the vicinity of Bering Strait. 109 
one conclusion, that there is here a ridge of solid ice, rising 
several hundred feet above the sea, and higher than any of the 
land about it, and older than the mammoth and fossil horse: 
this ice taking upon itself the functions of a regular stratified 
rock. The formation, though visited before, has not hitherto 
been intelligibly described from a geological standpoint. 
Though many facts may remain to be investigated, and what- 
ever be the conclusions as to its origin and mode of preserva- 
tion, it certainly remains one of the most wonderful and 
puzzling geological phenomena in existence. 
n the 8d of September we sailed from Chamisso Harbor 
for Bering Strait, arriving off East Cape of Asia about 6 a. M. 
of the 5th. roken ice intervened between us and the shore, 
and the bight southward from the cape was packed full of ice. 
We could not approach nearer to the shore than four miles. 
he wind was fresh but the opportunity seemed tolerably 
favorable, and I concluded to attempt making the hydrother- 
mal section across Bering Strait at once, rather than risk the 
chance of a more favorable opportunity with its possible long 
work, so heavy was the sea produced by the wind against the 
tide. Finally, we were ver ad to run for shelter to Port 
American side, and cools gradually toward the Asiatic side. 
The highest temperature is 48° F. and the lowest about 36° F. 
* The diagram of hydrothermal section, showing surface temperatures and 
depth, is the only one that could be engraved in time for this issue, 
