136 LABRADOR 
The sea-coast phenomena apparently show that the epoch 
of emergence is not yet closed; with greater certainty they 
tell us of the extent of maximum submergence. With 
very close accuracy the highest, and presumably the oldest, 
of the shore-lines can be located along the prehistoric 
headlands and intervening bays. In the summer of 1900 
the highest shore-line was approximately fixed at some 
thirty points on the 1100-mile journey from St. John’s to 
Nachvak. Its position gives a sort of measure as to how 
much of the Labrador scenery was given final form and 
colour by the wash and wear and beach accumulation in the 
shifting zone of the breakers. The discovery of the maxi- 
mum uplift has also a strong theoretical interest in adding 
to the observations that some day may suffice to solve the 
great problem of the cause of such broad upheavals of the 
earth’s crust. 
The principle by which the highest shore-line was de- 
termined is a simple one. It was only necessary to seek 
out at the various landing-places the seaward facing hill- 
slopes which must have suffered strong wave attack in 
case they had slowly emerged from the sea in post-Glacial 
time. These slopes, when high enough, always show at 
once a vigorous contrast between the washed and unwashed 
zones. Above the highest shore-line, the glacial boulders 
dotting the treeless hillsides still lie in practically their 
original positions. Below that line they have been swept 
away. The highest shore-line is, therefore, Just below 
the boulder-limit, which, of course, has been driven by 
storm-waves a little higher than the high-water mark of 
the level sea. At this line the ‘‘fossil”’ beaches, cliffs, and 
chasms cease, and the smooth, boulder-dotted slopes begin. 
