Erosion of the Muir Glacier, Alaska

Abstract

IN response to the questions contained in the communication by Mr. Reade, I would say that the estimations, both of Prof. Reid and myself, concerning the erosion of the Muir Glacier are based upon a specimen of water collected by me from a large sub-glacial stream issuing from near the south-east corner of the glacier at a height of about 150 feet above tide-level. This stream is only one of many which issue from the ice-front; but it is practically the only one from which any calculations could be safely made. At two or three places where the front of the glacier is pushed out into tide water, powerful sub-glacial streams issue, boiling up at low tide with great force just in front of the ice, and discolouring the water of the inlet for miles beyond. The head of the inlet is a mile and a half wide, enlarging very soon to nearly twice that distance. The water in the middle is more than 100 fathoms deep.