The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-22

from the south northward; the lee side Of abraded
rocks must be on the north side OF hills and noun
tain ranges, and the b0ulders must have been de-
rived from rocky exposures, lying TO the south OF
their present position Whether this Is 80 not
has not vet been ascertained by direct observation.
expect to find 1t so throughout the temperate and
cold zones OF the Southern hemisphere, Win me
sole exception OF the present glaciers OF Terra del
Fuego and Patagonia which may have transported
boulders in every direction" In the lecture which
he delivered on the quarterback, the Professor
reiterated those opinions and predicted that the
next land at which we would touch would give I'M
mistakable evidence Of glacial action.
This lecture was followed by one on 'Classinca-
uon," and we have also had the pleasure OF listen
ing to the first OF course Of instructive disconrses
by DR.. Thomas Hill, chief physicist OF the expedi-
ton. Immediately after leaving Rio series Of OBJ
servatiOns upon the
ORGANIC MATTER AND SALTS OF SEA WATER
were commenced, and a former series upon it's tenn
perature and specific gravity were resumed. Our
approach to the point where the Rio Plata pours Its
immense volume of tinted and discolored water
the drainage OF half continent, into the ocean,
was marked by these tests twelve hours before
Cape Santa Maria came into sight, which was about
Cape San Antonia the Width Of the river Is no
miles; but here at Montevideo, II has decreased to
fifty three. The same appearance that Darwin
noticed when he entered this river In 1882 was very
perceptible as we steamed up II on the morning OF
the 22dthat il, the slowness with which the waters
OF the sea and river mixed the latter from Its less
SPECIFIC gravity, floating, muddy and discolored,
upon the surface OF the salt water. BY six O'Clock
DOME AND TUNERS OF THE CATHEDRAL,
the prominent building Of the city, were plainly
visible, and at eight O'Clock we dropped anchor In
the Bay OF M0ntevideo shallow indentation in the
northern shore OF the river, about one and a half
mile In diameter. The city-the present capital OF
Uruguay-stands on gently rising ground on the
east side OF the bay On the west side is FL Cerro
or the mount from which the city takes its name.
1t rises to the height Of 465 feet at quarters Of
mile from the beach, and Is crowned by fort, on
which there Is lighthouse, serving as o cOnspicu-
GUS and easily recognized landmark. We were soon
visited BY the Health Offcer of the port, who, to
our surprise and disgust,
AWARDED US FIVE DAYS OF QUARANTINE,
and compelled us to shift our position to the outer
harbor He gave as his reason for this action the
fact that we had touched at PernambucO for twenty
four hours; although while there we had the least
possible communication with the town, and although
more than month had elapsed since we left there.
In addition to these arguments we advanced the
facts that we had not single case Of sickness on
the vessel and had clean bill OF health from Rio;
ton in the receipt OF our mail It having twice made
the passage between here and Rio in pursuit OF
On the evening after our arrival
A DELIGHTFUL sERENADE WAS GIVEN TO THE
on board by the brass band of the flagship Lancas-
ter, sent over to us with the compliments of Adm-
raj Lanman. On the next morning Professor
Agassiz, having with much difficulty obtained per-
mission to visit the mountain or hill on the west
the vessel The result was what he had anticipated
and we had all desired. We found the hill to con-
sst of vertical strata OF scious clay slate pierced
by small quartz veins, both materials being Of great
WORN OFF EQUALLY INTO ROUNDED OUTLINES
Scattered over the mount were also large granite
pebbles undoubtedly erratic differing in all phys-
cal characteristics from their surroundings and
having been transported from their original home,
possibly hundreds OF miles away in the heart OF
some mountain range, by the same power that had
worn the Jagged irregular edges of the strata into
the form OF the rOceS naOutonnes of the Alps. The
surface markings seen In the Northern Hemisphere
are more rare here on account OF the greater ac
tivity Of the erOsive and dsintegratve forces but
the above appearances, though only marking the
first fOOtSteD In vast. untrOduen field amDV
sufficient to
CONFIRM THE PROFESSORS THEORY
and establish the correctness of his assertions.
laughabe mishap occurred to the party while
engaged In investigating these phenomena. de-
scent was made upon them by q vigilant guardian
OF the suburban safety, who, although not armed
in complete Steel" carried sabre long enough to
have furnished the material for full suit of armor.
He escorted them, with sundry glances of distrust
THE ROCKS WITH WHICH THEIR HANDS AND POCKETS
to the nearest guard house. There they were for.
tunate enough to find an officer who, on learning
the facts OF the case, Immediately set them at
Se tne
Calico, but 1t is evident that they have not en-
tirely vanished While we have remained here,
waiting for coal, the observations on the water
have been continued with the view OF determining
the relative effects OF the tides and the currents
as caused by the wind The latter were found
to predominant greatly on the surface, fresh
wind from sOutherly or s0utheastcrly direction
increasing the sadness of the water in spite Of
H.
layer, denser and salter than that the surface,
was also established and its variations noted
1t may seem that the question of drift Is foreign
to the purpose of the expedition, which Is primarily
deep sea dredging but the following paragraph
from the Professors letter will make their connec
ton at once apparent:-.If drift is not of glacial
origin but the product of marine currents, It's for
nation at once becomes matter for the Coast
Survey to investigate and believe that IL will he
found in the end that so far from being accumu-
lated by the sea, the drift of
THE LOwLANDs OF PATAGONIA
have been worn away to the present extent by the
continued Entertainments OF the ocean, in the same
manner as the northern shores of South America
and Brazil have been" We hope to find, during
the next month, number of facts tending to estab
lish firmly the accuracy OF this belief
Our mail here, being first received In a tin box
and lumgated, will be taken ashore to await the
departure OF the next English steamer. AS soon as
the weather will permit to receive on board the
supplies of coal and water we will pro-
coed southwark, the next place from which we will
be able to communicate with the States probably
being Sandy Point, Patagonia.