The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-02
Letter from an Antarctic to an
Arctic Explorer.
EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES.
The Round the World Voyage
Of HIM. Ship Challenger.
A Sea of Blubber at the South
Pole, but No Land.

WO PuohSh UCiOW utBuly Interesting nuu
important letter from Lieutenant Hynes r.
n, to DR.. Hayes, the well known Arctic ex-
plorer, giving an account OF portion OF the
cruise OF the British ship Chal enger, which sailed
from England two years ago on o voyage OF dis
c0very around the world. Primarily the object
OF the voyage was to obtain Information
OF the deep sea currents OF the ocean.
to ascertain the temperature OF tine water
at great depths and the life which was
there supported. Many curious and valuable
results OF this expedition have been already pub
shed. and no scientific exploration of the present
century has excited greater attention. The chief
OF the scientific corps is Professor Wyville Thomp-
son, the commander OF the expedition is Captain
Mares, r. N, each in his way eminent and
thoroughly devoted to the work In hand.
The chief importance attached to the let
ter is, that 1t shows the Challenger to
have done away with q considerable part Of
Wilkes Antarctic Continent, whica, since
we went to school, has figured on the
maps. This Is really an important discovery,
and We consider 1t at this time when geo.
graphical discovery is occupying much OF
public interest in all parts OF the world,
worthy OF very particular attention. In order
that Its importance may be the better appreciated
we quote from Captain Wilkes report OF the
United States Exploring Expedition his remarks
Al iCloCOA w tuc ulsCONCIys ~ Will NC oUoCi VCu
that In computing longitude Captain Wilkes reck-
Ons from Washington, while That OF the Chal-
lenger is reckoned from Greenwich. Wilkes
SAYS
Wilkes Famous Discovery OF q New
Continent.
This day, at noon January ~, we were In lati-
tude 81 deg. 20 min. south, longitude 1876 deg.
and seal were seen from the ship. and the
water was quite green.
light westerly winds; the temperature OF air and
water thirty-two degrees Occasional squalls OF
snow ana mist occurred, Int It was at times clear
The water was still olive green and the other YES
sells occasionally in sight, beating to winoward.
On the morning OF the 18th we ound ourselves
IN deep bay and the Peacock standing to the
southwest. Until eight O'CLOCK A. NJ we had
moderate breeze. the water was OF a darker
olive green and had muddy appearance. Land
was now cert inly visible from the vincennes,
both to the southeast and southwest, In the for
mer direction .i /, most distinctly Both appeared
Ing when ! was luly satisfied that
1T WAS CERTAINLY LAND,
and my own ODtnion was confirmed by that of
some OF the oldest and most experienced seamen
on board. The officer OF the morning watch,
tlon to It. We were at this time in longitude l54
deg 30 min. f.. latitude 66 deg. 20 min. 8. The
Winds Alter dvne service stu saw the out
line OF the land, unchanged IN lorm but not so
as N on 10 s ne
lowereitrn consequence and the snip towed of.
The report from aOir was: "A continued barrier
OF ice around the DAY and no opening to be SEEN
having tine western point OF 1t bearing to the
northward Of west OF u.s." STOOD to the west
cock would explore all the outline OF the bay
The Peacock, at 3h. 30m., according to Captain
Hudson's journal having got into the dr.it Ice,
with q barrier sliil anead 10 the west tackled 10
the southeast to work up tor an immense mass
which had every appearance o. land !, and which
beyond and towering above an Ice Island tnat was
from $50 TO 200 feet height It bore from them
about sOuthwest* and had the appearance Of
being 700 feet in height, forming
SORT OF AAPHITHEATRE,
looking gray and dark and divided into two dis
tinct ridges or elevations throughout Its entire
extent, tine whole being covered with snow. Az
there was no probability OF getting nearer 10 It IN
this quarter, they stood out OF the bay, which was
about twenty miles deep, to proceed to the west
ward, hoping to get an opportunity to approach
being now no doubt In my mind OF the discovery
OF land, 10 gave an exciting interest to the cruise
and to make every one willing TO encounter any
difficulty to effect landing.
WHAT THE CHALLENGER DISCOVERED.
MELBOURNE March IL, 1874.
MY DEAR DR. HAYES
As perhaps you WIN take some interest in our
shall try TO tell you without, / nope, wearylng
yOn with too long letter. what we did from the
time Of our departure from the Cape until arrival
in Australia.
You know the purposes OF the Challenger expe-
dition-deep sea explorations In all parts oil the
world, ana Running lines OF sOundlngs, which, be-
sides their value III scientific point OF view, Will
be OIL great use when laying submarine telegraph
cables IN future times.
We were also directed to examine Kergueien. or
DesOlatl0n Island, as Captain Cook called II, and
to select an observatory site Tor the Transit OF
Venus Expedition, which Is expected to arrive
there towards the end OF this year. Heard or
Mcdonald Island was also to be explored, and as
we had to go so far south Captain Mares deter
mined to go q little 1urtner, have look at the
ice and endeavor to settle the douotml question
Land" But we were in no way prepared 10 enter
pack Ice, az the ship was not strengthened i0r It,
and did n0t carry provisions sumclem. 10 a NOV,
els coupe Of whaeDoats extra stores and some
warm clothing, all Of which were obtained at the
Cape, were the only things taken outward Tor our
DEPARTURE FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HoPE
ished up with great found OF hiiarity at Cape
Town, the Governor, tOwnspeople AID ourselves
having given balls during the last few days, and,
with the wishes OF many lair ones Tor our success.
topped our bOOms, in nautical parlance.
The distance to Prince Edward and Marion
"Koarlng Forttes," az the sound IN that degree OF
latitude 10 called. not giving many opportunities
spent hove to or the islands, and the following day
exploring and surveying parties landed on
Il "a aooo feet 1,oh ana nsA cnyered with snow
which extends In places 70 within 800 leet OF the
level OF the sea; silt moss which grows IN great
appearance, but there Is not sign OF tree or
shrub, and the largest plant Is the Kerguelen land
cabbage {PYingeG d7tttsCOrbuttcd), which Ia de-
scrioed by Hooker In his "Flora Antarctica" 1t Is
very plentiful IN sheltered situations. ana on the
banks OF the numerous small streams which run
down from the snow quantities were brought
on board and reltshed by some. but o
peculiar, bitter aftertaste made one dislike 1t.
Cook and Captain Ross speak very highly OF 1t rs q
preventive OF scurvy, and later on our blue
Jackets were very glad to get 1t, and 1t was con-
so d SAT-
walking very laborious, although al first IL was so
springy that 1t did not feel so.
the large aioatross (domedfd eruldns) were
sitting on their eggs In great numbers on the MI,
SIDES, where from distance they looked not unlike
q mock OF sheep grazing in green field. Three
kinds OF penguins were found-the king tdpiiao-
dyes, the white winged and the eudyptes, or Ro.
den crested, or maccarories, rs the seaers cali
them, besides numerous piocelaria, tern, &c.
No 1sh were caught, although they were tried
for with all kinds OF allurements IN the kep.
which grows In great quantities close to the shere
1t Is somewhat singular, as at Tristan d'Acunna,
an island resembling Marion In many respects,
great numbers were obtained.
SEA ELEPHANT WAS KILLED,
but there were no iur seals seen.