The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-01-09

should have been my nursery, and
| now shall he their hospital.
From the Courier des Etats Unis
Great Polar Continent.
A Valley Of Mastoions- Exploring Min. 0.
lvory--A Mountain Of Ice One Thousand
Feet High
The ship Cadmus has arrived at
San Francisco on It's return voyage
trom the Attic Ocean, whether 1t had
gone to collec, the remnants OF the
shipwrecked whaling fleet. On to
2sth OF September the Calmus re.
ceived from the captain ofthe whaler
George Robbins certain dispatches
addressed to the French Geograph.
ioa Society by our countryman, NJ.
Pavy, now on an expedition to the
North Pole. These dispatches are
dated the 25th OF August, on the
eastern coast of Wrangel Land
We present al analysis OF the inter.
esting documents which have been
brought by the Cadmus
The expedition, composed OF M.
Octave Iavy, commander, Prots.
Thomas Newcomb and Henry Ed
wards, of San Francisco, NJ Jean
Bruil and TOUR seamen, landed on the
18th OF June on the eastern bank OF
Holyuchn Bay. On the 22d of
Juns the explorers, reinforced by
eleven natives, started in thu direc
ton of the east, along the north bank
of the Siberia, having provided them.
selves with sleds and dogs. On tho
18th OF July they reached the mouth
Of the river Petrolitz. Near the
mouth Of this river they encountered
immese fields OF ice moving III .
norfhcastcrIy direction. They trav-
ersed one single PLAN OF ice sixty
miles in extent Their bearings in
dlcated deviation OF eighteen miles
from their intended course. This was
caused by the movement OF the ice.
this fact gong To- confirm the theory
of NJ. Pavy concerning the coneen
tration and augmentation OF tho
great japanese current, known as
the Ku- Ra Slrod, which flows
through Eehring Strait on the right,
and th-nce toward the east OF tho
coast OF Siberia.
The explorers reached the shores
of Wrangel Land near the mouth OF
4 great river, running from the
northwest, and which is not set down
in any chart. This NJ. Payy con.
sidered as confirming another of his
theories that there exists great
polar continent, and of which the
temperature Is sufficiently warm to
melt ..he snow. Tho current OF this
hitherto unknown stream flows in an
easterly direction along the coast,
with a rapldlty Of six knots an hour.
NJ. Payy and his party followed
.he plain of this river toward the
north for about $50 miles. The plain
is uniformly level, its width varies
from fifty to sixty miles, and it is
bordered by mountains OF great
height, with many perpendicular
peaks. About eighty miles from the
mouth OF the river the travellers
found upon the plains the remains OF
mastodons, and on clearing away the
snow, tusks were visible and they
brought to light the enormous body
OF one ct tho ANIMALS Of an extinct
race,ln perfect state Of preservation.
The skin was covered with black and
streaked hair, very long and thick on
the back. The tusks measured elev.
en- feet eight inches in length, and
were curved up to a level with the
monsters eyes. The animal was IN
a kneeling posture, the front legs be-
ing bent, while the hind parts were
deeply imbedded il the snow, indi-
eating that the mastodon had perish-
ed IN struggling to get out OF mlrs
hole or snow DRIFT.
Prot. Newcomb could not find any
special characteristics Distinguishing
the extinct mastodon from the ele.
phant of TO day. He took from the
stomach some specimens OF bark and
herbs, the nature OF which he could
not analyze on the spot. For the
space OF many miles the plain was
covered with the remains of many
mastodons, indicating that numer.
Gus drove OF these gigantic animals
had there perished, owing TO some
sudden change or convulsion ofna-
ture This region abounds in Polar
bears, which devour the remains OF
the mastodon.
About l20 miles from the coast,
aud halt league from the river, rises
an ice mountain abou. 1000 f,et in
height, the basis OF which is sur.
rounded by gravel and rocks deeply
mbedded in the soil. The smooth
ness OF the rocks and their rounded
torn prove that they were at ono
time in the bed of the river, from
which they have been cast. up by
some strange phenomenon. Artic
animals are numerous in the valley,
aud myriads Of artic birds fly about
the river aud its banks.
At the date OF these dispatches NJ.
Pavy was prepared to winter under
the seventy fifth degree OF latitude,
in the valley OF the great river polar
continent. Both he and his com.
panions were in good health aud
courage, and were confident OF arriv-
ing, during tho coming season, At .
great polar sea Of moderate temper
ature, at the extreme north Of the
continent,