The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-10

water that connect the Arctic ocean with
| both the Atlantic and Pacific basins. and
we shall see how this great physical fact
! bears on and bars polar investigation.
Those who understand something of
| what may be termed the photography
| OF the earth's meteorology will know
that, owing TO unequal temperature,
there are great circulating currents in
the ocean, caused primarily b, the I'M
equally heated seas. or parts of seas,
seeking equilibrium. These currents
also involve the Arctic ocean, and now
we shall see the action of the great
factor, low temperature. When the
sun Is low in the southern heavens, and
the freezing line extends down toward
the equator So degrees of latitude, there
is then frigid circle over seven thou
sand miles in diameter, with the north
pole as its center and closest point
Of course a tremendous congealation
takes place, but when the sun resumes
its northern journey the circle of high
temperature is showed poleward until
the area that does not lose its ice is less
than three thousand miles in diameter.
On this area there is something of .
summer-more than the mere sun con-
ditions would warrant. The matter is
worth considering. While the sun is
still near the horizon, for months it
does not sink below it, and thus the
solar contribution of warmth is consid-
cradle. But there is a belt of summer
temperature all around this axial re-
gion, and come the currents from
whence they may, they can come only
from the south. There is a limit to
north and south, but there is no limit
20 east or west, and thus it is. when
the summer belt is crowded far north
ward, that all the infiowing breezes
are warm, that is, coming from south
ern quarter, while all outgoing breezes
must bear away some of the stock of
lower temperature.
But this now loosens vast areas of
ice. Cataracts roar as the waters from
the melting masses fall over precipices,
and pack ice, icebergs and fields of
floating ice, large and small, all crowd
and crush, grind and break, as the cur
rents bear them out toward other seas.
Long before this floating ice has had
time to be transported the brief sum-
mer ends; the sun goes on his return
journey, and the crushing ice heaved
into all kinds of fantastic shapes known
as hummocks, is locked; rains and
SHOWS add to it, and, though soon solid
enough to bear the weight of armies,
there is nothing more tiresome on
earth than to journey over it. Some
of the polar winters are comparatively
mild, as few years ago whalers went
far in, the ice flow being light, and
found whales in immense numbers N
secluded hooks in the arctic waters.
The worst feature is the uncertainty.
What to-day may seem to be permanent
ice, tomorrow may be floating and
breaking into fragments; where last
year was clear and seemed like the
''open polar sea-" this year may remain
closed, and vice versa. There is proba-
bly, no such thing as a permanently
open sea, as not single thing in
physics warrants any such assumption.
But is there no land in this Arctic
ocean? There is no direct, but very
good collateral evidence that there is
go poleward with the approach of the
arctic summer, and it is certain that
they do not journey to where there is
no subsistence. Foxes, bears and musk
oxen abound, and an ocean fauna ex-
lists in immense numbers. But there is
still an area of 200 miles in diameter
of which nothing is known, and of
1000 miles in diameter of which but
very little is known.
Now, as to journeying over these
hummocks These may vary in height
from few feet to fifty feet. may be
close together or have level patches be-
tween; the interstices may be sound. |
filled, or be pools of water, depending /.
on temperature; and in any case. to /
traverse them is tedious and laborious /
to degree that can hardly be realized. /
How is one-hundred-mile journey 10 1
be made under such conditions, reckon /
ing also the return, where one mile |
may be more than fifty miles elsewhere, !
and keeping in mind the fact that, /
while the outward journey may be on
the stationary surface. the return may .
be in the midst of grinding foes and .
pack ice? The explorers may go for
ward to find themselves in a cul de sac !
with further advance barred entirely.
All will depend on previous ice forma-
tons. At one time a locality may be
clear, at another time seriously OBJ
structed. and no knowing in advance
what is to be encountered. 1t is like
nil no
channel must be learned each year.
But the summer season is too short to
overcome a 1.-THE of the obstacles.
By water? This has been tried. Is
practicable even on the di-
minutive Ohio when the channel is full
Of floating ice? There are tempting
and inviting openings between the
fields of ice, but when these approach
each other not vessel on the earth
would have any more show than a
chicken coop.
On that Arctic sea not once in a score
Of years Is there a time when ice Is not
on the move from the spring until
caught on the flow by the next winter.
And yet there are frogs and fowl in
the latter, of course, most
" leave when the rigorous season
comes. and the former hibernate down
IN the mud. where the motion and tenn
perature prevent freezing. All these
creatures breed IN that region that We,
so utterly defies man. Now comes the
question. how l. the advance to be
made with such an environment, what
motive power other than dogs Is avail
able and how are subsistence and the