The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-12-13

. E H. L. ILtaIbl. .-.
30 many men have sought in vain to reach,
but which is as sure to be surmounted as
the world stands and the human race CON
tinues to exist.
Though well along in years-solnewhat
past 5O-and with u head of white hair,
Commander Melville probably would not
hesitate an instant to lead Il polar party
were the opportunity to be offered him.
Nor is there another man in America bet
ter qualified than he to lead a party to a
glorious success. Notwithstanding his age,
he is a stalwart man, still athletic and as
hardy and rugged as when he assisted
De Long in that remarkable escape from
the ice pack to the north of Siberia and
afterward prosecuted the search for the re-
mains OF his i'll fated commander and COM
panions in the tundra of the Lena delta.
4 Pathetic Picture.
Probably the saddest picture to be seen
on the walls of the government depart
ments in this city is the one which hangs
IN the room Of the navy department occu-
pied by Commander Melville, who is chief
OF the steam engineering bureau of the
navy. 1t shows in graphic fashion the scene
in the Lena delta when Melville, clad in a
heavy suit of fur to enable him to resist
the %frightful cold of that, the coolest part
Of the earth-coldcr by far than the north
pole i~tself-appeared at spot where, pro-
truding through tho SNOW like Il mute and
unavailing call forhelp. was the frozen band
of poor De Long. There this brave man
and six or seven of his companions had per-
ished miserably of starvation and cold in
one of the bleakest spots which the mind
OF man is capable Of imagining. Here Mel
vile found their bodies after a search which
nf II GOLF WAC Itrnio and o1p,cr,l1o -, oil
arctic work, full of herois1n us are those
chapters of mans struggles with nature in
her angriest moods.
1t is Il grewsome picture and attracts the
attention of every visitor to the Office. One
can scarcely realize that the bluff, hearty
commander, soft of heart and hand, is the
very MAJ h brayed the rigors of a Sibe-
rian winter TO search through week after
week for this sad scene.
Ghe Way 10 the Pole.
Commander Melville believes he knows
the way TO the pole and has not changed the
opinion which he expressed in his book a
few years ago, that with u properly equipped
party and Francis Joseph land as a point of
departure the right sort of men with the
right sort Of a leader will be able to march to
the pole itself and back again with little
risk of life ard without being called upon
to suffer extraordinary hardships.
Mr.. Melville holds a different theory COR
corning the conditions which exist at the
pole than that held by most arctic stu
dents. He believes the north pole of our
earth is surmounted by an enormous ice
cap, perhaps 1900 feet in thickness, dwin-
ding down to a thin edge 200 Or 800 miles
from the pole. The surface Of this great
ice cap, in his opinion. is almost as level as
q NTar Itn. II hn ln1i.,-n- -, ,t -. r r,.-
with slcdges could trayel at a rapid rate.
The difficulty which they would encounter
would be in approaching and getting upon
this mass of paleocrystic ice, this sea born
glacier which innUmerable ages Rave
buildcd.
Whether this theory is correct or not it
certainly. is exceedingly interesting, aud
we shall never know what the conditions
OF ice, of water or of land are at the geo
graphical pole till some daring explorer
oontrlVes to reach that region, and, what is
quite as important, to say the least, to yet
home again. 1t is a pity that Commander
Melville cannot be placed at the head of a
party setting out to test by actual ~invcSti-
CATION the correctness of his theories. If
the government were to engage again in
the field of arctic work it is morcthun prob
able Melville would be chosen for leader of
tne eNIrCltlOn, Dut there Is M chance that
the government viii do anything Of the
sort.
Lieutenant Peary's Efforts.
While interest in arctic work is very keen
among the people of the country and among
the scientific men of Washington. congress
could never be induced to make anotheraD-
preparation for thai purpose. So tragic and
burlliatinS were the experiences of Lien
tenant Greedy and his men. and the vain
efforts made to relieve them, that at least All
other generation will have 10 pass away be-
fore our government can be induced to be-
come sponsor for a new expedition. This is
to he regretted. because Americans have
shown themselves to be the most daring
and successful OF all arctic explorers. Up
to date it is the American flag which has
been planted farther north than any other.
Americans have approached nearer tue pole
than the parties of any other nation.
We hold the record still, but in the opiu-
ion OF the arctic experts of Washington we
shall have to look to our laurcls during the
next few years. | find Il remarkable con-
fnrrence of Cainion among the arctic and