SUTHERLAND, DAVIs' STRAIT AND BAFFIN'S BAY. 361 



without some difficulty and even danger we advanced among them, 

 although aided by steam. 



Action of glaciers on the sea-bottom. — The effect of bodies of 

 such dimensions on the rocks and mud at the bottom must be as 

 extensive as it is important. While passing up the Strait early 

 in the season, one rarely sees sea-weed floating in the water, but 

 at a period somewhat later, after these natural reapers have sallied 

 out to mow down their crops, we meet with wh(jle rafts of the 

 produce of the sub-marine forests of these regions floating down 

 the straits. The stems of Laminaria are often found abraded, 

 and their roots contain shells and other animals, some of which 

 appear to have participated in the violent action that liberated the 

 plants they sought as a protection. In every part of Davis' Strait, 

 from Cape Farewell to Smith Sound, on either side or mid-channel, 

 from two to two hundred fathoms, wherever the dredge has 

 reached the bottom, these animals have been found to exist, in 

 spite of iceberg action in its most intense form upon their rocky 

 or muddy habitats. Ascidians and Cirrhipeds, and many other 

 animals which attach themselves to the rocks at considerable 

 depths, are often found. The Echinoderms, which we know are 

 too slow in their motions to escape danger, swarm in those seas. 

 A species of Sea-Urchin {Echinus neglectus) and Brittle Stars 

 have been taken up from depths varying from ninety to two hun- 

 dred fathoms in Melville Bay, and from various other depths in all 

 parts of the Strait. Shells also occur, but they are sometimes 

 found broken, as some of the species of Mya, Saxicava, Cardium, 

 Pecten, and many others, taken from depths of seven to one hun- 

 dred fathoms, will show.* Except from the evidence aflbrded by 

 plants and animals at the bottom, we have no means whatever to 

 ascertain the effect produced by icebergs upon the rocks. Doubt- 

 less when they contain earthy and stony matter they must scratch 

 and groove the rocks *' as the diamond cuts the glass," and when 

 they are impelled along a muddy bottom, they cannot fail to raise 

 moraines and leave deep depressions in its otherwise smooth surface. 

 But it will be well to bear in mind that when an iceberg touches 

 the ground, if that ground be hard and resisting, it must come to 

 a stand ; and the propelling power continuing, a slight leaning 

 over in the water, or yielding motion of the whole mass, may com- 

 pensate readily for being so suddenly arrested. If, however, the 

 ground be soft, so as not to arrest the motion of the iceberg at 

 once, a moraine will be the result ; but the moraine thus raised 

 will tend to bring it to a stand. We can more readily conceive 

 this from the fact that the power which impels icebergs is applied 

 to about the upper third or fourth part of their whole bulk. 



Another mode of action is sometimes exhibited by the iceberg, 

 by which its triturating and ploughing force is locally brought 

 into play with immense eflect. Icebergs resting on the bottom, 

 and situated at the edge of the fixed suiface-ice (that which is 

 attached to the land), when pressed upon by loose and drifting 



* For an account of the Fauna of these seas, see Appendix, vol. ii. of 

 * Sutherland's Journal." Also Catalogues, &c. reprinted above. 



