138 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



winds occur, they are generally accompanied with 

 mild weather, and sometimes with thaw. About 

 December and January, hard frosts with calm wea- 

 ther are common, but seldom a month passes with- 

 out storms ; storms, indeed, are so frequent, that 

 two-tliirds of the winter may be said to be boister- 

 ous *. The highest winds occur about the time of 

 the equinoxes, and blow most frequently from the 

 southern quarter. Snow storms are common, often 

 continuing for several days, and, perhaps, once or 

 twice a year, for some weeks together f . Hence, 

 a great quantity of snow falls during the winter, 

 which accumulates principally in sheltered glens ; 

 but on level ground, it seldom lies above three to 

 five feet deep. 



Bears seem to be the only quadrupeds which stir 

 abroad throughout the winter ; for, though foxes 

 and rein-deer remain constantly in the country, they 

 are only to be met with, in any quantity, at certain 

 seasons. Foxes begin to appear in the month of 

 February, and are to be seen in INIarch in great 

 numbers. Bears, at the same time, become more 

 abundant, and the birds re-appear in the month of 

 April. 



The first human beings who are known to have 

 passed the winter in Spitzbergen, were two parties 

 of seamen belonging to English whalers, who were 



"* Beaufoy's Queries, No. 4. ^t Idem, No. 26. 



