The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-08-06
A VAST UNKNOWN LAND.
THE MYSTERY OF THE FAR
AWAY SOUTH POLE.
A wonderful Country Filled with Fire
and Ice-when Greenland Had u
Tropical Ciimate-The
Lost Continent.


been written about the continent Of
the antarctic Is limited almost wholly
to the imaginative. Several bold ex-
plorers like Ross and Wilkes have
circumnavigated it marking its out
lines crudely upon their charts. But
the forbidding coast line. walled at all
points with ice cliffs and fringed with
fields OF ice. has prevented any at
tempt to penetrate into the interior.
Thus IL happens that this strange re-
gion. twice as big as Europe and hav-
ing an area OF 5000. 900 square miles
is altogether terra incognito. The
geology alone OF this mysterious
country should afford a vast amount
OF most entertaining instruction. says
the Washington Star. In no other
part OF the world do frost and ice hold
such divided sway. numerous lofty
volcanoes belching forth lava and
ashes over the snow and ice.
Now. the volcanoes are built out OF
the products OF their own eruption.
each one consisting of debris piled
around vent. Lava and ashes sur
round the crater with alternate lay
ers. But in this polar region strata
OF snow falling at intervals must lie
between the layers of ashes and lava.
1t would naturally be imagined that
the volcanic ejecta would quickly
melt the snow upon which they drop
but this Is not So because the ashes
thrown out by volcanoes fall quite
cold form cake and make one OF
the best non conductors known. When
such layer few inches thick is
spread over snow, even molten lava
may flow over it without melting the
snow beneath. This has been fire.
quently observed, glaciers being some
times actually sealed up under crust
OF lava. 1t is further supposed that
great masses of pure iron and nickel
may be found in the mountains of the
antarctic continent similar to those
which have been discovered far tow
ard the north pole. The into. est
taken in these metallic masses arises
from the fact that they alone. of all
such deposits in the world. resemble
in composition the fragments cast
upon the earth from the outer uni
verse and called 'meteorites.
In all probability an investigation
OF the rock formations OF the antarc-
tic continent would tell wonderful
story of its history in ages past 1t
has been ascertained from abundant
fossil deposits. discovered in North
Greenland and elsewhere in the not
distant neighborhood of the north
pole that the arctic circle formerly
enjoyed climate approaching the
tropical. That region is proved by
such evidence to have been at one
time covered with luxuriant vegeta-
tion. Where at present all is ice and
desolation varied forms of animal and
vegetable life fourished. 1t seems
likely the corresponding conditions
at one or more periods existed in the
vicinity Of the south pole. Science
now holds the position that millions
OF years ago there was an enormous
land mass in that part OF the world, |
which has since sunk to the bottom OF
the sea 1t was clothed with trees
and verdure. had many flowing rivers
filled with fishes. and was alive with .
beasts. birds and insects.
This vanished country was. per-
haps. not continent. 1t may nave
been mighty archipelago. Which.
ever it was it afforded opportunities
Tor travel and distribution to numer-
ous species OF land animals and fresh. /
" alter fishes. which now are common .
10 Australia New Zealand, South
America and the isolated isles OF the
southern ocean. No other theory will |
account satisfactorily for the exist
,nce OF these creatures. belonging to
he same families. in localities 80
widely separated by expenses of sea.
Evidence to the same effect is afforded |
oy mollusks and by plants Moreover
/ further and peculiar interest at
aches to this lost continent There
ire many reasons for believing that
he higher forms OF life. represented |
)y the mammals-apes cats. dogs |
)earS horses, oxen. etc. Originated |
here. Biologists trace the history
Ind development of animal creation
,y means OF the fossil remains OF
creatures which they find buried in
he strata OF the rocks; but there are
yaps in the story which the rocks tell.
Ind most important OF them is the !
me tina. comes in at the close of the |
nesozoic epoch.
During that epoch there were no
Reptiles ruled creation.
many OF them OF gigantic size. attain
ng length Of eighty feet or more.
some were herbivorous. while others
If carnivorous habits equipped with
natural weapons astonishingly for
fed upon them. While some
lived on the land others swan in the
eas and others yet flew in the air.
They were all wiped off the face OF
he earth quite suddenly. it would
eem. conditions climatic and other-
wise that were un!avorable to them
having arrived. In the strata imme-
lately covering their remains are dis
severed those OF numerous families
" class OF animals entirely differ
mt which gave suck to their young.
Where did the latter come fromP
Whereas the evolution OF the reptiles
rom their early types can be observed
top by step in successive layers of
ossiliferous deposits. the mammals
ONE OF them OF great dimensions. ap-
al - L..