1876 VEGETATION AT THE POLE. 251 



was during two winters — between 1872 and 1874 — 

 the temperature of the holds became so lowered that 

 most of the provisions froze. 



' Now that the midday twilight enables us to extend 

 our walks to the uplands, which have been wholly or 

 partially denuded of snow, we find few traces of 

 flowering plants, though the lichens attain a better 

 development there than they do nearer to the sea. 

 The valleys and the coast slopes with a northern 

 aspect show traces of far more vegetation than might 

 have been expected. 



' This is evidently due to the great power of the 

 midsummer sun, which remains at an altitude of sixteen 

 degrees above the horizon for several hours while on a 

 northern bearing. As the altitude and heat-giving 

 power would be still further increased nearer to and at 

 the Pole, and as the amount of light — the other neces- 

 sary for the production of life — is precisely the same, 

 we may safely reason that if land exists at the North 

 Pole it is as richly vegetated as the neighbourhood 

 of Floeberg Beach.' 



