380 THE STUMP OF A TREE. [September, 



such authorities startled roe not a little : one point how- 

 ever was not so clear to my imagination, it was too far 

 inland, and moreover in a hollow. Sleep however, for 

 the remainder of the night, was destroyed. 



On the 13th, after breakfast, I proceeded, taking with 

 me the Boatswain and my boat's crew, with picks, crows, 

 etc., to search for and bring in the discovery. It was not 

 without considerable difficulty that it was re-discovered ; 

 but I at once perceived that it was no spar, and not 

 placed there by human agency : it was the trunk and 

 root of a tree, which had apparently grown there and 

 flourished, but at what date who will venture to say? 

 It is indeed one of the questions involved in the change 

 of this climate. As the men proceeded with the re- 

 moval of the frozen clay surrounding the roots, which 

 were completely cemented, as it were, into the frozen 

 mass, breaking off short like earthenware, they gradu- 

 ally developed the roots, as well as what appeared to be 

 portions of leaves and other parts of the tree, which had 

 become imbedded where they fell, and now were barely 

 distinguishable at least not so much as some impres- 

 sions on coal to the casual observer. At the period 

 that whales were thrown up and deposited on these 

 mountains, the land generally convulsed, and also when 

 a warmer climate prevailed here, this tree possibly put 

 forth its leaves and afforded shade from the sun : most 

 fervently did I just now wish for its return. The stump 

 was extracted, and, with some of the surrounding soil, 

 preserved for future examination. Two neighbouring 

 mounds were also dug into, but they proved to be peat ; 

 doubtless other stumps and vegetable matter, the only 



