THE GREAT BARRIER 313 



ment was taking place along each of these according to the 

 state of the tide. Dr. Wilson, who had the greatest oppor- 

 tunity of examining this region, thinks that there must be a 

 submarine land ridge between Mount Terror and the White 

 Island, checking the flow of ice in that direction. He also 

 observed that glaciers on the south side of Erebus and Terror, 

 where there is an exceptionally heavy snowfall, are pressing 

 towards the south-west, eventually finding relief around Cape 

 Armitage. That there was some pressure from the Barrier 

 around White Island was shown by the ridges which formed 

 on the eastern side of our peninsula. 



I am inclined to place the eastern limit of the floating 

 portion of the Barrier near the Balloon Inlet in longitude 

 163° W. It is noticeable that the ice-clifl" immediately to the 

 east of this has not broken away since Sir James Ross traced 

 it. The disturbed condition of the ice in this vicinity is no 

 doubt due to King Edward's Land, but it is not easy to see 

 why the effect should be precisely what it is. 



The full extent of the Barrier ice-sheet must, for the 

 present, be a matter of surmise. At our most southerly point 

 we saw long snow-capes running out beyond Mount Longstaff 

 and meeting the level horizon, while further still the mirage 

 threw up small patches of white, indicative of still more distant 

 capes and mountains. The scene to the south was much what 

 it was to the north, and the weather so bright and clear that 

 we can at least make one statement with certainty. The high 

 mountainous coastline does not turn to the east before reaching 

 the 84th parallel beyond the slight trend it already has in that 

 direction. But at such distances one can only speak of the 

 high land ; whether the level surface of the Barrier continues 

 to .skirt those lofty land masses it is impossible to say, but, for 

 my part, I am strongly of opinion that it does. 



Speculations on Former Ice Conditions. — Having given the 

 reasons for my belief that the Great Barrier is afloat, it may be 

 interesting to add some ideas which have come to me with 

 regard to its origin, although I make no pretence to being an 

 expert in glacial matters. 



