The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-12
a Land untrOdden by Man.

In one of his voyages, while Captain
lnpp was master of the bark Arctic. Inc
reached as high rs latitude 73 degrees. In
| 1870 Wrangel's Land was clear of ice, and
IN 1871 his ship was within mile of the
shore OF that land, which no human being
mas ever stepped upon, SO far as history
tells. This dcsolatc island lies to the north
west OF Behring's Straits, and nearly i'm
| latitude ~ degrees and west longitude lSO
degrees. 1t may be as large Us Cuba, or
lar larger; but, unlike that trOpic island. il
IS given over to ICY dcsolati iOn-and posi-
Dly TO seals and polar bears. Parry, in
1879, working northward away to the east
OF this unknown land, made his way about
degrees farther north; and Kane went up.
on the Greenland side, to about 80 degrees:
but, though the Pacific side is evidently the
right way for voyage to the Pole, this
latitude of 50 degrees has never been
achieved in the ncighborhood of Wrangcl's
Land, unless by wmlcrs, who could no,
land. OF this mknow" land Captain Tripp
saw something, in that favorable ice season
OF 1871. With the aid of splendid glass,
he got d good view of the land, but was
unable to sec any human habtations, or
evidence thereof. No animal life was visi-
Die save sca-birds, that fitted in mid-air
along the shore. The earth was green, no
snow being visible anywhere. A coast
range is visible from the ocean, which re-
scmbles the coast regions along our Pacific
shore Shrubs were plainly visible, but
Captain Iripp was unable to discover any
large trees or forests. Wnngcl's Land
runs northwest, and, so far us known, cx
tends indefinitely into regions never pcne-
tratcd by man, unless it be the Esqumaux
The Indians inhabting that portion of Alas
ka bordering on tho North Pole have no
traditions that any people have ever been
seen on Wrangcl's Land, though they state
that deer OF variety unknown to Alaska
have been found Oh Herald Island, in the
heart OF The Arctic, and ON which the
land named can be distinctly seen. 1t is
supposed that tho animals made their way
across the ice from the mainland of Wran-
gel to The island. No canoes, clothing or
relics OF any kind have driftcd from Wran-
gers Land to Alnska, rs al indication that
another race of human beings existed in the
uneXplored regions of the Arctic. Still, it
ls believed by those sea captains who have
taken close observations that the mysterious
country alluded to is habitnblc. The fact
that no snow was to be seen, that vcgeta-
lion looked green and vigorous and that
iSo'iiNu ul' UlSluHCc, us
shcltering fortresscs for the valleys, arc so
many proofs TINT humanity could find Il
foothold there. 1t seems that no whaling
captains have ever attempted to land on
Wrangcps Land, but it must be remembered
that they visit the arctic regions rs business
men, and not as explorers Captain Tripp
says that if the North Pole is ever to be |
discovered the discovery will be made from
the Pacific side, as navigators cun reach
%h"y ,tteGrees. faylher north Oh the Pacific
climatic rigors that bcsct explorers on the
Atlantic. At Kotzcbuc Sound, at the
mouth of Buckland river, Captain Tripp
saw land 700 feet high, beneath which
stratum of ice was distinctly visible At
Point Barron the land is only six feet above
the ice, all beneath being IL stratum Of con-
gcalcd water. How deep this stratum is,
remains unknown, but it is certain that tho
earth has gradually formed itself on the
ice. There is reason to believe that Wran.
gels Land is of like formation, ut least
along the shore There is no telling how
far tho ice body extends inland as u sub
al strntlm