The Osceola times., 1877-02-17
TIE SOUTH POLE.
Exploration and Espsditt Ws in search
OF an tntarr;Ir Continent.

TIE SOC I'll POLE.
Exploration and Espsditt ms In search
OF sn tnsarc;ir Continent.
Not 80 much for the purpose Of dis
covering new lands in the south, rs to
obtain Information concerning the south
magnetic pole "a matterof much import
ante to science, the British government
fitted out the Erebus and Terror, and
placed them tinder James Ross, with
Crozer as his second in command. They
left England in 1889, ard did not see II
again fof four years.
Wonderful It was to sec raging vol
cano in such region. A long stretch Of
land was seen TO be marked by two mag
nifcent mountains one Of which, an ac-
tive volcano, twelve thousand ieet high,
received the name of Mount Erebus
while the other, an extinct volcano of
somewhat less height, was named after
the companion ship Terror. An unmis-
taxable vbcaho was Erebus. Such
magnificent combination of volcanic fire
and endless ice probably never beijre
met human eye, for Mount liecta, in Ire
land, must I've far inferior to 1t.
Ross did not winter in tina, remote
region; indeed 10 far AS is known, no
human being ever pass d winter among
the antartic ice. Ross spent three sum
mers in his exploration, while he housed
his ship for the intervening winters,
either at Tasmania or the Falkland
Islands. Among The early explorers of
the mysterious Southern ocean were
Juan Fernandez, Dirk Gerri,z Pedro
Fernandez de Quiros, Capt. Cook, Wed.
dell, Dumont dUurville ami Wilkes
We might also, if their discoveries had
borne such fruit, notice more fully the
expedition of Kerguelen, who discovered
the island named after him little more
than century ago; as also those o.
Smith. Powell, Palmer and Bellinghan.
sen, fifty sx years ago. resulting in the
discovery OF South shetland, South
Orkney, Palmer's land, and Alexander
land. Those fitted out by Messrs. En-
derby, the Liberal and energetic promo
ters of whale and seal fishing in the
Southern ocean, are worthy OF brief re'
cord; for two ve,se's, placed by them
under Captains Biscce and Balleny, sailed
into regions which led to the discovery
OF Enderby land, Balleny land and Sa
brina land.
One object of Sir James Ross cxpcdi
,ion was, If possible. TO reach the s'ulh
magnetic pole "a different roint from
the south terrestrial pale. he great
icy barrier prevented the realizatios of
that hope. A few years ago Lieutenant
Moore, in the Pagoda, set eff to make
magnetic observations in the antarctic
circle that had no. been visited he did
so, and rendered great SCI Vice to science,
but did not get ithin 400 miles OF the
tantalizing pole.
The reader will remember that two
years ago the astronomers oi the whole
world were greatly interested in tran
sit Of Venus; correct observations OF
which would, it was believed, afford data
for calculating the true distance of the
sun from the earth, and from all the
other planets. II was desirable 10 make
the observations at many difleren, spots,
widely separated both in latitude and In
longitude and one OF the spots selected
was Kerguelen's island, already men
toned, situated between the Cape of
Good Hope and Australia, but farther
south than either. Astronomers from
England, Germany and the United
States landed on the island and did good
work there, but (and this is the reason
why we mention the matter herc) the
roighness OF the climate was great trial
to them. Although farther from the
south pole than any part of England il
from the n.ith pole, the weather was
nearly always stormy, and the iempera-
ture vcrging on the freezing point, even
in the summer OF that hemisphere.
Astronomers are considering Of appeal
ing to TIE Southern ocean again five
wears hence, when another transit of
Venus will take place, and when still
more advantage is expected to he de-
rived from the use of a situation as near
the antarctic pole rs p.'ssibie. In order
to give these hsrd-working astronomers
fair play, it would be No more than right
to send out an expedition year or two
in advance to accumulate as many useful
and geogra .bical facts as might he at
,ainable and it is just possible that, in
50 doing, Sir james Ross seventy eighth
uegfte ol ldtltUut Hlipnt W bNcfpjSe'l'
espe cially as they might now have. what
Ross had not, steam power wherewith To
contend alike against calms and adverse
winds.
What we know OF the south pole, then,
j, simply this--that nobody has rot with
in seven or eight hundred miles of it;
thaticy %Trier- are met with quite eclips-
ing anythin; known in the north rigid
zone; that mountains have been seen
Zone shooting, forth volcanic fimes) lof-
tier than any discovered by our northern
explores; that all the land is covered
with snow at all asa1ar n ,, no human
being has been met snd fifty.,iA
degrees OF latitude 80 vegetable
growth. except lichens, .. becpseen be
yond fiIty-eight degres W. ude: and
tbahUnpd quadruQ IN to oxist
; Il|Iilll|1 I|Iill|