The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-20


looked IKE mere line OF shrubbery, was found to
be q dense tangled forest, half mile more in
height Of perhaps One hundred feet. It was in
tersected by three brooks which joined with each
Sner w tar case 70 @ wS
beach and pouring into the bay. They were not
clear and sparkling, as they would have been in our
latitude, but were turbld and muddy with the al
most impalpabe powder formed by the grinding OF
granite, porphyry and quartz under the enormous
weight Of the glacier during its downward progress
the oftquoted passage to 'he mills OF the gods'
being literally applicable. Seeing rocks like these,
ages s crushed and powdered like chalk and being
poured into the bay, probably at the rate OF mil
lions Of tons per year, one cannot resist the con-
victiOn that the same cause, acting through
longer time and over more extended field, was
competent to produce all the phenomena attributed
70 It by the most fervent believers In the glacial
theory.
The dlficulty of penetrating the woods we found
to be very great and an admiration the achieve
ments of the ladies' who had preceded us, increased
as we went on Fallen trunks OF trees, hidden be,
moist, slippery moss, impeded our progress; bram-
bles detained us with mportunate but unwecome
grasp, and treacherous morasses chung to our feet
and ankles At last we saw the glacier, more blue
than white, shining through the trees, and soon
emerged, breathless from our physical exertions
and from the surprise and delight OF the scene. The
base Of the glacier stretched before u.s. nearly
mile IN width vast sheet OF ICE Win sparkling
and crevasses; the whole dazzling, binding,
whitely-renected lght-a heavenly, translucent
its base stretched the terminal moraine, twenty
feet or more in height, and composed OF rocks
and pebbles OF various sizes, left there perhaps
years, perhaps centuries ago. when the melting and
receding glacier gently deposited Its burden. Here
and there tongues OF ice ran out ana poughed up
| were washed by pools of glacial water. Streams
came bubbling from beneath u, fled here as they
| rocks over which they passed, and frgid in tenn
| perature. We went into deep caverns, where the
walls OF Ice, moulded and compressed into angular
! Fragments, met high above our heads. Reaching
point where further progress was Impossible 1t was
blue OF the ice seemed to pervade the whole atmOs
phere; the very stones on which we stood were
melowed and softened by it, and the entire struc-
| pected TO see 1t fade away Into dim air."
The vessel was waiting for us, however. Twi.
way through the forest back to the beach, where
| the boats which had brought us of remained the
the obstacles with at least as much ease as any Of
| the rest of the party. Reaching the vessel we i'm
mediately proceeded to the nearest available har-
Dor, Playa Parda Cove, some eight or ten miles to
the westward where we arrived before dark. At
dinner the glacier was formally chrlstencd the
"Hassler by Professor Agassiz-not by right OF dis
| cOvery, but because II had never previously been
invesfigated-and we hope that, however much e
may be studied hereafter, in name, at least, II VIII
be associated with this expedition.
/ AN EXAMINATION OF THE WATER
ne Ss s
face water and that below It,. An examination
was made, and it was found that the former, having
u
almost pure distilled water, while at four feet
below the surface the temperature was fity-two
degrees, and the salinity equal to what we have
found to be the average in sea water. 1t was evil
| dent from these facts that the surface water was
from me melting ice na this WAS
harbor being fed by a glacier Preparations for
the following days work on the glacier were con-
tlnued until late in the night
| A TRIP IN A STEAM LAUNCH
On March a. afera chilly toilet and breakfast by
candle-ight, SO as to make the day long as posi-
| having
whaleboat in tow. The moon was low In the west
and as she sank behind the hills we had the pleas
ure OF witnessing her pale, slvery, metallic IA
dance melting away before the pink and roseate
hues Of advancing dawn; The air was clear, the
promise of of those perfect days, rare In any
latitude, but not SO extraordinary here as we had
great masses OF kelp noatng lazily on the surface
and filed with aquatic inhabitants-steamer-du ducks
geese, 1yng in pairs for mutual Comfort and pro.
lection, sought refuge high up on the Cliffs and
on the beach, turned over and rolled into the
water. We reached the bay about daybreak, find
ing its surface covered with scum OF ice sum
ress. After landing on the beach division OF the
party was effected Professor Agassiz and Captain
Johnson, retaining one of the boats visited the
shores and islands Of the vicinity noting the marks
of glacial action and making general geological OBJ
Barometer, made partial ascent Of the peak, now
named Mount Agasslz from which the glacier pro-
ceeds, and made determinations of height and va
be about $500 feet high, and was covered near its
summit with vast snow field, which, branching
| out on the one hand, formed a lake which fed the
cascade descending into the forest; on the other
running down In q narrow valley between high
wide and several hundreds Of feet thick, Which il
| now called the "fassler Glacer.n Still another
division Of the party penetrated the woods and
| reached the scene Of our former visit, carrying
Photographic apparatus and instruments for mea-
surfing the rate Of motion Of the ice mass. This
measurement was effected by fixing telescope i'm
movably on the summit OF one Of the moraines,
placing on the glacier board graduated into equal
divisions and ranged with another object beyond 1t
lions during the period Of our stay In this way the
motion was determined to be about eight inches in
ances for the changes from day TO night and sum-
mer go winter, the average annual motion was cal.
culated and found to be about double the rate Of
movement OF some Of the Swiss glaciers.
! PHOTOGRAPHIC DIFFICULTIES.
The Photographic attempts mere attended WIN
spot caused much trouble In pitching the dark tent
the only available water was filled with fine sand and
pieces OF ice, and the air was moist that plates
would not remain dry for twenty seconds The lines
of qualification which were DESTROYS OF obtain
ing on negative refused to appear there, though
plain as printed page on the ice and on the focus
sing glass of our camera. The reason, however,
was evident; the contrasting colors were blue ana
white, the former OF which Is almost as actinc as
the latter, and produces equal effect on the SEN
sitlve film, the result being blank During the
day we obtained @ number OF pictures, some OF
scientific interest enough to repay for labor.
Early In the afternoon we descended to the beach,
and while awaiting the rest or the party, two phO-
tographs taken, one on either side OF the bay,
showing sections where hard jasper-porphyry bikes
had been worn of to a level with the surrounding
softer rocks by this glacier when in its youth II
had extended miles beyond It's present limits. Our
| return to the vessel was made In short time
! owing to the speed Of our steam launch and We
reached her about dusk rather fatgued but salts.
fed with the days work.
CHANGES ON THE PACIFIC SIDE.
On March o. following a day as nearly faultess
as could be imagined we had one quite the re-
verse-fogs, rains and "wiwaers" OBTAINING us
| In Playa Parda Cove The day was spent In stow
ing away the results OF our work-an important
occupation on shipboard. Two of the officers who
assembled of the hills in the vicinity discovered
the glacier which was the original source OF the
fresh water layer the surface OF the lake. From
| every high elevation which has been attained the
general character of the country has been observed
| to be the same-irreguary mountainous, with
| snow fields and glaciers on every side. The fire..
Quency OF occurrence of the latter rather increased
than diminished as we proceeded westward, and on
the morning Of the next day. after leaving Playa
Parda 1t would hardly be exaggeration to say that