340 Limits of perpetual Snow in tke North. [May, 



At Akka-Sotki at 2G*564 English inches. 



Therm. 51-69° 

 At Talvig, 70 feet above the sea, at . . 29*9 1 2 inches 



Therm. 61-25° 



This gives us the height of Akka-Solki above the sea 3S5S 

 English feet. The highest mountain in this place lies at no great 

 distance south east. It is separated from Akka-Solki by the deep 

 valley of Storvands, and is only about 160 feet higher, or 3518 

 feet above the level of the sea. On this mountain the snow lies all 

 the year round, and it may be seen from Allengaard always covered 

 with snow. If an extensive plain were to stretch itself at the 

 height of Slorvandsfieldt, it is clear that it would be always covered 

 with snow, even during the height of summer, and probably gla- 

 ciers would be produced on tlie declivity over the Fiord. The 

 height of the snow line then on the mountains of Talvig in the 70th 

 degree of latitude is 3518 feet above the level^f the sea. 



Glaciers are not wanting in this country. There appear upon 

 the north side of Alt-Eid some low tongues of land, over which 

 the road from Qiicenananger to the Altensfiord passes. There a 

 high cliff, iha Jockuls-Fieldt, rises quite perpendicularly from the 

 Jockulsfiord, and continues at the same height for about four 

 German miles. Perpetual snow covers the sides of this mountain 

 in uninterrupted masses, as upon the mountains of Folge-Fonden 

 and Jiiitedah. When we stand on tlie rocks above Alt-Eid, this 

 snow appears like a white covering thrown artificially over the black 

 rocks. We can see very distinctly how the glaciers in the high 

 valleys separate from tlie snow, and how they tumble down towards 

 the deep surrounding Jockusljiord. In the middle over the steep, 

 almost perpendicular, rocks, prodigious masses of ice may be seen 

 hanging ; and in summer these are perpetually falling into the 

 Jiord, often in such quantities, and with such violence, that in 

 consequence of the agitation produced in the sea, the water, even 

 at the distance of miles, rises manv feet over the land, and not un- 

 frequently washes away vvith it the huts of the Laplanders. Jock- 

 uls-Fieldt, to which the old Norwegian name Jokiill has been 

 given, is scarcely 3730 English feet above the level of the sea. In 

 this place likewise, on accou.nt of the great extent of the snow, 

 and the cold produced in consequence, the snow line is sunk below 

 its true level. 



The different heiglits at which the trees and bushes disappear 

 upon the mountain of 'Jalvig, are not accidental. All the way 

 from Drontheim to tliis' place, 1 had observed a striking regularity 

 in this respect. It is true that the absolute heights to which the 

 spruce firs, Scotch firs, and birches ascend, differ considerably in 

 different latitudes; but the diif'ercnces between these respective 

 heights are every where the same. The following table exhibits 

 the heig!)ts at which different plants disappear upon Talvig. 



