Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-28

Gg The National IntelLigencer publishes
notes of DR.. Kane's lectures before the Smithso-
man Institute. Our readers remember that he
accompanied the Grnnell Arctic Expedition
The lectures are spoken of in high terms. The
following extracts are well worthy of attention:
The POLAR SEA.-Ihe interesting question
of an open sea around the pole, was taken up
After citing the theoretical arguments in favor of
such body of water, DIR. Kane mentioned that
the American Expedition, under Lieut.. De Haven,
had actually seen from their most northern point,
that unmlsakeable sign, the dark cloud, known
the 'water-sky;" and Capt. Penny, an eher-
getic whaler, for whose views DR.. Kane seemed
to have great respect, confirmed this ''sky'' by
sighting the water itself. 1t is in this region, not
far to the north and west of the point which the
American Expedition reached, that he snpposes
Sir John Franklin and his companions to be I'M
INJURED; surrounded by seal, and the resources be-
fore described, but unable to leave their hunting
ground and cross the ''figid Sahara which in
lervenes between them and the world from which
they shut out.
EFFECTS OF EXTREME CoLD.-At the APP
palling temperature of4O, so, or 20 to 80 degrees
beLoW the freezing point, cold became as sensible
in its effects, as heat; indeed, between the posi-
tiUe effects Of the very high, and the Negative Of
the very low scale, it was impossible to dstin-
guish by sensation. Upon going out into The open
air, the face became encrusted with an icy rind,
and the lips were glued together by the cement
ing aid of the beard and the moustache The
trigger of a gun bllstered the finger, and jack
knife in the pantaoons pocket, caused you to
jump as with sudden scald. During the long
darkness, when they attempted to beguile the
winter hours with theatricals, an unfortunate
Thesplan dropped the pantomimic fat-ron, as
though receiving sudden burn. Indeed, next
day, row of blisters had given evidence of the
truth that, IN temperature as in everything else,
extremes meet.
The POLAR NIGHT.-With the cold, came
darkness. The long night stole gradually upon
our vOyagers, and at last the clear heavens shone
out perpetually with unchanging stars The pole
star was so nearly overhead, to appear in the
absolute zenith, and around it the 'sgreat vault of
heaven revolved with perpetual twinkle" At
last, however, the night passed away, and, almost
by an immediate transition, day came upon them.
DR., Kane said this short period of alienation,
giving them, as it did, the familiar day and night
of home, was full of painful associations. At
this time, many peculiar phenomena were no.
tced. Among these stood prominently, parase-
line and lunar halos. The moon was observed
surrounded bv two concentric circles, each inter-
secled by luminous bands passing through her
disc. DR.. Kane has seen at one time, six imta-
tive moons, aping, though feeblY, the great satel
lite.
PARHEL1A.-Wih the daylight, came the
parhela, or mock suns. These, like the parase-
lin@, or mock moons, we're full of variety The
lecturer very properly observed that it was sort
of PROCLAMATION to attempt to describe a sky rav-
ersed with rainbows and glittering with imita I've
suns.
REFRAcT1oN.-Lasto of these most interesting
displays, came ''refraction;'' that form of it so
well known to us under the name of "mrage''
The marvels ofthis wonderful illusion, although
sustained by the united experience of all Arctic
voyagers, surpass the conceptions of the reality
Saracenc cities glittered in the ''purpIes of the
low sunlight ocean steamers fumed in the vi
brating distance.