Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-19
An Alleged Arctic Discovery.
Baltimore Sun.


Mr.. Frank Reynolds, late chief engineer
of the steam whaler North Star, which was
crushed by the ice off Point Barrow, in July
last, has furnished some information in San
Francisco in respect to the loss of the Jean
nette, and also of the wreck of the Rodgers
in the ice-psck, where she was soon after
wards DESTROYED by fire. According to Mr..
Reynolds, the mistake of both expeditions
was that they started from San Francisco
too late. The last of the New Bedford
whaling feet was leaving the Arctic waters
when they saw the Jeanette at Herald
Island. II she had started at the proper
time, as whalers do, she might have got to
the north of Herald Island and wintered pos
sibly in open waters. Mr. Reynolds added the
remarkable statement that not only would
the Jeanette have found open water north
of the ice field which lies between Point
Barrow and Herald Island, but "would have
discovered an unknown land that is there,
and might have explored it in part" On
being asked to explain the grounds of his
belief in the existence of land IN that direc-
tion, Mr.. Reynolds, referring to a chart,
said: "Right in here, northwest OF Point
Barrow, there is an ocean of ice. It never
shifts Its position. Now something must
hold it In place, because IL 1t were not
anchored to the shore the force of wind and
current would move 1t. But 1t never moves.
character Of the season may be. Land
must necessarily hold this ice. The
Japan stream, which sets through Behring
Strait, divides, one part passing Herald
Island, the other passing Point Barrow.
These currents have no influence upon this
field of ice; but II it were not shore
anchored It would move" This reasoning
seems plausible enough from an Arctic
whaleman's point of view, although 1t
would be quite possible to ascribe the i'm
movability of the ice field In question to
other causes. But, assuming that Mr.. Rey-
nolds Is trustworthy, and he is said to be q
man OF probity and intelligence, there can
be no doubt of the existence of land
in the quarter to which he
refers, since he declares that he saw
it. The way In which the opportunity was
was crushed In the ice the officers and crew,
numbering forty men all told, took to their
boats, and at the end OF four days reached
the United States geodetic survey station on
Cape Smith, only about twelve miles dis
tant from Point Barrow. From Lieut.. Rae,
In charge OF the observatory, the ship
wrecked seamen received every attention,
and in return assisted In building perma-
nent columns for observation and in adjust
ing the instruments. From this station
Engineer Reynolds and Lieutenant
eld with glass, saw several
times the mirage that with Arctic naviga-
tors always indicates open water and the
presence of land and s'upon one occasion" ;"
says Mr.. Reynolds, "We watched It with our
glasses for four hours, and picked up the
hills with spots of snow on them as plain as
: on can see the hills back of the Oakland
II I'm San Francisco with your naked eye.
The land appeared to be very extensive and
ha foh nd aaf AaA
Lieutenant Rae OF its existence that he ex-
pressed his intention, as soon as the ice
would permit, Of fitting out an expedition
for the purpose of exploring IT,
That both the Jeanette and the Rodgers
incurred extra danger by entering the ice
field just as the more experienced whaling
parties were about leaving 1t may probably
be accepted as true. But the fact that the
steam whaler North Star, on which Mr..
Reynolds was chief engineer. was herself
caught between tire shore ice and the Ice
foe off Point Barrow, almost at the entrance
of the Arctic Ocean, and "ground into the
smallest splinters,'' is proof that neither
seamsnship nor long experience can
guard against the perlls that beset
Arctic navigation at all times. The
story told by Mr.. Reynolds of
great body of unknown land northwest OF
the ice field beyond Point Barrow, to be
plainly seen through telescopes from the
United States geodetic station at Cape
Smith, only few miles from Point Barrow,
is certainly a remarkable one, and It would
be stranger still, considering the various
exploring expeditions that have passed
through Behring's Strait and touched at
Point Barrow, II Lieut.. Rae, who is simply
engaged in scientific work and has nothing
to do with Arctic exploration, ehould be the
first to discover and reach land which so
have been so close to, and yet have never
seen,