15 



were interrogated regarding the discharge of the important glaciers 

 in this region, i. e., Upernivik, Giesecke, and Hayes Glaciers. The 

 course was pursued northward to the vicinity of the Duck Islands, 

 thence across Nelville Bay to Cape York, thence across the southern 

 part of Smith Sound to Devon Island, thence southward along the 

 mouth of Jones Sound, Lancaster Sound, past Bylot Island, and south- 

 ward along the Baffin Land coast. Oceanographic sections A and B, 

 of approximately 100 miles and 60 miles, respectively (see fig. 4), were 

 occupied in the oceanographically-unexplored portion of Baffin Bay. 

 The cruise then continued southward along the Baffin Land coast, 

 rounding Cape Dier, thence toward Cumberland Sound, thence south- 

 ward into the northern part of the Labrador Sea midway between 

 Baffin Land and Greenland, where the cruise terminated on September 

 23. 



Figure 4 shows the tract of the foregoing cruise with the grouped 

 number of icebergs sighted, Figiu-es 5 to 10, inclusive, show m larger 

 scale the distribution of bergs observed in particular areas. During 

 this period of 18 days the Northland cruised a total of 3,360 miles, and 

 sighted a total of 3,289 icebergs. The general location of the bergs is 

 grouped and plotted as circles showing the number of bergs sighted in 

 that area, as shown on figiu-e 4. It was found that the bergs were 

 most numerous within a coastal zone of 1 5 miles ; farther offshore they 

 became quite scattered to sparse, and farther than 40 miles out they 

 were only occasional. It would appear, from our observations, that 

 in the central portions of Davis Strait and Baffin Bay bergs were very 

 infrequent. Based on the above distribution and those samplings 

 which we were able to carry out along the ship's track, it is estimated 

 there were durmg this period a total of 6,000 bergs in Baffin Bay and 

 Davis Strait. The immediate vicinity of glacier fronts, of course, 

 recorded the greatest number. In Umanak Fiord, in a distance of 

 about 30 miles, a total of 566 bergs were counted. The settlement 

 officially stated that the fiord contained many more bergs than this 

 during every June and July when the winter's ice becomes broken 

 and they are released in larger numbers. It was safe to cruise the 

 ship fairly close to the front of the Great Karajak Glacier, but impos- 

 sible to do so at Rink and Umiamako Glaciers. In this respect the 

 latter two are similar to Jacobshavn in that the constricted part of the 

 fiord, several miles in length leading to the glacier front, is normally 

 clogged with bergs, one against another. It was estimated that there 

 were a total of 5,000 sizable bergs thus jammed in Umaimako and 

 Rink Fiords on September 10. A similar condition usually prevails 

 at Jacobshavn where in 1928 it was estimated the fiord contamed 

 6,000 bergs. All of these, of course, are not discharged in a single 

 season. According to the estimates the discharge from the 12 most 



