Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-10-22
NORDENSKJOLD'S DISCOVER
TES
From The Boston Traveller, October 6.

From The Boston Traveller, October g.
The discoveries of Professor Nordensk-
iold in the Arctic regions are full of In
terest from a geographical and CONNER
cial point of view. The explorer in a
recent letter states that the coast OF Slbe-
ria west of the Lena river is vast, tree
less plain. There are no islands to pre-
vent the wind from driving the icefoes
down upon the shore, and the points
where rivers empty into the Polar Ocean
and with there warmer currents maintain
ing open spaces, are separated usually by
enormous distances. For several hun
dred miles in the vicinity OF the Lena,
however, there are several great rivers,
and chain of island acts as a barrier to
the ice. Toward Behring Strait 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 Professor Nordenskjolds
discoveries, from a scientific standpoint,
is that of group of islands off the ST.
berian coast. These islands, the New
Siberian open the book of history of the
world at a new place. The ground there
is strewn with wonderful fossils. Whole
hills are covered with the bones OF the
mammoth, the rhinocerous, 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
ancestry Of the Indian elephant, and inn
portant facts In regard to the vertebrates
which existed at time of mans first ap-
pearance on earth. How came horses
and sheep in region now locked in the
fetters of an eternal Winter, uninhab-
tied by man, not now supporting animal
life in any form, and almost impossible
of access? Professor Nordenskjold was
unable to solve the question himself, and
he suggests that it is of the utmost i'm
portance to science to senda high-draught
steel steamer to those islands for tho
rough exploration. The natives seen all
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 them
selves to very low temperatures with lit
tie clothing. There is a great resemb-
lance between the people and the Esqui-
mauX of the North American Indians.
Though armed with stone and bone wea-
pons, and though wild and itinerant,
they evidently have a 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 be-
liefin 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 peculiarly
of the Siberian coast is the gradual ele-
vation of the land above the level Of the
sea, so that the inhabitants have been
obliged to shift their villages nearer to
waters edge, which is gradually reced-
ing. Professor Nordenskjold's explo-
rations when published in full will un-
doubtedly excite much interest and lead
to the anticipations of possibly more val
liable discoveries.