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TO THE NORTH OF EUROPE, 93
the Ifle of Bears, which is beyond Norway. It is under a climate which the ancients
had reafon to believe uninhabitable on account of its cold. ‘There is no country in
the world in which the nights are fhorter. During the fix months of fummer the hght
never wholly fails; and during two months of the fix months of winter, when the fun
is beyond the line, and in proportion as it recedes the days are only of twelve, ten,
eight, and finally of one hour; it does not ceafe when it is at the iowelt, and in the
middle of this long night, to rife twelve degrees anda half above the horizon, that is,
in lat. 80°, and during the twenty-four hours is feen the light of day-break ; thus, ac-
cording to Ptolemy and others, the dawn may appear when the fun is only eighteen
degrees under the horizon.
“* But although the day is of fuch length, and the fun fhines for fo long a time,
without intermiffion in this rigorous climate, it does not prevent the fummer from being
the fhorteft and the leaft warm of all the countries north of the line. The ice has fome-
times been feen fo thick and ftrong on the thirteenth of June along the coafts, and at
the mouth of the harbours, that the veflels could not enter. The fnow itfelf, which
always remains in certain places, had melted fo little in others, that the rein-deer could
find nothing to graze on, and were become perfectly meagre.
“ The caufe of this exceflive cold, and thefe long winters, is that the fun never rifes
higher on the horizon than 32° 20’: thus its rays {trike the earth obliquely; fo that
only gliding over it, inftead of penetrating, they cannot fufficiently warm it. By the
fame reafon the rays of the fun are not of fufficient ftrength to diflipate the vapours and
fogs which rife from the earth, and which remain on the mountains and the fea, often
preventing the crews of the veflels from feeing farther than the length of a fhip.
*< Tt is befides by the fame principle that this land, of which to the prefent time, that
is to fay, when this relation was publifhed, only the coafts are known, appears over-
fpread with high mountains, whofe furnmits are perpetually covered with now; and
that in the plains which interfect them neither trees, bufhes, nor fruits are ieen ; of ver-
dure there is nothing but a fhort and thick mofs, of a yellowifh colour, through which
fhoot little blue flowers. Neverthelefs fome mariners aflert that they have obferved a
green plant like hay.
‘‘ The animals which are feen there are white bears, larzer than oxen, and ftags, or
rein-deer: the latter feed on the mofs, and during the fpace of a month which fome
veflels remained off thefe fhore, they were obferved to become fo fat, that the flefh was
excellent.
«« They have very crooked horns, and are rather fmaller than ftags: they are unac-
cuftomed to the fight of men, as may be concluded from what has been faid, yet are
not ftartled at feeing them. Sometimes they have been wounded with mufquets, and
have run towards thofe who fired, as if to feek fuccour or refuge in their arms, and
ftruck them fo violently as to occafion their falling to the ground.
* On thefe coafts are alfo feen white and grey foxes, and even black. The Englith
have found horns, which the connoifleurs pretend to belong to the unicorn. Never-
thelefs thofe which have been brought to Holland have not difclofed to what {pecies
they belong.
** A great quantity of whales, of different fpecies, refort to the mouths of the har-
bours, many of which are eighty feet long, and have fo much fat that from it much oil is
derived. Some have no fins on the back ; but at the mouth have pendants, refembling
great beards, fometimes a fathom and more long. Six hundred pieces are drawn from
the fame mouth : they are fituated above, and ranged like the teeth of a comb, in the
place where other fifh have their teeth, and there are only thofe above. The front and
I back.
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