Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-12-06
THE MYTHIC SEA.

For ages there has existed myth concerning
asNorthern Ocean, whose shores Were the impen-
etrable barriers of ice, and whose waters had a
life and music all its own. The Scandinavians
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
snperstitious mind. To us, who reason so phil
osophically that nothing is hidden it was not
deemed probable that any such body OF water
did or could exist; and though many nayigators
asserted their belief in the myth. it has not had
sufficient data to claim attention. A few minds,
keen from observation and sagacious from ma
fure, still chung to the ancient story and suffered
1t not to die. One of these minds was DIR. Kane
who returns home with tidings that the lost sea
is found ~t{ H@al 500 s4 s@e st+a 81
Our readers doubtless perused the narrative
OF the Kane expicction with GREATNESS attention
and from it learned that the intrepid navigator
LETT his vessel fast in the almost impenetrablc
mountains of ice in latitude IS deg IS min.
North, pushing his way in slcdges and on foot
70 latitude g deg. 30 min, where he stood on
The shores of, to his eyes, limitless sea. 800
square miles did lie scan with eye and glass, and
yet no bounds to that expanse Of water were
found; for So hours did gale from the North
hcave up the heavy surf, and yet it brought down
no particle Of ice--showing that around the pole
al! was ocean life instead Of frigd death. Thus
was the veil penetrated: surprise seized up0u the
busy III the solution of the problem Of this great
Northern Sea.
lst. The DIR. represents those waters as lin
pid as any summer sea. BY what process in ra-
turc can that high latitude 80 moday the temper
atnre of the air as 10 leave the sea unfrozenl
Where the DIR. wintered the thermometer often
stood at 90 degrees below zero, and yet in a
still more northerly cline there is a sea which
never IS frozen. Science stands supplied, for all
axionis are repudiated and new laws are to re.
concile the facts to theory.
I'd Bird and fish life are there existent in the
utmost profusioE- There the hawk and elder
duck range in unlimited freedom, While whales
and walIis sport in such herds d. maze the wa
ter swarm wlsh their huge merrir'ent Can all
these 1--we without proper food Dos the duck
niest these regions without its berries and gras-
scs and bulbs for sustenancei Here, then, is
another query for the Speculation to answer,
and the mystery Of that Northern Sea is more
exciting.
Over the grand ice barrier which DR. Kane
passed Was new land, and he called it Wash
ington, giving names also to its bays ard capes.
Beyond this is that sea, and that sea bathes the
intangible North Po!e--it holds tie mystery of
the Northern Lights in its keepng-it keeps the
secret of its own life within its bosom; will man
ever solve that secret and open UP that unknown
world We shall patiently await III hope; for,
in orr minds, is vague thought floating that
the sea which whiris around the poles Of this
earth holds in its keeping the key to a thousand
mysteries, and we have faith TO think that in
our years-should they be three score or more
that the mythic sea shall give UP its lorg kept
secret. s9pdHSEu PfOisfer