218 Limits of perpetual Snow in the North. [March, 



snow line in this place to the great accumulation of snow. An 

 uninterrupted field of snow extending twelve German miles in 

 length, and at least two in breadth, must obviously cool the 

 atmosphere. The cold air sinks down along the steep declivities, 

 and draws the snow line along with it. Saussure observed the same 

 thing in the Alps,* and Ramond in the Pyrenees. This observation 

 has led the last named philosopher to the fine observation that the 

 snow line along the breadth of the Pyrenees constitutes a curve 

 with its convexity turned towards the earth, and whose apex is at 

 the middle distance between the two sides of the mountains. The 

 warm air of the low country acts towards the sides of the mountains, 

 and makes the snow line stand high. Towards the middle the great 

 ice masses with which the mountains are covered cool the air, and 

 the snow line sinks lower. 



The snow line appears likewise to rise higher in Hardanger the 

 farther distant you go from the snow field of Folse-Fonden. On 

 the 15th of September, 1806, Mr. Herzberg and 1 ascended 

 Revilds-Ess^n immediately above Ulensvang, and only separated 

 from Folae-Fonden by the Soefiord. This mountain, a continued 

 ridge, and the first stage from Long field t, rises immediately above 

 Fol'^e-Fonden, so rapidly that the whole mass seems to constitute a 

 perpendicular wall over the fiord. The bay constitutes a narrow 

 valley, from which vertical cliffs above 4000 feet in height imme- 

 diate! v rise. This appearance is so formidable, that the imagination 

 will hardly permit us to approach the edges. If Lauterlrunnen in 

 Switzerland were a.Jiord, and the steep rocks at its side the shore, 

 the impression made upon us by Soejiord would by no means be 

 equalled. But we might perhaps find some similar places in 

 Norway itself, or on the north-west coast of America. The baro- 

 meter stood on 



Eevilds-Egsen at 25-31 1 Eng. inches 



Therm. 45-5° 



At XJllensvang on Soefiord at 29-956 Eng. inches 



Therm. 52-25° 



This gives us the height of the mountain 4574*2 English feet. 

 Now no patches of snow lie on the top of this mountain. The 

 chain rises still some hundred feet higher, and continues of that 

 height for eight or ten German miles, yet large fields of snow are 

 nowhere to be seen ; but only patches in the flat valleys, which 

 divide the chain. In the middle of this extensive, bare, desert, 

 and cold mountain plain, the Hartoiig or Hoarteig stands like a 

 tower. This is a rock under which the road from Hurdanser to 

 Kongslerg passes. It rises fully 800 feet above the plain, and is 

 elevated at least 5542 English feet above the level of the sea; yet its 



* Sau5>urc's Voyages, 'j 942. lie ronreivei that the cold produced by (lie 

 snow fields, and the water from melted snow, are capable of sinkins; the ?now line 

 more than GOO feet below its level, iii mountaijis of less height, and less co\ered 

 viih snow. 



