The Princeton union., 1881-02-17
NORTHERN EXPLORATIONS.

NORTHERN EXPLORATIONS.
The ice region of the North is full of
marvellous grandeur and mystery. It
is not only mysterious in itself, but
likewise in much of its history, Known
to us only as associated with everything
barren, frigid and forbidden, it yet pos
sesses charms and even beauties that are
specially its own. For nearly the whole
Year, its frozen waters and frozen land
present phenomena startling almost be-
yond imagination. Turn the eye whittier
you will, in a space of some l,5OO miles
diameter around the geographical pole,
immense masses and fields of ice only
are seen in every conceivable form,
whether on the partly hidden land, or
all but completely covered sea. On the
one hand may be seen towering mount
aims of rock, soaring high in majestic
grandeur, and encircled or divided from
each other by mighty glaciers and fields
of ice; on the latter, there may be pre-
sented a seemingly limitless level of
solid ice varying from eight to fourteen
feet in thickness, and IN parts thrown
up into enormous ridges, sometimes
forty feet high, and of irregular lengths,
with huge ice-islands called bergs scat
tered about upon it's surface.
If it be the open season of summer,
these bergs may be seen floating about
in stately splendor, or occasionally, when
caught in currents and eddies, tearing
along with ominous violence. If there
be a storm, and the ocean has burst
through and broken up the ice, the scene
presented is q very wild one, and the ut
most dexterity is required on the part
of the mariner to avert danger from the
masses dashing against the vessels side.
If it be calm Or moderate weather, the
pictures nature puts before the eye are
marvellous. II the sky is clear, thous-
ands of fairy-like castles or crystal cities
thrown into ruins appear to view. Re-
fracted images of all imaginable forms
dance before you. In the air may be
seen, inverted, some distant object which
in reality is far below the line Of ordinary
vision. Sometimes the sun does not look
round but oval or perhaps there may
appear to be four suns, or at night four
moons, Lighting up the icebergs. In
winter also, the whole OF one part Of the
heavens is often illuminated by the
splendid coruscation OF the aurora
borealis. In summer, according to the
latitude, there is no sunset for weeks
and during winter there is total darkness
for like period. The cold is intense,
except occasionally. Even in autumn
thick ice will sometimes form in one
night and in winter or spring the regis
ter is generally from thirty to sixty deg
below zero. Still, if proper precautio1
be taken, even this extreme temperature
is bearable.
Now, it is through such region a.
this that explorers have to make then
way. How they do it is story otter
told, yet always interesting. In the frs
place, their ships are more than ordin
arily strengthened to encounter ice ye
very often no common skill Or human
power is of any avail, and constan
watchfulness of ice movements is needed
In summer the ice breaks away from tn
coast of Greenland, and not infrequent
ly leaves q narrow tortuous passag
round what is called Melville bay. It is
however, exceedingly dangerous, an
ships are often detained. here a lon
while. The exploring expedition of 185
was fixed here for some weeks. and tn
vessel to which the writer belonge
made only twelve miles in a fortnight
Here, too, whaling g-ships are ofte
crushed. The ice takes "run" durin
gales and strong currents, and will some
times actually break up and cover owe
a ship in a few minutes. The Hecle
Parry's old ship, was thus caught. I
less than twenty minutes nothing wa
seen OF her but the top of her mast-hea
and the end Of her jib-boom. An Amer
can whaler was also similarly served i
twenty minutes and the Breadalbane
further on, was actually sliced by ru
OF ice, and sank out of sight when tn
pressure was removed.
If the explorer has succeeded in pass
ing Melville bay, then Lancaster soun
or Smith sound is entered. Seldom
this done till near the close of summer
consequently, it is necessary to fin
some safe harbor in which to winte
Some ships have had no such shelte
and have drifted about-as did the tW
American vessels in 1850 -51-all throug
the dark and bitter season. But ,sul
posing q winter harbor is found, the
the ships are housed or covered in, an
the crews properly attended to. Whi
is next done in the way of wisely mali
tanning health by proper amusement
education and exercise, would take tc
long to tell. Enough to say that, e,
cept on the occasion of the last ofici
polar expedition. very little mortalit
has occurred. Indeed, health in IL
Arctic regions is more to be depende
upon than in tropical cLmes.
During winter, all hands are employe
in making preparation for spring trave
ing. Then, when March arrives, sledg
are packed, officers and men appointe
and away these hardy explorers go, ov
ice and snow, along barren shores in
unknown wastes, hundreds and hundre,
of miles, without the slightest hesit
ton. Strange, too, how accurately the
mark their way, and even prearrans
where separate parties shall again me