The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-03-27
THE NORTH POLE.
A Believer in a Wilderness q New World
from the San Francisco Chronicie.1

a Believer in Wilderness or new world |
from the San Francisco Chronicie.l !
AL information concerning the mys- |
terry surrounding the North pole is
eagerly read by the intelligent public. |
This interes ling subject has got beyond
the confines of scientific societies and
the studies of learned men. The aver
age newspaper reader is now dis cussing
the question with Jealous attention and
unusual intelligence. The Chronicle
has had recently number of articles
on the Polar mystery, the facts therein
having been cleaned from trading and
whaling Captains who have made
voyages beyond Behring strait into the
Arctic. Of the many Captains inter
viewed, but one is believer in an open
Polar sea. This is Capt. Barker, of the
whaling fleet. Another Captain may
now be added to the list of believers,
but he differs in opinion with Capt.
Barker. The latter gentleman thinks
that the steam yacht Jeanette, now at
Mare island en- route to the Arctic, Will
solve the mystery by sea. The other
gentleman who believes in solution of
the problem is Capt. jacobson, master
of the schooner William 81. Stevens,
who has recently returned from trad
ing voyage of seven months in the Arctic.
Capt. jacobson is of the opinion that it
is utterly impossible for the most
powerful steam yacht to penetrate the
massive ice barriers which are to be
found in the Arctic even in the most
open season. There are some years
when sailing vessel can get from 70
deg. to rs deg. north. and occasionally,
if the season is very open, sailing craft
can get as high as IS deg. to 79 deg.
north. Should a hard season follow,
when the icebergs drift down toward
Behring sea, the stanchest steamer
could not get as far north as the lati-
tude indicated.
The only way, according to Capt.
Jacobson, that any new information
can be procured about the Polar regions
is to establish a general camp on
Wrangle's Land off Herald island.
Place men of courage and indomitable
perseverance there, specially fitted for
the work before them: let them have
plenty of provisions, tobacco and warm
clothing, and then say to the leader, who
ever he may be: There's every thing
you want; go and discover the North
Pole, and, if you can't find it, find some
thing that will make sensation" The
Captain is certain that, if the right man
in the right place can be found, Wrang-
| els Land, on which no mortal has ever
set foot, SO far as history goes, will no
longer be terra incognita. The sta
tions, he thinks, should be from fifteen
to twenty miles apart, and few reliable
men should be kept at each. Continue
them northward, something after the
fashion Of overland stations in the olden
times, until the wilderness or a new
world is reached. Capt. jacobson be-
ieves that Wrangers Land contains
plenty of wild animals, and that herds
of reindeer will be seen lowering about
the shore, and the Arctic duck, as
the bird is commonly called by sailors
is very plentiful. There need be nc
fear of scurvy with a land exploring
party. No opinion could be procured
from the gallant skipper named as to
the possibility of striking a lucious bed
of strawberries, an orange grove, or 6
batch of bananas, even more luscious
than the Sandwich island article. Ht
was also equally reticent as to the
probable style of summer goods in tha
region, but believed that if anything O.
the kind existed it would not be
Hawaiian malo or Mexican reboza.
In country parish in Scotland, no
many years ago, a town clergyman, wh'
was officiating for his clerical brother
wished to be assured by his own eyes tina
his gown and tie were in perfect orde
before he assembled the pulpit. Witt
this view he asked the beadle if he hat
not a glass to give him. !" Weel, ne,
replied John, "but I'll soon get ane fo
ye, sir" Imagine the surprise and hor
John returned with pewter measure il
his hand, and placing it before tn
} worthy divine, Informed him that b
had been quite unable to procure singl
"glass," but that he had brought him
half mutchkin instead, which," b
naively added, "wad maybe dae a
weel."