772 THE JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY. 



idly, and retires by stopes, mesa-fashion, with a notable tend- 

 ency to form amphitheatres. The valleys are therefore well 

 suited to receive and develop glaciers. 



The most notable of these valleys in the vicinity of God- 

 haven is the Blase Dale or Windy Valley. Through this flows 

 the Red River, whose waters are tinged by the debris of the red- 

 dish shales and the red part of the igneous series. This valley 

 is perhaps a mile in width, measured between the bluff faces, 

 and is stiffly joined on either hand at nearly right angles by 

 valleys of considerable breadth, but short length. The Blase 

 Dale reaches back almost due northward, with moderate accliv- 

 ity, for perhaps fifteen or twenty miles. Its full length was not 

 seen, and the maps of the interior are imperfect. 



Into the tributaries of this valley three glaciers descend from 

 the west and two from the east, within eight miles of its mouth. 

 The first three are derived from the snow cap which covers the 

 southwestern portion of the plateau ; the last two come from a 

 much smaller snow cap on a dissevered portion of the plateau 

 on the opposite side of Blase Dale. The snow cap on the west 

 side of the valley so nearly occupies the plateau immediately 

 overlooking Godhaven, that its border may be seen from the 

 village through a short valley cut by a brook in the face of the 

 escarpment. The base of the ice cap, according to the charts 

 and the descriptions of Dr. Rink, is about 2500 feet above tide. 

 At the time of our visit, both in July and September, it was 

 covered with fresh snow to its very edge. We did not there- 

 fore climb to it, as it seemed more profitable to spend our lim- 

 ited time in the examination of the better exposed portions of 

 the glacial tongues derived from it. Three of these glacial 

 tongues were visited. They descend from the snow cap by cat- 

 aracts across the horizon of the bedded igneous rocks, until 

 they reach the broader, gentler portion of their respective val- 

 leys, where they reshape themselves into plump, solid glaciers, 

 and creep on down to points varying from 900 feet to 1500 feet 

 above the sea. 



We shall perhaps encounter in their most natural order 



