1856.] WOLLEY — BOULDERS. 189 



5. Notice of an Ice-carried Boulder at Borgholm. 

 By John Wolley, Esq. 



[Communicated by Sir C. Lyell, V.P.G.S.] 



At Borgholm, several weeks ago, there was shown to me a large 

 boulder, with several smaller ones by its side, which had been brought 

 to the place where they lay by the ice this year (1856). It was just 

 to the north of the town, which is on the western coast of the island of 

 Oland. This stone, like most of the large boulders in that country, 

 was of red granite, of an oblong form, with all irregularities rounded 

 off. Between perpendiculars it was in length about 1 feet, and in 

 breadth about 7 feet, and it was 6 feet deep. It lay 2 or 3 feet 

 above the present water-line, and was supported by several smaller 

 stones, so that its under side could be seen. This under side pre- 

 sented indications of recent grinding, but no continuous scratches or 

 furrows. The upper part of the stone had yellow lichens growing 

 sparingly upon it, proving that it had been for some time above 

 water ; whilst below the yellow lichens at some distance was a belt of 

 black colour, probably of a vegetable nature, like what is to be seen 

 on other stones in the islets of which I am about to speak. 



From the spot where the stone lay, which was some paces from 

 the water's edge, the shore sloped gradually to some distance below 

 the water-line, and the rock was covered with shingle. In this 

 shingle deep furrows were ploughed, leading in one direction to the 

 several boulders, and in the other pointing out the quarter from 

 whence they had come. The line thus indicated seemed to touch the 

 north-east end of an islet lying at about half an English mile distance 

 to the N.N.W. From this island my informants believed that the 

 stone had been carried. They were sure that there had been no 

 such stone previously visible in that direction nearer than the islet. 



Rowing out, I found that there was deep water for a considerable 

 part of the way ; and, landing at the place from which the boulders 

 were supposed to have come, I saw that the other stones there re- 

 sembled them in the vegetable growth upon them and in other re- 

 spects. The ground sloped gradually round the islet, which was for 

 the most part a heap of boulders, many of which also lay scattered 

 round it, rising above the surface of the water. 



The account given was, that in the month of February the ice was 

 drifted by a storm from a direction between north and west, — that 

 it was heaped up on the shore, — and that shortly afterwards a mass 

 of stones was seen supported at a considerable height upon it. As 

 the ice melted the stones sunk down, and were deposited in the spot 

 where I saw them. Such occurrences are said to be not uncommon, 

 and an intelligent, but unread man explained them in the following 

 manner : — Stones, standing with a considerable part under water, 

 are in the winter frozen fast. When a storm from the north comes, 

 the level of the water is raised round Oland, and the ice lifts from 

 the ground the stones which are attached to it. At the same time it 

 may be partly broken up, and masses of it drifted to a considerable 

 distance and subsequently stranded with the stones attached to them. 



