Demoine courier., 1856-01-31
From the N. Y. Eve. Post.
In How Cold Weather can Animal Lif,
be Sustained.

- a.
While we are waiting for Tr. Kane,
oihcias repor OF his last expedition Il
me Arctic ocean,, there are som, ,cisn
'ihc results. the publication of which ~,
may De permitted TO anticipate. Th,
ilrst OF these is the condition of animal,
and vegetables lite in 4 high northern lati
tude. e So 80
DIR. Kaae's party succeeded in roach,
ing latitude 80 degrees, a higher month
eth poins upon the cosst Of Greenland
than had yet been attained by any pre.
sious navigator. lie found inbabitino
this inhostnabIe region the Esouiman.
Indians. the reindeer, and many v,,;e.
lies of the floral world. ,puueio,llv q,
fthe Alpine speciea. The later wers mn
merous, but %dimiuu.ive. How far north
me human race and animals exist. is no,
known; but DIR. Kane's observations
Clearly establish the fac,. that the ex
IRENE cold OF latitude 80 : is no, the
hni. TO their northern migration.
The habits Of the Esquimaux are oe
cniiai. They are essentially a mipra.
tory people, and. with sledges dra WIN bv
dogs, nnder'aka journeys of hundreds
OF miles In extent, depending for their
SUBSISTENCE upon such nourishmens 40
%cfanee throws in their wav. .fhis The
ihtle party under DR.. Kane foun5 10 he
suilciendy abundan. to meet their own
wants. -
During the whole cruise thew were
never seriously in want OF food bu, ON
n e'oecasion, which was when on Thai,
return they were near MELVILLE b,v-
Here fortunately a fine fat seal nresan,.
ed l.seif stretched a, length a, length on
on the ice. A boat was manned n q,
IN pursuit of II, and Dr. Kane d.scr;bes
the excisement of The chase as s., n.
tense, that onelof the nost experienced
gunners OF The party could hardly com
mand himself sufficiently to Gre. q, itu n-
nj the boat had ,neared within a (sw
Yards, and /. was in, tbs very sct of as
caping. sa ~ lasW f1
The temperature at which the exn,o.
ra'lons were conducted, was between "a
aud 80 degrees below zero. So in,ense
was the cold, that the alcoholic ,bermom-
e'ers Jailed 20 Indicate accura,eIv tho
temperature, and even chloriform and
essential oils. which resist low temne,.
atnres, became thick and nrbid. II was
only by a careful observation and c,,m-
parison oil many instruments, tba, ,bev
were enabled to obtain 10 any accur,cy
IN regard TO The extent of the cold.
An opportunity has thus been given az
testing the ability of the human bodv n
resist a Temperature of seventy deorees
below zero, for several months together.
Inc Doctor and his party were enabled
to do this by an immense co,nsump,ion
OF animal food, the ordinary daily allow
snce to each man being six or eicb,
ducks, or an equivalent in eve raj pounds
of the fat seal. -
Shorty after the discovery Of the com.
pound nature Of the atmosphere b.
Prieslly, Crawford broachec the ,beorv
mat she animal heat Of the body is main.
tanned at an uniform temperature of .9s
degrees, by neans oi a liberal consurnp.
.ion OF food. containing carbon in excess,
as ANNA iood where The cold is severe.
The mos, beautiful and b%riiliar, series
OF experiments prosecuted by Liebio,
were those intended to establish this
fully.
In this connection, the experiment of
Dr. Kane and his party, in showing tho
k.nd and amount Of food required 10 en-
aole Inc human body to resist the depres-
sing influence of q continued low tenn.
pe'a'nre' Tor a period of tine longer
man ary other recorded, is OF the high.
est practical value.