Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-10-13
THE WORTH POLE EXHIBITION.
N.ws from the German savaps.


enterprise in scientific capacitv. has N,
dertaken to furnish information a. to il
progress and success. We take the follow
| ing from his first letter, which has latel
appeared in the German Journals:
"For the first two weeks We were desair
ed by contrary winds in the middle OF th
North Sea; indeed. we were driven so ia
from our course thot Mt the commence
ment OF July. the Norwegian coast TO IA
north of the Mars Mountains became yisi
ble. At length the barometer fell fton
40 IN. M. its highest point; the wind
which had for six weeks past been BLOWN,
without intermission from the north. yeer
ed round.o the southeast, AM. We passe,
the Polar Circle at IL O'Clock on the nigh
of the 9Th of July We receive,
the. customary baptism in the wate
Mt 3 degrees r., and crossed int.
the misty regions of the Arctic Zone
This was the first night ON which the sur
did not set. The temperature Of the All
varied from to 4 deg. r., aud the sea
baths, which, we kssd tiH now taken on al
calm days, were stopped. On the 9th O
July we came in sight of the lonely anf
uninhabited leland, or rather rock. of Jan
Mayen. 1t Is the centre GA the seal fishery
and In spring the boundary of the shoal
ice. Its dark and rugged cliffs, broken b,
snow-flled ravines, and surmounted by
mist-covered heights, did little to satisfy
our longing for the marvels of the Arctic
world. Its highest point, stated TO be 6, zoe
feet, was TO have been measured, bnt the
log rendered that course impossible. On
the 18th we reached "A degrees north lati-
tuGe, and at about 10 degrees west lonpi.
tude from Greenwich, and in the night. met
with the first ice. 1t was only a whitisb
blue mass, some three cubic fathoms in
size. but this herald of the pack-ice was
sufficient to rouse us all from our sleep. and
bring us on deck. To-day. the 18th of
July, we reached 74A deg. north latitude
calm, perfectly quiet sea. Ii seemed as if
the fogs would never leave us, and thev
Ia g separated us from the Iansa since the
10th. Our signals remain unanswered: at
any rate, Pendulum Island, 20 deg. 80 min.
north latitude, 19s deg. west long is fixed
for our place of meeting. Gulls, auks. and
stormy petrels fly continually around MS.
and generally tall sacrifice to their curl
osity If they come too near. On an excur-
sion in one of the boats which l made to-
day, several were killed. Indeed, the nu-
merous Nimrods made the decks somewhat
dangerous. The sight of whales is n com
mon occurrence. On the 18th three came
within eight yards of the ship. For time
we watched them with silent wonder. and
then opened quick fire with Wenzel ri
Hes, as it was impossible to harpoon them
from the vessel. The wounded animals
plunged enraged TO the depths Of the sea.
Since We have entered the Arctic re;.ions
seals are still more common. The dark
ieads and distorted faces which peep for n
moment out Of the lead colored surface OF
he water, full of curiosity and suspicion.
md then vanish again. arc n comical SIGHT.
md 1T is easy to understand how il was
hat the sailors formerly mistook them for
During the frs: three weeks ships were
Utmost constantly seen on the horizon.
whose radius from the deck is about three
quarters OF a German mile; now we look IN
ain for sail. When we get favorable.
hat is, a west wind. to divide tho ice. We
hall steer through the pack-ice westward
or Pendulum Island. which is abont twen-
y-five Gerrnan miles distant July l5l. The
scent of n mountain 2, 600 feet high will
hen show Ms the state of the Ice 10 the
lorth of the neighboring island, Shannon.
40 deg. N. lat, - deg w. long) This
'ill determine the length of our STAY. dur
ng which we shall occupy ourselves with
measuring the degrees Of latitudes. de-
ermining the magnetic conditions, correct
ng former statements as 10 the position IF
'laces, and taking n hasty survey of the
sland, which IL about ten German square
niles in extent. To the north Of Shannon
slapd the coast Of Greenland is, almost
unknown. SO that it will he the first ex-
'lored. We cannot yet make further
,lans. but geographical discovery is
he principal purpose of our expedi-
ion. The iIansa is to transport a mart
4 our Goals to a depot ON Pendulum Island.
he will then follow the Germania AK far as l
'ossible, ind afterwards determine-t Q |
csstsl and foosaGe According to our in. |
tructions Te are to winter between so and I
, degrees north latitude, and make sledpe |
xpeditions into the interior OF. Greenland. |
rom the middle of May to the end of June
n expedition of the kind will be made To
he w. n. W., for the purpose of reaching
ne west coast of Greenland, at the north
m extremity of Kennedy Channel. The
istance rs about 100 miles, and it is almost |
ertaln that We shall march without dogs.
s the interior is likely to be wild and rug
ed. and the-e would be but little probsiii- |
y of our b lu. able to keep the animals
live. ,Ey-ry scientific observation which
ircumstan permit will be made. and
Ugh mountains will be climbed in order to |
ain as Gle II ar idea of the conformation of
No count As possible. If our plan sue
eeds, We shall approach the coasts of what
ane believed to be an open Polar Sea. |
ave been entrusted by DR. Petermann
18th the command of this expedition. Late
give 900 to 200 f.sthoms at IL
eg. w. long, and from "A deg. TO 70 deg. ;
!. lat. Not far to. the west the bottom
inst rise suddenly, for near the pack-ice
ne depth varies from 100 TO 300 fathoms.
n the l4th, duringa partial dispersion of
le fog, light strip was clearly observable
the N. W., about 4 deg. in height, firing
llg the dreary gray of the sky. This light
layed very family into the blue, and
lightly resembled weak kaurora borealis--
was the ice-blink."
Postscript on The 15h Of .hay. =. 'sYester-
~. the calm sea and quiet air formed
icture OF the most perfect peace. The
mp lay almost motioniess on the deep,
lue transparent water. At noon to-day.
hen the fog cleared of. the white borders
the ice-pack, with its blue shadows and
fits, lay before us, at about 300 PAGES dis.
'nce, broken, andt in vneged and cold
affinity. 1t reminded nae at once of the
picturesque end of an immense glacier.and
le wind that blew in our faces was truly
|acial. The ice, which at first appeared
form one great close wall, proved, when
q approached it, TO be split into wild
lasses and fields; the latter are often miles
! length. Still no passage which the Cap
I'm thought navigable showed itself.
10 was surprised to find the ice
} far to the east. rs last wear il was
OF met with till Il deg. w. long. The
3ntinually shifting mist brought us in The
terncon within 5 psces Of the ice. BY Il
= the greater part Of it seemed to have
cen formed in the sea; the dirty cliffs
hich come from the glaciers were rarc.-
he pieces breught ON board had 9. rough II
nd porous surface, and we're In s. state of
ansition from crystalline to a fibrous n
,ndition, being also full of cavities filed
18th air and. water. This proved they were
elting. But solid and crystalline pieces
'e to be found. 1t is well known that the
Dlar Ice is free from salt, as the water. in
le process Of eryaallizationI throws out all
reign substances. Our first task il now
find the Hansa, to take the rest of our
'al and provisions on board, and then to
cam through the ice to Pendulum Island.
We do not find her soon, we must be