LARGE NUMBERS OP LIVING GLACIERS. 149 



of interest made during this portion of the trip were on the small size of the 

 glaciers on the north sides of the mountains in comparison with the great 

 extent of the ice fields on their southern slopes ; on the general absence of 

 debris from the surfaces of the ice streams on each side of the range, and on 

 the absence of conspicuous moraines from their sides and extremities. 



In descending from Chilkoot pass to the head of Lynn canal, several 

 small glaciers were seen on either side of the deep canon-like valley through 

 which the Taiya river flows. The muddy condition of the streams tributary 

 to the main drainage line indicated that there were other glaciers on the 

 mountain above, which could not be seen from the bottom of the valley. 



The glaciers seen on the precipitous sides of the Taiya valley present con- 

 siderable diversity. Some of them are in gorges and lateral valleys, but 

 others are on exposed slopes and form conspicuous prominences in the 

 contour of the mountain when seen from below. Some of them contract 

 gradually toward their lower extremities and end in tapering tongues of 

 ice ; others expand and form fan-shaped termini, after the manner of the 

 Rhone glacier; some of them have ice caves at their extremities, from which 

 torrents of turbid water rush down the rocky slope below ; others melt away 

 without forming these beautiful blue grottoes. As the glaciers are remark- 

 ably free from debris and have but slight morainal accumulations about 

 them, the variety they present near their lower extremities must be due 

 mainly to the relief of the cliffs and mountain slopes about them; yet it is 

 difficult to trace any connection between their diverse forms and their 

 environment. 



From a mountain top about 3,000 feet high, on the west side of the valley 

 near the mouth of Taiya river, I obtained an extensive and most interesting 

 view of the extremely rugged country about the head of Lynn canal. The 

 glaciers in this region are small in comparison with those reported by various 

 travelers as existing on the seaward slope of the St. Elias range, but they 

 present great diversity, and some of them are sevei'al miles in length. The 

 more elevated portions of the mountains seen from my station, with the 

 exception of the more precipitous peaks aud crests, were covered with snow 

 and ice aud gave rise to a large number of ice streams. From one station 

 I counted nearly forty veritable glaciers ; a change of position of half a 

 mile brought others into view which before were concealed by the rugged 

 ciags and snow-covered slopes near at hand. The outlines of vast amphi- 

 theatres could be traced by lines of crags along their borders, but the de- 

 pressions themselves were filled nearly to the brim with ice. The ruggedness 

 of these great basins in the summits of the range, was so completely con- 

 cealed that a person could walk with ease from peak to peak across an ice- 

 held where a passage would be impossible should the ice be melted. 



The present condition of the mountains of southern Alaska presents a 



