642 SOUTHEAST COAST OF LABRADOR. 



by grounding, they remain stationary, until by breaking up they are 

 lightened sufficiently to drift again with the current. 



All broken ice drifts ashore on the Labrador coast. It is stated 

 that none ever reaches the Newfoundland coast, and no ice was seen 

 in 1898 on that side. One small berg was observed a few miles north- 

 ward of cape Norman, but apparently this berg drifted to the east- 

 ward and did not enter the strait. 



As far as could be seen, the icebergs entering the strait passed 

 between Belle isle and Labrador. The movements of the icebergs, 

 since much of their volume is immersed, are necessarily due to the 

 resultant flow of the whole body of water from the surface to the 

 bottom. Many bergs were deep enough to ground in 55 fathoms. 



Although persistent strong westerly winds frequently caused the 

 surface current to flow continuously eastward, the few observations 

 made on under currents showed that they were less affected by the 

 prevailing winds than by the surface current; it is therefore possible, 

 looking to the movement of the ice, that the body of the water on the 

 Labrador side, taken as a whole, has a resultant flow to the westward. 



The ice, as it broke up, always eventually drifted ashore on the 

 Labrador coast ; no noticeable indraft affecting navigation was, how- 

 ever, experienced anywhere, except southwestward of York point, 

 where an indraft was frequently felt toward the land. 



Toward cape Norman it was observed that there was a prepon- 

 derance of easterly set; and, although farther southwestward this was 

 not noticeable, it is probable that on the southern side of the strait 

 there is a slight general preponderance of easterly set, and this seems 

 to be borne out by the fact that this shore is everywhere thickly 

 strewn with driftwood, while none is ever seen on the northern shore. 

 It may be presumed that this driftwood comes from the St, Lawrence 

 river. 



The fishermen state that on several occasions bamboos have been 

 washed up, in nearly every instance with a hole cut at the thick end, 

 as if they had been used for fishing stakes, as in China. It is difficult 

 to account for them. 



About the end of July, 1898, a lumber vessel was reported to have 

 been wrecked westward of Blanc Sablon, and shortly afterwards 

 large quantities of floating timber were observed along the Newfound- 

 land coast, and a quantity also came ashore at Green Island brook. 

 None was seen on the Labrador side. 



Temperature of the sea. — See page 56. 



Iceberg's. — See page 57. 



Occasionally large pieces of icebergs drift into the anchorages on 

 the northern shore of the strait, causing danger to the fishermen's nets, 

 and sometimes making it necessary for vessels at anchor to get under 

 way. No warning is given of the proximity of ice, as a rule, by 



