188 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
a state of things, that is, a uniform depth, amounting near the 
shore to from four to ten metres, but afterwards increasing only 
gradually and remaining unchanged over very extensive areas, 
is very common in the Arctic regions, and is caused by the 
ice-mud-work which goes on there nearly all the year round. 
Another remarkable effect of the action of fche ice is that all the 
blocks of stone to be found in the sea next the beach are forced 
up on land. The beach itself is formed accordingly at many 
places, for instance at several points in Matotschkin Sound, of a 
SECTION FEOM THE SOUTH COAST OF MATOTSCHKIN SOUND, 
Showing the origin of Stone-ramparts at the beach. 
nearly continuous stone rampart going to the sea level, while 
in front of it there is a quite even sea bottom without a 
fragment of stone. 
August Mh. In the morning a gentle heaving indicated that 
the sea was again free of ice, at least over a considerable space 
to windward. Yesterday the salinity in the water was already 
diminished and the amount of clay increased; now the water 
after being filtered is almost drinkable. It has assumed a 
yellowish-grey colour and is nearly opaque, so that the vessel 
