The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-11
A REMARKABLE STORY.

Meade Nlver discovered ana hereto
fore reported by Lieutenant Raw in
about sixty miles east of Point Barrow.
On this river the Ooglaamie:Geun tribe
often go on hunting excursions and fire.
quently stay for n month or two. The
snow lint is built, which is really used
M n sleeping apartment, and few
feet thereirom, but connected by n snow
tunnel, is smaller room, which il used
M living room and kitchen. In this
latter room is constructed fireplace of
blocks Of snow, about the size of the
common CRATE, and here the cooking il
done during the hunting season. Pre-
posterous M this may seem, the Lieu
tenant states that it is nevertheless true.
The fire il built in this snow fireplace,
and after being heated the first time
there liz no melting of snow. Even the
first fire built therein only serves to melt
the snow blocks into solid mass; then
they freeze and forever after are ~ I'M
pcrvious to heat ~ iircbricks. The fuel
used in cooking i'll this snow crate is the
dwarf willow, found under the tundra
ON Meade river, thoroughly saturated
with seal oil, and when ignited makes
bright, hot fire similar to the pitch pine
OF the Northwest. Captain Hercndeen
could hardly believe Lieutenant Rays
first report, and made special trip to
Meade river to witness this truly aston
ishing phenomenon. After returning to
the Point the Captain became convinced
that tharA W. flat ,.,,,ll 81
yield to heat Mt certain low tempera-
lures. Ray says when these firepaces
have been used for short time, and
while hot, blazing fire is burning, these
snow CRATES present one of the most
pleasing sights he ever witnessed. The
hard, CLASSY ice reflects like marble, aud
further in the CRATE the changeable hues
are rs varied and pleasing to the eye as
the colors OF rainbow. But when the
temperature rises M high M twenty then
the fire will quickly melt the snow CRATE
and the snow house il no longer habit
able, for it becomes damp and oppres-
sive. believe no other Arctic traveller
has ever witnessed this scene and Ray
will not say that he has yet solved the
tViplcAHlB question:.
GREAT VELOCITY OF WIND.
The highest veloci'
January, 1882, when it was ascertalned
to be 100 miles an hour This storm
demonstrated the fact that everything of
m atmospheric nature in that section
was purely local. for six miles to the
northward and ten to the southwark nc
signs OF the storm were ever observable
A similar gale TO the above occurred in
JanuaryIof this year, otherwise it is con
sidered a region of slight winds and
calms. The snowfall is indeed light
averaging only one foot, and there in lit
Ito or no rain. What rain does fall is
more in the nature of u Scotch mist than
OF a shower. There il no thunder or
lightning In that section, although
whalers report having heard it thunder
and seen the lightning play among the
rigging OF their ships couple of hun.
dred miles to the south.
Last year the coolest day was Decem
her 20, when tho temperature was Sc
degrees below zero. There was but lit
tic change in the weather during the re.
mainder OF that month. II has not been
near so cold this year, but the cold sum.
mer will make the annual mean as low.
Highest temperature last year was about
30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the annual
mean was degrees. Over thirty ther.
mometers were exposed, and at no time
lid Lieutenant Ray find one degree diff.
erenos In any O: them.
ADVANTAGES OF POINT BARROW.
As life-saving station, Point Barrow
lbs already proved very useful. During
lis brief stay of two years Ray has sue.
,ored over fifty shipwrecked people.
Three vessels have been lost during this
ime, and the past two years have been
considered the most propitious known in
he annals Of the whaling feet on this
ide. From 1871 to 1873 between eighty
md ninety vessels have been lost on this
oast. Over fifty were lost during that
lme within one hundred miles of Point
5arrow. They were caught on the west
more In the Ice. In 1871 ut one time
Ivy men were wrecked and without
ood on these inhosuitable shores. lip
ST twelve ships drifted Off Point Bar.
ow IN the Ice. and they were aband.
ned oy sumo Of the masters and men
weive miles from the Point the men
aking only their clothing with them
'ver seventy men remained aboard the
esseis and were never heard from after.
ard: The nearest point Of relief now il
Michael,s. between eight and nine
1ndred miles this side. It is considered !.
extremely dangerous coast, and the