108 A SUMMER VOYAGE TO THE ARCTIC 



center, and the enormous pressure of the accumulating snow 

 presses out the glaciers through every opening in the bordering 

 mountains. That this ice-sheet was once more extensive than 

 it is now is proved b}^ the rounded outlines and glacial scratches 

 found on nearly all the coast mountains. On the other hand, 

 the climate of Greenland must at one time have been very much 

 warmer. In the vicinity of Umanak fiord coal deposits arcjfound 

 and fossils of such semi-tropical trees as the fig and magnolia. 

 Notwithstanding the nearness of the ice-cap, the present climate 

 of Greenland is much milder than that of the opposite side of 

 Davis strait. In the fiords the summer climate is moderate and 



THE "hope" in the ICE OFF CAPE MERCY 



pleasant; we found light winter clothing comfortable, but noth- 

 ing more was needed. Wherever there is soil, there is an abun- 

 dance of wild flowers and grasses, but we found no trees. A 

 curious meteorological fact is that the Fohn wind, which blows 

 directly off the ice-cap, always brings the warmest weather ; the 

 usual explanation being that this heating of the wind is due to 

 its sudden descent from the elevated interior to the low coast. 



The Hope called for us at Umanak on September 9, and our 

 homeward voyage followed much the same course as our out- 

 ward one. The only severe storm we encountered was in cross- 

 ing Davis strait. Off Cape Mercy the Hope was caught in an 



