Connecticut western news., 1882-08-30
DESoLATE NRANGEL LAND.
A Sailors Account of a Bleak Spot
 in the Arctic Region.

DESOLATE WRANGEL LAND. A Sailors Account of Bleak Spot
 in the Arctic Region.
 There are in all probability not more than about twenty white people living who have ever set foot on Wrangel Land or Plover Island, two names by which the maps of the day distinguish an in- completely traced shore line in the Arctic Ocean from the black dot further to the south named Herald Island. The youngest person who ever roamed over the insular waste is unquestionably Frank Smith, of the American ship Alfred D. Snow, now lying at Vallejo street wharf, San Francisco. Young Smith was ono of the crew Of the steam whaler Belvidere on her last years whaling cruise in the Arctic, under command of Capt. l.. 0. Owens, who has penetrated the frozen regions of the North for successive seasons for over quarter of 8 century. The Belvidere had spoken the revenue cutter Thomas H. Oorwin in August, 1881, in the Arctic, and learned of Capt. Hooper's purpose to take possession of Wrangel Land, which, until the boating party of Lieut.. Reynolds, Of the Corwin, had always been supposed to be vast con- tinent, he being recorded as the first to land there. One week after the Corwin had left the Belvidere made for the southeast end of the island. Two boats were sent out from the Belvidere, and she cruised about for two days. Smith was one of the party, and his inns pressions as narrated to reporter were as follows:
 " As soon as we got ashore, we saw the signal planted by Lieut.. Reynolds, small American ensign fastened to a slender piece of driftwood, driven into the soil, such as it is. The island rises abruptly from the ocean, though not precipitously. There is nc beach to speak of, the land having an elevation of ten feet above the surface of the water. It is surrounded by deep water, and from soundings that our party made we found an average depth of ten to twelve fathoms at distance of ten feet from the shore"
 "What is the nature of the soil, 9 asked the reporter
 "There is no earth to speak of, re- piled the youthful mariner, laughingly. "The soil is formed, almost entirely, of what seemed to be large black pebbles of a sandy nature. Between these grew 8 green and thin -bladed grass, resembling very much the wood tick grass of the Eastern States"
 "What was the size of the island ?"
 "I should judge it had circumfer- ence of about 15O miles. The island is a flat table land. As you go toward the centre you come across numerous ponds and marshes of braokish water. The only vegetation you can see there is g small pinkish, odorless flower with four petals and the familiar rock moss. The soil is what you might call peat. It is not mushy, but elastic, reminding you when you walk on it of the give" in cork. Everything is black, just as if it had been smeared with eoal-tar. You find piles of driftwdod evefywkere.''
 Washed by the waves 2''
 '"They would have been," was the reply, ''but the fact is that the island during. some seaHons is entirely sub- merged under the ice. It is a we'll known fact that ill some seasons the island is lost to sight, and that is un- doubtedly the reason why Capt. De hong, of the deannetts, did not, 3s he was instructed to do, leave any account of himself. There is no animal life on the island. was told that there were squirrels, but what would they find to feed Oh i did not see anything. Ducks and birds make resting-place on the island, and in open seasons the Meskiner natives come from the Ame1i- can shore to fish and to hunt wslrus. These are the natives from which the relics of the lost whalers Vigilant and Mount Wollaston were obtained. Dsso- late and uninviting as tLe island is, it was sort of twosdags' picnic for us ] and our party was glad to get an oppor- tunity to stretch our legs a little. The Belvidere was the last to see the crew of the Arctic relief ship Rodgers on the 18th of last October, the crew being then at St. Lawrence Bay building their winter q uarter,."