GLACIERS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 33 



Professor Tarr attributes this remarkable advance to the 

 effect of the earthquake which occurred in the region in 1899, 

 six years before. This earthquake, which was sufficient to 

 elevate a portion of the coast forty-seven feet, he supposes to 

 have shaken large quantities of snow down from the more 

 elevated peaks upon the head of the glaciers, and that it 

 took all the intervening six years to make its influence felt 

 at the margin. Thus, as the weather bureau, when the extent 

 of the rainfall at the sources of a great river is known, can 

 predict when the swollen current will reach successive points 

 along the river valley, so the glacialist can foretell, from the 

 snow-fall over the neve, when its influence will be felt below 

 through the more resisting medium of the glacial ice. 



The suddenness with which this advance began and the 

 vigor with which it went forward afford an interesting com- 

 mentary upon the prevailing notions entertained concerning 

 the " uniformity of nature's operations," and make it easier 

 for us to credit the vast changes which appear to have taken 

 place in this region since Vancouver's visit in the latter part 

 of the 18th century. 



Vancouver's account of the glacial phenomena along this 

 coast is still both instructive and interesting, and in places 

 curious. 



Between these points [Pigot and Pakenham] a bay is 

 formed, about a league and a half deep toward the north- 

 northwest, in which were seen several shoals and much ice ; 

 the termination of this bay is bounded by a continuation of 

 the above range of lofty mountains. On this second low pro- 

 jecting point, which Mr. Whidbey called " Point Pakenham," 

 the latitude was observed to be 60° 59f, its longitude 212° 29'. 

 The width of the arm at this station was reduced to two miles, 

 in which were several half-concealed rocks, and much floating 

 ice, through which they pursued their examination, to a point 

 at the distance of three miles along the western shore, which 

 still continued to be compact, extending north 30° east ; in 

 this direction they met such innumerable huge bodies of ice, 

 some afloat, others lying on the ground near the shore in ten 



