The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-02-06

PROF. soRDENsKJoLD's THEORY OF THEIR
ORIGIN,

PROF. NoRDENsKJoLD's THEORY OF THEIR
ORIGIN.
Besides establishing the fact that more
or lesr practicable waterway obtains along
the whole northeia shore of Europe and
Alta, Prof. Nordenskjo.d's successful voy-
age invests the mystery of the pole with
new romance. Ice-bound for nine months
on the east side of KoJutschen bay, in
latitude $40 Z" north longitude 1850 west
from Greenwich, almost within sight of Beh-
rings strait his proposed point of exit, he
spent the period of his imprisonment In
obser vations which must prove Of the su-
premest value and suggestiveness to sol
ence. HIS theory of the aurora bo'ealis
alone must have sent thtIl OF surprise
through the breasts of savants everywhere.
It may be well to quote exactly here what
NordensFjold has to say respecting that
weird and flaming phenomena which the
wcrid has wonder at and admired under
che familiar desis ration OF the northern
lighf.
White his subordinates were busy in 9th
er Investigations, we are told, the command
or Of the Vega was devosing himself to the
observation and registration Of aureral phs-
nomena The year of bis captivity was a
minimum one Of sun spo',. 1t VIZ also q
minimum one of auroal manifestations,
proving probably that there is some connec-
ton between disturbances in our great CEN
tral and controlling orb and the beautiful
pyrotechnlcs Of the no, thern regions of our
globe. Throughout the wint 'r be did not
once observe that the northern lights eve:
attain the magnificent development ordi-
narily acquired by them in his native Swe-
den. But whenever the sky was clear and
there was no sun or moon, he saw, constant
in the northeast horizon, and almost always
in the same exact S! )t, faint luminous
arc, SO motionless as to be susceptible Of
actual measurement
This phenomenon, N,id jold con.
cludes, comes from the act lal aur: ole, or
ring of light, surrounding the northern por-
tion of the globe. He is of the opinion
that it girds the whole of North America
with an enduring glory. The idea, whether
fact or fancy, is poetic in the highest degree,
and the venturous imagi alton wOl again
seek +, wrestle .th the . c,et of those op-
alescent fires that glow aud burn around
the pole and make the very icebergs seem
warm. Now, like mighty concentric rain
bows, spreading their lambent wings, now
breaking ranks and fitting in files across
the sky like the ghosts of dead armies.
Anon, the ruddy glow unleaps and shoots
it's .uson arrows at the zenith, and again
1t becomes for months qaie mt, as Nor.
denskjold saw it, and merely sets its aure-
ole signet in the SKIES over the spot where
pc ,r Captain Hall, in the midst of a sub.
lime solitude, lies buried.
ats CENTRE" says the explorer, "should
bs the spot where Hall ~intered and its
RI iius about eight Degrees" Regarded
from geographical and scientific point o.
view, Prof. No, lsnskJold's expedition has
b IN great success but the problem or
whose solution the laurels await and tht
aureoie d. ,cends will be who unlocks tht
secrets OF ths pole. If that mystic regior
be ever destined to be touched by keel o
ship or runner of dog-sledge, science will
be enriched, not only as respects the pas
physical history Of the earth, but as to th'
1 ~f Maanffnp,
mank'1d will wonder and watch the north
ern lights with Intensified interest. Th
fancy win fly back to tne pei .od when "ou
globs snd all that IL iuhabirs" had a begin
ming.
The venturous mind will picture the tim
when it was once fluid haze of light, AM
how for countless years afterward the glot
W instinct with fiery heat, and ami
which no form of life could be conceived .
exist. Then followed ages Iu which th
glowing CT It was drench by showers Q
muriatic, nitro and sulphuric acid, not onl
intensely hot, but fiercely burning tn ug
their chemical nature. In process of tim
the earthquake shook the revolving ball :
its centre, and the volcano opened its fer
eyes to the sun. A globe with so muc
explosive mater al stored away inside mr
have need for its pc naueocy s ganti
safety valve or series of safety-valves.
Might it not have en- for the lack Q
an independent escape-veEt for explosiv
gases that shattered into fragments th
once proud planet which no constitutes th
asteroidsP May not a gigantic safety
valve, with mouth like ten thousan
Etnas, exist at the No,th Pole, and ma
not Nordenskjold's aureols be its stamp Q
scaldin1 signature on the gaseous, meteor
ic or dust-like matter OF which the uppe
regions Of our atmosphere are composed