The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-18
valley of N-Eastodons.

DISCOVERY OF A GREAT POLAR CONT
NENT-ExPLoR1NG A MING OF Ivory
"A MOUNTAIN OF Ice One THoUs-
AND FEET HIGH.
The ship Cadmus has arrived at San
Francisco on its return voyage from
the Arctic Ocean, winter it had gone to
collect the remnants of shipwrecked
whaling feet. On the 28th of Septem-
Der the Cadmus received from the cap
tain of the whaler George Robbins Ger
tain dispatches addressed to the French
Geographical Society by N. Payy, a
Creole Of New Orleans, now on an X
petition to North Pole. These des-
patches are dated the 23d of August, on
We present an analysis OF the interest
ing documents which have been brought
by the Cadmus:
The expedition composed of NJ. Octave
Pavy, commander, PrOfs. Thomas New
comb and Henry Edwards of San Fran
cisco, NJ. Jean Bruil, and four seamen,
landed on the 18th of June on the east
ern coast of HOlynchin Bay. On the
| 22d Of June the explorers, reinforced 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 July
they reached the mouth of the river
PetrOlitZ. Near the mouth of the river
| they encountered immense fields of ice
moving in al ~nOrtheasterly direction.
They traversed one single plain of ice
sixty miles in extent. Their bearing
indicated n deviation of eighteen miles
from their intended course. This was
caused by the movement of the ice, this
fact going to confirm the theory of NJ.
Pavy concerning the concentration and
augmentation Of the great Japanese
current, known rs the Ku-Ra-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 q
great river running from the northwest,
and which is not set down on any chart.
This M. Pavy considered as confirming
another Of his theories that there exists
n 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
easterly direction, along the coast, with
a rapidity of six knots an hour.
N. Pavy and his party followed the
plain of this river toward the north for
about $50 miles. The plain is unifOrmal-
II level, its width vary from fifty to six
fy miles, and it is bOrdered by noun
tains of great height, with many per-
pe%ndicular peaks. About eighty miles
from the mouth of the river the travel
lers found upon the plain the remains
of m~astOdOns, and on clearing away
the snow in a place where tusks were Wis
ible they brought to light the enormous
1NI- &c onN az 4ho animals oF IN ny
tinct race, in a perfect state OF preServa-
ton. The skin was covered with black
and streaked hair, very long and thick
on the back. The tasks measured elev-
en- feet eight inches in length; and we're
curved up to a level with the monsters
eyes. The animal was in an kneeling
posture, the front legs being bent, while
the hind parts were deeply imbedded in
the snow, Indicating that the mastOdOn
had persisted in struggling to get
out of q mirehole OF snow drift.
Prof. NewcOmb could not find any
special characteristics distinguishing
the extinct mastOdOn from the elephant
of to-day. He took from the stomach
some specimens of bark and herbs, the
manure of which he could not analize
on the spot. For the space of many
miles the plain was covered with the
AS1lnAhp I'll hANSIOOO1IoS 4lANLSGbbiIIS JILti
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 mas
tOdons.
About 1870 miles from the coast, and
half a league from the river, rises an ice
[ mountain about q thousand feet il
, height, the base Of which is surrounded
by gravel and rocks deeply imbeddeC
in the soil. The smoOthness of thest
rocks and their rounded form prove
+ that they were at II time in the bed O.
3 a river, from which they have been cas-
> up by some strange phenomenon. Are
} tic animals are numerous in the valley
: and myriads Of Arctic birds fly abOu
the river and its banks.
: At the date of these dispatches NJ
, Pavy was preparing to winter under tn,
seventy-ffth degree of latitude, in thu
e valley of the great river Polar cont
f nent. He had begun to lay in provi
+ sions and fuel. Both he and his com
panions were in good health and spirit
e and were confident of arriving, durins
r the coming season, at a great Polar Sc;
of moderate temperature, at the extrem,
s north of the continent.-[Courrier de
= Etats- Unis.