Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-08-05
A VAST UNKNOWN LAND.
THE MYSTERY OF THE FAR
AWAY SOUTH POLE.
A Wonderful Country Filled with Fire
and Ice--When Greenland Had
Tropical Climatc-The
Lost Continent.

The south pole has always been re-
garded as land of mystery and won
der. Up to the present day what has
been written about the continent Of
the antarctic is limited almost wholly
to the imaginative. Several bold ex-
plorors 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 1t happens that this strange re-
gion. twice as big as Europe and hav-
ing an area OF 5000. 900 .uare miles,
is altogether a terra incognito Tho
geology alone OF this mysterious
country should afford vast amount
OF most entertaining instruction. says
the Washington Star. In no other
part OF tho world do frost and leo 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 thei own eruption
each one consisting OF deb is piled
Ound a vent Lava and ashes sur
round the ator with alternate lay
els But in this pola 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 cond ucto.'s known. When
such laye' n few inches thick is
spread over snow. even molten lava
may flow over it without melting the
snow beneath. This has been fire.
quenlly obse we'd. glaciers being some.
times actually sealed up under ust
Of lava 1t is further supposed that
great masses of pure iron and nickel
may be found in tho mountains OF the
antarctic continent similar to those
which have been discovered far tow.
ard the north pole. Tho int: est
taken in these metallic masses a;ises
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 'meteo ites.'
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 a 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 flourished. 1t seems
likely the corresponding conditions
at one or more periods existed in the
vicinity OF the south polo. 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 Il mighty archipelago. Which.
ever it was it afforded opportunities
for travel and distribution to numer.
Gus species OF land animals and fresh.
water fishes which now are common
TO Australia New Zealand, South
America and the isolated isle, of the
southern ocean. No other theory will
account salts 'actorily for the exist.
ence OF these creatures belonging to
the same families. in local.. les so
widely separated by expenses of sea
Evidence to the same effect is afforded
by mollusks and by plants. Moreover
a further and Peculiar interest at.
taches 70 this lost continent. There
are many reasons for believing that
the higher forms OF life. represented
by the mammals--apcs, cats dogs
bears horses. oxen. etc. -originated
there. Biologists trace the history
and development of animal creation
by means OF the fossil remains OF
creatures which they find buried in
the strata OF the rocks; but there are
gaps in the story which the rocks tell
and most important OF them is the
one tina; come in at the close of the
mesozolc epoch,
During that epoch there were no
mammals. Reptiles ruled Great on
many OF them OF gigantic size. attain
ing length OF eighty fee, or more.
Some were herbivorous. while others
OF carnivorous habits equipped with
natural weapons astonlsh ngly for.
midable fed upon them. While some
lived on the land others swan in the
seas and others yet few in the air.
They were all wiped off the face of
the earth quite suddenly IL would
seem conditions climatic and other.
wise that were un adorable to them
having arrived. In the strata immo.
eiately covering their remains are dis.