GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



massive limestones, or to crush breccia zones in the mas- 

 sive hmestones is not as yet apparent. It is even possible 

 that they may be stratigraphically above the Beacon 

 sandstone, but this is improbable. Fragments of old 

 limestones were observed by us in the ancient moraines 

 of the Mount Nansen Glacier. These were associated 

 with pieces of sandstone and fragments of grey clay shale 

 with obscure impressions of fossil roots. This limestone 

 appears to have been derived from the Beacon sandstone 

 formation. It is very much altered through recrystallisa- 

 tion, and we have been unable to recognise in it any fossils. 



It may be mentioned that when journeying to the 

 South Magnetic Pole at a spot about twenty miles south- 

 east of Granite Harbour we found on a small island, 

 Terrace Island, a large fragment of argillaceous lime- 

 stone. This had evidently been derived from the Beacon 

 sandstone formation in the adjacent hills. When broken 

 open it was found to contain small oval bodies, pointed 

 at one end, and about one-third of an inch in length 

 resembling seeds of fossil plants, possibly coniferous seeds. 



This specimen was subsequently left at " Depot 

 Island," and has not since been recovered. 



The Beacon sandstone formation has now been proved 

 to extend from at least as far as Mount Nansen in the 

 north to latitude 85° South, where it was explored in situ 

 by the Southern Party, a distance of fully seven hundred 

 miles. As described by Ferrar its thickness in the Ferrar 

 Glacier Valley amounts to fully two thousand feet, and 

 even then the base of the formation was not seen. 



The following is a generalised section of the Beacon 

 sandstone formation in 85° South, in descending order, 

 from information supplied by Mr. Shackleton and F. 

 Wild of the Southern party: 



500 ft. sandstone. 



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