SUMMER SHOWERS. 399 



June 25th. 



A rainy day for a novelty. Nearly an inch of water 

 has fallen already, and it still continues to patter upon 

 the deck. I was out completing my geological collec- 

 tions when the shower began, and not only got thor- 

 oughly soaked, but had like to have got killed into 

 the bargain ; for, in attempting to cross a small glacier 

 which lay on the side of a hill, my feet flew up in con- 

 sequence of the water making it more slippery, and I 

 slid down over the ice and the stones which stuck up 

 through it, and was finally landed among the rocks 

 below with many bruises and not much clothing. 



The thermometer has stood at 48°, and the contin- 

 uance of the warmth since the 20th, together with 

 this "gentle rain from heaven," is telling upon the 

 ice. It is getting very rotten, and the sea is eating 

 into it rapidly. The " hinge " of the ice-foot is tum- 

 bling to pieces, and we have trouble in getting ashore. 



June 26th. 



Our summer shower has changed its complexion, 

 and the " gentle rain " is converted into hail and snow, 

 quite as unseasonable as it is disagreeable. The white 

 snow with which a fierce wind has bespattered the 



31. Campanula linifolia. 43. Salix herbacea. 



32. Vaccinium uliginosum. 44. Luzula (too young). 

 83. Andromeda tetragona. 45. Carex rigida. 



34. Pyrola chlorantha. 46. Eriophorum vaginatum. 



35. Bartsia Alpina. 47. Alopecurus Alpinus. 

 86. Pedicularis Kanei. 48. Glyceria Arctica. 

 17. Armeria Labradorica. 49. Poa Arctica. 



88. Polygonum viviparum. 50. Poa Alpina. 



89. Oxyria didyma. 51. Hierocloa Alpina. 



40. Empetrum nigrum. 52. Festuca ovina. 



41. Betula nana. 53. Lycopodium annotinum. 



42. Salix Arctica. 



