187(1 LIMESTONE FOSSILS. 327 



We then built a cairn of sufficient size to be visible 

 from the shore, and returned to the camp ; though we 

 descended the hill with great reluctance, for I would 

 gladly have obtained a fuller series of observations. 

 Mount Julia is composed of grey mountain limestone ; 

 and it was a curious reflection to make, as we built 

 the cairn in the midst of as glacial a scene as can be 

 imagined, that the shells and corals which were em- 

 bedded in the rocks we handled, had in the far-off 

 past inhabited a tropical sea. 



Dining the next two days we were partially con- 

 fined to the tent by a strong westerly gale, with a 

 continuous heavy fall of snow ; in the midst of our 

 discomfort it made us realize how exceptionally for- 

 tunate we had been in obtaining the view we did 

 from the top of Mount Julia. During the lulls in the 

 gale, which sometimes lasted for a couple of hours, we 

 employed ourselves by quarrying in a neighbouring 

 ravine, where the exposed strata on either side were 

 replete with fossil forms belonging to the mountain 

 limestone or sub-carboniferous period. I need scarcely 

 mention that we loaded up our sledge with these 

 precious relics, regardless of all consequences, wrapping 

 up the more delicate specimens in our spare change of 

 clothing, our only regret being that we had to abandon 

 a quantity of the original collection. As it was, our 

 return journey to the ship could only be accomplished 

 by advancing with half-loads at a time, and so 

 heavy in many places was the sodden floe that we 

 were frequently obliged to turn round and face the 

 lightened sledge, and advance a few feet at a time 

 with repeated 4 one, two, three, hauls.' 



