Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-06-19
THE SOUTH POLE.
A Comparatively Unknown and I'm
explored Region.
Some Reasons for the Ignorance That ZEE
ists Concerning II = A. Contemplated
Expedition-Whnta Few Expiors-
lions Have Discovered.

An expedition is preparing In En-
gland for the exploration OF the re-
gions about the South Pole These
are comparatively unknown. For the
ignorance that exists in regard to
them there are numerous reasons.
They are far from modern. civiliz ttion 4
. and off the commercial routes OF the
,cean. The southern ottions of the
two continents are ms far from the
Antarctic circle as some OF the
nsosi-,hckly settled and highly-eivil-
lied parts If + rope. For instance,
The South Shetland islands. whose dis
covery was considered M remarkable.
and which are spoken OF ms in the
southern polar region. are about rs
far south Of the equator Us England Ia
north Of IL Most VI the islands which
have been disc ,vcred and which on
ho maps seem to form sort OF icy
necklace about IL are farther from IL
than many northern regions which
srpp TT considerable populations are
from The N nth %.
When G lumbus discovered Amer
lea he had the desire or intention 10
circumnavfgate the globe lie did not
succeed in doing this because the
Western continent barred his way.
Subsequ ent navigators endeavored TO
pass the barrier both to the north and
south. They easily succeeded by the
Strait Of Magellan and Cape Horn,
but failed IN finding a massage by tho
northwest, by way Of Bailln's bay. to-
y 4 4 4. - H..
were directed for, many years. This
attracted attention to the region about
the North Pole. which afterward ex-
cited curiosity, and caused the send
ing Of expeditions OF discovery.
Mariners came into Nor therii waters
la search Of whales and walrns ivory,
aud the demand FOR furs led to the
formation of the Hudson Bay Com
any, which. in the prosecution OF its
legitimate business. added consider
ably to the sum OF scientific knowl-
edge. Later came tho expeditions Of
Sir John Franklin and others, sent out
frm Eaglish or American ports With
feeling OF rivalry. or for purposes
purely c scientific, Both continents
pr icct their northern oxtremltics con-
sidrrably within tho Arctic circle, and
IN this way furnish an important AID
in advancing norIhward. Tribes lv-
ing up To and within the Arctic circle
Gun furnish sonio sort Of assistance
and give information. and there ara
~hGrs whore slfs that have made
ss,nor's Stage toward the pole
~ up in the winter and IN tho
aug pursue their course with 50
,ueh Of the distance gained.
IL tho lsouthern circumpolar region
The conditions are entirely different.
Commerce going east or west finds It's
way past the Cape Of Good Hope and
Cape Horn. the SOU hernmost points
, respectively of, the Two ailments,
vi iout going near them aud without
trouble from icebergs. There are
not known to be any human be-
mgs in any OF the groups OF
islands or presumed continents within
The Aatnrosa circle oraany where moan
Il. though some OF them are GOV
cred with ponguins albatross
soals. sca-lious and during tn,
lseeaing season white bears abound.
Tie climatic conditions are different
from those about the North Pole,
owing, probably to the distance o
tie great masses of land. These Civ,
direction to the. .ocoan currents. b,
means Of which the waters warmed il
the TOPICS are sent towar | the poles
raising The temperatures of The. wateI
there and making certain countries
lraduc i've and hahitable that wonl,
: otherwise be little better than barrel
wastes. The cold Mt tie South Pol,
i. eannot be more in ense than at tn,
n nth Polo, but |, is less modif,d b,
he ncarnesss Of he continents aud tn,
admix iure of waters from the ocean
in he temperate or semi-tropical re
ainns. the warm currents which ten,
southwark along the shores of the con
inents being cooled or losing ,hei
force before. they reach the Antarcti
circle. aA-e ft tsa e. faE
The voyages toward the South Poe
rs compared with those toward III
North have been few, and the detail
they have given have been meager
Their geographical value has bee
tninpuEttiNeiy lipoiluub All
their contributions to sciene
mnlost valueless. The idea that Their
was a continent lying to the south
ward Of the vast expenses of waite
called the Atlantic. Pacific and India
oceans prevailed at a very early epoc
Sin Spanish American history Til
caused the sending of expedition
from Peru to find it, the first in 1867
the second in 1905. The last disco
cred an island now identified as one
the Now III brides, not tar from Au
tralia. the group which forms one
the bones of contention betwee
France and England They have l
relation whatever to the South Pol
but the ex edition being sent in tn
direction they had in those days
pass for such