120 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



in some places small remains of snow ; and, lastly^ 

 near the base of tlie mountains, a considerable mo- 

 rass, into which we sunk nearly to the knees. Some 

 unhealthy looking mosses appeared on this swamp ; 

 but the softest part, as w^ell as most of the ground 

 we had hitherto traversed, was entirely void of ve- 

 getation. This swamp had a moorish look, and 

 consisted apparently of black alluvial soil, mix- 

 ed with some vegetable remains, and was curiously 

 marked on the surface with small polygonal ridges, 

 from one to three yards in diameter, so combined, 

 as to give the ground an appearance similar to that 

 exhibited by a section of honeycomb. An ascent 

 of a few yards from the morass, on somewhat firm- 

 er ground, brought us to the foot of the first moun- 

 tain to the northward of the Mitre. Here, some 

 pretty specimens of Saxifraga oppositifolia and 

 Groenlandica, Salix herbacea, Drabaalpina, Papaver 

 alpina (of Mr Don,) &c. ; and some other plants in 

 full flower, were found on little tufts of soil, and 

 scattered about on the ascent. The first hill 

 rose at an inclination of 45 degrees, to tlie 

 height of about 1500 feet, and was joined on the 

 north side to another of about twice the elevation. 

 We began to climb the acclivity on the most accessi- 

 ble side, at about 10 r. M. ; but from the looseness of 

 the stones and the steepness of the ascent, we found 

 it a most difficult undertaking. There was scarcely 

 a possibility of advancing by the common movement 



