of contrast between the 

 summer heat of the two countries ; and if he says the snow in Spitzbergen is not 

 only entirely dissolved, but if he also places the circle of congelation at a 

 much greater height than we find it over Scotland, is it not distinctly implied 

 that the climate of the former is considered warmer during summer than that 

 of the latter? 



Such, I think, is the only construction we can put on this portion of Mr 

 Scoresby 's narrative. It now remains that we adduce those facts which are 

 hostile to his allegations. They result from personal investigation ; and what 

 I consider of no mean importance, are supported by Mr Scoresby's own evi- 

 dence. 



During the warmest portion of the very hot summer of 1818, I passed se- 

 veral days on the shores of Spitzbergen. My time, otherwise unoccupied, 

 was spent in ranging through the country, in the course of which I traversed 

 one of the principal glaciers, or wonderful valleys of ice, for which this strange 

 land is famed. I made a short excursion inland. And whilst the ship's crew 

 were occupied in securing the blubber of a very large whale, found dead on the 

 strand, I explored a considerable portion of the shore, and climbed a moun- 

 tain, from the summit of which I had a view of the interior. These various 

 excursions afforded me ample opportunity of making observations, the result 

 of which, under the varied positions, always furnished, in so far as climate 

 was connected, the same uniform result. And the impression, formed on my 

 mind, was the reverse of that which Mr Scoresby's account is calculated to 

 produce, for so far from the snow being wholly dissolved on the ^mountain 

 tops, every mountain and valley, excepting tracts along the shore, was buried 

 in eternal snow. 



My first landing on Spitzbergen was in the neighbourhood of the Seven 



