144 FOOTNOTES FROM 



among the superstitious inhabitants of the surrounding 

 districts, who looked upon it as a dreadful omen of im- 

 pending calamity, and sought refuge from their fears in 

 various protective ceremonies. Among the Peruvian 

 mountains, Darwin relates that on several patches of snow 

 he found this curious appearance. His attention was 

 called to it by observing the footsteps of the mules 

 stained a pale red, as if their hoofs had been slightly 

 bloody. The snow was coloured only where it had 

 thawed very rapidly, or had been accidentally crushed. 1 

 It is in the Arctic regions, however, that the red snow is 

 found most frequently, and in the greatest luxuriance. 

 Sir John Ross, during his memorable expedition to these 

 regions in 1808, found on the 16th of June in about 

 latitude 75, a range of cliffs rising about 800 feet above 

 the level of the sea, and extending eight miles in length, 

 entirely covered with snow, which seemed as though it 

 had been watered by some crimson decoction. Sir W. E. 

 Parry found the same phenomenon, during his heroic 

 attempt to reach the Pole by travelling over the ice in 

 1827 ; and ascertained besides, that wherever the surface 

 of the snow-plain, although previously of its ordinary 

 spotless hue, was crushed by the pressure of the sledges 

 and of the footsteps of the party, blood-like stains ap- 

 peared most visibly; the impressions being sometimes 

 tinged with an orange colour, and sometimes appearing 

 of a pale salmon hue. 



Red snow, however, seems by no means peculiar to the 



i It is a curious circumstance, that Dr. Hooker never met with a single 

 specimen of red snow, during all his wanderings over the lofty snow sur- 

 faces of the Sikkim Himalayas, especially as on almost every mountain 

 range elevated above the line of perpetual snow, it has been seen, often in 

 abundance. 



