78 FOOTNOTES FROM 



ence among the scanty soil afforded by the penguin's 

 dung." Dr. Hooker also mentions that on this island, he 

 found a few species of the beautiful pale green Usnea me- 

 laxantha, looking like a miniature shrubbery on the barren 

 rocks ; on another island, a few filmy specks of Lecanora 

 and Lecidea, and five peculiar mosses ; but that on 

 Franklin Island, and the islands nearer the Southern 

 Pole, he could not perceive the smallest trace of vegeta- 

 tion, not even a solitary lichen or piece of sea-weed 

 clinging to the rocks. Surrounded by huge precipices of 

 black lava, which seemed to fringe them with mourning, 

 and consisting entirely of jagged rocks, upon which the 

 traces of volcanic fire yet existed, covered only with a 

 little red soil, scorched and sterile, or glittering snow- 

 white patches of fragile shells and coral, ground to dust 

 by the fury of the waves, these remote islands exhibited 

 an aspect so savage and repulsive, so utterly lonely and 

 lifeless, as to impress with horror the stoutest heart. 



" But here, above, around, below, 



On mountain or in glen, 

 Nor tree, nor shrub, nor plant, nor flower, 

 Nor aught of vegetative power, ' 



The weary eye may ken. 

 For all is rocks at random thrown, 

 Black waves, bare crags, and banks of stoiie ; 

 As if were here denied 



The summer's sun, the spring's sweet dew, 



That clothe with many a varied hue, 

 The bleakest mountain side." 



Strange it seems that, while such extreme destitution, such 

 sublime barrenness, prevails in these southern lands, in 

 the Arctic regions, on the contrary, no spot has yet been 

 discovered wholly destitute of vegetable life. The dif- 



