Description of Animal Life in Nova Zemhla. 2*73 



Another effect of the want of trees and even of a vigorous growth of 

 grass is the sensation of loneliness, which seizes not only on persons of 

 reflection but even upon the roughest sailor. It is by no means a 

 sensation of fear, but rather a solemn and elevating one, and can only 

 be compared with the mighty impression which a visit to alpine regions 

 always leaves behind. 



The once-conceived idea that the morning of creation was dawning 

 for the first time, and that life was yet to follow I found it impossible 

 to repress. Nevertheless an animal is now and then seen to stir in 

 Nova Zembla. Sometimes a great sea gull (Lams glaucus) is seen to 

 hover in the air at some distance from the coast, or a swift lemming- 

 runs along the ground. These however are not sufficient to give 

 life to the landscape. In calm weather a want of sounds and motion 

 is felt, if, as in our case, an expedition be made into the interior, after 

 the departure of the numerous geese which pass their moulting season 

 on the sea shore. Besides, even the few land birds in Nova Zembla 

 are mute, and the insect tribe, proportionally much scantier, is also 

 noiseless. Even the polar fox is only heard at night. This total 

 want of sounds, which especially prevails on serene days, reminds 

 one of the stillness of the grave ; and the lemmings, which coming 

 forth from the earth, glide along in straight lines, and then again 

 quickly vanish into it, appear like spectres. From the little motion 

 one sees, in spite of these signs of animal life, it seems to be wanting. 

 In other regions the leaves of plants and trees usually make even a 

 gentle breeze perceptible to us, but a slight wind does not ruffle these 

 lowly plants of the high north ; one might take them to be painted. 

 A very few insects only are busy seeking to satisfy their little wants 

 upon them. Of the numerous family of beetles only one individual has 

 been found, a Chrysomela, which is perhaps a new species. On sunny 

 days and in warm spots for instance, about the small projecting 

 points of rock, a humble-bee is seen flying about, but it hardly 

 hums, as is the case with us in moist weather. Flies and gnats 

 are rather more numerous ; but even these are so rare, so peaceful 

 and languid, that in order to see them they must be sought for. I do 

 not recollect having heard that any one of us had been bitten by a gnat, 

 and one may truly long for the bite of a Lapland gnat, merely for the 

 sake of perceiving life in nature. The most manifest proof of the rarity 

 of insects in this country appears from the following circumstance, that 

 we neither found the least trace of insect larvaa in a dead Walrus which 

 had lain above fourteen days on the sea shore, nor in the bones of 

 animals which had been killed in former years, even though they were 

 not without dried flesh on some parts. The common saying in our 



