The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-11-17
The Mytllic Sen.

For ages there has existed o myth concern
ing d Northern Ocean, whose shores were the
impenetrable barriers of ice, and whose waters
held q life and music all its own. The Scandi-
navians remember themyth, and to this day in
Sweden and Norway and the Northern Islands
the great unknown sea has existence in the be-
lief of every superstitious mind. To us, who
reason so philosophically that nothing is hid
den, it was not deemed probable that such
a body Of water did or could exist ; and though
many %navigators asserted their belief in the
myth, it has not had sufficient data to claim
attention. A few minds, keen from observa-
ton and sagacious from nature, still clung to
One OF these minds was DIR. Kane, who now
returns home with tidings that the lost sea is
found!
Our readers doubtless perused the narrative
Of the Kane Expedition witha breathless atten-
ton, and from it learned that the intrepid nav
igator left his vessel fast in the almost impene-
trable mountains Of ice in latitude 10 deg. 45
min, north, pushing his way in sledges and on
foot to latitude 50 deg. 80 min, where he stood
upon the shore Of, to his eyes, q limitless sea.
Three thousand square miles did he scan with
eye and glass, and yet no bounds to that ex-
panse of water were found for fifty-two hours
did a heavy gale from the north heave up the
heavy surf, and yet it brought down not q par
ticle of ice-showing that around the pole all
was ocean life instead of frigid death. Thus
was the veil penetrated surprise seized upon
the philosophical speculator, and now the world
is busy at the resolution of this wonderful
problem of a Northern Sea.
LIST. The Doctor represents those waters as
impid as any summer sea. By what process
in nature can that high latitude so modify the
temperature of the air as to leave the sea un-
frozen? Where the Doctor wintered the ther.
mometer often stood at 60 degrees below zero
and yet in a still more northerly cline there is
q sea which never is frozen. Science stands
stupeGed, for all its axioms are repudiated and
new laws are toreconcile the facts to theory,
I'd. Bird and fish life is there existence in the
utmost profusion. There the hawk and cider
duck range in unlimited freedom, while whales
and walrus sport in such herds as to make the
waters swarm with their huge merriment. Car
these all live without proper food? Does the
duck infest these regions without its berries and
grasses and bulbs for s%ustenance? Here, then
is another query for the Spectator to answer
and the mystery of that Northern Sea grows
more and more exciting.
Over the grand ice barrier which DR.. Kane
passed was a new land, and he called it Wash
ington, giving names also to the bays ant
capes. Beyond this is that sea, and that Sc,
bathes the intangible North Pole-it hold!
the mystery of the Northern Lights in its keep
ing-it keeps the secret of its own life within
its bosom will man ever solve that secret, ant
open up that unknown world? We shall
patiently await in hope for, in our minds, is T,
vague thought floating that the sea which
whirls around the pole Of this earth. holds in it
keeping the key to q thousand mysteries, AM
we have faith to think that in our years
should they be three score or more-tla
mlythic sea shall give up its long kept secret
[Sandusky Register.