Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-11-07
THE FAR NORTH.

Around the coasts OF the Polar Sea
stretch far away lands and islands, COW
cred during the nine months of the year,
if not longer, with snow and ice. They
are mostly fearful snow deserts, where
the furious storms of the north play a
mad game with high hills of snow, and in
raging fury drive and drift huge masses
through the bowling wilderness, and over
the silent fields. Here grows no tree,
no shrub; no grain ever ripens, no fruit
ever natures; in well sheltered valleys,
alone a few berries are found, birch Of
few inches high, and a wholesome acid
sorrel. Gray MOSES and lichens, how
ever, cover the vast plain, clothe the
bare, sterile rock with warm, cozy ver-
dure, and edge the banks of deep-hidden
streams. A broad belt of such moss
steppes surrounds the north pole, broken
in upon by rugged rocks, or by immense
swamps or morasses. These snow des-
erts would be without life, as they have
not tree for shelter, and not a plant fol
food or garment, if they were not the
home of countless of reindeer. How
wondrous again, that where death and
solitude reign, such fullness of life should
appear of a sudden! Whenever VIC
glance at the broad lands of our earth
either in the blessed regions of the trop-
les, or the barren steppes near the pole.
everywhere we find the same tender care
and supreme wisdom of the Creator
When the cold of winter is most severe
and the season of storm is approaching
these stag-hke, grayish-brown reindeer
may be seen moving in dense column.
towards the southern forest of evergreen
pines. 1t is a noble sight, those uncount
ed hosts of well-built, powerful animals
with their gracefully curved antlers car.
ried proudly on high, until they resembl,
the wintry forest when stripped of it,
foliage. The flexible, well protected fet
locks rattle across the plain, as they chas,
each other in merry sport, and dash witt
wing speed over the snow covered fields
When they reach the safe shelter of th,
woods, they stand for hours rigid anC
motionless, but, for the sake of warmth
closely pressed one against the oiher-
As soon as the storm has passed owe
their heads, new life is infused in the ap
parent statues; they tear bark and mos
from the trees, and scrape with powerful
hoof the snow from the ground, unit
they reach the welcome lichens beneath
And il it were covered under the thick
ness of six feet their keen maryelou
scent would never fail TO find it in ampl
abundance. With the spring come ID
strange enemies Of these powerful ani
mails, gad-fies Of terrible iereeness, tina
drive them-true children Of the a. fly i
! Egypt'-with irresistible fury back /
. the north. These crowds are so dense
that theyIchange day into night; they Ia
their noxious eggs in the skin, the nos
and even the palate Of the miserabl
reindeer, who soon are covered an owe
with pustliles and swellings. They "a
by the hundred, sad victims Of despise
! little insect. The survivors are reduea
! to mere skeletons, and 50 thorough
) frightened, that they fee in wild terror
! they bat hear the humming Of dislaf
! CAD fly. As they approach the nors
they end the rich pastures Of moss, an
D iatten once more on the shores of ii
|. polar sens. They follow the same pat
I from year to year, and the same fofsl
: across the rivers wolves aud bears pa
: sue them with hungry hostility. Whe
{ the short, hot summer IS past, they wai
r der back again 20 the southern forest
p grazing in herds Of a hundred elose
0 each ether. Ba, not all reach the have
!. for a. they Gross the bread rivers. To,