Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-01-23
( .s. .,..t From the MY. Evening Post.
I'm How Cold Weather Can Animal
-E.H Life be Sustained y -tg.ElI -


While we are waiting for DR.. Kane's official
report of his last expedition to the Arctic ocean,
there some scientific results, the publication
of which we may be permitted to anticipate. The
first of these is in the conditions of animal and
vegetable life in high northern latitude. s.}
: DR.. Kanes party succeeded in reaching lati.
tude 80 degrees higher northern point upon
the coast of Greenland than had yet been at
tanned by any previous navigator. He found
inhabiting this inhospitable region, the Esqri-s
meaux Indian, the reindeer, and many varieties
of the floral world, principally of the Alpine
species The latter were numerous, but not d.
minntive How far north the human race and
animals exist, is not known; but DR.. Kane's OBJ
servatons clearly establish the fact that the ex-s
treme cold of latitude 80 degrees is not the limit
to their northern migration @E
The habits of the Esquimaux peculiar
They are essentially migratory people, and,
with sedges drawn by dogs, undertake journeys
OF hundreds Of miles IN extent, depending for
their subsistence upon such nourishment as
chance throws in their way. This the little par.
ty uuder DR.. Kane found to be sufficiently abun.
dant to meet their own wants.
During the whole cruise they were never Sc
riously in want OF food but on one occasion, e
which was when Oh their return they were near
ing Melville bay. Hare fortunately a fine fat
seal presented ITSELF stretched at length OH the
ice. A boat was manned to go in pursuit Of It,
and DR.. Kane describes the excitement of the
chase as so intense, that one of the most expe-
: rienced gunners Of the party could hardly COM
mand himself sufficiently to FIRE at it until the
boat had neared within few yards, and it was
In the very act OF escaping. "a tizs sfse C
The temperature at which the explorations 81
were conducted was etween 10 and 80 degrees
below zero. Sointense was this cold that the
alcoholic thermometers failed to indicate accn- .
rately the temperature, and even chlorform and 3
a..
became thick and turbid 1t was only by
careful observation and comparison of manyin-
struments, that they were enabled TO attain to 3
any accuracy in regard to the. extent of the =
cold
An opportunity has thus been given of test.
ing the ability of the human body to resist
temperature Of 10 degrees below zero, for sew ?
eral months together. The Doctor and his party si
were enabled TO do this by an immense consump- +,
ton of animal food, the ordi:ary daily allow
ance to each man being six or eight ducks or an
equivalent in several pounds Of the fat seal.
Shortly after the discovery Of the compound
nature of the atmosphere by Priestly, Craw-
fsrd broached the theory that the animal heat
Of the body is maintained at aan uniform TEN.
perature of 8S degrees, by meaus of a liberal 4
consumption of foodcontainng carbon in excess, Y
as animal food, where the cold is severe. The !
most beautiful and brilliant series Of xperments
prosecuted py Liebig, were those intended 10 cs-
tablish this theory, which they do most success
fully. -s..s9 s,..s,a.aa j. IS ss,as., q,
In this connection, the experiment of DR.. Kane
and his party, in showing the kind and amount
Of food required to enable the human body TO
resist the depressing influence of coiNdnued
low temperature, for period Of time longer than
any other recorded, is Of the highest practical
value.
We have in physical geography, as the results
Of this cruise, a newly Uncovered land, fanked
By lofty iaountain ranges, aswide and iceiesss
open sea, clearly pointing to undiscovered re- s
! gion of large extent towards the north pole, and
! Immense glaciers, before which those Of CIR
| and Chamoani dwiIdle into insignifeance. sss
Murros vs.. PoRK.--fhe American sAgricul-o
turist has the following excellent gemar1s on this
subject: I've emean 10 repeat il q thousand times,
or at least till shat we say has had some effect
on our countryman, that pound ofiean, tender,
juicy mutton can be produced for half the cost
of the came quantity Of fat porki that il is inf-
nitey healthier food. especially IN the summer !,
| Sc ason, and those who eat il become more mus