The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-11-12
@E!I!dHlR4S I!dHll4R;4S
BURIED GLACIERS.

Large Fields OF Ice Covered Under Masses
OF Luxuriaut Vegetation.
Eight or ten miles to the north. ON
tho same side of Robertson's bay, north
Greenland, Is . plateau about mile
long, q quarter wide and with pre-
nipitous face to the seq Of IS or 20 feet
and which stands back from tho wa
ter's edge not more than 80 or 40 feet.
To the west rise the lichen covered cliffs
to n height of from 8, 900 TO 1000 feet,
capped with towers and pinnaoles Of
brown basalt To the north is the terri
BILE and frozen expanse Of the Verhoeff
glacier, producing every few hours,
with groans and cannonlike explosions,
great icebergs. This plateau, both top
and sides, is q mass Of hourishing vegc-
tation, chiefly grass, which, when ono
walks through il. reaches above tho
knees. From among this verdure butter
cups, poppies, cinquefoil and dandelions
thrust their golden heads in wild profu-
sion. Yet beneath this rich vegetable
life, as glorious in its luxuriance as in
the meadows Of temperate regions, with
out other sustenance than that derived
from decayed moss and grass, is a por-
tion Of q dead glacier, body OF ice
which is the sole formation of that pla-
teau, conquered and buried in the first
instance by the indomitable travelling
power Of weak looking clump moss.
This sounds like travellers tale. but
the explanation Of tho phenomenon is
very simple. and similar examples are
found in many places along tho fords
Of this northland. In the case Of the
plateau. many centuries ago, Judging by
the thickness Of the growth Of vegota-
tion, the glacier st the head Of tho bay,
now known rs the Verhoeff glacier. ex.
tended out to the sea. covering all the
space from cliff TO cliff, except narrow
gorge ON each side Of the moving. gi-
gantic, frozen river. In these gorgos
clump moss struggles bravely for exist
enoe. but while the glacier moved for
ward, crushing and burying everything
in its path, this form Of vegetable life
could do little more than hold its own.
In the course Of time, from some un-
known cause. the glacier began sudden
ly to rccede 70 the point whore II now
discharges, that part Of IL which was in
the water floating away in the shape OF
icebsrgs and those which were on the
shores remaining stationary. to be slow
ly melted by the summer sun. This was
the opportunity for the moses. Caring
nothing for the cold. they orept slowly.
inch by inch, over the quiet mass Of ice.
perhaps then 90 or more feet thick. and
made their way, first, in thin. netlike
layers. and then, rs time passed on and
strength was gathered, In thick masses.
till they reached the edge, which front
cd tho bay. Here. AZ the sun each sum
mer slowly melted the face Of the ice
wall away. they matted themselves firm'
ly and dropped over. lower and lower,
until they reached tho rocky shore. and
the huge block Of ioe was completely
hidden. Year after year the moses
grew and hourished, the young plants
trampling the older underfoot until the
latter, rotting. turning into rich mold,
burying the conquered fragment Of the
leo king deeper and deeper. Then grass
seed found their way into the moss,
UioWh Hitner ny Wo WiHus VI o"ficu
there on the feet Of birds. They gormi'
mated and increased, and by their great
er vigor in turn almost blotted out the
moss. To give finish to the charming
picture this created, blooming plants
took up their abode and fiourished. un,
til every summer the plateau is u gar.
den Of green. gold and white. How
long this condition Of things will last
Of course IL is impossible to say. At any
time nature, who now holds tho Ver-
hoeff glacier In check. may unloose hoi
hands. and then the frozen river will
likely pour down and out the bay once
more, crushing beneath 1t in its flow
the vegetation which now holds its head
in triumph. w. Il. Meehan i'll Inde-
pendent.