Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-05-18

along Iltlle w lhS S~
Newfoundland. The spectacle really
is a treat, though sometimes rather
perilous.
The chief fascination IS the curious
shapes and the marvellous colorlns Oh
the icebergs, no two of which are
alike. says writer in the New YORK
Sun. Some are like Arabs tents, 9TH
ers like cliffs, castles. cathedrals'
yachts or even fc.miliar animals. Some
times the pinnacles rise 1000 feet up
on the water, while the base Tor water
line area) may be ten or twelve acres
in extent.
The colors are beyond description;
at times pure white; at times OF e
greenish tint, caused by the reflection
of light upon the mass Of ice under the
water being thrown back upon the ex-
posed surface The side in shadow
is beautiful blue, the reflected color
of the sky. Others are OF a darker
blue because built up Of ice formed
from fresh water that had melted on
the surface Of the glaciers, or rain or
melting snow.
Beautiful cobalt blue bands are
sometimes seen running through bergs,
and these are the streams Of fresh wa
ter frozen before the berg Is formed,
Invaluable as the fresh water supply
of arctic ships. Crews from the sail
ing ships in the arctic regions are Oft
en- forced to land on icebergs for a
supply of fresh water, and it Is pretty
exciting work.
The men approach In small boats,
clear away the snow with their oars
and then land. If the berg is big
enough all may go we'll. But some
times the smaller ones with the addi-
tional weight Of three or four men will
suddenly settle to one side. or even
turn turtle. throwing the sailors into
the icy waters. Not only do these
sailors get water from the bergs, but
they often find seals upon them and
occasionally a polar bear. There are
often water fowls and many arctic
birds.
II has generally been believed that
for every cubic foot Of ice above water
there are seven below. and a berg,
therefore, that towers say 100 feet
above the ocean level has total
height of 500 feet. Lieut.. Peary, the
conuueror of the north pole, declares
that this is not always the case. 1T
Is true" he says, that the heaviest
rart of the berg Is submerged, but 1t
is wrong tc say that seven-eighths OF
i;s height is under water. have not
cd several instances where only two
thirds OF a berg was submerged"
otfshoots Of Greenland Glaciers.
1t is known. OF course, that icebergs
are merely chips from the great gla-
ciers. it was thought at one time that
as the glaciers pushed themselves into
the sea it was pressure from behind
that caused masses to become detach-
ed from the main body. 1t is now
known that the calving of icebergs, as
the breaking off OF blocks from the
E1TpnC SldClSI IS SdltSu, - pIoQOCOo
solely B.. the action Of the tide. Up
ward and downward pressure. eXerted
by water at the rise and fall Of the
tides. on submerged portions of the
glacier front forces of strip Of ice,
which floats away as berg.
Those seen in the North Atlantic
by ships passing to and from the Unit.
cd States and Canada represent the
wastase from the glaciers OF Green.
land There Is found one Of the very
LARGEST glaciers in the world. the Hum
holdt glacier. discovered by Dr.. E. K
Kare only as late as 1858. It is 50
miles in length and has perpendicu.
lar face of 300 feet. How many ice
berss are sent on their career through
the ocean by this glacier It is impos
.sib!e 70 say. though several explor
.trs declare that the Hunbo!d, is re-
sprnsibe every year for at least hall
miiiion icebergs.