jS STUDIES OF NATURE. 



travel only in the night-time, at the epochas which 

 the indicates to them. The farther that the Sun with- 

 draws from one Pole, the more are his rays refracted 

 there. But when he has entirely abandoned it, 

 then it is that his light is fupplied in a moft won- 

 derful manner. Firft, the Moon, by a movement 

 altogether incomprehensible, goes to replace him 

 there, and appears perpetually above the Horizon, 

 without fetting, as was obferved in the year 1596, 

 at Nova Zembla, by the unfortunate Dutchmen 

 who wintered there, in the 76th degree of North 

 Latitude. 



It is in thofe dreadful climates, that Nature 

 multiplies her refources, in order to beftovv on fen- 

 fible beings the benefits of ligHt and heat. The 

 Heavens are there illuminated with the cmrora- 

 borealis, which darts up to the very zenith rays of 

 moving light, gold-coloured., white, and red. 

 The Poles fparkle with ftars more luminous than 

 thofe which appear in the reft of the firmament. 

 The fnows which cover the ground (belter part 

 of the plants, and, by their luftre, difpel the dark- 

 nefs of night. The trees are clothed with thick 

 moffes, which catch fire from the fmalleft fpark ; 

 the very ground is covered with them, efpecially 

 in the woods, to fo great a depth, that I have, 

 oftener than once, funk, in the Summer time, up 

 to the knees, in thofe of Ruflia: Finally, the ani- 

 mals, 



