174 REPORT 1860. 



the Blackfoot. This term comprises the Blackfoot proper, the Blood Indians, 

 Peagans, Gro Ventres, Sarcees, and several others. The Sarcees, however, are really 

 very different Indians, and have their relations far to the north on M'Kenzie River. 

 He next spoke concerning the languages of the tribes, of which he has prepared voca- 

 bularies, stating that that of the Crees is very perfect, having a very effective system 

 of grammar, which has been ably developed by the missionaries, who ha\e also 

 invented a system of syllabic characters, by which the Indians soon learn to read 

 and write in their own language. These characters could also be applied to all the 

 other Indian languages he examined east of the mountains, excepting Sarcee, which is 

 too guttural. 



He remarked that a very interesting, though small tribe, known as the Mountain 

 Stoneys, had been induced by the Wesleyan missionary to commence a little agricul- 

 ture. It does not amount to much, however, their principal crop being turnips, 

 which they generally pull and eat raw before they are nearly grown. Of the very 

 different habits of Indians which inhabit the woods from those of the plains, he men- 

 tioned in addition the curious circumstance, that in a camp of the former Indians 

 there is never any noise ; and even in conversation they talk almost at an inaudible 

 pitch, a habit derived from their stealthy habits in hunting; whereas a camp of Plain 

 Indians resembles a fair, as drums beating, whooping, and singing is continued all 

 day and all night. 



On his proposed Journey from Khartum in Upper Egypt to meet Captain 

 Speke on or near the Lake Nyanza of Central Africa. By Consul 

 Petherick. 



On the Formation of Icebergs and Ice Action, as observed in the Hudson's 

 Bay and Straits. By Dr. J. Rae. 



The manner in which icebergs are generally formed is so well known that it would 

 be out of place to mention it here, but I have observed in Hudson's Bay and Straits 

 these ice-islands formed in a mode different from that usually described. 



Along these shores there are high and steep cliffs fronting the tea, and having deep 

 water at their base. Many of these cliffs face to the south-eastward. In the winter 

 falls of snow are frequent, and as almost every snow-storm is followed or accompanied 

 by a gale of northerly or north-westerly wind, the snow is blown over the cliff and 

 deposited in deep drifts at the cliff- foot on the ice, which is forced down by the weight. 



As I have known a drift-bank of 20 or 30 feet formed bv one gale of wind of as 

 many hours' duration, it may be readily understood how in the course of a winter an 

 accumulation of snow to the depth of several hundred feet may be formed, extending 

 in a sloping direction to seaward thus : — 



As soon as warm weather comes on in spring the surface snow is thawed ; the 

 water percolates downwards until it reaches the snow, which is colder than the 

 freezing-point, and the whole is frozen into a solid mass of ice. 



This process goes on to a greater or less extent according to the severity of the 

 season, the quantity of snow, and the amount of windy weather, until the snow- 

 formed ice attains great thickness and breaks off in large masses in the form of ice- 

 bergs. 



In Hudson's Bay the icebergs formed in this manner are small and scarcely de- 

 serving the name, but in the Straits they are large and lofty. 



When passing through the Strait near to the north shore, I have seen some of 

 these lying close to the cliff from which they had become detached, and showing 

 projections and hollows corresponding to the form of the rocks from which they 

 had broken away. 



