chap, xxii WESTERN BAYS 307 



bedded rocks that form the bulk of the interior. But along 

 the west shore they were confronted by the line of hardest 

 and most ancient rocks. Relatively narrow exits therefore 

 are the rule, exits sometimes used in common by two or 

 three main valleys. At either side of these the ends of 

 the hard ridge stand up as monumental doorposts of the 

 gate. Ice Fjord owes much of its fine first impression to the 

 peaks of the Dead Man and Mount Starashchin, between 

 which it is entered. There are corresponding Pillars of 

 Hercules to Low Sound. That to the north was most striking. 

 I have been told that its proper name is Bell Mountain, and 

 that from it the bay is called Bell Sound. I have seldom 

 seen a mountain that, for its size, impressed me more. It 

 possesses, from some points of view, an aspect of bold and 

 curving uplift, emphasised by its shaggy head and great mane 

 of snow. The sweeping outlines of its clearly defined and 

 contorted strata, with the strange and varied colouring of the 

 rocks, and the brilliant green on the ledges, all the lines 

 leading up to the bold, nodding brow, form the elements of 

 a mountain composition of excellent quality. 



The tide was setting in through the narrow entrance with 

 a great rush and turmoil. A sound of many waters filled the 

 air, a deep diapason extraordinarily impressive. The other- 

 wise smooth strait bulged up from below in swelling 

 domes, round which wavelets broke in rings towards the 

 centre. Rushing currents caught and carried the steamer 

 this way and that, and swung her about like a cork. It was 

 all most agreeably exciting. 1 Once within the gate and 

 under shelter of the island all was calm. Garwood, Trevor- 

 Battye, and Ted went off in the row-boat to land, whilst I 

 steamed on up the north side of Low Sound. Into the south 

 side thirteen parallel valleys empty. They are all much 



1 It is stated that the tide runs much more strongly out than in, as might be 

 anticipated, and is more rapid through the south than the north entry. 



