New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-18
THE H4SSLER EXPEDITION.

LETTER FROM PROF. AGAssZ-sTGH. or GLACIAL
ACTION N THE SOUTHERN HEMIsPHERE-
DRIFT HILL AND ERRATIC BowLDEks MAR
MONTEYIDEO.
The following interestin. letter from Prof.
Acassz on board the H1ssler, read on lie
10th inst the annual meeting ~ The National Academy
OF Science held in the Smithsonian Institute, washing
ton:
DEAR PIERCE: Seven wears ago. while Rlo 10
Janeiro had the pleasure OF sending - you The nst
notice OF my discovery OK s41cii phehoneha In 80
more In the chain OF evidence OF the almost incredible
extension OF ice-neids during COMPARATIVELY rrcfnt
period the eartAs history Inc day DeIorr Jesr"y
I allowed. notwithstanding the qlarani.ne, 20
the western side OF the bay OF Moneyideo ahn tnes
| found the northern erralcs thur Tar DoiIotd
Sacts are s follows: The Mount" lies in latitude Sc ~
south and nyude So "a west The general form -
nerceived that the sides do slant uniformly but pre-
sent eastward slight rounded and very nai pFOni-
nences and westward, hardly sufficiently maj ked -
be- called uols and yet characteristic enough b deprive
the hill VI anv resemblance 70 depressed voicame
cone The hight the hill is i6S feet above the level
OF the sea. It's geological structure is very slmpc
and uniform throughout lt consists OF very hard III
almost black N parts. These states trend T. T..
and ". NV dlrection and stana Almost vertically apon
straight lines Of these vertical states running N mat
direction Under such circumstances i m.ent IL *
pected that the surface OF the hill should be very rugged
and exhibit everywhere the broken edges OF tie up
turned strata But tins is BY no means the cas-
level corresponding % the outlines OF the NH 4 tL'
words they exhibit all the characteristic features ~
those rOches OntOnHtes" OF the northern hsmEphst.
consisting OF more or less inclined strata the 0.ieIovng
surface OF which has been considerably worn Here as
there the scratches and grooves are wanuna bay 10
general form Of he hill, with s lat, rOunied sbo Lac
nroiections aOng the slopes leaves doubt ia mind
mat the Mount OF Mon tev.deO Is n shaped ~ glacial
action akin to the well known "roches "0'E"''ts x
the North.
Should this evidence not he of kind 20 satisfy hose
who are not very familiar with glacial phenomena an
able 10 add other which leave doubt ~
md fhar arp
their view OF the transportation of Gri.
and that we have here In the southern hem.sph.r-
erratics much 10 the tropics than any tEus Lar
observed b. earlier investigator Upon the uptnlh'd
edge OF the saty rocks which make up the whole mas
ceediny q foot in diameter, and FOE the mort part
much smaller ~ quartz granite, gness, anu hnd OF
granite sandstone, contrasting IA u!aISrd way ~
they there ara quartz veins IA the sis sis
quartz pebbles are or no account as evidences OF te
surface OF the mount. but the granite gneis., AID
sandstone-like fragments are unques0naby derived
from rocks not any where in place IN inc vicinity t'y
true erratcs and they scattered upob thc "b~s
surface OF the mount 10 IT. very summit
The question where do these srrti.s roue
from hope III the prosfes. OF our voy age 70 ado .s
answer fully. For the present let me only sAy thai II
they derived from more southern exposure, tie
have passed the mount at right auge. with Ito
trend OF the strata Of the hill without eDisrng Il
present into a discussion Of the theoret,c sl''.
VI the subject. let only insist upon The fsst
that have here erraftcs IN the &th degree
OF south latitude, and that according "a Oar
wins account IN his admirable Journal OF The Voyage
the degree Cape Horn Just In the northeEn
hemisphere ind them Increasing or fading N IA
portance FROM the Northern 10 the Southern
states, this showing plainly that tho srrsts
phenomena cosmie phenomena connected Will The
local eataelysms. Ever truly your friend,
Ionlerideo, Feb. %, 1874 Locs A6Aeil