106 THE WORLD OF ICE.

although a matter of dispute at the period of the
Dolphin’s visit to the Arctic Seas, is generally admitted
now to be the result of a curious and extremely
minute vegetable growth, which spreads not only
over its surface, but penetrates into it sometimes to a
depth of several feet. The earlier navigators who
discovered it, and first told the astonished world that
the substance which they had been accustomed to
associate with the idea of the purest and most radiant
whiteness had been seen by them lying red upon the
ground, attributed the phenomenon to innumerable
multitudes of minute creatures belonging to the order
Radiata; but the discovery of red snow among the
central Alps of Europe, and in the Pyrenees, and on
the mountains of Norway, where marine animalcula
could not exist, effectually overturned this idea. The
colouring matter has now been ascertained to result
from plants belonging to the order called Algw, which
have a remarkable degree of vitality, and possess the
power, to an amazing extent, of growing and spread-
ing with rapidity even over such an ungenial soil as
the Arctic snow.

While Singleton was examining the red snow, and
vainly endeavouring to ascertain the nature of the
minute specks of matter by which it was coloured,
Fred continued to gaze with a look of increasing
earnestness towards the tall column, around which a
bank of fog was spreading, and partially concealing
it from view. At length he attracted the attention
of his companion towards it.