Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-24
EsOinr DiscONeries.

Reports OF remarkable discoveries by NJ. De-
taye Pavy, the French Arctic explorer, have been
published in some of the New York papers. The
reports were brought TO San Francisco, it is said,
by the ship Cadmus, which sailed from that
port TO collect what might be saved from the
Arctic whaling feet shut in by the ice and
abandoned TWO years ago. The Cadmus, ac-
cording TO the story, received from the master OF
q whaling ship dispatches from NJ. Pavy
TO be transmitted to the French Geographical
society. There are reasons for doubling their
authenticity, but, whether genuine or invented,
they are certainly curious and interesting. The
abstract published is as follows:
"The expedition, composed of NJ. Octave
Paw, commander, Profs. Thos. Newcomb and
Henry Edwards of San Francisco, NJ. Jean Bruil
and four Seamen, landed on the 18th of June on
the eastern coast of Hoyuehin bay. On the
I'D OF June the explorers, reinforced by eie' en-
natives, started in the direction of the east,
along the north bank of the Siberia, having pre-
vlded themselves with seds and dogs. On the
18th Of July theP reached the mouth OF the
river Petroltz. Near the mouth Of this river
they encountered immense fields OF ice moving
in noTtheastorly direction. They traversed
one single plain of ice Sixty miles in extent.
Their bearings indicated a deviation of eighteen
miles from their intended course. This was
caused by the movement of the ice this fact
going 10 confirm the theory of NJ. Pavy con
corning the concentration and augmentation OF
the great Japanese current, known as the ku-
Rl-Sirod, which flows through Behring strait
on the right, and thence toward the east OFF the
coast of Siberia.
The explorers reached the shores of Wrangel
Land, near the mouth of a great river running
from the northwest and which is not set down
on any chart. This Nj. Pdvy considered as con
frming another OF his theories that there exists
a great polar continent aud OF temperature
sufficiently warm to melt the snow. The cur
rent of This hitherto unknown stream flows in
an eaStcflv direction along the coast, with the
rapidly of six knots an hour.
NJ. Pavy and his party followed the plain Of
this river 10 the NORTH for about $50 miles. The
plain is uniformly level, its width varies from
ilty 10 sixty miles, and it is 5ordered by noun
tans OF great height, with many perpendicular
peaks. About eighty miles from the mouth of
the river the travellers foun upon the plain the
remains OF mastodOns, and on clearing away
the snow in Il place where tusks were visible,
they brought to light the enormous body of one
Of the animals OF an extinct race, in a perfect
stale of preservation. The skin was covered
with BLACK and streaked hair, very long and
thick on the back The tusks measured eleven
feet eight inches in length, and were curved up
TO a level with the monsters eyes. The animal
was in a knecing posture, the front legs being
in the snow, indicating that the mastod"n had
persisted IN struggling TO get out OF mie
hoe or snow drift.
Prof. Newcomn could not find any special
characteristics distin gushing the extinct mas
todon from the elephant OF to-day. He took
from the stomach some specimens OF bark and
her Us, the nature of which he could not anayze
on the spot. For the space OF many mites tue
plain was covered with the remains of mastO-
dpDS, indicating that a numerous drove of these
gigantic animals had there peished, owing 10
some sudden change or cUuvulsion of nature.
This re9ion abonndS in Polar bears, which de-
YOUR the remains Of the maStodons.
About 100 miles from the coast and half
league of the Ilver, rises an ice mountain about
a thousand feet in height, the base of which is
surrounded by gravel and rocks deeDlv imbed-
ded in he soil. The smoohness of these rocks
and their rounded form prove that they were at
one time in the bed of river, from which they
have been cast up by some strange phenomenon.
Arctic animals are numerous in the valley, and
myriads of Arctic birds fly about the river and
lis banks.
At the date of these dispatches NJ. Paw was
preparing to winter under the seyenty-h'th de-
gree of latitude. in the valley Of the great river
polar continent. He had begun TO lay in provisions
and fuel. Both he and his companions were in
good health and courage, and were confident Of
arriving, during the coming season, at a great
Polar sea OF moderate temperature, at the eX-
IRENE north OF the continent"