2M Professor Agassiz on the Glacier Theory. 



water loses itself in the interior of the rock, by flowing into a 

 crevice or a cavern before reaching the extremity, and that, 

 consequently, the absence of water at the terminal edge does 

 not prove its total absence, any more than in the case of other 

 glaciers. But supposing that it were so, the glacier ought at 

 least to be moist at its bottom ; for, assuredly, if tho melting 

 caused by the earth took place in winter in spite of the exter- 

 nal temperature, it is not a glacier descending so low as that 

 of Rosenlaui, and consequently surrounded by a warmer at- 

 mospliere than many others, which ought to be the exception 

 to the general rule. Now, I convinced myself that the whole 

 bottom of the glacier was frozen to its bed, and consequently 

 that all movement was impossible. I believe myself therefore 

 entitled to affirm as a thing demonstrated, that glaciers are 

 stationary in ivinter^ that the water which escapes from them 

 is spring-water, and that it is not at all the result of the melt- 

 ing caused by terrestrial heat. For, as has been already 

 remarked, if that melting really took place, it ought to occur 

 in all glaciers, and not a single one ought to be dry. 



1 took advantage of this winter excursion to make another 

 experiment relative to the formation of polished surfaces, — an 

 experiment which, 1 believe, will not be devoid of interest for 

 future researches. It is known that 1 attribute polished and 

 striated surfaces to the action of ancient glaciers which for- 

 merly covered the localities ; and I do so, because they are com- 

 pletely identical with those met with under existing glaciers, 

 and along their flanks. At first a pretence was made of not 

 assigning any importance to these polished surfaces, which were 

 attributed to various causes ; and M. de Charpentier himself, 

 in his last work, seems to have allowed himself to be intimi- 

 dated by the criticisms of opponents, for he says, '' If there 

 were no other facts to adduce in favour of the diluvian gla- 

 ciers, but these marks of attrition and these furrows, the ob- 

 servation of M. Mousson (who attributes them to currents), 

 might be well founded."* But since that time facts have 

 spoken for themselves ; and they have been more eloquent 



* J. de Charpentier, Easai sur les Glacier*?, p. 2.95. 



