136 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF NOVA SCOTIA.—MURPHY. 
being just as sharp as when broken from the vein or lead (as it is 
called) to which they belonged. 
Let us reject the assumption that the gravel ridges remaining 
on the top and slopes of the South Mountain are old sea beaches, 
and for the present call them Moraines, and inquire only into the 
first postulate, by asking the question: Assuming that there 
was a glacial movement over the surface of our south-eastern 
slope, cutting the rocks by a shearing force and carrying them 
with it, how can we account for the more local movement of the 
quartz boulders ? 
These boulders appear on the surface; they may have been 
broken from their beds by agents such as are now active, viz: 
the alternating influence of frost and heat. 
I know that the frosts of winter will keep boulders on the 
surface, although they may be again and again covered by silt. 
I can account for the lifting by the process of freezing. If we 
eould, in this same way, account for the travelling in a southerly — 
direction, which is not so improbable, we might solve the pro- 
blem of the local drift. 
The fact of the distance from the lead being dependent upon 
the depth of the drift, favors an assumption that in the process 
of lifting there was also a travelling movement. 
It has been remarked to me by very practical observers and 
searchers, such as Mr. John Anderson, of Musquodoboit Harbour, 
and Mr. Fraser, M. P. P. for Guysborough County, that miners 
observe, when costeaning from the boulder northerly, to look for 
the lead, they frequently find traces of quartz of the same kind, 
from the boulder on the surface to the lead im situ, graduating 
from one to the other. This fact would go to shew that the 
upward movement was gradual, and it would not be a great 
- stretch of imagination to assume that, as the boulder was lifted 
by the process of freezing, it would be forced somewhat in the 
line of least resistance—i. e., if it was frozen a little firmer on. 
the north side, it might cause a movement southerly. If these 
facts were more carefully looked into, the local drift might be 
accounted for. 
My greatest trouble is the old sea beaches. I cannot assign 
