New-York tribune., 1906-07-15
GLACIERS.
Some of Their Curious Features.

Although we are tar removed from the Ice Ags
in point OF time the tourist agencies have made il
easy for any one who has a week or two to snare
and a few pounds IN his pocket TO visit countries
where glacial conditions still prevail Probably
the first impression OF visitors to a glacier
is that Il Is very like it's picture There are the
snow-crOwned mountains There is the iCe-hIled
valley There are all the varieties OF raOraine lust
as the textbooks depict them. This first imrres-
sion, however Is a very superficial ORs- Glaciers
[ are just like most things in this world. When we
get to know them ind they are quite different
IN some respects. at least from what expected
As acquaintance TiDens find out all sorts OF
little things which the writer's OF textbooks doubt
/ less know perfectly we'll. but never thought OF
mentioning. things which perhaps were so familiar
to them. that describe them would have seemed
like saying that rain IS that cold.
but which nevertheless MI the novice with TIE
pleasure of having discovered the unexpected
One of the things which first struck the writer
when he first spent few days In the near neigh
bOrhood of glacier TO find what noisy
creature II Somehow associates with
snow and ice the idea OF intense quiet. and
doubt II one climbs high up among the snow on the
mountains will find it quiet enough. But lower
down. the surface of the glacier. there is. at
least in summer time. continuous noise The noise
is the voice Of many waters All around in
Vulnerable little rtvulets caused by the melting OF
the ice in the heat Of the These
trickle and babbe splash their sinuoas courses
for longer or shorter distances. but none go very
far before they plunge headlong down one Of the
numerous assures crevasses Some seem to
fail into larger torrent far below. Others make
their way into glacial mill where stones are
churned round and round just may in
the pothoies in the stream at East Linton.
BY listening lntenIly enc may be able % hear
this churnins sound mingling with the voice OF the
waters. Miniature avalanches contribute their
quota Of noise, Now pinnacle OF ice topples
over and SphnterS into thousand fragments
side OF ridge Of ice perhaps TO splash into
pool. All these various causes combine to produce
( wonderful of noise. Another curious feat
uTe OF glaciers Is that the surface OF the ice in
This does not seem as K should be. Snow Is one
OF the symbols of purity Surely the ice descending
from the pure white snow on the mountains should
be pure also. Yet when We view the glaciers from
a little distance often surprised at the enOr
nous amount of debris gathered It's surface.
Besides the central mOratne or moFalnes-often
OF stone. We find PARTICLES OF matter embedded
in the ice all over the surface. often in sutt-
cient quantity 20 give il a graylSh color.
All this solid matter has time another
fallen upon the surface Of the glacier. and Is be-
ing borne along by il river bears along the
sticks and leaves that fall into 4. But in the
curnulatiOns of hundreds OF years At the lower
end of glacier there is much of interest In the
first place there Is very often great cave in the
and from this there issues the glacier stream
and Il may be possible 10 make ones way under
the ice for a considerable distance. But let the
traveller beware. Expeditions Of this kind far
from The interior OF glacier may BE- studied
are carved into the living OF many show
glaciers. such THAI Of the RkCne. But the ice at
the debOUche OF the stream II in unstable con-
ditiOn. Every now and then the cave partially
cO1laDses of ice fan from rOoe
and In moment tourist may be trapus~
or crushed 10 death-Edinb1rgh Scotsman