THE PHYSICAL HISTORY OF 'J HE NORWEGIAN FJORDS. 127 



the great central table-land. This central snowfield, visible 

 from the sea at a distance of one hundred miles, sends down 

 into the adjoining valleys glaciers, such as that of the Joste- 

 dalsbrae Glacier, iinsnrpassed in magnitude by any in Europe, 

 and which in the northern part of the peninsula are almost 

 bathed by the waters of the sea itself. Nor can we fail, 

 when coasting along these great waterways, to notice from 

 time to time the evidences both of former submersion to 

 depths of several hundred feet below the present level, as 

 also of recent elevation of the land. That the fjords were at 

 a former period the channels of glaciers, on a vastly greater 

 scale than those of the present day, is also shown by the 

 polished and striated surfaces of the rocks down to the 

 water's edge: first recognized by that enthusiastic glacialist, 

 the late Professor James Forbes.* Here the rocJieK moutonn^es 

 indicate the direction of the ice-movement, generally sea- 

 Avards ; and the occurrence of moraines and perched blocks in 

 vaiious positions show where there have been pauses in the 

 retreat of the ice into higher levels. On the other hand, the 

 flat surfaces of terraces, lining the sides of the valleys, 

 especially in protected spots, may constantly be noticed, 

 occasionally affording a footing for dwellings and land for 

 cultivation. That these terraces (" strand liuien ") are 

 ancient sea-beaches cannot be doubted, and they show the 

 extent to which the whole of Norway was submerged at a 

 period preceding the present, amounting, according to 

 Professor Reusch, to over 600 feet in the Christiania and 

 Trondhjem region, but in other regions to a less extent. 



2. Depthft of the Fjords helow the surface of the Sea. 



But the subject which most strongly excites our interest 

 and Avonder is the profound depths to whicli these fjords (or 

 giilfs) descend below the surface of the waters, reaching in 

 the case of the Sogne Fjord to nearly 4.000 feet (6()5 

 fathoms) as shown by the soundings on the Admiralty Charts. 

 Tf these gulfs were, as must be believed, the channels of 

 former glaciers and filled with ice down to their very floors, 

 and much above the present water-level as shown by the 

 unsubmerged ice-worn rocks, the thickness of the ice would 

 appear to have reached at least 5,000 to 6,000 feet iu the 



* Norway and its Glaciers (Edinburgh, 1853). 



