The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-05-18
FORESTS AMONG GLACIERS.
of Ice in Alaska on n Thin
Layer of soil.


In the icc-bound fastncsses of
Ataska, visited only by the hardest
explorers. exists one Of the most GU
f<ous phenomena which freakish
mood of nature has ever conceived.
1t is a well-known fact that many
forms of vegetation, particularly sey-
eral members of The tree family. will
exist and even thrive in spots appar-
emily incapable Of supporting plant
life. Some OF the curiosities In this
line which travellers report from time
to time arc In themselves rcmnrk-
able, yet when compared with what
Alaska has 20 show they seem com
monplace. For Alaska lays claim to
nothing less than n vast forest grow.
ing in a foundation OF ice, says the
Philadelphia Record.
During recent years many eNplor-
ers who have penetrated to the most
inaccessible parts of Alaska have
brought back with them accounts Of
forest found growing at an alti-
tude OF several thousand meters. sur
rounded by glaciers and ice peaks
by particle of vegetation. These
accounts were met with considerable
slxepticism until finally photographs
and other indubiable evidences we're
secured in support OF the tales.
The ice forest OF Alaska Is located
on the Malaspina glacier, skirting the
southern coast of Alaska and extend
ing for about GO miles back from the
bay of Ynkatat. covering IN width
more than % miles. The exact size
of the glacier is about 2,347 square
miles. II forms an immense plain of
Ice. almost as level as a sheet of wa
ter, and resembling more than any
thing else the prairies OF the west
ern states. Viewed from a neighbor-
ing peak. the eye diseerns nothing
but a blank sheet of crystal, whose
monotonous eNpansc bears not n
speck of color. In the eastern portion
of the Malaspina glacier Is the ice
forcst-a long belt Of tall trees and
gnarled trunks, facing the sea In a
huge semi-circle and forming n vivid
contrast 10 the frosted peaks and
glittering ice fields that cover the sea
as far as the eye can reach The
contrast IL heightened by the fact
that there Is ne other vegetation for
distance of several hundred miles
around.
In explanation OF the origin of this
phenomenon n ~ snd that the
sun shining during the short day
upon the ice-clad peaks and surface
of the glacier causes the ice 20 melt
rapidly and vanish in countless small
riynlets. leaving the rocky SUBMITS
bare and unprotected. This daily nc
ton of swift-nowing water gradually
ate awny these rocks aud deposited
them In layers upon the fiat surface
of the glacier below. until in course
of time surface of earth several
feet in thickness was formed on the
Ice.
While the ice surrounding the de-
posits of rock melted and In turn
was carried away the covering oi
earth protected a part Of the ice, IN
I'll finally n patch of earth many
miles square was left high and dry
on the bosom of the glacier.
The soil which supports the trees
is very loose--in fact. so loose that II
is impossible TO climb to a steep
ascent. The appearance Of the soil
is so perfectly natural. and were II
not for the fact that in many spots
holes several feet in depth disclose
the layer Of ice beneath Il would be
almost impossible TO realize that this
great forest was really growing on
the glacier. II Is possible often 10
walk for miles and miles without
stumbling upon visible evidence of
the Ice underneath.
Another curious phenomenon con-
Inected with the ice forest ~ an ice
fIake situated at the source OF the
Malaspina glacier. At first sight this
lake resembles an ordinary sheet Of
water in winter. Upon closer inspec-
ton. however, IL Is seen that the
banks and surrounding cliffs are
fashioned entirely out Of Ice. In
formation they resemble rocks COW
cred with coating OF ice.