no. 14.] MECHANICAL COMPOSITION OF SAMPLES. 33 



altogether disappear. This stage is not reached by any of the deposits of 

 the Fram Expedition; No. 15 alone shows a slight indication of it. Most 

 of the deep-sea deposits have shades of brown deeper than any of those formed 

 in the vicinity of the coast, a fact which is immediately connected with 

 their slower formation. 



As already stated, sample No. 10 consists of various layers, of which the 

 uppermost, No. 10 a is of a greyer hue, and the lowest, No. 10 c, more 

 brownish, an order which differs from that generally prevailing wherever the 

 ocean-floor consists of deposits of various colours. In other respects, the 

 different samples exhibit very much the same consistency; the greyish layer 

 being at most a trifle more sandy. Only the lowest layer, No. 10 c has been 

 washed. As the curve shows, the maximum for the sandy particles is found 

 at about 001 mm., and only a trifling proportion is greater than 005 mm. 

 The current, which here flows north from the New Siberian Islands and 

 the Siberian coast east of the mouth of the Lena, has thus not sufficient 

 force to enable it to convey the still coarser particles so far 1 ; and the small 

 quantity of these also shows that the transport by ice can only play an 

 insignificant part in these regions. It is impossible to say anything decided 

 regarding the reason of the greyer colour of the uppermost layer as compared 

 with the nethermost. It may, as usual, be assumed that this colour denotes 

 that the layer has been deposited more rapidly than the lowest layer; and 

 this change may possibly arise from the increased velocity of the currents 

 in these regions. 



The fact that raised beaches with shells, etc., are found on the New 

 Siberian Islands 2 indicates that the surrounding region once stood at a lower 

 level than it does now. It is very likely that the brown layer was formed 

 at this time; the higher water level must have lessened the velocity of the 

 currents going north from the Siberian rivers, and the transport of material 

 must consequently have taken place on a smaller scale and at a slower rate. 

 This would all seem to indicate that deposition in this region must be an 

 extremely slow process; and in confirmation of this, it may be pointed out 



1 Especially as Nansen proved that the stream which here runs towards the North, 

 only has a range of ca. 200 m.; underneath it Ihere is a current in the opposite 

 direction. 



2 See James Geikie: "The great Ice age," 1894. p. 700. 



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