Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-09-11
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THE VOYAGE OF THE VIVIAN BY Thomas
W. Knox. Published by Harper Brothers. PIP.

THE VOYAGE OF THE VIVIAN, by, Thomas
v; Knox. Published by Harper a Brothers PIP
297, itO.
Coming 80 soon after the last chapter in
the history of the Inflated Greedy expedition,
this book possesses a peculiar and timely
interest. 1t purports to record the incidents
of voyage to the North Pole the ship and
crew being fictitious and that part OF the
voyage lying between Herald Island and
Grant Land being imaginary, but very cleverly
imagined. The author has been careful
student OF the history of Arctic research, and
has skillfully interviewer the real with the
fictitious in such a manner that the average
reader will learn more OF life in polar seas
through perusal Of this book than by the
reading Of perhaps any single authentic story
of an expedition to those icy realms.
"The Voyage Of the Vivian" may indeed
be hkened to skeleton of fiction, upon
which as a framework Mr.. Knox has built up
corpulent and instructive body Of facts,
| Writing thus with freer pen than the his.
| torian who is tied to the records of a single
voyage, he has selected from the work Of
all Arctic explorers isuch materials as
| especially suited the aim he had in view.
Keeping to the bodybuilding simile, ii may
be said that MIR. Knox has taken here a
muscle from Sir John Franklin, there q
bundle Of nerves from DIR. Hayes, in other
an artery from Captain Nares, piece
Of lung from Captain Hall, and so on
| through the list Of those who have journeyed
northward during the past century, and has
builded these different parts into homo
| geneous whole which combines the solidity OF
a book OF reference with the fascination OF
a volume OF romance Not the least enter
about 175 in number, among which the steady
| reader of Hdrper'S Magazine will recognize
many old acquaintance, ingeniouslv dove
tailed into place 80 as to tit as well as il drawn
expressly for this work, The very complete
maps at the beginning and end OF the volume
as well as several fragmentary maps in the
text Of the same, also add materially to it,
| attrsctiveness and value.
Mr.. Knox shows his theory OF the most
/ favorable route to the Pole, by making his
/ imaginary voyagers start from San Francisco
instead of New York, and enter the Arctic
ocean by way Of the Behring's strait in lieu
Of Baffin's bay. He relates that the ex.
plorers who have traversed the latter route
| have been hampered in their northward
/ progress by southwark currents and ice
drifts and he reasons that these adverse
currents are not so likely to prevail
in the regions between Herald Island and the
Pole. Indeed, after his yoyagers have
entered upon the unknown portion Of their
outward trip he gives them the advantages OF
Il
he supposes to be really the Pacific end OF
the stream which after circulating around or
near the Pole itself finds outlets into the
| Atlantic by way Of the eastern and western
coasts Of Greenland. The explorers on the
Vivian are gratifed, after passing
through the icy barrier between the 80th and
S5th parallels to find the climate growing
less cold and the ice less plenty as they ad-
vance over the remaining five degrees to the
accomplishment Of the great end Of their en-
terprise. Within 80 miles OF the Pole he
takes the liberty Of introducing mountain.
GUS island, the highest peak OF which is an
active volcano. At the Pole itself he inn
agines an open stretch of water, where, he
says;
Whales and seals played around the ship In great
| numbers, and hocks Of birds filled the air The
i Pole was far from being scene OF desoatiOn,
30 far az animal life was concerned the captain
/ endeavored to be calm, but when the whales in
their total absence Of fear lazily rolled on the
surface within fifty yards Of the Vivian, he could
not help thinking What havoc he wonld make II his
mission had been for oil instead Of science.
1.-THE Voyage Of the Vivian" extends over