Ice-borne Sediments in Minas Basin, N. S. — By J. Austen 

 Bancrob^t, Acadia College, Wolfville. 



(Read before King's Co. Branch of X. S. I. S., 31st Ajxril, 1903.) 



The power of running water to carry along mud, sand, 

 gravel and fragments of rock to a considerable distance, is greatly 

 increased in those countries where during some part of the year 

 the frost is of sufficient intensit\' to form ice of considerable 

 thickness. 



During a winter of average severity, a person standing upon 

 the government pier at Wolfville, King's County, N. S., watch- 

 ing an ebb tide, is impressed with the immense amount of ice 

 carried down the Cornwiillis River into Minas Basin. Within 

 the ice, which is very muddy in general color, pebbles and frag- 

 ments of rock may be seen entangled. This ice-borne detritus 

 may be referred to at least three difterent sources : — 



(i.) Ice forms along the banks of the rivers which flow 

 into Minas Basin. During a slight thaw, small streamlets bear 

 gravel and sand down upon its surface. Upon colder days, if 

 there is not much snow on the ground, the ^^'ind sifts down its 

 contribution of fine material upon the ice. With a following 

 slightly higher tide, a layer of ice is formed upon the old surface, 

 and a thin stratum of detritus is locked up and ready for 

 later transportation. By the buoyant power of the water, 

 assisted by sudden changes of temperature of the atmosphere, 

 the^e pr )jecting masses are broken off and are drifted away by 

 the curreat. Each miniature iceberg thus formed, tears away 

 some debris from the bank of the river. 



(ii.) In some places, the shore-line of Minas Basin is marked 

 by cliti's, which are exposed to wave action and the scour of 

 tidal currents. For example, at Starr's Point and at Long 

 Island, the land platform terminates in cliffs of a dull red sand- 



(158) 



