Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-01-02
GREAT POLAR CONTINENT.

a taIey oil OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Mine
of Ivory-A Mountain of Ice One Thou-
sand Feet High.
The ship Cadmus has arrived at San
Francisco on its return voyage from the
Arctic Ocean, whittier it had gone
to collect the remnants of the ship
wrecked whaling feet. On the 2Sth of
Sept. the Cadmus received from the
captain of the whaler George Robbins
certain dispatches addressed to the
French Geographical Society by our
countryman, NJ. Pavy, now on an expe-
dition to the North Pole. These dis
patches are dated the 18th Of August,
on the eastern coast of Wrangel Land.
We present an analysis of the interest
ing documents which have been brought
by the Cadmus:
The expedition, composed of NJ. Oc-
taye Pavy, commander, Profs. Thomas
Newcomb and Henry Edwards, of San
Francisco, III. Jean Bruil and four sea-
men, landed on the 18th of June, on
the eastern coast of Holyuchin Bay. On
the 23d of June the explorers, rein
forced by eleven natives, started in the
direction of the east, along the north
bank of the Siberia, having provided
themselves with sleds and dogs. On
the 18th of July they reached the mouth
of the river Petrolitz. Near the mouth
of this river they encountered immense
fields of ice moving in nortberly di-
rection. They traversed one single
plain of ice sixty miles in extent. Their
bearings indicated deviation of eight
cen miles from their intended course.
This was caused by the movement of
the ice, this fact going to confirm the
theory of M. Pavy concerning the con-
centration and augmentation of the
great japanese current, known as the
Ku- RaSirod, which flows through Beh-
ring Strait on the right, and thence to-
ward the east off the coast of Siberia.
The explorers reached the shores of
Wrengel Land near the point of great
river, running from the northwest, and
which Is not set down on any chart.
This NJ. Pavy considered as confirming
another of his theories that there existsa
great polar continent, and of which the
temperature is sufficiently warm to melt
the snow. The current of this hitherto
unknown stream flows in an easte,ly
direction along the coast, with the rap
idity of six knots an hour.
M. Pavy and his party followed the
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 perpendicu-
lar peaks. About so miles from the
mouth of the river the travellers found
upon the plain the remains of masta-
dons, and on clearing away the snow in
place where tusks were visible thew
brought to light the enormous body of
one OF the animals of an extinct race,
in perfect state 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 kneeling
posture, the front legs being bent, while
the hind parts were deeply imbedded in
the snow, indicating that the mastadon
had persisted in struggling to get out of
a mire hole or snow drift.
Prof. Newcomb could not find any
special characteristics distinguishing the
extinct mastadon from the elephant 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 re-
mains of mastadons, Indicating that a
numerous drove of these gigantic ami
mails had there persisted, owing to some
sudden change or CONFUSION of nature.
This region abounds in Polar bears,
which devour the remains of the masto-
dons.
About l20 miles from the coast, and a
half league from the river, rises an ice
mountain about 1000 feet in height,
the base of which is surrounded by
gravel and rocks deeply imbedded in
the soil. The smoothness of the rocks
: and their rounded form prove that they
were at one time in the bed of river,
D from which they have been cast up by
some strange phenomenon. Arctic ami
mails are numerous in the valley, and
t myriads of Arctic birds fly about the
. river and its banks.
At the date of these dispatches M.
, Pavy was preparing to winter under the
. 18th degree of latitude, in the valley of
the great river polar continent. Both
he and his companions were in good
, health and courage, and were confident
s of arriving, during the coming season.
: at great Polar sea of moderate temper
allure, at the extreme north of the con.
/ tinent.
Eys-