. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history ; and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. CLIMATE. 55 moulds the climate, and varies the features of the seasons over the globe. It is a common remark of those who frequent the Arctic Seas, that they find the least ob- struction from ice when the preceding winter has been very severe in the more southern latitudes. In the year 1766, though the frost had proved most intense through the rest of Europe, the whalers
. Narrative of discovery and adventure in the polar seas and regions [microform] : with illustrations of their climate, geology, and natural history ; and an account of the whale-fishery. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. CLIMATE. 55 moulds the climate, and varies the features of the seasons over the globe. It is a common remark of those who frequent the Arctic Seas, that they find the least ob- struction from ice when the preceding winter has been very severe in the more southern latitudes. In the year 1766, though the frost had proved most intense through the rest of Europe, the whalers reached a high latitude; and, not to multiply instances, the three seasons preceding 1818, reckoned very open, succeeded to winters notoriously cold and protracted. Nor is it difficult to discern the reason of this seeming paradox; for our severe winters are occasioned by the prevalence of northerly winds, which must arrive at the Polar Seas from the South, and consequently transport so much warmth to them as may check the usual rigour of the frost. The main argument, however, brought to prove the deterioration of the Arctic climate, is drawn from the supposed existence of a colony which had once flourished on the eastern coast of Greenland, but has for several centuries been ex* net; all access to its remains being at length completely barred by the accumulation of ice. This tale, which seems to have owed its birth to Tor- faeus, the historian of Norway, has obtained very general credence. Yet a sober examination of the early Sagat, or northern chronicles, so full of wonder anS fable, will show that there is no solid reason for entertaining such a notion, or believing that the first settlement of Green- land was made on the east side of the continent. The whole contexture of the original narrative indicates the very opposite conclusion. After the North had ceased to send forth her numer- ous swarms upon the fertile provinces of the Roman empire, the Scandinavian nations, promp
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, books, booksubjectnaturalhistory
