ISlt.] Limlls of perpetual Snow in the North. 219 



ba?e is free from a covering of snow, and only some patches appear 

 on its summit. Here then, in the same latitude, and-iiot far from 

 Fulge-Foiiclen, tlie influence of Fillefieldt on the height of the snow 

 line is fully confirmed ; for in this place there is not a large extent 

 of surface covered with cold snow and masses of ice. 



Hence we cannot err far if we lay down 5542 English feet, or 

 1847 vards, as the height of the lower snow line in the latitude 

 of 61°. 



III. 



There is another mountain range in the same latitude almost as 

 extensive and fully higher than Folge-Fonden-F'ieldt, which goes in 

 a different direction from the great chain, and is scarcely connected 

 with it. This is Justcdah Fisher ge, on the north side of Sognc- 

 fiord, and almost above the mountain of Fillefieldt. VVe do not 

 know the heiglit of this mountain, and it was not in my power to 

 ascertain it. On the road from Justal to Fy^ter, on the Sognejiord, 

 I saw the Scotch fir beginning to disappear upon the mountain of 

 Vigedal at the heiglit of 2425 G English fee*. From a good many 

 observations, 1 consider the snow line to be elevated above the 

 line of Scotcli firs 27/1 English feet. This observation would 

 induce us to fix the snow line in this place at a greater elevation 

 than 51)00 feet; so that it would not differ much from its elevation 

 at Fillefteldt. In the interior of tliis snow-field it is piobable that 

 the snow line sinks lower, just as it does at Folge-Fonden ; for the 

 snow tract of Justcdal extends about ten German miles in length, 

 and rather more than two miles in breadth. If any conclusion can 

 be drawn from a bare inspection, the height of this chain cannot be 

 less than 6 100 English feet. 



Novviiere in Norway are there greater or finer glaciers than those 

 which proceed from this chain. They are well known to tlie inha- 

 bitants by the name Jis-Braeer, and at times dreaded by them; for 

 in their motion they become more rapid than the gl.iciers of Swit- 

 zerland. In the year 1744 the few persons who inhabited these 

 valleys complained that they were no longer able to pay their taxes, 

 because the Braecr liad rushed upon their fields, and covered them. 

 This stat'-ment was not credited: surveyors and excisemen {forens- 

 criuer and fngrd) were sent as commissioners to measure the distance 

 of the middle of Milvirsdal from the foot of the nearest glacier ; 

 and it was ordered that this measurement should be repeated every 

 three years, to ascertain whether or not these glaciers were ad- 

 vancing : tiuee years after, the same commissioners went to repeat 

 their measurement, and vvere not a little astonished to find neither 

 fields nor houses. The Jts-Braee had advanced prodigiou>lv, the 

 jnhal)iian(s were gone, and tlieir possessions were buried under the 

 ice.* Ecjually destructive, about the same period, were the glaciers 

 in Krnndii, a valley which, as well as Milvlrsdnl, lies at the extre- 

 mity of the great Jii^lcdul. Hut at what other place do we see 

 »uth glaciers ? In Krondal they appear as a luigc, da/zling, white 



♦ Tbaaruir* Magazin fur Siatistik, 1802, ii. li. 1 II. 



