The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-16

The Strange Countries and Peoples
He Saw.

boston Travellerl
The discoveries of Pros. Nordenskiold
in the Arctic regiops are full Of interest
from geographical and commercial
point Of view. The explorer in a recent
letter states that the coast Of Siberia
west Of the Lena River is a vast. treeless
Main. There are no islands to prevent
the wind from driving the ice foes down
upon the shores, and the points where
rivers empty into the folai Hcceaa, and
with their warmer currents maintaining
open spaces, are separated usually by
enormous distances.
For several hundred miles in the vicin-
ity Of the Lena, however, there are sew
eral great rivers, and a chain of islands
acts as a barrier to the ice. Towards
Behring Straits the frozen foes crowd
closer to the shore, and are liable in the
autumn and winter to bar the way to
shipping. The most important of Prof.
Nordenskjolds discoveries, from scien-
tific standpoint, is that Of a group Of
islands off the Siberian coast. These
islands, the New Siberian, open the book
of the history Of the world at a new place.
The ground there is strewn with wonder
full fossils. Whole hills are covered with
the bones of the mammoth, rhinoceros
horses, uri, bison, oxen, sheep, etc. The
sea washes up ivory upon the shores.
In this group is possibly to be found
the solution of the question Of theancest-
ry of the Indian elephant and important
facts with regard to the vertebrates which
existed at the time of mans first appear
ance on earth. How came horses and
sheep in region now locked in the fet-
ters Of eternal winter, uninhabited by
man, not now supporting animal life,
and almost impossible of access9 Prof.
Nordenskjold was unable to solve the
question himself, and he suggests that it
is of the utmost Importance to science to
send a light draught steel steamer to
those islands for thorough exploration.
The natives seen along the coast belong
to a hardy, jovial race, dressing in furs,
keen at barter, but ignorant of the value
OF money. ......
They live in double tents, and expose
themselves to very low temperature with
little clothing. There is great re-
semblance between the people and the
Esquimaux or the North American In
dians. Though armed with stone and
bone weapons, and though wild and
itinerant. they evidently have history.
They drove off the original inhabitants
of the region 200 years ago, the Onkilons,
whose houses, places of sacrifices, circles
of moss-grown bear skulls and weapons
are still to be found almost everywhere
on the coast.
There is no trace of any religious belief
in their customs. East of the Lena the
explorers found scattered blocks of stone,
bearing evidence Of glacial action and
pointing plainly to the presence of land
to the north. Another popularity ofthe
Siberian coast is the gradual elevation Of
the land above the level Of the sea, SC
that the inhabitants have been Obliged tc
shift their villages nearer to the water's
edge, which is gradually receding. Prof
Nordenskjold's explorations when pub
lished in full will undoubtedly excite
much interest and lead to the anticipa-
tion of possibly more valuable discover.
les on the part of the Jeanette.