perpetual congelation, are inclosed the remarkable lakes Virih-jaur
and Vastinjaur, to which no others within the alpine range can be
compared, either in breadth or height, which amounts to 18Ô2 feet.
Hence these lakes may be considered as the centre of the alpine
country of Lapland.
Perhaps, however, the mountains Getsetjach, Pernitjacle, and Ridat-
jacle, which lie to the north of these ridges, equal them in height.
But at the lake o f Torneo trash, from which the river Torneo rises,
and which lies in latitude 68i.°, and east longitude from Greenwich
20° 30', there is a kind of interruption in the alpine range. For the
greatest height in that quarter does not exceed 1386 feet. The lake of
Torneo itself, according to the observations of Hellant, is elevated
1279 feet above the level of the sea. Beyond that point the tops of
some of the mountains are covered with snow ; but there are no glacières.
The height seems to be greater at Kielijarvi than at any other
place. At the river Alten, which runs north from Kautokeino, we
may say that there is an interruption in the range o f alpine mountains.
For Kautokeino, which may be considered as nearly the highest point
of elevation, is only 836 feet above the level of the sea.
The hills, such as Vorieduder and Rastehaise, which rise beyond
this point, may be considered rather as an appendage than as a part of
the Lapland Alps. Hellant measured the height of Rastehaise and
found it not more than 2878 feet. Yet this mountain is partly covered
with perpetual snow.
The maritime Alps constitute all the western and northern part of
Lapland. But the principal chain extends from the insular promontory
of Loffoden and the western side o f the gulf of Alten. This chain of
mountains, quite separated from the Lapland Alps, consists of islands
and promontories, so steep and high that their, summits are often elevated
above the line o f perpetual congelation, and glacieres are sometimes
met with immediately over the sea. Jochel fja ll, Stjerno, and
Sejland constitute the northern extremity o f this ridge, and are elevated
3731 feet above the level o f the sea. The highest of all these
mountains are the Alps of Lyngen, which rise to an elevation of 4264
feet, not much inferior to the height of the highest o f the Lapland Alps.
In the island of Hindoe, and both the islands Vogôe, the mountains
not only rise above the level of congelation, but are covered with numerous
glacieres. The rest of the coast of Lapland is very rocky,
but scarcely contains any high mountains, i f we except the promontory
of Kunnen, on the south side of which there is a glaciere extending
to the sea-shore. Wahlenberg found the top o f the mountain
Strando Fjállet, near Kierringôe, 3198 feet above the level of the sea.
On the north coast of Finmark there are no mountains but only hills
of 1279 feet elevation, and not covered with perpetual snow. The
promontories of eastern Finmark are very steep and rocky, and somewhat
higher than the preceding, hut their elevation does not exceed
2 132 feet above the level of the sea.
Such áre the facts respecting the height of the Lapland mountains,
which have been ascertained by the observations o f Wahlenberg,
Hellant, and Von Buch. I shall for the convenience o f the reader subjoin
a table of the heights of the different mountains in Sweden and
Lapland that have been measured above the level o f the sea. These
heights, like all the others mentioned in this chapter, are in English
feet.
Mountains. Height.
Tunaberg 920 feet.
Hunneberg............. 548
Kinnekulle.................................................. 920
Syltoppen in Jâmtland ......... 6652
Oreskutan . ................................. . . . . . 5308
Svucku-fjállet .......................................... 4536
Quickjock .................................. .. 1 140
PalajoensUn ............. 1070
Enontekis................................................. 1429
Kautokeino. . . . . . . ........................ 1380
Sodankylâ............................................... 1386
Ounostunturi ........... 2058