160 Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 
up the sloping sides to the height of eighty or one hundred feet, recoil- 
ing in vast sheets resembling cataracts ; and-where the face of the 
berg was perpendicular, the surf broke against it as if it had been a 
wall of rock, with tremendous force, and a booming roar like that of 
distant heavy thunder. There appeared to have been a recent oyer- 
turn of the berg, inasmuch as the water for a mile’s distance’ from it 
. was full of fragments, some of them sufficiently large to endanger a 
vessel. One of the most remarkable phenomena observed by: Mr. C:; 
was the almost incredibly rapid revolution of ‘this huge body on its 
vertical axis, in consequence of which, it did not present the same 
aspect: for two minutes together. One moment it was a pyramid, the 
next barn-shaped, and in another’a glittering pile of peaks and serrated 
—_ or battlements, like those of some ancient castellated citadel, 
xhibited. Scarcely was there time to sketch the rudest outline of 
one Se las ere it gave place to another totally dissimilar. This 
melting away of the various figures, could be compared to: nothing 
better than the sudden and fanciful changes we see in turning a kaleido- 
scope. Mr. Couthouy here exhibited to the Association a series of 
sketches taken at the time as illustrative of the variety -of' form spoken 
of. The following statement of the temperature of the air and ocean 
at various distances from the berg, was given as evidence of the great 
extent to which they were affected by its presence, and the influence 
which, as before mentioned, this circumstance exerted on. metline “Saguge 
ation of the dissolution of similar masses : 
‘Noon. . 2P.M. 3p.M. 330-eM. Sham. 430? Sam "bea 
Air, 54° oe 50° 46° 42° 37° 35° 377) 
Water, 50° 50° 48° 44° 43° 36° 36°. 40°. 
Distance of berg, 33’ 19’ (visible,) 12’ 8 44 lV. 8 | ¢ 
When nearest the iceberg, (which was within a short half mile,) the 
water was ata little below 34° Fahr., and the air at_.35°. After pass 
ing the island, when about two miles to leeward, a smart fall, of hail 
was experienced, which lasted about ten minutes. By this. statement 
it appears, that the water three. miles to leeward of the island was. 
Fahr. colder than that four and a half miles to windward, and. at 
six miles, 3° colder than at four and a half and 4° colder than at eight 
miles to windward, owing probably to. a surface current. carrying. the 
water from it in the direction the wind was blowing. . The latitude 
cae was 53° 20 S., and its longitude 104°. 50’ W., making 
sn ni + eres southern, Jand from: which it 
ee een detached. From its ee aes ae 
