Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-11-17
The Mythic Sea.

For ages there has existed a myth concerns
| ing the Northern Ocean, whose shores were the
impenetrable barriers of ice, and whose waters
held life and music all its own. The Scandi-
navians remember the myth, and to this day in
Sweden and Norway and the Northern Islands
| the great unknown sea has existence in the
| belief OF every superstitious mind. To us,
who reason so phosophicay that nothing is
| hidden, it was not deemed probable that such
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 cung to
| the ancient story and suffered it not to die.
One OF these minds was Dr. Kane, who now
returns home with tidings that the lost sea is
found!
Our readers doubtless pursued the narrative
of the Kane Expedition with a breathless at
tenliOn, and from it learned that the intrepid
| navigator left his vessel fast in the almost im-
penetrable mountains of ice in latitude 70 deg
40 min. north, pushing his way in sledges and
on foot to latitude 80 deg. 80 min., where he
stood upon the shore of, to his eyes limitless
sea. Three thousand square miles did he scan
with eye and glass. and yet no bounds to that
expanse OF water were found; for fifty.two
hours did heavy gale from the north heave
up the heavy surf, rolling from far off shore,
and yet it brought down not particle of ico
showing that around the pole all was ocean
life instead of frigid death. Thus was the
veil penetrated: surprise seized upon the PHI
osophicaI speculator, and now the world is
busy at the resolution of this wonderful pro.
blem of Northern Sea.
lst. The Doctor represents those waters as
llmpid 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 still more northerly cline there is
sea which never is frozen. Science stands
stupefied. for all its axioms are repudiated and
new laws are to reconcile the facts to theory,
I'd. Bird and fish life is there existent in the
utmost profusion. There the hawk and elder
duck range in unlimited freedom, while whales
and walrus sport in such herds as to make the
waters swarm with their huge merriment Can
these all live without proper food! Does the
duck infest these regions without its berries
and grasses and bulbs for sustenance! Here,
then, is another query for the s2eculator to an.
swer, and the mystery Of that Northern Sea
grows more and more exciting.
Over the grand ice barrier which DR.. Kane
passed was new land. and he called it WASH
ington, giving names also to the bays and
capes. Beyond this is that sea, and that sea
bathes the intangible North Pole-t holds the
mystery of the Northern Lights in it's keeping
lit keeps the secret of its own life within its
bosom; will man ever solve that secret, and
open up that unknown world! We shall await
in hope; for, in our minds. is a vague thought
floating that the sea which whirls around the
pole Of this earth holds in it's keeping the key
to thousand mysteries, and we have faith to
think that in our years-should they be three
score OF more-that mythic sea shall give up
its long kept secret.-[ Sandusky Register.