Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/24

20 same as that part of the Antarctic continent known as Graham Land; each terminates in a pointed extremity which is largely broken up into clusters of islands and tends to turn towards the eastward; each has a group of islands lying to the eastward South America the Falkland Islands, and Graham Land the South Orkneys. We notice also that whereas the west coast of South America is rugged and broken up into many islets and channels, the east coast is of simpler outline. These features also hold good for Graham Land. Looking at the general sculpture of these two lands we find that South America has a high rugged mountain range on the west, parallel with the coast, and broad plains of low elevation on the east; the same features hold good in the description of Graham Land, as far as it is known. The most recent explorations of Dr. Jean Charcot still further emphasise these resemblances. Finally, looking at the geology, we find that both the west coast of South America and the west coast of Graham Land are made up of the same class of folded rocks, composed of gneisses, granites, etc., and that along each coast there is a tendency for active volcanoes to appear; but on the east coast of both lands there are sedimentary rocks of more recent origin with plateau formation. In fact, the only marked difference