GLACIERS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES AND SELKIRKS. 89 



In 1904 there issued from the main nose of the glacier five drainage brooks, 

 the main one lying to the west of the nose and receiving the drainage from the 

 left lateral moraine. This stream follows the inner curve of the terminal moraine 

 and cuts across it at a point opposite the nose. The other four streams form a 

 network over the boulder pavement, unite into a single stream, which makes its 

 way across the terminal moraine and joins the main flow. About 1,200 feet 

 from the nose of the glacier (1904) this drainage brook from the lower and west 

 side of the glacier vtnites with the strong flow from the eastern side of the valley 

 and together they form the Illecillewaet, or "Rushing Water," a tributary of the 

 Columbia. The average flow from the glacier is not much different from that 

 of the Victoria and Wenkchemna, but considerably less than that from the 

 Yoho, which collects the drainage from a larger territory. Based upon the 

 estimated size of the nev6 area and the average annual precipitation, the average 

 flow for the months May to September, inclusive, should be about 65 cubic feet 

 per second. Owing to the somewhat larger drainage area and the more rapid 

 midsummer melting the flow seems greater than this in July and August. The 

 water, as it issues from beneath the nose, is only slightly turbid compared with 

 the Victoria, indicating a small amount of subglacial erosion. The color becomes 

 slightly green in the combined streams and still more so after it has received the 

 Asulkan drainage farther down the valley. With the loss of sediment, which is 

 gi-adually stranded here and there, the water assumes a bluish tinge, except 

 where lashed into foam. 



c. TempcraUires. During the last week in August and first week in Sep- 

 tember, both in 1904 and 1905, some 30 observations were made on the tempera- 

 ture of the drainage at the nose. The average temperature, taken at various 

 times of the day, was found to be 33.1° F., with a range from 32.4° to 33.8°. 

 That from the eastern side of the valley, taken just under the bridge on the 

 trail, gave an average of 39.9°. One-third of a mile down the valley, at the lower 

 bridge across the stream, the average temperature of the combined streams 

 was 38.3°, ranging from 34.9° to 40.6°. Where the Illecillewaet passes beneath 

 the railwa}^ having received the Asulkan brook, four observations i:pon the 

 temperature gave an average of 39.7 °. 



7. Forward Movement. 



As early as 1888 observations were made by Rev. W. S. Green to determine 

 the forward movement of the glacier. On August 13, he set three poles in the 

 ice by boring holes with an auger, the distance from the nose not being given.' 

 These were visited upon the 25 th of the same month and were found to have 

 fallen, owing to surface melting. The holes were, however, fotmd and the 

 poles reset for measurement. The distances moved in the twelve days are 

 recorded as follows: " No. i pole, near moraine, 7 feet; No. 2 , further out, 10 feet; 

 center of glacier, 20 feet." For the middle of the glacier this gives an average 

 daily motion of 20 inches. About the margin of the ice Green, at the same time, 



' Among the Selkirk Glaciers, iSgo, p. 21S. 



