mOF. NORDENSKiOlD, expedition to GREENLAND. 405 



has been scooped out during the Glacial Period is, however, evi- 

 dently a mistake ; and equally erroneous is the form in which it is 

 customary to clothe the theory of the origin of Alpine lakes. But 

 when we take into consideration how rapidly (even within historical 

 periods) a lake is filled and converted, first into a morass, and 

 then to a level and dry plain, we easily see the reasonableness of 

 the following proposition : 



We meet with lakes only in those places where, from some 

 cause or other, during the latest geological periods, depressions 

 or excavations have taken place in the crust of the earth ; and 

 since, among more generally operating causes than this, we know 

 only of the volcanic and glacial powers, it is natm^al to conclude 

 that modern (not filled up) lake-basins only occur where the 

 strata, in consequence of volcanic activity, have fallen in, or where 

 the ice has ground to powder, and the glacier-streams have swept 

 away, the looser e^rth and rocks situated nearest to the surface of 

 the earth. 



On observing Tessiursarsoak from the heights nearest to the 

 spot where we had first descended from the glacier, we had per- 

 ceived that its appearance had changed in a remarkable manner ; 

 its surface was bright as a looking-glass, and so thickly covered 

 with ice that our first impression was that we had an arm of the 

 inland ice before us. On arriving at the tent we discovered the 

 cause of this. During our absence the inland ice had launched or 

 deposited ice in such quantities that the whole bay was almost 

 choked with it, and the Greenlanders were very uneasy, for fear 

 partly of our iDeing inclosed, and partly of the violent waves 

 caused by the deposition. They were therefore very glad when, 

 immediately on our aiTival at the boat, we declared our readiness 

 to start on the following day. 



In order to be in time to meet the Inspector — who just at this 

 time was expected to visit the colonies around Disko Bay in a 

 commodious yacht, whence he was to sail through the Waigat up 

 to Upernivik, and who had offered us a place on board as far as 

 our routes were the same — we had agreed with several kayak men 

 from Ikamiut and the surrounding districts, that on an appointed 

 day they were to meet us at the Tessiursarsoak. Our intention 

 was to have the whale-boat dragged over the low neck of land 

 which at Sarpiursak separates the innermost part of the north 

 arm of Auleitsivikfjord from Disko Bay, and thus entirely to 

 avoid the long circuit round Kangeitsiak. At the appointed 

 time we saw a whole flotilla of these small, elegant, and light 

 kayaks approaching our tent. We immediately started, and, as 

 soon as the necessary dram of welcome had been distributed to the 

 canoe-men, rowed over to the other side, where Dr. Oberg, with 

 the crew of the zoological boat and a number of other men, 

 awaited us. We were now a large body of men, but Green- 

 landers are neither strong nor inclined to unusual exertions, and 

 we were obliged to let our people row the whale-boat all the way 

 round, while with our effects we passed directly over to Sarpiursak, 

 where two other whale-boats lay at our disposal. 



According to Dr. Rink, the interior of the fjord we had just 

 left had never before been visited by Europeans, and even natives 



