TERRACED BEACHES. I3I 



suited in the secular elevations and depressions of the 

 land, such as took place during and' after the glacial pe- 

 riod, is purely conjectural, and belongs to the domain of 

 theoretical geology. To study the causes we must first 

 learn the facts, hence the careful examination of the os- 

 cillations of the eastern coast of America from Aspin- 

 wall to high polar latitudes is of the first importance. 

 The measurement and comparison of the ancient sea- 

 beaches on a coast like that of Labrador and Arctic 

 America, where they are so easily perceived, will well 

 repay the labor and time involved. 



Robert Chambers's interesting work on the ancient 

 sea-margins of Norway and Sweden gives valuable data 

 for comparison with those of the opposite coast of Lab- 

 rador, and fromthe rough observations which have been 

 made it would seem that the oscillations were about the 

 same, both in height above the sea, and in time, on each 

 side of the North Atlantic. I have also seen well- 

 marked terraces in Puget Sound which are beautifully 

 marked, and these should be carefully measured and 

 compared in height with those in the arctic region and 

 Labrador. It was with no little interest that we ob- 

 served the old beaches on the Labrador coast, and we 

 shall note their occurrence in the following pages wher- 

 ever seen. 



We remained on the top of the Devil's Dining Table 

 until the sun had set and the darkness began to creep 

 over the scene below. Whether his Satanic Majesty 

 was concerned in the transformation which then came 

 over the scene we will not undertake to say, but as the 

 sun went down the rocks and hills beneath seemed to 

 diminish in height ; an undefined, subtle, neutral tint 



