St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-16
AT THE SOUTH POLE,
A Land of Mystery and Won
der Twice as Large as
Europe.
Ice-Loeked Now, but Once
Possessing Luxuriant
Vegetation.
Volcanoes Belch Forth Fire
and Lava Over Ice and
Snow.
Possibility Of Finding Fossils
That WIFI AcSicf EonFon
Possibility Of Finding Fossils
That Will Assist Geolog-
zeal Research.


Up to the present day what has been
written about the continent of the Ant
arctic is limited almost wholly to the
imaginative. Several bold explorers,
like Ross and Wilkes, have circumnavi-
gated it, marking its outlines crudely
upon their charts.
But the forbidding coast line, walled
at all points by ice cliffs and fringed
with fields of ice, has prevented any at
tempt to penetrate into the interior.
giOn. twice as big as Europe and having
an area OF 100000 square miles, is alto
gether a terra incOgnita.
That 1t will remain such much longer
is not likely. because science has lately
directed its attention to projects for eX-
petitions in that direction. Although
the one that was contemplated from
Australia is not likely to be carried out,
owing to lack of funds, others will
doubtless be organized and achieved.
Most people, says the Washington
Star. would be inclined to consider that
the objects to be attained by an eXplo-
ration of the Antarctic continent were
not of sufficient Importance to pay for
the trouble, expense and danger IN
vOlved.
What satisfactory purpose can be
gained by investigating a region which
is nothing more than vast ice cap,
surrounding the neither pole of the
earth, having no fauna nor flora, and
exhibiting geographically nothing more
interesting than a diversity of rugged
mountains and ravineS covered with
eternal glaciers? Nevertheless, little
study of the subject proves that this is
far from being correct view of the
matter.
The geology alone of this mysterious
country should afford vast amount of
most entertaining instruction. In 70
other part of this world do fIost and FIRE
hold such divided sway, numerous lofty
volcanoes belching forth lava and ashes
over the snow and ice.
Now, volcanoes are built out of the
products of their own eruption, each
one consisting of debris piled around
vent. Lava and ashes surround the
crater with alternate layers. 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-conduct-
OrS known.
When such layer few inches thick
is spread over sncw even molten lava
may flow over it without melting the
snow beneath. This has been frequently
observed, glaciers being sometimes
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 Antarc-
tic continent similar. to those which
have been discovered far toward the
north pole. The interest 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 universe and called ''meteOriteS."
In all probability an investigation of
the rock formations of theAntarctic con-
tinent would tell wonderful story Of
its history in ages past. 1t has been as
certained from abundant fossil deposits,
discovered in North Greenland and else
where 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 evil
dence to have been at one time covered
with luXuriant vegetation. Where at
present all is ice and desoIation, varied
forms of animal and vegetable life
fiOurished. 1t seems likely the cor
responding conditions at one or more
periods existed in the vicinity of the
south pole.
Science holds the opinion that mill
ions 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, perhaps,
not continent. 1t may have been
mighty archipelago. Whichever it was,
it afforded opportunities for travel
and distribution to numerous spe-
cies Of land animals and fresh water
fishes which now are common to
Australia, New Zealand. South Amer
lea and the isolated isles of the South
ern ocean. No other theory will ac-
count satisfactorily for the existence of
these creatures, belonging to the same
families, in localities so widely sepa-
rated by expanses Ut sea.
Evidence to the same effect is afforded
by mellusks and by plants. Moreover,
to this lost continent. There are many
reasons for believing that the higher
forms of life represented by. the man.
mals-apes, cats. dogs, bears, horses,
oxen, etc.-originated there.
Biologists trace the history and de-
velOpment of animal creation by means
of the fossil remains of creatures which |
they find buried in the strata of the |
rocks; but there dre gaps in the story |
which the rocks tell, and most impor-
tant of them is the one that comes in at |
the close of the mesoZoic epoch.
During that epoch the were no |
mammals. Reptiles ruled creation, |
many of them of gigantic size, attaining |
a length of eighty feet or more. Some
were herbivoruus. while others of car |
nivOrous habits, equipped with natural
astonishingly formidable, fed |
upon them.
While some lived on the land, others
swan in the seas and others vet flew
In the air. They were all wiped off the
face of the earth quite suddenly, il
would seem, conditions climatic and
that were unfavorable to
hem having arrived. In the strata I'M
covering their remains are
discovered those Of numerous families
If class of animals entirely different,
which gave suck to their young.
Where did the latter come from?
Whereas the evolutl on of the reptiles
rom their early types can be observed
step by step In successive layers of foS-
'iliferous deposits, the mammals, some
If them of great dimensions, appear all
1t once, and i'll vast numbers, fully
ormed.
Evidently they must have arrived
rom somewhere else. Scientists make
10 question that mammals were de-
'eloptd frcm reptiles by the processes
If evolution. But such processes neces-
'arily required an enormous length of
ime-miiliOns of years, presumably.
IGaSmuch as no trace OF them is to be
uund anywhere IN the rocks OF the
world. they must have been accom-
)iisiled in some part of the earth that is
INV submerged beneath the ocean. 1t
5 believed that this Hypothetical region
vas the lost continent Or archipelago
# the Antarctic.
THe thrnag of peo,,ir around the gar