94 M. Baer on Animal Life in Nona Zembla. 



than they really are, and even mountains appear to be of lower 

 altitude. This remark has been often made and was not un- 

 known to me, but, nevertheless, I found the deception, for 

 which I was prepared, much greater than I had anticipated. 

 I knew well, that from this cause alone, an expedition sent 

 out by King Frederick the Second, fi'om Denmark to Green- 

 land, had failed in accomplishing its object. Mogens Heinson, 

 who has always been regarded as an able seaman, commanded 

 the ship, and, having come within sight of the coast of Green- 

 land, steered directly for it with a favourable wind ; but after 

 sailing for several hom's in the same course, thought that 

 he approached no nearer to the shore. He became alarmed 

 that some hidden power at the bottom of the sea detained 

 him, and turned his vessel towards Denmark, whither he car- 

 ried the report that having been attracted by a magnetic rock, 

 he had not been able to reach the coast of Greenland. I was 

 also acquainted with the naive remark of Martens on Spitz- 

 bergen. " The miles appear quite short, but, when we come 

 to walk them on land, they seem very different, and soon 

 cause fatigue f yet after all, the deception was so complete, 

 that no reflection could remove it. I am likewise convinced 

 that it depends not only on the want of the customary objects, 

 but also on a peculiai* transparency of the atmosphere, for on 

 dull days it is not so perfect as on clear, and is not so striking 

 in flat as in mountainous districts. On bright days, or at 

 clear periods of the day, the au' seems to be almost entirely 

 colourless, and, as the heights Aosible to the eye are parti}' 

 covered with snow, and partly exhibit a dark, and from the 

 contrast, apparently a very dai"k coloured rock, the slight co- 

 lour possessed by the air cannot be recognised. The moun- 

 tains therefore seem to approach quite near to the spectator, 

 and probably most so to those who have been accustomed to 

 view mountains thx'ough a different kind of atmosphere. 



Another eftec t of the want of trees, shrubs, and even grasses 

 of considerable size, is the feeling of loneliness which seizes 

 not only the man of reflection, but even the rudest sailor. 

 There is nothing painful in this sensation ; for it is of a solemn 

 and elevating character, and can only be compared to that 

 powerful impression Avhich a A'isit to Alpine heights leaves in- 



