24 
Baron N or denskj aid's 
[January, 
1213 metres,” I, assuming that the eastern rim is highest 
as those who navigated in the east eonfirm, and toget 
with the western rim gives to the “ interior an ^ ji 
between east and west the shape of a * 0U S > ... 
meant that the land has the shape of a trough filled wit 
frozen water. r .. ,» << 
Baron Nordenskjceld supposes a formation 
found ” “ in any part of the known world meiely because 
he believes one cannot otherwise account for the ice 1 
interior, being himself not aware to what extent the atmo- 
spheric and oceanic circulation, and the sectional chaiadt 
of the polar regions, differ from that of othei regions 
Pages 277 to 294 : I find that all perennial land ice 0 
great extent afloat on the sea represents a oc v 
thick, covering 773, 000 square miles (60 sea mi 
degree) divided between north and south in proportion 
1 : 478 ; but that, being in every state of growth and decay 
it occupies 2,236,000 sea square miles, equal o le 1 . 
Antarctic land sections, themselves only covered to 2 ° 7^3 
of their extent by perennial ice, the remainder being on 
and 1T20 on other lands ; and that the thickness of this 
ice varies from incipient growth and ending decay to that o 
a ripe berg about 3040 feet, going out to sea. 
Can such masses extending over the whole widtl 
Greenland, having “ here ” the shape of a round loaf of 
bread, descending symmetrically with uniform declivity 
the sea, unresisted by guiding embankments of . s ° hd : ° ck ’ 
present the speftacle described ? Could there exist such an 
unbroken smooth surface as the Lapps passed ovei inso 
short a time ? Would not the whole mass, furrowed during 
the warm season by water above and below, expanding, 
splitting, move down to the ocean with increasing rapidi y, 
leaving the incline denuded for a new gradual growth of ice ? 
The harbour where the Expedition landed was . sin- 
rounded by gneiss rooks from 6oo to rooo feet in heigh , 
1018 feet being the mean elevation of all land, lhe hist 
camp on the ice was 240 metres above the sea. biom 
camp 9, at an altitude of 753 m., “ on the west side 0 f an 
ice-ridge, where water from a small shallow lake collected 
into a big river disappeared in an abyss with azure-colouie 
sides,” the travellers had their parting look at the country 
to the west, and saw even the sea shining “ between the 
lofty peaks on the coast.” Does this not mean a moun- 
tainous ridge ” at the west, between camp 9 east of the ijoid 
entering far inland and the coast line ? 
The drawing in “Nature” very indistinctly shows the 
