The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-11-11
THE FROZEN ZONE.
THE pANDoRA's PILGRIMAGE.
Graphic Account OF Her voyaee TO
the Arctic Region lsI
HER STAY AT DISCO. .

The New York Herald, OF Thursday, has
the following most interesting correspond
ence, dated Disco, August 2, 1879: A little
lsnd-locked Day, large enough for two or
three ships TO swing In. shut in on one side
by lowering red cliffs, between whose tops
may be seen the edge OF q glacier; on the
other by a rocky slope, surmountsd by
flagstaff without flag. Lying in the bay
are two small schooners and a vessel with
long, low, dark hull and slender masts,
stepped back, that give her q raking,
iauuty air as she lies reflected with the tall
cliffs in the clear, smooth water of the little
bay. Scattered over the rocky slope are ten
or fifteen half wooden, half earthen houses,
standing about in a loose, free and easy
manner, quite independent of each other,
as though despising the restraint OF streets.
TO which they do not make the slightest pre-
tention. The rakish looking vessel Is the
Pandora, the little bay Is that OF Godhavn
and the collection OF houses scattered up the
slope comprises the little town of Lievely, In
North Greenland, usually known by the
name of Disco. The Danes, by the way,
seem to be ruinously extravagant In the way
OF nomenclature. One would almost think
that they had resolved that this country,
so poor in inhabitants, should be at least
rich In names. Thus the island on which
the above mentioned town Is situated Is
called Disco. The name OF the little harbor
Is GOQudVnt Wills Jn6 cOllSCtiOu Oh uiteoD
or twenty houses, which make up the village
itself, is called Lieveiy. They are evidently
determined that no error shall be commit
ted in regard to it, and that there shall be
no danger OF
THE TOWN BEING MISTAKEN FOR THE
HARBoR.
A sunny, pleasant little spot it Is just now
during It's few short weeks OF summer,
when the grass is peeping out timidly be-
tween the rocks, and the great round,
smooth powders exchange their winter
dress of snow for one of moss, deep green
and soft; when the melted snow. comes
tumbling down the ravines in white, heecy
torrents, and the tall, rugged cliffs in the glow
ofthe GUNNER sun turn warm reddish pur
pie, ks a great red curtain drawn across to
shelter the little bay from the biting north
cru blasts. Altogether the little plaza has
a warm and comfortable look, very pleas
ant after the chilly winds and icy air Of
these northern seas. Trees there are none;
OF vegetation, properly speaking,
there Is none; only little
flower that shoots up almost as soon as the
snow disappears, and smiles and waves its
tiny head in the afternoon sun as gaily as
do any of its sisters in the tropical air OF the
South. The world in general probably has
a very exaggerated notion OF the size and
tinually reads OF it in Arctic books of travel.
Arctic ships ere always putting into IL,
or going out of it, or touching at it, or get
ting fresh start from Ii, or having some
other relation with 1t, and, in short, Disco
plays so important role In Arctic discov-
cry that one very unreasonably, perhaps,
gets an idea that it is rich and thriving
metropolis, with throDged streets and busy
marts, where all
THE LUXURIKs OF THE ARCTIC WORLD,
all the commodities of the Polar regions are
to be found in unlimited quantities. But it
is, in truth, just the kind of place have de-
scribed; so wild, 50 primitive, bearing so
little resemblance to anything resembling
civilization that it Is difficult to bring oneself
to believe it is the Disco OF which we hear
so much. The Danish governor of the place,
Mr.. Eiberg, called on US soon after we
droppad anchor, and from him we learned
that the Alert and Discovery, the English
Arctic exploring ships, had proceeded on
their voyage north ten days previously, and
that the Valorous had sailed for England
about the same time. IL was with the VAL
orous we had expected to send home our
first letters, and we were considerably dis.
appointed to hear of her departure, as our
letters will now have to go by Denmark. by
some Danish merchant ship, to be mailed
at Copenhagen. We all went ashore in the
course of the forenoon and returned the
governors call. We found him living In q
neat little wooden house, pleasantly stu
ated, overlooking the bay. He offered US
wine and cigars and introduced US to his
wife, who is an Esquimaux woman and an
old acquaintance OF Captain Young-fifteen
years ago one of the rsigning bellies o. Disco.
The word governor as applied In Greenland
means, II should be understood, the head or
manager OF a trading post. The Danes
really pretend to little governmental au-
tho.ity over the Esquim aux, but wisely re-
strict themselves to the exercise OF influence
rather than of positive power, and as there
are only eight or ten Danes ia the place, In
Guiding the governors own family, hl
would have had limited field in which e
exercise his authority.
DANISH LIFE IN DISCO.
The men who came out here nom Den
mark to take charge of these trading col
ooies seem to resign themselves to passing
their lives here. They leave the world be
hind them, and completely identity them
selves with the interests of the little colon,
around them. Some OF them have been II
Greenland for twenty years, having onl,
returned to Denmark once or twice durinl
that time; and when a man has passed sc
| much of bis life here he would probably finC
that, even II he should 60 back to the world
it would have no place for him; he would
only be a stranger in a strange land. Some
or them marry Esquimaux wives; Others
| go back to Denmark aud induce a Danish
girl to share their lonely home, and some
times a girl comes out alone Il
her future husband and gets mar
ried here. The assistant governor, q
young man who has been out In
Greenland for two or three years, introduced
MS 10 his intended bride, very pretty
young lady, who spoke English remarkably
well. She told US shehad come out to pas
a summer here, in order to see how sh,
would like it before deciding to pass ner Lift
In such monotonous isolation. She did no
inform us whether the prospect pleased be-
or not, and we did not care TO hazard thu
question in the presence of her lover. a.
informed us, however, that she was gpinl
back TO Denmark this autumn, to return
next summer, when they would be married
He seemed quite convinced that she woull