Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-12-15

AACO lE.><A-> =. Es TE.:ai1.
so many men have sought in vain to reach,
but which is as sure to be snrmounted rs
the world stands and the human race con-
tinues to exist.
Though we'll along in years-somewhat
past 50-and with a head of white hair,
Commander Melville probably would not
hesitate an instant to lead a polar party
were the opportunity to be offered him.
Mo- 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.
a 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 q
heavy suit of fur to enable him to resist
VIZ lIlSlOlNl Coltl VI Iilitl, lLc COl(lcSU IIHIU
of the earth-colder by far thar the north
pole i~tself-appeared at il spot where, pro-
truding through the snow like a mute and
u~navailing call o rhelp, was the frozen hand
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 IL search which
of itself was heroic and memorable in all
arctic work, full of heroism as are those
chapters of mans struggles with nature in
her angriest moods.
1t is u 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 man who braved the rigors of Il Sibe-
rian winter to search through week after
week for this sad scene.
The Way to the Pole.
Commander Melville believes he knows
the way to the pole and has not changed the
opinion which he expressed in his book Il
few years ago that with IL properly equipped
party and Francis Joseph land as Il 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 and without being called upon
to suffer extraordinary hardships.
Mr.. Melville holds Il different theory coll
corning the conditions which exist at the
pole than that held by most arctic stu
dents. lie believes the north pole of our
earth is surmounted by an enormous ice
cap, perhaps 1000 feet in thickness. dwin-
ding down to a thin edge zoo or BOO miles
from the pole. The surface of this great
ice cap, in his opinion, is almost as level us
a floor. Over it, he believes, n party of men
with sledges could travel ut u 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 have
builded.
Whether this theory is correct or NOT it
certainly is exceedingly interesting, and
we shall never know what the conditions
Of ice, of water or of land are at the geo.
graphical pole till some daring explorer
contrives to reach that region, and, what is
quite as important, to say the least. to get
home again. 1t is IL pity that Commander
Melville cannot be placed at the head of a
party setting out to test by actual investi-
CATION the correctness of his theories. Ii
the government were to engage again in
Cne lieu Ol irCtlC WOFk, IL Is more IMAM prop
able Melville would be chosen for leader of
the expedition, but there is no chance that
the government will TO anything of the
sort.
Lieutenant pcary'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 anotherap-
preparation for that purpose. SO tragic and
hunliliating We're the experiences of Lieu
tenant Greedy and his men, aud the ain
efforts made to relieve them, that ut least an
other generation will have to pass way be-
fore our government can he induced to De-
come sponsor fore new expedition. This is
to be 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 the pole
than the parties of any other nation.
We hold the record still. but in the opin-