Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-19
8ailp gerntbet Journal.
Augusta. Friday Morning. Oct. 10.
Geographical Discoveries Of a Re-
cent Date.

Geographical Discoveries of q Re
cent Date.
The discoveries which have been made
in Alaska this year are Of real geograpi-
cal importance. Officers of the army and
Of the navy of the United States have had
IN equal share in them. Lieutenant
Schwatka has made journey of $500
miles inland and followed the Yukon sea-
seward on a raft, demonstrating it to be
one of the great rivers of the Continent.
Ensign Stoney has discovered another
large river. the existence of which had
not even been suspected. 1t is deep and
wide, with strong current, and its banks
are lined with forests and rank vegeta-
ton The account which is given Of this
Arctic valley is most surprising. Its out
let IL Hotham Inlet, one Of the innermost
lamentations of KotZebue Sound, and its
course is northerly. lying entirely within
the Arctic circle. Yet the heat during
the summer is represented to be intese, the
natives being scantily clad. and the jun
giles Of underground and the luxuriance Of
vegetation suggesting low rather than
high ATTITUDES. Ensign Stoney assembled
this valley only fifty miles, but he was in
formed by the natives that it was at least
half mile wide 800 miles further north,
and that by making a short portage at its
headwaters he could reach another river
flowing into the Polar sea. 1t IA probable
that this second river is the mysterious
Colville, which has never been traced
southwark from its mouth, and that both
streams have their sources in the north
ern range OF the Alaskan mountains.
The conditions OF temperature and veg
citation in the interior OF Northern Alaska
are apparently more favorable than those of
any other section OF the Arctic zone.
Baron Nordenskiold expected to find a
plateau In mid Greenland where the tenn
perature would be moderate and the eli
mate equable, but the further he penetra-
ted into the interior. the niger
were the mountains and the more in
tense was the cold. In Alaska
there are ranges of mountans-the upper
vertebra of the backbone of the Continent
but they furnish watershed for great
rivers running through fertile valleys.
The explanation is that the country hun
dreds of miles inland gets the benefit ofthe
warm current flowing through Behring
Strait and hugging the American shore,
precisely as Norway profits by the pres
ence of the Gulf Stream. The existence
of such valley as Ensign Stoney has dis
covered in ATTITUDES corresponding to those
of the barren and desolate regions where
Sir John Franklin and his men persisted
is. however. a geographical surprise. 1t
is probable that the limit of trees in
Alaska runs several degrees higher than
has been generally supposed, and that
the entire region is rich in natural re-
sources. The discoveries of the year add
largely to the Importance OF Mr.. Stewards
purchase. Another season ought to wit
ness a general exploration and survey of
the coast and the interior on a large scale
Nearly 300 900 of the voters of Massa-
chusetts look upon the Tewksbury SLAM
der as an attempt to besmirch the reputa-
ton of the commonwealth. and feel like
resenting it just as an honorable man re-
sents an insult to his own mother. And
as it does not soothe the mans feelings
when he finds that blackguards cheer the
person who insults his mother, these in
dignant sons of Massachusetts are none
the less angry because the slanderer has
allies who like him. would rejoice at a
stigma upon her good name. Butler
must 60. and the men who would aid him
in disgracing the State will be remem-
bered.
Gold-mining on the Chaudiere River in
the Canadian county of Beauce has been