GLACIATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 75 
We may fairly conclude that the grand moraine of the whole system exists upon the 
Great Banks of Newfoundland, where the ice-sheet was partially stayed in its course 
towards the open ocean; and which has been constantly, year by year, receiving fresh 
accessions of material, derived from the rocks of Greenland, Labrador, and Newfoundland. 
It has before been suggested that, while the glacial action was proceeding which 
excavated the lakes and the deep hollows in the arms and inlets, pushing up moraines 
and vast heaps of boulders, the land was gradually rising and the climate becoming 
by degrees more temperate. In course of time the great body of ice would give way, and 
would eventually shrink to local glaciers, limited to the high grounds, or the colls and 
glens among the mountains. The ice thus to a great extent being melted and the land 
sufficiently emerged, we can conceive the more level tracts to have been a series of great 
freshwater lakes, which would occupy by far the greater area of the country. The drainage 
from these inland waters, together with the agitation of the lakes, would remove the 
lighter portions of the drift, and re-deposit beds of sand and gravel unconformably over 
the bouldery moraines, while the suspended mud was being carried down to the deeper 
waters of the sea. The removal of this lighter material left the level grounds payed with 
boulders, while many of the lower hills were crowned with them, sometimes as isolated 
perched blocks or, as on some of the ridges, strewed over the surface in every direction. It 
is well known that the surface of the island at this moment is dotted over by innumerable 
lakes and ponds, to such an extent at some parts that, from some of the heights, one 
hundred might be counted from a single point of view; while the vast marshes spread 
over the more level grounds are still usually knee-deep in water. In short, it has been 
asserted that, were the whole of the lakes and watery marshes accurately mapped out, it 
would be found that a good third of the whole area was under water, even at the present 
day. Bog-holes of great depth are often encountered in these marshes, which display a 
thick growth of vegetation, consisting of freshwater plants, as far down as can be seen, of 
species apparently identical with those now growing; and where the drainage is readily 
effected and the land thereby relieved of the surface water, hundreds of acres may be 
crossed over, where the surface is clothed by a vast mass of peat, often four or five feet in 
thickness, which in dry times becomes so inflammable that it is dangerous to light a match 
or fire a shot over it, which might lead to a conflagration over hundreds of square miles, 
There is a striking analogy of circumstances to be remarked between the geographical 
position and physical condition—as the result of glaciation—of Scotland, with its 
northern groups of islands, and Newfoundland, which deserves notice. Both islands stand 
in similar relation to a great continent ; the former having Europe at the eastward, while 
the continent of North America backs the latter to the west. The east coast of Scotland 
facing the main land, although indented by deep bays and firths, is not cut up by fiords or 
inlets, and there are very few islands ; whereas the west coast is punctured by innumerable 
sea-lochs, and crowded with islands. The exact reverse is the case in Newfoundland. The 

west coast is indented by several deep bays, but there are but few islands, and no remark- 
able fiords; whereas, on the east coast, they intersect the half of the island, and the islands, 
especially in Bonavista and Notre Dame Bays are simply innumerable. It appears also to 
be clearly demonstrated that the ice-drift of Northern Europe swept over and over-rode older 
glaciers of Scotland, the Orkneys, and the Shetland Islands, and drove generally north-west 
