Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-01-22
GLACIERS AND ICEBERGS.

Glaciers are rivers Of ice; not streams
of water frozen over, but solid from top
to bottom. A load of ice and snow,
sliding off from roof on warm day,
is, on small scale, exactly what gla-
cier is on large one. On the tops OF
high mountains it is never warm enough
to melt the snow, but in the summer
it softens, and begins to slide down the
steep slope on which it lies. In the day
time it thaws little, and at night
freezes again, until, by and by, it comes
TO be ice. Then il is called a glacier.
There are four hundred such streams in
the Alps alone. In Iceland they are so
numerous that the island is named for
them. In one portion Of it there are
more than three thousand miles of
mountains covered with ice and snow.
Their thickness ranges from one hun
dred to six hundred feet. Sometimes
they move as fast as four feet in day;
at other, not more than fourteen in
year.
OF course, so slow motion cannot be
seen by the eye, but that it really exists
has been proved in many curious ways.
For instance, traveller fastens a stake
in the ice, notices that it is opposite
certain rock, and goes away. Coming
back year or two afterwards, he finds
that it is several feet lower down OH the
mountain. AS it was firmly planted in
the ice, the glacier must have moved
that distance.
Slow rs their progress is, glaciers act
with enormous power, on account OF
their great weight. A small lump of
ice makes pound, and here are often
masses a mile or two wide, several hum
dred feet thick, and ten, fifteen, or even
twenty miles long. Everything that
obstructs their path is torn up, and they
soon become loaded with dirt and stones.
On either side are piles of rubbish,
forced up by their pressure. These are
lateral morains, or side walls. AT the
lower end there is often similar pile,
which is known as a terminal moran, or
end wall.
The surface of glaciers is broken up
into all sorts Of odd shapes-in appear
ance not unlike water roughened by
storm. Large assures, or cracks, are
common, and make walking dangerous.
Persons who venture far, without being
familiar with the ice, are apt to find
themselves in 4 network OF seams, that
cross each other in different directions,
like fences. Some of these cracks are
many feet wide, and as deep as the eye
can see, very likely extending to the
bottom of the glacier. Sometimes they
are crossed by narrow bridges of snow,
that must be carefully pressed upon and
packed with the foot to enable them TO
bear tile weight of man. Parties going
to any great distance upon the ice pro-
vide themselves with ladders, ropes,
graphing irons, and like apparatus, to
help them across these cavities.
The Alps, in Switzerland, are among
the greatest wonders of the world. Ev-
cry traveller in Europe feels that he
must make at least one visit to them.
Now and then hardy man attempts the
ascent of one Of the mountains. a few
have been up Mount Blanc, the highest
of ala three days journey of such
terrible exposure that it often happens
that persons lose the use of one or more
of their limbs from the cold. Recently
a party of eleven. who made the ascent,
were overtaken by snow-storm When
returning down the mountain, were
lost, and all perished. Three only OF
their bodies have as yet been recovered.
Often glacier comes in its course to
a precipice, over the edge of which 1t
presses, and falling, in huge masses,
crushes all beneath. Whole villages
have been destroyed by these avalancheS.
The mass is sometimes sufficient to
choke up the narrow gorge into which
il falls, thus shutting in the water form
ed by the melting Of the lower end Of
the glacier. If the barrier is strong
enough to bear the pressure upon 1t, the
landscape is enriched by lake, which
often finds an outlet in beautiful cas-
cade. More frequently, however, the
dam gives way, and the torrent rushes
down upon the cultivated land, sweep
ing everything before it. A remarkable
instance of this kind occurred in the
Val de tBagnes about fifty years ago.
The river Dranse became entirely stop
ped By avalanches where it passed
through a narrow gorge near the upper
end of the valley. 1t soon became evil
dent that the flood must burst the icy
barrier, and desolate the entire valley,
which was in many places thickly set
tied. A bold engineer proposed to cut
a tunnel, and let the water off gradual
ly. The workmen were busy at it for
more than a month, in constant danger
Of their lives from falling ice and stones.
The gallery, when finished, was sixty
eight feet long. At first the plan sue
ceeded well. in three days the lake.
which contained eight hundred million
cubic feet of water, was reduced third.