Omaha daily bee., 1888-04-01

Written for StulddUI3ee bu A. g. Jameson, NJ. A.
In Mondays issue | noticed a para
graph which referred to the proposed
expedition about to start from Scandin-
avia for the purpose of exploring the
interior of Greenland. Having once
had the privilege of visiting this ice
bound region. l trust that a few leaves
from my diary may not be without in
terest to some of the readers Of the
Omaha BEE.
There is now no question as to the
value and Importance of Polar dis
covery, and as to the principles on
which such expeditions should be sent
out. The main principles may be
briefly stated:
First-Their objects are explorations
for scientific purposes and the encour-
agement of maritime enterprise.
Second-It is OF the highest import
ance for a knowledge of natures laws.
Third--It opens up a field for scientific
research generally.
~Fourth-The attainment Of the
highest possible latitude or Of the pole
tself is not the object to be sought las
many %suppose), but the exploration Of
the unknown area with a view to en-
riching and enlarging our field of
science.
Three winters ago happened to be
located in q seaport town, Peterhead by
name, some thirty miles north northeast
of Aberdeen. Scotland. Among the
principal buildings stands the Arburth-
not museum, which contains a fine col
lection of natural history speci-
mems, coins. n other objects of
antiquarian interest and these l was
commi ssioned by the magistrates of the
town to overhaul and arrange IN sclen-
tiic order. l spent many a happy
hour among these stuffed specimens,
q large number Of which represented
typical species straight away from the
far regions of the polar north, and my
fondest hopes were that some day /
might visit that icebound region and
see them in their living and natural
condition. My hopes were realized
ooner than l expected by n jolly, bluff,
old skipper coming in one day and Of
ferlng me the post of surgeon on board
his steamship-the very same vessel
which had a few years before, under
the command Of Sir Allen Young, sue
SSDclu l. NoStSo bils az - Diilbi wv
his associates, who had been missing
for some considerable time. Gaining
my parents consent, / soon set to work
and secured a suitable outfit together
with such instruments OF war which |
guessed would prove useful in facing
the wild denizens of the north, and on
February rs | found myself comfortably
situated on board my new home. We
were forty-two souls in all, but this
- .n., ,.,nn pft, p,.,n a. = ,,n.Anoal " -
total OF s~eventy-two. On what errand
were We all risking our lives? 1t was
TO prosecute the "Greenland Seal and
Whale fishery" which is now as it has
been in former times, u most valuable
and profitable commercial pursuit.
Commerce is usually attended with
little of a or adventure, but in
the seal or whale fishing this is a dis
tinctive feature. Such an exploit has
to be carried out in the far off region, of
the polar north amidst n series of dam
gerous and harassing viclssitudes.
But to return to the starting point.
Thousands of people in fact the whole
populace thronged the north and south
piers to wish US God speed and a full
ship and amidst the waving OF handker-
chiefs and the falling of tears the good
old ship steamed out of the scene Of her
winters rest n in a few minutes be-
gan to plough thro' the stormy pillows
OF the briny deep.
In twenty-four hours we sighted the
dark melancholy isles of Ultima Thule
or Shetland which every reader Of Sir
Walter Scott must be well acquainted
with.
"Here too the Greenland tar, a fercer guest,
Claims O brief hour of riot, not of rest;
Proves each wild frolic that in wine hath
birth,
n wakes the land with brawls and bolster
Gus mirth.n
shetland lies between SO and 600
north latitude and % west longitude
and is fifty miles from another group of
Islands called the Orkeys. The coast
scenery is at once striking and beauti-
full, the action of the waves having worn
the rocks into numerous fantastic shapes
with indentations here and there form
ing what are called woes" or ''sea
lochs', which being we'll stocked with
trout afford to the tourist some excel
lent sport, What | wa most struck
with as regards scenery, was the harbor
in which we cast anchor viz "Bressay
Sound" which is crowned at the north
end by .Fitful Head" both high tower
ing headlands we'll worthy of the
~eulogium bestowed on them by. Sir
Walter Scott. IL VAS here that the