Muir Glacier 



443 



B. Muir Glacier in May, 1903 



the western tributary is entirely sepa- 

 rated from it. On the other side of the 

 island, or uuuatak, the break of the 

 glacier front extends toward the moun- 

 tain above the Dirt Glacier 'in two hol- 

 lowing curves, leaving a point in the 

 middle extending into the inlet as 

 though resting on a sand-spit or other 

 support. From there it turns west to- 

 ward the Dirt Glacier and presents an 

 ice-wall of perhaps 100 feet in height 

 or more, nearly to the place the Dirt 

 Glacier enters the inlet. This part of 

 the glacier presents a different front 

 from the main branch. The top of the 

 ice is nearly level, and as it approaches 

 the water it cracks in immense crevasses 

 at varying distances back, and cubical 

 blocks break from it, making much 



larger bergs than were formerly thrown 

 off by the Muir. Bergs that appeared 

 to us to be fully 75 feet out of the 

 water were seen 10 miles down Glacier 

 Bay. 



The Dirt Glacier pushes its black 

 front out into the inlet from the south- 

 east, forming a separate glacier. 



This description will enable any one 

 familiar with Professor Reid's map, or 

 any one who has visited the glacier, to 

 understand the marked changes which 

 have occurred. 



Judging from the appearance, it is not 

 improbable that the end of the career of 

 the Muir as a tidewater glacier is near 

 at hand. 



Many attribute the sudden changes 

 to the earthquakes which occurred in 



