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268 THROUGH NORWAY WITII A KNAPSACK.
pretty evident. During the winter, the spray is of
course frozen, and this cloud is so dense that it forms
a great accumulation of snow, too deep for all the
summer’s sun to melt; thus bringing the snow-line in
this small spot some thousands of feet lower than that
of the country generally, and indicating in a very
striking and instructive manner one of the causes (and
one that has not been sufficiently considered) which
determine the height of the snow-line: viz., the quantity of
rainfall during the winter. It is evident that with a
given amount of summer heat, a corresponding depth of
snow is capable of being melted. With a constant
amount of snow-fall during the winter, the height of
the snow-line would vary directly with the amount of
summer-heat; and, 011 the other hand, with a constant
amount of summer heat, the height of the snow-line
would vary inversely with the amount of winter
snowfall.
This requires to be continually regarded in all
speculations concerning the existence of a "glacial epoch,"
and in all inquiries as to the causes of the periodic
advance and recession of glaciers in particular localities;
especially in latitudes where the winter is long. All
around this small permanent glacier, or snow fond, is a
rank vegetation, which extends up the hill sides far
above it.
On our way back, Jacob stopped and listened; we
heard a rustling, and he said that it was a bear. We
followed in the direction of the sound, and after going
a short distance found a sort of track faintly indicated
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