The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-31

Not to any great extent" replied
Gen. Greedy. Nansen floated along in
the current that he thought existed,
but the current did not carry him over
the pole, as he supposed it would"
How about Andree and his balloon;
do you think the reports which state
that he has been heard from are true?"
mo, I do not" replied Gen. Greedy
''The alleged message from Andree sup
posed to have been sent from the bal
loon, was dated siXty-five days after
he left. From this you would suppose
that the balloon was still in the air at
that time. Now. it is known that when
Andree started he had only enough gas
to last twenty-siX days, and you know
he never expected the balloon to re-
main in the air for more than forty
days 1t might have stayed up that
long under the best of conditions, but
he lost q lot of gas at the start. TAX
ing these things into consideration it
seems improbable that he could still
have been flying at the end of sixty
five days"
Then you think he is lost dead?"
81 don't see how one can think other
wise" was the reply. He may be
wandering around the wilds of Siberia,
but it is hardly probable"
rs the pole any nearer to US today,
general, than 1t was fifteen years ago,
Oh account of our increased knowledge
of arctic matters?"
81 should say it is" replied Gen. Gree
ly I'VE are learning something every
year by experience. We now know al
most surely that the Smiths sound
route is the best one for reaching the
pole"
WHAT THE NORTH POLE Is LIKE.
What do you suppose the north
pole is like, general? Do you think
there is any land there?"
L have no doubt" said Gen. Greedy,
that there is somewhere in the vi.
cfnity of the north pole a considerable
tract of land. There is reason to be-
lieye that it is covered with ice at
least half mile thick at the edges,
and it may be several miles thick at
the CENTER
why do you think that?" I asked.
"1t is evident that that is the case
from the icebergs which float about
in the Arctic ocean. There are differ
ent kinds of icebergs, just as there are
different kinds of coal You can tell
the difference between piece of bl-
luminous coal and one Of anthracite
Well, it is just as easy to tell the diff
ference between the different kinds
OF icebergs. The icebergs that come
from the land about the pole are
known as foe-bergs. They are made
up as glaciers are made, and their
surfaces are almost fiat. They are as
a rule almost rectangular in shape.
You can see from the strata of which
they are made that they have been
built up by the snow falling year af-
ter year on an almost level surface,
and then freezing. The ordinary ice
bergs are different in shape. They are
not so fiat. The foebergs, as a rule.
are fresh water ice made by the melt
ing and freezing of the snow. Some
of those foebergs are very thick. L
have seen some which were more than
900 feet in thickness. There are some
of them which, according to the sell
entific rule for estimating their size.
must have been from two to three
thousand years in forming. These ice
bergs have broken off from the edges
Of the polar Ice cap. They have fallen
down into the sea, and the water there
being very cold they remain a long
time without melting
do you think any one could live at
the north pole for any length of time,
general?"
81 don't see why he could not, if he
had the provisions and means of keep
ing warm
Where do you think the pole ac-
tually is on that ice capT"