The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-28
Sailing Toward the South Pole.

The greatest point of difference between the
Arctic and Antarctic regions lies in the fact that
the former is dotted over with numerous
islands, peninsulas, and isthmuses; whereas
the latter is exposed to the dash of vast and
deep ocean. Ross experienced from sweeping
currents and winds more than ever has to be
borne by northern explorers. On one occasion,
when he was becalmed for few hours, the,
dead set of the ocean waves drifted the ships
toward range OF huge icebergs, against which
the sea broke with appalling violence. The
ships were thus driven on for eight hours, until
within half a mile of the gigantic icebergs,
when gentle air began to stir; the ships
yielded to the influence of the puff of wind.
which gradually freshened into gale; and
before dark, to the heartfelt satisfaction Of all
on board, the ships emerged from their peril
and got out into the wide ocean. Ross spent
three days in searching for land which Wilkes
had laid down in the chart; but 600 fathoms'
depth of water was found in the very center of
the position assigned to the land. Ross arrived
at an opinion that the American commander
had been deceived either by ice islands or fog
banks. A few words may be quoted to show
what kind of weather had to be borne in the
very middle of the Antartic summer, and in no
higher latitude than &c degrees. For nine days
the crews were alternately drifting, hauling,
making fast, mending snapped hawsers, and
making efforts to stem opposing currents. On
the tenth day, during thick fog, gale came
on from the north "The sea quickly rose to
fearful height, breaking over the Hottest ice
bergs; we were unable any longer to hold our
ground, but were driven into the heavy
pack under our lee. Soon after midnight
our ships were involved in an ocean of float
ing fragments of ice, hard as floating blocks
OF granite which were dashed against
them by the waves with SO much VIC
lence. that their masts quivered as il they
would fall at every successive blow and the de-
structi0n of the ships seemed inevitable. In the
early part of the storm the rudder of the Erebus
was SO much damaged as to be no longer of any
use and about the same time was Informed
by signal that the Terror's was completely de-
stroyed, and nearly torn away from the stern
post. Hour passed away after hour without |
stances in which we were placed" Whenever
or 50, then the battling with ice began again
and again He once touched, as we have said,
the 18th parallel of latitude, and in all proba-
bilty no human being has ever made nearer
approach to the south pole-less by 300 or 400
miles than the approach which has been recent
ly made to the north pole. What we know of
the south pole, then, is simply this-that no.
body has got within 700 or 800 miles of it; that
icy barriers are met with quite eclipsing any
thing known in the north frigid zone; that
mountains have been seen, one shooting forth
volcanic flames loftier than any discovered by
our northern explorers; that all the land is COW
cred with snow at all seasons; that no human
being has been met with beyond So degrees of
latitude; that no vegetable growth, except lich-
ems has been seen beyond So; and that no land
quadruped is known to exist beyond 66.-AU
the Year Round.