306 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE GLACIAL EPOCH. 



As far as observed, the east coast of Greenland resembles a range of 

 Alpine mountains ; except, of course, that the glaciers descend in places 

 nearly to the sea-level. There is evidently less precipitation on the east- 

 ern side than on the western ; this circumstance, taken in connection with 

 the greater elevation and much more broken character of the ranges on the 

 east coast, would seem to be sufficient to account for the marked differ- 

 ences in the development of the ice on the two sides of the continental mass 

 of land. 



Between the more or less imperfectly known edges of Greenland there is 

 a region from 200 to 400 miles in width, measured on an east and west line, 

 in regard to the condition of which we know nothing with certainty. 



After studying with care all that has been published by the different 

 Arctic explorers, and allowing special weight to the opinions of those persons 

 whose previous training had prepared them to form a correct idea of the 

 glacial phenomena of Greenland as compared with those of other regions, the 

 writer is of opinion that the inland ice is a feature peculiar to the southern 

 extremity and Avestern coast of that country, and that the interior is not 

 necessarily heavily covered with snow or glacial accumulations. It is ad- 

 mitted, however, that, since we know nothing definite of the topography of 

 that interior, we are hardly justified in expressing an opinion in regard to 

 the extent of its glaciation. If we knew that the land rose gradually from 

 the coast towards tlie centre of the country to a great elevation, and then 

 declined to the sea-level on tlie other side, it would still be no easy matter 

 to say how deeply that highest central ridge would be covered with snow. 

 The occurrence of hiy-li mountain rano-es on both sides of Greenland seems 

 decidedly to militate against the idea of still higher ones in the unknown 

 central portion. If the edges of any land mass of great width are raised to 

 a considerable elevation, the area between them is likely to be depressed — 

 that is, in comparison with the edges themselves — so as to form a high 

 plateau, or a series of plateaux, with minor ranges between. That this oro- 

 graphically probable lower central portion of Greenland is a region of attrac- 

 tive climatic features, and considerable agricultural capacity, as supposed by 

 some, seems hardly probable, although not absolutely impossible. That it 

 m.'iy be only thinly covered with snow is a reasonable su])position, since much 

 of tlie precipitation might be cut off In' the higher edges of the land muss. 

 If the statements of Helland — who seems a most conscientious observer — 

 may be accepted as correct, portit)ns of the inland ice, not far from its west- 



