BERING SEA— THE ALEUTS. 



269 



the Feroes), those frigid waters are, with regard to climate, far less favorably 

 situated than the seas of Spitzbergen. 



The same gradual differences of temperature and vegetation which we 

 find in Unalaska, the Pribilow Islands, St. Laurence, and the Straits of Be- 

 rino-, within 10° of latitude, occur in the Shetland Islands, Iceland, Bear Island, 

 and Spitzbergen at distances of almost 20° ; so that in the Sea of Bering the 

 increase of cold on advancing to the north is about twice as rapid as in the 

 waters between l^orth Europe and North America. 



The long and narrow peninsula of Aliaska, which forms the south-eastern 

 boundary of this inhospitable sea, shows us its influence in a very marked de- 

 £rree, for while the climate of the northern side of that far-projecting land- 

 tongue has a decidedly Arctic character, its southern coasts fronting the Pa- 

 cific enjoy a temperate climate. The mountain-chain which, rising to a height 

 of five or six thousand feet, forms the backbone of the peninsula, serves as the 

 boundary of two distinct worlds, for while the northern slopes are bleak and 

 treeless like Iceland, the southern shores are covered from the water's edge 

 with magnificent forests. While on the northern side the walrus extends his 

 excursions down to 56° 30' N. lat., on the southern exposure the humming- 

 bird is seen to flit from flower to flower as high as 61°, the most northerly 

 point it is known to attain. 



The Feroti Islands (64° K lat.) have undoubtedly a no very agreeable cli- 

 mate to boast of, but they may almost be said to enjoy Italian skies when 

 compared with Unalaska (54° N. lat.), the best known of the Aleutian chain. 



The Scandinavian archipelago is frequently obscured with fogs, but here 

 they are perpetual from April to the middle of July. From this time till the 

 end of September the weather improves, as then the southerly winds drive the 

 foggy region more to the north, and enable the sun to shine during a few se- 

 rene days upon the bleak shores of Unalaska. But soon the Polar air-streams 

 regain the supremacy, and a dismal veil once more shrouds the melancholy isl- 

 and. Of Sitka, the chief town of Aliaska, Mr. Whymper says : " It enjoys the 

 unenviable position of being about the most rainy place in the world. Rain 

 ceases only when there is a good prospect of snow." Snow generally begins 

 to fall early in October, and snow-storms occur to the very end of May. There 

 are years in which it rains continually during the whole winter. In the Feroes 

 some service-trees are to be seen twelve feet high or more, while nothing like 

 a tree ever grew in Unalaska. The diflerence between the temperatures of the 

 summer and winter, which in the Feroes is confined to very narrow limits, is 

 much more considerable in Unalaska, though here also the moderating influ- 

 ence of the sea makes itself felt. Thus in summer the thermometer rarely 

 rises above 66°, but on the other hand in winter it still more rarely falls be- 

 low -2°. 



Of course no corn of any kind can possibly ripen in a climate like this, but 

 the damp and cool temperature favors the growth of herbs. In the moist low- 

 lands the stunted willow-bushes are stifled by the luxuriant grasses ; and even 

 on the hills, the vegetation, which is of a decidedly Alpine character, covers 

 the earth up to the line of perpetual snow ; while several social plants, such 



