National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-05-02
Above the Arctic Circle.
The Marvels Of the Frigtd ZOne..Imter'
esting Experience I'm the search fol
the Open Polar Sea..SurrOunded bJ
lrNlae rua.

The Marveis OF the Frigid ZOne.. Inter.
ss,ing Experience. In the Search for for
IecberKs.
DR.. Isaac ]. Hayes, in one OF his lee
lures descriptive Of his search OF the
open polar sea, describel the glaciers
and icebergs of Greenland vividly. All
the interior of Greenland, the lecturer
said, is one vast field of ice. which grad
ually and imperceptibly moves down
ward toward the sea- the centre moving
somewhat more rapidly than the sides,
and by the fractures thus created giving
to the ice those fantastic shapes which
from time immemorial have been Mt
once the marvel and admiration of ex-
plorers. When the glacier reaches the
sea it passes on as before over the in
clined plain beneath the surface, until
so much of it is immersed that it is no
longer able to resist the buoyancy OF
the water, and breaking from the gla-
cer with n roar that can be heard for
miles, the iceberg rises to the surface,
and floats away sometimes rs far rs the
coast of Newfoundland, while the gla-
cier continues its ceaseless movement
downward to form new icebergs from
age to age. The masses OF ice thus de.
tached Of course vary in size, but In oil
of them there is seven times as much
ice under water as appears above the
surface. From the deck OF his vessel
DR.. Hayes once counted as many as 500,
some as large as the hall IN which he
stood, others as large as Trinity church,
still others as large IA the city OF New
York, and yet others twelve times the
size OF New York. One in especial
arose 317 feet above surface, and he
computed its weight to have been not
less than twenty-seven millions of tons.
With regard to the midnight sun, DR..
Hayes related an incident which, had
he not actually witnessed it himself,
might possibly have been received with
incredulity by his audience. AS he
travelled northward the days gradually
heightened until darkness ceased alto
gether, and the sun was never out OF sight.
The passengers on board the ship were
much incomnoded, and were obliged
to create artificial darkness by drawing
curtains around them when they desired
to sleep. The dumb animals on board
were in pitiful state of CONSERVATION !;
the dogs howled increasingly, and
evinced desire to bay the sun. But
the most remarkable effect was created
upon an old rooster, the last OF their
stock of fowl, whose life had been spared
in consideration Of his age and conse-
auent toughness. This venerable bird,
day after day, watched the heavens, but
found no opportunity of heralding the
approach Of dawn by his wonted crow.
His mind at last gave way, and one
morning, in full view of the astounded
voyagers, the unhappy bird few upon
the rail of the ship, stretched his neck
toward the sun, and giving the merest
apology for crow, sprang into the
ocean and was seen no more.
In 1859 DR.. Hayes first expedition
sailed northward, and breaking through
the ice in Baffin's Bay, penetrated as
far as latitude 750, this, up to that time,
being the furthest point ever attained
by explorers. On the icebergs which
he encountered polar bears were very
numerous. These animals, he said, are
far from being the ferocious monsters
which voyagers are 30 fond of depicting.
They are, in fact, very timid creatures.
As an instance of their cowardice, he
related an account of his suddenly
meeting one in the middle of an arctic
night, that is to say, broad daylight.
Without moments hesitation the doc
tor turned and ran, never stopping until
his breath was utterly exhausted; he
then looked behind him to see, as he
said, how long lease of life remained
for him, and to his unspeakable relief
saw the bear was running also, but IN
the opposite direction.
A very perilous adventure through
which he passed during this voyage was
listened to with breathless attention.
The ship was lying in large natural
bay or harbor, close to a glacier; one
day terrific roaring startled every one
on board An immense iceberg had
parted from the glacier, and risen to
the surface so near the ship that the
first of O succession of waves which 1t
created carried the vessel, dragging her
anchor, entirely across the bay, leaving
her within few feet of the rocks on
the opposite side. The wave recoiling,
threw over the deck volume OF water
that swept before it everything not
made fast, and forced the crew to hold |
on for their lives.
Two of the finest glaciers the lecturer |
saw he christened after Prof. .Tyndall |
in compliment to the great scientist for
his Alpine researches. Among the in
teresting features of the lecture was the |
exhibition of some exquisite photo
graphs of Arctic scenes reflected upon
a curtain on the stage. One of these
was gigantic rock on the coast OF
which was in all respects
similar to that on which the ill-fated
Atlantic had struck, and it was matter
of surprise to DIR. Hayes, in view of the
nature of the coast, that so many Of the
Atlantic's passengers had been saved.
Bay was the highest point
reached in this expedition. In conclu-
ding his lecture DR.. Hayes said that
this trip might be made by any gentle
man during the summer months in his
own yacht. Noble sport could be found
in shooting polar bears, and the trip
would be no more dangerous than
crossing the Atlantic. At the first blush
it might seem that sailing among these
tremendous glaciers and icebergs was
perilous navigation, but it should be
borne in mind that at the proper season
darkness never hides them, and hence
danger from this source need scarcely
be apprehended.
THE MoDoCs. General Schofield sent
the following dispatch to General Gill
lem.