The Forms of Water in Clouds and Rivers, Ice and Glaciers

by John Tyndall

243. In the summer of 1864 Mr. Hirst and myself set out three lines of stakes across the glacier. The first line crossed the ice high up; the second a good distance lower down, and the third lower still. Even the third line, however, was at a considerable distance above the actual snout of the glacier. The daily motion of these three lines was as follows:—

First Line.

Stake	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Inches	8	12	13	13	14	13	12	12	10	7	5

Second Line.

Stake	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Inches	1	4	6	8	10	11	11	11	11	11	11

Third Line.

Stake	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Inches	1	2	4	5	6	6	7	7	5	5	4

244. Compare these lines together. You notice the velocity of the first is greater than that of the second, and the velocity of the second greater than that of the third.

245. The lines were permitted to move down wards for 100 hours, at the end of which time the spaces passed over by the points of swiftest motion of the three lines were as follows:

Maximum Motion in 100 Hours.