162 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



322. -Then, since there is salt always flowing out of the north 

 polar basin, we infer that there must be salt always flowing into 

 it, else it would either become fresh, or the whole Atlantic Ocean 

 would be finally silted up with salt. 



It might be supposed, were there no evidence to the contrary, 

 that this salt was supplied to the Polar seas from the Atlantic 

 around North Cape, and from the Pacific through Behring's 

 Straits, and through no other channels. 



323. But, fortunately, Arctic voyagers, w^ho have cruised in the 

 direction of Davis's Straits, have afforded us, by their observations 

 (§ 281), proof positive as to the fact of this other source for sup- 

 plying the Polar seas with salt. They tell us of an under current 

 setting from the Atlantic toward the Polar basin. They describe 

 huge icebergs, with tops high up in the air, and of course the 

 bases of which extend far down into the depths of the ocean, rip- 

 ping and tearing their way, with terrific force and awful violence, 

 through the surface ice or against a surface current, on their way 

 into the Polar basin. 



Passed Midshipman S. P. Griffin, who commanded the brig 

 Rescue in the American searching expedition after Sir John 

 Franklin, informs me that, on one occasion, the two vessels were 

 endeavoring to warp up to the northward, in or near Wellington 

 Channel, against a strong surface current, which of course was 

 setting to the south ; and that while so engaged, an iceberg, with 

 its top many feet above the water, came " drifting up" from the 

 south, and passed by them " like a shot." Although they were 

 stemming a surface current against both the berg and themselves, 

 such was the force and velocity of the under current, that it car- 

 ried the berg to the northward faster than the crew could warp 

 the vessel against a surface but counter current. 



Captain Duncan, master of the English whale-ship Dundee, 

 says, at page 76 of his interesting little narrative :* 



'^December 18th (1826). It was awful to behold the immense 

 icebergs working their way to the northeast from us, and not one 

 drop of water to be seen ; they were working themselves right 

 through the middle of the ice." 



And again, at page 92, &c. : 



* Arctic Regions ; Voyage to Davis's Strait, by Dorea Duncan, Master of the Ship 

 Dundee, 1826, 1827. 



