There is a scientific explanation for the observations recorded in Heverly's history as presented by Dana Richter. About 900AD a four hundred year period of rising mean temperatures known as the Medeival Warm Period began. during this time Erik the Red buit settlements on the southern tip of Greenland where they raised cattle on as many as 280 farms. There is even some evidence that Alaskan Eskimos settled portions of the north western corner of Greenland. About 1200AD temperatures began cooling again, in what scientists call the Little Ice Age, until by about 1675 mean temps were several degrees below what they were in 1200. The Norse setlers in Greenland had gone on to "greener pastures" by this time, but the cooler summers caused Icelanders to give up farming and turn to fishing. The late 1600s seems to be the point at which climatic changes again reversed direction, but at a slightly slower rate. By the beginning of the 19th century mean temperatures had only increased about a degree when they leveled off until about 1880 when they resumed their upward climb which continues today. It's just the natural cycle of things caused by the sun's uneven heating of the earth's surface which is further modified by prevailing wind patterns resultant from the earth's rotation. Nothing hi-tech or revolutionary here, just Climatology 101. Aren't we fortunate that our pioneering ancestors had the pluck to survive such harsh conditions. Dave Kester Read the "Letters to Mary BURNS Gorham" at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/kester/dkoo1.htm _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.