IV.  Icebergs

Icebergs are masses of ice rising to a great height above the level of the sea, presenting a singular variety in form and appearance.  They are masses broken off from glaciers, or from barrier lines of ice-cliff, and owe their origin to the circumstance of glaciers being in a continual state of progress.  Glaciers reach the sea shore in many places in the Arctic regions.  When pushed forward into deep water, vast masses are lifted up by their inherent buoyancy, and, broken off at the landward end, are borne away by the winds, or on tides and currents, to parts of the sea far removed from their place of formation.  Owing to the expansion of water when freezing, and the difference in density between salt and fresh water, the usual relative density of sea water to an iceberg is as 1 to 91674, and hence the volume of ice below water is about nine times that above the surface.  The largest icebergs are met with in the Southern Ocean; several have been ascertained to be from 800 to 1000 feet in height, and the largest are nearly three miles long.  One was met with 20 deg. south of the Cape of Good Hope, between Marion and Bouvet Isles, which was 960 feet high, and therefore more than 9000 feet, or 1-3/4 mile in thickness.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Vol.  XII.

Dedication to Sir Robert Cecil

I. The most ancient voyage and discouery of the West Indies performed by
    Madoc, Anno 1170. taken out of the history of Wales, &c.

II.  The verses of Meredith the sonne of Rhesus making mention of Madoc

III.  The offer of the discouery of the West Indies by Christoper Columbus
      to K. Henry the 7.  February the 13.  Anno 1488; with the Kings
      acceptance of the said offer

IV.  Another testimony concerning the foresaid offer made by Bartholomew
     Columbus to K. Henry the seuenth, on the behalfe of his brother
     Christopher Columbus

V. The letters patents of K. Henry the 7. granted vnto Iohn Cabot and his
    3. sonnes, Anno 1495

VI.  The signed bill of K. Henry the 7. on the behalfe of Iohn Cabot

VII.  The voyage of Sebastian Cabota to the North part of America, for the
      discouery of a Northwest passage, as farre as 58. degrees of
      latitude, confirmed by 6. testimonies

VIII.  A briefe extract concerning the discouery of Newfoundland

IX.  The large pension granted by K. Edward the 6. to Sebastian Cabota, Anno
     1549

X. A discourse written by sir Humfrey Gilbert knight, to prooue a passage
    by the Northwest to Cataya, and the East Indies

XI.  The first voyage of M. Martin Frobisher to the Northwest for the
     search of a passage to China, anno 1576

XII.  The second voyage of M. Martin Frobisher to the West and Northwest
      regions, in the yeere 1577