LAND AT LAST 411 



stones that had to be quarried froze fast; and there came 

 snow too. Hut great was our surprise when we crept out 

 of our den on the morning of the 12th of September to 

 find the most delightful thaw, with 4° (C.) of heat (39.2" 

 Fahr.). This was almost the highest temperature we had 

 experienced throughout the expedition. On every side 

 streams were tumbling in foaming" falls down from moun- 

 tain and glacier, humming along merrily among the stones 

 down to the sea. Water trickled and tinkled everywhere; 

 as if by a stroke of magic, life had returned to frozen 

 nature, and the hill looked green all over. One could 

 fancy one's self far south, and forget that a long, long- 

 winter was drawing near. The day after, ex'crything 

 was changed again. The gentle gods of the south, who 

 yesterday had put forth their last energies, had once 

 more fled ; the cold had returned, snow had fallen and 

 covered every trace : it would not yield again. This 

 little strip of bare ground, too, was in the power of 

 the genii of the cold and darkness ; they held sway now, 

 right down to the sea. I stood looking out over it. 

 How desolate and forsaken this spell - bound nature 

 looked ! My eye fell upon the ground at my feet. 

 Down there among the stones, the poppy still reared 

 its beautiful blossoms above the snow ; the last rays of 

 the departing sun wx:)uld once more kiss its yellow^ 

 petals, and then it would creep beneath its covering to 

 sleep through the long winter, and awake again to new 

 life in the spring. Ah to be able to do the same ! 



