Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-10-22
Life at the North Pole.

there, any vegetation? Can human
beings exist there? The answers to
these interesting questions are given
below, based on the best scientific
knowledge
That the North Pole Is situated on
land seems to be almost certainty.
There is land bare Of Ice in that part
of the world, and clear water, too.
Good and sufficient reasons lie back
of these assumptions. That the region
in question is inhabited by various ami
mails is an undisputed fact. 1t cannot
be asserted with confidence that hu-
man beings 10 not live there.
1t is known that several species of
birds live and breed in regions far to
the north of any point reached by ex-
plorers. They are seen migrating to-
ward the pole, their fOcks vanishing
into the unknown beyond. Obviously,
they cannot lay their eggs or rear
their young on ice foes or bergs, and
so it must be taken for granted that
they find bare land suitable for that
purpose.
The rosy gull, most beautiful of all
its heet-winged tribe, spends summer
and winter within the mysterious and
unexplored area. It's species is actual
" restricted to that area, only occa-
sionally specimens being seen outside
of it, driven to the southwark by
storms. Only once has a flock of rosy
gulls been seen; it passed Point Bar
row, the most northerly point OF
Alaska.
There must be no small extent Of
land in region that exclusively main
tains a whole species of animals, Open
water there must be all the year
around, else the rosy gulls would
starve. Doubtless the bird skirts the
ice fields in winter, looking for fish.
Two species of sandpipers breed in
the unexplored area The same may
be said of at least one species Of goose.
Every spring brant are seen from
Point Barrow flying northward whith-
er no human being has yet been able
to follow.
If there bo polar continent there Is
no reason for picturing it as devoid OF
animal or vegetable life. In its sur
rounding waters are plenty OF fishes
doubtless as well as numerous species
of crustaceans in its bays seals dis
port themselves, perhaps, and possibly
walrns are not absent. AS for the
fora, there is apt to be as much OF 1t
as is found in Spitzbergen-that is
to say, plenty Of moss and lichens'
with even a few towering plants such
as the yellow Arctic poppy
The most interesting question about
the North Pole is as to whether hui
man beings are to be found IN its
vicinity. Such a notion Is not 80 abb
surd as might be imagined. From de-
cade to decade bold explorers have
yentured further and further toward
the northern extremity Of the earth +
axis. but however high the point
reached people have always been dis
covered dwelling there. A short time
ago Nansen outlined the north coast
of Greenland, proving it to be an island
Yet at the north end of the island he
came across a colony of 279 Esquimau
pursuing a contented and fairly pros
porous existence by means Of hunting
and fishing.
The man who is lucky enough to dis,
cover the North Pole may well fee
somewhat discouraged if he finds a
lot of people living there. Yet why
not? The climate cannot be 30 dread
fully severe; it is certainly not 80 cold
as north latitude 7S degrees. On that
coolest latitude is situated the town oi
Werkoiansk, in Siberia. And just
here may as well be told a remarkable
story that rests on the authority o.
Captain Herendeen, formerly engaged
in the Arctic whaling service, and now
employed in the Smithsonian Institu'
ton, in Washington. The event h
describes occurred in the winter o
1885, which he spent at Point Barrow
There is an Esquimau village a
Point Barrow, and also whaling sta
ton. One day there was great com
motion, and Captain Herendeen saw
half the people Of the village running
evidently much excited. They came t.
him and told him that three strang'
looking men had been seen on the ic'
Of the Point. They were dressed pecu
liarly. not in deer skins, but in white
fur, which was supposed to be that o
the polar bear. They acted as if very
tired, and it was noticed that they hAC
no guns. This last point was Part.cu
larly surprising. inasmuch as nobody