Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-11-23
ALASKAN GLACIERS.



- 80 s., Tsrrs re- :. 'es'' g. = y .
Not the least irtsrtsfino fsa.,,re 81 Z
an Alaskan trim i the s;vs,t Il n,,,rer,,,,.
glaciers threading the r,fa,ntair ,,Iaaa 4
and filing With icv mas fvnn af.,s.
hundred ID ! thousand f.et IS sb;..,r-
mesa. the valleys and broad hasins.
On their surface thev ara hsar,.,a s.,tx,
hflIocks. split into ufrae,es AMI rar4
! by warming creyasses. and rocrnc,< ,tnrI
and crunchinc and orawl;ng aown i
their easy stones. ana when wifh bold
and elisteuine front. Their have reacbe.,
the channels. huge masses elf.ave frnm
the parent GLACIER ana fyfat away y
iceberos. so numerous that the .steamer
is often Obliged To- change it, course 4,
avoid 4 colliaion.
The color d. these " anderinr masses
varies from 4 dead Whit. i, ,,ltrarnar;r~
and sapphire. and they ia. ~. .ft..r
surmounted with t.,rrets ana ,.ast.llsf-
ed forms. shapelv and shapaleas.
The most notable az tl,a yyaci.rz II
Southeastern Alaska q the M,sr named
| from Prof. John Muir. ! ceolooist a.
some reputation. since he gave the first
uncoIored description Of Il, III il fortv
miles long, and back On the land basin
of the mountains. being reinforcasf ~
fifteen tributaries coming down INA
ylans from different points Of the com
/ pass, ii swells to an lev sea twenty-five
miles in diameter. I
| Thence it moves with frrestfbIe
/ power bearing rocks and long lines Of
4 detritus on its surface-a surface
| heayed into rounded hisls- and heefIinO
precipices. spIintered into columns.
1 spires and crystal turrets. and rent
with chasms at the bottom Of which
running streams appear often broken
by water falls that plunge deeper down
Into the dark ADVISES. just before Il
reaches the bay. it Is compressed
by two sentinel mountains. IN 4
gorge one mile In width. Emerp-
ing from the narrow gateway. with a
bold front, buttressing the bay with 4
perpendicular wall from two to three
4 hundred feet high. it reaches the place
where it's underlying support ceases.
i and then begins the battle between CO.
4 hesion and gravity. The latter force
always prevails. for at the edge of its
| supports vast masses break from the
glacial torrent with boom like the
discharge Of park of artillery. and
tumble into the bay with a dash and 4
shock that agitate the waters miles
away. making navigation periIous to
craft of all sizes.
The almost deafening roar made
when these masses are rent away, the
splashing baptism they receive in their
fall, and the leaping waters, are lively
witnesses to the birth Of an iceberg
which heneeforth, as an Independent
existence, goes on its mission of
grinding the shores, butting against
its fellows, and soaring navigators.
| From observations made upon its
surface. the motion is quite swift for a
glacier, being about sixty five feet daily.
considering what a force In wear
ing down the mountains an icy torrent
must be one mile wide, three hundred
feet thick, and flowing with such We
locity--it goes grinding, and crunch
ling. and grooming and cracking with
explosions, and mingled in a loud wall
like that from the Titans imprisoned
under Mt. Etna
Now let any one in fancy frame fol