, 1856-11-07
The Mythic Sea

For ages there has existed a myth con-
cernlng Northern Ocean, whose shores
where the impenetrable barriers of ice. and
whose water held life and music all its
own. The Scandinavians remember the
myth, and to this day in Sweden and Nor.
way and the northern Islands the great
unknown sea has existence in the belief of
every supersttious mind. To US, who rea
soned so philOsophieally that nothing was
hidden, it was not deemed probable any
such body Of water did or cond exist: and
though many navigators asserted their be-
lief in the myth, it has not had sufficient
data to claim attention. A few minds,
keen from observation and sagacious from
nature, still cluDg to the ancient story and
suffered it not to die. One of those minds
was Doctor Kane, who now returns home
with the tidings that the lost sea is found.
Our readers doubtless perused the narra-
tive of the Kane Expedition with breah-
less attention, and from it learned that the
intrepid navigator left his vessel fast in the
almost impenetrable mountains of ice, in
latitude 7S deg As min north, pushing his
way in sledges and on foot to lat. 80 deg.
80 min, where he stood upon the shores,
to his eyes, Of limitless sea. Three thou
sand square miles did he scan with eve and
glass, and no bounds to that expanse Of
water were found; for ffty-two hours did a
heavy gale from the north heave up the
heavy surf and yet brought down not
particle 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 speculation, and now
the world is busy at the resolution Of this
wonderful problem Of q northern sea.
FIRsT-The doctor represents those waters
as llmpid as any summer sea. By what
process in nature can that high latitude 90
modify the temperature Of the air as to
leave the sea unfrozeni Where the doctor
wintered, the thermometer often stood at
sixty deg. below zero, and yet in q still
more northerly cline there is sea which
is never frozenl Science stands stupifed,
for all its axioms are rcpudiated and new
laws are to reconcile the facts TO theory.
SEooND-Bird and fish life is there existent,
in the utmost profusion. There the hawk
and the elder duck range in unlimited free
uOluy hullo hudl0o duu hhlTuSeb bpOEL III
such herds as 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 grass
es and bulbs for sustenance? Here, then,
is another query for the Spectator to an-
swer, and the mystery Of the Northern Sea
grows more aud more exciting Over the
grand ice barrier which Doctor Kane passed
was new land, and be called it Washing
ton, giving names also to its bays and capes.
Beyond this is that sea, and that sea battles
the intangible North Pole-it holds 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 and open up that unknown worldi
We shall patiently await in hope; for, In
our minds, is vague thought floating that
the sea which whirls round the pole Of this
earth hold in its keeping the key to thou,
sahd mysteries, and we have faith TO think
that in our years-should they be three
score or more-that Mythic Sea shall give
up its long kept SandUsky CO.,
Register. eir.