92 Dr Latta's Observations on the 



tion of the Arctic Sea and Ice, in which, corroborative of state- 

 ments resulting from personal investigation, I adduced the au- 

 thority of several voyagers, who have written on the same sub- 

 ject ; and it will be seen, that to the valuable treatise on the 

 Arctic Regions, written by Mr Scoresby, I gave my tribute of 

 obligation. 



In the course of my essay, having occasion to make a few re- 

 marks on the peculiarities of the Arctic climate, I notice the in- 

 fluence which localities may have in giving rise to erroneous im- 

 pressions ; and the mildness of some of the sheltered bays in 

 Spitzbergen, is particularized as tending to mislead the judg- 

 ment, in estimating the condition of that inhospitable country ; 

 and as there appears to be a want of accuracy in Mr Scoresby 's 

 remarks on this subject, I have presumed to say so, and have 

 attributed such deviation to the misleading influence of local pe- 

 culiarities in the following terms : — '' The impression formed 

 by such mildness, may have divested the ingenious Mr Scoresby 

 of his accustomed acuteness, whilst treating of the climate of 

 Spitzbergen in his ' Account of the Arctic Regions ;' for, biassed 

 by the indications of the thermometer, he reasons himself into 

 the supposition, that the climate, during summer, is more tem- 

 perate than in Scotland, and gives to, the circle of perpetual 

 congelation an altitude of 7791 feet, — a statement contradicted 

 by facts." By this, I have unfortunately incurred that gentle- 

 man's displeasure. The following statement will enable the 

 reader to judge for himself: — 



The passage in Mr Scoresby's Treatise on the Arctic Regions, which indu- 

 ced me to make the assertion which has offended him, is the following, vol. i. 

 page 123 : — " It may appear a little remarkable, that an effect of cold, amount- 

 ing to perpetual frost, that is observed in elevated situations, in temperate, and 

 even in hot climates, does not occur on the tops of considerable mountains in 

 Spitzbergen ; and it is really extraordinary, that inferior mountains, such as 

 Ben Nevis in Scotland, the elevation of which is only about 4380 feet, should 

 sometimes exhibit a crest of snow throughout the year, while in Spitzbergen, 

 where the mean annual temperature is about 30° lower than in Scotland, and 

 the mountains little inferior in elevation, the snow should sometimes be 

 wholly dissolved at the most considerable heights." And, biassed by the indi- 

 cations of the thermometer, which, as observed by Captain Phipps, stood in 

 Spitzbergen so high as 58 J° ; and allowing the usual complement of 90 yards 

 of altitude for every degree of decrease, he says, — " It will require an eleva- 



