National Academy of Sciences. 



15 



podif ion observed a northerly current with a velocity o T 

 8 12 mili'8 per 24 hours. The current spoken of by In- 

 gelfield as setting north 72 miles per clay, near Cape Sau- 

 marez, must have been a local eddy near the coast an 

 eddy into which the Polaris was once drawn and carried 

 rapidly to tue northward. At all other localities the 

 current llo\vs to the south. That this current cannot 

 carry any drift material from south to north is evident. 



Still, we find between 81 and 82 minerals and rocks 

 that doubtless had their origin in South Greenland, indi- 

 catn.g that the current must at some time have had the 

 opposite direction. This condition could only have been 

 produced by the fact tint the separation of Greenland 

 from America must have occurred in the same diiection 

 that the current flowed. The outlines and form of 

 David's Strait tend to strengthen this view. That 

 the southern end of 'the strait is the older is ap- 

 parent from the fact that the southern portion 

 of it is evidently broader than the northern ; and 

 also the fiords on the south-west const of Greenland are 

 by far more numerous and deeper than further north. 

 Let us construct an ideal current chart of that period, 

 when both countries were yet united. According to the 

 theory, a warm current must have moved along the easi; 

 coast of America, and must have entered Balliu's Bay, 

 having the full strength of an unweakened current in 

 washing the end of that bay. Thereby considerable 

 atmospheric precipitation as rain was occasioned, accel- 

 erating the growth of the glaciers, which moved on 

 toward the valleys, and there formed spurs. Tlie fiords 

 we must consiaer as the former beds of these spurs. 



What was the agency which caused the separation, we 

 can only surmise. There are two probabilities; either 

 the channel is a fissure which gradually widened be- 

 cause of the influence of the current, or it has been 

 eroded bv the action of a glacier, the south end of which 

 gradually melted down. The latter hypothesis seems 

 the more probable of the two, and we may regard the 

 channel itself as formerly an immense fiord. But we 

 know that the soundings of fiords are usually shallower 

 at the month than at the head; while with D.ivis's Strait 

 and its continuation exactly the reverse is trut) : the 

 greatest depths are found at its entrance. 



In reality nothing else could be expected. We know 

 that the bottom of the North Atlantic is slowly but con- 

 tinually sinking, and has been ever since the miocene 

 period. Among other evidences is the fact that the Ber- 

 mudas rest on a coral foundation. This motion roaches 

 far north arid includes a part of Greenland. At Disco, 

 for instance, the colonial store-house uad to be removed 

 from a small island to the main land because its site was 

 inundated by almost every high water. 



Further north the Liud rises. Kane and Hayes saw 

 terrace-like formations, which Herschel regarded as old 

 sea-beaches. The Polaris expedition detected similar 

 appearances. There was decided proof of the rise of 

 the laud north of Humboldl's Glacier, and many ter- 

 races were seen, though, too much weight must not be 

 given to this appearance, as similar terraces can be 

 formed by the melting of snow. In the case of Hall's 

 land, there was evidence of its rise in the discovery of 

 Crustacea in fresh-water ponds more than thirty feet 

 above sea level, which could not be reached by the 

 highest Spring tides of GJ feet. Also, at elevations of 

 1,800 feet above sea-level, the expedition found marine 

 shells and the balanus, identical with those of animals 

 at present living in the neighboring sea. Later, mixed 

 with these numerous remains were found numerous 

 pieces of drift-wood. The expedition also discovered a 



fine, limy mud, 1,200 feet above son-level, showing by 

 aid of the microscope, specimens of I'olijt/ialanncc, 



These facts as to the rise and sinking of the land must 

 bo regarded as important, factors in thechang" of level 

 of the bottom of the seas. It seems prohabl tha.t the 

 former conditions ofdcpihs underwent change, they 

 becoming gradually Obliterated, beeausu many ieei.crgn 

 melt In the middle of Davia's Strait and Tallin's Hay, 

 dropping the debris they carry, ami gradually producing 

 shoals. That the scp.iiMlion of Greenland frum America 

 must have occurred from south to north, seems more; than 

 probable. IIovv this took place, is as yet an up MI ques- 

 tion, needing for its solution many additional obser- 

 vations. 



Dr. Bessels read from the report of the, Polaris ex- 

 amination the results of the scientific work oi the 

 expedition. This was published some months ago in 

 THE TRIBUNE. 



Prof. Nowberry made the following remarks in 

 respect to the expedition in which Dr. Bessels had 

 borne so prominent a part : 



Some of us will remember how, a few years ago, the 

 matter of the organization of the Polaris party came be- 

 fore us. and the duty devolved upon us of prescribing a. 

 formula of observations. Instructions for observing in 

 some directions of science were delegated to the Acad- 

 emy by the Government. Part of that duty fell to my 

 charge ; and it became my duty to write out some views 

 which I wished to submit to Dr. Uessels when 

 he left us. Tnat paper was transmitted to 

 him just about the time of the departure of the expedi- 

 tion, and members of the Academy will remember with 

 what sympathy and concern we saw these men take 

 their lives in their hands aud go off to the Far North to 

 execute this scientific commission, and nothing is more 

 proper than that we should recoirnizi the importance of 

 the contributions that have oeen made to science; that 

 we should welcome back those who have gone upon such 

 a dangerous mission, and that we should express our 

 regret that the chief of the party has fallen & victim to 

 his devotion to science. 



I shall limit myself simply to the expression of the 

 degree of satisfaction I leel aa to the accuracy of the 

 statement that Dr. Bessels has made here, and has made 

 to me personally, in regaivl to the evidences that are 

 furnished there I pointing to map] of the great changes 

 of level. It may be a matter of a little time and need- 

 ing a great extent of observation to connect those with 

 the changes we have found in lower latitudes, and in 

 that way to work out plans that cau give the physical 

 history of the northern portion of the continent, running 

 through that remarkable period, the glacial, aud to con- 

 nect that with the niioceue before, whou the tempera- 

 ture was so very different. 



This change of elevation to which ho has referred I 

 have received notice of with ureat interest. You will 

 remember thatDr. Bessels mentioned that in the cliffs of 

 Hall's Land there were found, l.SOi) feet above the pres- 

 ent level, mollusks such as are living iu the sea at the 

 present time. We llnd them all the way down to Like 

 Champlain, and I have myself collected them there, 

 evidently indicating the cir-ct of the same general de- 

 pression. We find these rocks with many recognizable 

 shells upon the shores of an ocean uerhaps that has pre- 

 vailed over the far north, presenting an ancient coast 

 line that at times has been washed by the sea waters 

 and at other tiuif-s was elevated by the erosion that has 

 cut up that great system of ttords. Tho matter of 

 the transportation of tho drift from south to 



