Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1881-09-10
HIGHER LATlTUDES.
Mr.. Lee Howard's Explorations In
lcelAnd-Ias Volcanoes and Lake..
London special 70 New York Herald.

London special 70 New York Herald
Yesterday interviewed Mr.. Lee How
ard, who had just returned from Iceland
whittier he went in the early summer ai
the request of the American Geographical
Society, with q view of settling some
disputed points in the topography of
that island. Mr.. Howard intended to
return home by the Spain to-day, but at
the last moment he received a communi-
cation from Judge DAILY informing him
that he. together with Judge DAILY and
General McCuIlom, were appointed
delegates of the Geographical Congress
| at Venice He accordingly left for Paris
last night. Mr.. Howard informed me
that the last winter in Iceland and
Greenland was unprecedentedly severe.
Such a season had never been known.
He could not get men to join him in
his explorations, and was consequently
thrown entirely upon his own resources
This, should say. is Mr. Lee Towards
third season in Iceland, and last year the
ponies he left behind all died in conse-
quence of the scarcity of food. As he
journeyed through iceland he found
whole flocks of ptarmigan dead. He
also shot fine polar bear, weighing
over eight hundred pounds, which was
so weak that had it come up to him it
could not have hurt him. Later he
found another bear dead in the
mountains. The Esquimsux in Green
land told Mr.. Howard that they
had never known such sea
son. They had been forced several de-
grees further south in consequence of the
cold. There was hardly any summer In
Iceland or Greenland There were snow
81 oil no af uoto Tn
to August 81. The last was the most
severe winter since 1890. There is in
so little forage that the gov
eminent of Iceland itself thinks that the |
hardy native ponies will not live through |
the winter, nor will any cattle fare any |
b etter.
Mr.. Towards explorations in Iceland |
have resulted in some discoveries i'm
portant to science. He succeeded in |
to the top of Herdufreid, which
Swedish biologists had tried in vain to
reach. Mr.. Boyton also tried for
t but gave it up. He had settled
The question as to its be-
ng a volcano, having found recent lava.
Four years ago, the nearest natives, four
lays journey distant, saw it smoking.
dr. Howard's journey to the mountain
vas beset with much hardship. The ma
ives he had with him had to be watched
onstantly to prevent then. letting loose
he ponies. On reaching Herdufreid the
atives refused to follow him, and he
ad to make the ascent alone. Some of
he cliffs were 50 PERCEPTIONS that he had
o scale them by means of ropes secured
y anchors, which he threw over the
lifts with the help of kites. He con-
iders this pre-eminently the volcanic re-
ion of the world.
He discovered three new craters right
t the level of the lava, forty miles north
f Heela. "If you do not sit on lump
f ice," said Mr.. Howard, you sit on q
lock of hot lava" He discovered
ONE beautiful lakes, one from twenty
o thirty miles long, which does not APP
ear in any map. Another feat which he
ucceeded in accomplishing was to cross
he Sprengisande, literally bursting
ands," which extend from the north to
he south of the island. He traversed At
rom east to west and from north to
outh, and found it all powders, evident
: of glacial origin. He made interest
ng observations respecting the move
,ent of glaciers. Mr.. Howard is of the
pinion that Iceland will before long be
populated. Formerly huts were found
lght through the island. Now you can
OF find huts fifteen mics from the shore {
nd the line is gradually narrowing. Last I
ummer forty Icelanders sailed in the i
eth ship for Manitoba, and there will {
robably be two hundred more next ]
ear.