Contrast of Desolation and Verdure. 105 



Our next advance-camp, established a few days later, was at 

 Terrace point, as' we called the extreme end of the mountain 

 spur separating the Lucia and Atrevida glaciers. These ice- 

 streams were formerly much higher than now, and when at their 

 flood formed terraces along the mountain side, which remain 

 distinctly visible to the present day. The space between the two 

 glaciers at the southern end of the mountain spur became filled 

 with bowlders and stones carried down on the side of the ice- 

 streams, and, as the glaciers contracted, added a tapering point 

 to the mountain. Between the present surface of the ice and the 

 highest terrace left at some former time there are many ridges, 

 sloping down stream, which record minor changes in the fluctu- 

 ation of the ice. A portion of one of these terraces is seen to the 

 left in plate 10. 



Terrace point, like all the lower portions of the mountain spurs 

 extending southward from the main range, is densely clothed 

 with vegetation, and during the short summers is a paradise of 

 flowers. Our tent was pitched on a low terrace just beyond the 

 border of the ice. The steep bluff rising to an elevation of some 

 200 feet on the east of our camp was formed by glacial ice buried 

 beneath an absolutely barren covering of stones and dirt. On,' 

 the west the ascent was still more precipitous, but the slope from 

 base to summit was one mass of gorgeous flowers. 



Kerr and myself made several excursions from the camjD at 

 Terrace point, and explored the country ahead to the next 

 mountain spur for the purpose of selecting a site for another 

 advance-camp. In the meantime the men were busy in bring- 

 ing up supplies. 



Our reconnoissance westward took us across the Lucia glacier 

 to the mouth of a deep, transverse gorge in the next mountain 

 spur. The congeries of low peaks and knobs south of this pass 

 we named the Floral hills, on account of the luxuriance of the 

 vegetation covering them ; and the saddle separating them from 

 the mountains to the north was called Floral pass. 



In crossing the Lucia glacier we experienced the usual diffi- 

 culties met with on the debris-covered ice-field of Alaska. The 

 way was exceedingly rough, on account of the ridges and valleys 

 on the ice, and on account of the angular condition of the debris 

 resting upon it. Many of the ridges could not conveniently be 

 climbed, owing to the uncertain footing afforded by the angular 



