556 THE GElJ^rAN AECTIC EXTEDTTION. 



sixty-five fatlioras it was only 34°, and still deeper it was 

 lower. The saltness of the water in connexion with its 

 specific gravity, in spite of the amount of fresh melted 

 water, showed no difference from that of the open sea. 



The atmospheric temperature between these steep, 

 rocky walls, which had been so warmed from the late 

 steady sunshine, was of course higher than that on the 

 outside coast. On board, where, from the cooling in- 

 fluence of the melting icebergs, it was considerably colder 

 than on land, the mean daily temperature given was — 

 August 11th, 48° Fahr. ; August 12th, 45°; August 13th, 

 44°: the maximum on the 11th of August amounted to 

 53°, and the minimum on the same day only 42° Fahr. 



Only once, on the 1st of July at noon, did the tempe- 

 rature, in the winter harbour under Sabine Island, rise 

 to 56°, and the mean daily temperature on this our 

 warmest day was 47^°. In August a marked decrease 

 is to be noticed. On Sabine Island the difference 

 between the two months amounted to 5.40°, and 

 we might therefore conclude that here in July the 

 temperature of the interior of the Fjord must often rise 

 to 58° or 59° Fahr. ; how otherwise can we explain the melt- 

 ing of the entire winter-ice, as in the summer season the 

 interior of the Fjord is not exposed to the influence of the 

 warmer sea water ? 



On land, in the warm months, the steady sunshine 

 raises the warmth in the valleys and on the mountain 

 slopes still higher, and, for these high latitudes, a luxuriant 

 growth of plants shoots up rapidly. Dr. Pansch thus 

 describes the vegetation : — 



" "We found it much in the same freshness and vigour 

 as on the higher Alps in SAvitzerland. As on Clavor- 



