Apparent objections to the Glacial Theory. 305 



have forced it down towards the embouchure of Eden, instead of 

 over the ridge. Had the ice melted within the boundary, the water 

 would naturally have followed the drainage of the valley, and have 

 escaped by the Eden, and the detritus would have remained al- 

 together on the outside of the escarpment in a confused heap. On 

 the other hand, a mighty recoil of waters before an uprising mass 

 of land would at once have rushed straight over the escarpment, 

 carrying with it, as above quoted, the fragments of the shattered 

 rocks, and leaving accumulations of the same against the escarp- 

 ment which was then rising up to intercept the passage. Again, 

 when we consider that the Snap granite boulders are found lying 

 chiefly along the true drainage of the country, it becomes still 

 more probable that water was the agent by which they were dis- 

 persed. The northerly course of the boulders by the village of 

 Shap is corroborative of this opinion, for from the very base of the 

 Fells on that side arise numerous minor streams which, lower down, 

 after passing the villages of Shap and Rosgill, unite to form the 

 river Lowther ; while still lower this river is joined by the Eamont, 

 and then both turning easterly, are emptied into the river Eden. 

 On the south in the direction of the boulders, the country is drain- 

 ed by the rivers Mint and Ken, which after uniting, pass by Kendal, 

 and are discharged into Morecambe Bay, as is likewise the river 

 Lune, one of whose tributaries appears on Greenough's map to 

 take its rise from Shap Fells. Again on the east, the drainage 

 of the country is effected by many small streams proceeding from a 

 southerly direction, and forming the river Eden whose course is 

 northerly till it joins the Solway Firth. A glacier therefore which 

 descended from the Fells and crossed the valley of the Eden trans- 

 versely between Crosby, Ravensworth and Orton, must have inter- 

 cepted the course of all the streams in the upper part of the valley, 

 and caused an accumulation of water, or more probably of ice, which 

 would effectually have stopped the farther uphill progress of gla- 

 ciers ; or rather, at the time when the climate was cold enough to 

 form glaciers on such an inconsiderable elevation as the Fells, 

 it is more probable that every stream descending from the heights 

 of Stainmore Forest must have been frozen likewise, and thus an 

 accumulation of ice would have taken place along the upper por- 



