1814.] Limits of perpetual Snow in the North. 34? 



than 3837 English feet above the level of the sea, scarcely higher 

 than in the initiior of Fcnmark'sjiords. Pod/nik, which is scarcely 

 free from snow, is not elevated higher tlian 369S feet, and by no 

 means so hii.^ 's Lairo. VVe might ascribe this appearance to the 

 action of the jUciers ; but the birches and firs in this place give no 

 higher elcviitioo to the snow line. In SaltvattiidaL at Saliensfiord, 

 the birches disi' pear . "^ the ^^eight of 1812 feet, and the Scotch 

 firs only a'-cend a fev hundi-d feet above the valley. Though it be 

 not improvable t'aat the vast ma s of ice on SuUtelma may sink the 

 snow line somewhat, yet it is evident that the lowering of this line 

 on the noi th side of the pular i ircle to the 70th degree of latitude 

 is very small, and bears no proportion to the rate at which it is 

 lowered at the 60th degree of latitude. 



It were to be wished that we had observations by means of which 

 we could compare the height of the snow line in the 61st degree of 

 latitude with its height at the polar circle. But such observations 

 are wanting. Even what we know of the height cf tht snow line 

 in the 62d degree of latitude is not very certain. It is true that 

 Mr. Esmark has had the courage to climb to the top of Sneehatten 

 in that latitude, the most elevated mountain in Sct;nflinavia, which 

 no other person has ventured to ascend, either before him or after 

 him. From accurate observations made upon the top of this 

 mountain, compared with corresponding observations made by Pro- 

 vost P'M at Fang in Hedemarken, he found its height 8121 Eng- 

 lish feet above the level of the sea. But we do not know at what 

 height on that mountain the snow line is situated. I saw on the 

 north side of Dourefieldt the Scotch firs first make their appearance 

 at Dr'wsluen at the height of 245 1 feet. This would make the 

 height of the snow line at that place 5190 feet. The highest part 

 of the road over Dovrefieldt, between Jerkin and Kongsvold, lies 

 4556 feet above the level of the sea, and it does not reach the snow 

 line. Herehacken, between Fogstuen and Tojtc, is 45/5 feet above 

 the level of the sea. Tiiis place likewise is free from snow in 

 summer. 



When we collect togctlier all these facts, we obtain at last the 

 following results for the heigiit of the snow line in the north, and 

 on the Norwegian chain of mountains. 



Its height is in latitude 61° 5542 Eng. feet 



62i 5180 



67 38S7 



70 3517 



71 2345 



It is evident that we cannot, by endeavouring to ascertain the 

 curve which this snow line forms, apply our observations made on 

 one meridian to determine the height of the snow line in other 

 meridians. Observations made in the interior of Norway cannot he 

 compared witfi tliose made in Iceland ; neiliier can the >Sil)crian be 

 compared with the Norwegian. But it is probable that the height 



