﻿296 Prof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 



other visitors to those shores. The countries which, surround such 

 smooth-worn coast-lines, like Finland, give evidences of recent eleva- 

 tion, and moreover both, lands show a similar ice-worn surface, over 

 which boulders in varying quantities are everywhere scattered. 



Ancient glaciers, many of which were of large extent, together 

 with icebergs, have no doubt done their share as tools in Nature's 

 workshop. But there is another form of ice which, when tbought 

 of, comes readily to the front, and that is Coast Ice. How far this 

 agent may have acted in the modelling of continents I have only 

 speculated on; but how far it has been influential in the modelling of 

 islands, coast-lines, and low-lying countries, I have already stated 

 my convictions upon. In conclusion I may state that to my mind it is 

 certain that, on further observation, the action of coast ice will be 

 proved to have been far more extensive than geologists have hitherto 

 supposed. 



On the night of the 12th August we left the town of Helsingfors, 

 and all next day were slowly steaming across the quiet waters at the 

 head of the Gulf of Finland. About 4 p.m. we ran between the 

 formidable-looking forts of Cronstadt, and shortl}?- afterwards sighted 

 the huge gilt dome which crowns St. Isaac's cathedral, the glory of 

 St. Petersburg. 



If we look at the map appended to chap. xxvi. in Geikie's Great 

 Ice Age, on which are indicated the general directions of ice action in 

 the northera parts of Europe, their directions, which all point sea- 

 loards, or else towards the lowest land, will be seen to be ratJier more 

 favourable for the views which I have advocated than they are for 

 those which they are more particularly intended to support, which 

 are that the ice radiated from -''the high grounds of Norway and 

 Sweden, flowing north and north-east into the Arctic Ocean, and east 

 into the White Sea." 



It is difficult to conceive, as most geologists do, that the northern 

 drift and its associated boulders are a purely marine deposit, for to 

 have been this it is necessary that at one time they must have 

 passed from beneath the water where they were deposited through 

 a surging coast-line, in order to reach the elevated position they now 

 occupy, during which period they would have been subject to such 

 degradation which none but deposits of extraordinary thickness 

 could well withstand. 



A similar objection might be raised respecting the existence of 

 any scratches and roundings produced by land glaciers, if it is ever 

 supposed that they were subsequently beneath the sea. Such 

 mai'kings to be preserved must always have remained above sea- 

 level, or else have been shielded by some protective covering during 

 both subsidence and elevation. 



If we read Chapter xxvi. of Geikie's " Great Ice Age," which 

 treats of the glaciation of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, we find 

 much evidence which is unintentionally favourable to my argument. 

 For example, at the end of the chapter, p. 397, the immense power 

 of coast-ice upon the coast of Finland is spoken of, and a case is 

 cited of an immense raft of ice beino- driven ashore which over- 



