WINTER IN THE UPPER ENGADINE. 257 



are usually enjoyed in fine weather), though the ther- 

 mometer may still stand many degrees below zero 

 (Fahr.) in the shade, persons skating on the lakes are 

 perhaps obliged to wear the thinnest dress materials, 

 on account of the great amount of heat refracted from 

 the surface of the ice and snow. So long as the sun 

 remains brightly shining therefore, they enjoy an 

 artificial summer ; but the moment it goes down behind 

 the mountains, furs must be put on at once by per- 

 sons remaining in the open air ; otherwise exposure to 

 the intense cold would speedily produce frost bite, or 

 other serious results. 



Hence it appears that persons who ascend to great 

 elevations upon mountains enter what is practically 

 an artificial arctic region, closely resembling in many 

 of its aspects the normal conditions of a Polar land. 

 There the day represents the arctic summer ; while 

 the night closes in with all the severity of winter 

 within the arctic circle ; and instances, as we know, 

 are not uncommon, where travellers, benighted upon 

 high mountains without shelter, have perished of cold, 

 almost more frequently than such accidents have occurred 

 during Polar expeditions. 



It is remarkable too, the great distances to which 

 during the depth of winter, the climate of the arctic 

 zone descends into temperate regions, and for consider- 

 able periods of time continues to keep the temperature 

 down almost or quite as low as it falls in the highest 

 known latitudes. 



These exceedingly low temperatures have been fre- 

 quently noted in the Hudson's Bay Territories, in 

 Siberia, etc., but we shall refer to the matter again 

 when considering the question of the arctic cold. 



VOL. II. 17 



