The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-17
WHAT SOME DUST TAUGHT NANsEN
Important Suggestions ORered by
DtntOms Found on Arctic Ice,

Important Suggestions ORered Thy
DtntOms Found on Arctic Ice.
For many years a small, but happily in
creasing, group of biologists and. geolo-
gists has maintained the Importance Of
studying the microscopic forms of a.fe,
believeing that, even apart from their in
trinsic interest, they will eventually lend
material aid to the solution OF many
keenly discussed problems. Recent events
have tended greatly to justify this posi-
ton, and 1t will be our present aim to
show how minute plants have been used
as arguments in connection with polar
exploration. says DR.. w. F. Hume in
knowledge.
In 1892 Dr. Nansen, whose successful re-
turn to Europe has caused SO great a,
sensation, submitted to the Royal Geo.
logical Society his reasons for believing
that the north pole could be reached IL
the methods he proposed were carried out.
He argued, first, that the great polar cur
rents run southwark between Greenland
and Spitzbergeni whereas, on the Siber-
ian side, constant current of fresh wa
ter Is running northward, turning north
westward at the New Siberian islands
probably crossing the pole, and, eventual
ly, forming the southwark current pre-
yiously mentioned. Many facts were adj
duced in support of his contention. Thus.
Siberian larch and red spruce every year
reach the coast of Greenland, and supply
the wood used by the Eskimos in the con-
struction of their boats and sledges; these
relics being also, as Nansen remarks,
found in the sea north of Spltzbergen
among the ice foes carried southwark
from the unknown north.
. On one of his nraviotYS -
Greenland Eansen collected many samples
of dust from the surface Of the snow on,
The Ice foes between Iceland and Green
land and was much interested in the
diatomaceae found in some Of these. The
diatomaceae are minute unincellular
plants, each cell being inclosed in a small
case, or frustule, composed of siliceous
material. This casing consists of two
valves or plates, one overlapping the 9TH
er, somewhat after the manner of the two
parts of q pill box. The surfaces of these
valves often appear beautifully orna-
,mented, due to the presence of depres-
slons, lying in the intersperces of an ele-
waited reticulation The diameter of the
plates is usually less than one-two-hun-
dredths OF an inch. SO that they require
the highest powers of the microscope for
their study.
Specimens Submitted.
Nansen submitted his specimens to Pro-
lessor Cleve OF Upsala who, after identi-
flying l6 species and varieties, reported on
them as follows: THE diatom flora of
this dust is quite peculiar and different
from that of all the many thousands of
samples which 1 have examined, with the
exception of one, with which 1t shows
the most complete eongrulty, viz. a sam
pie which was collected by Kjellman
during the Vega expedition) on the foe
ice at Cape Wankarma, near Boring
straits. The species and the varieties are
exactly the same In both samples. 1t is
quite remarkable that the diatom flora. on, ,
ice foes near Boring sound and on the
east coast of Greenland are so completely
alike and SO unlike all others. 1t indi-
Gates that there is an open communica-
ton between the seas east of Greenland
and north of Asia" Nansen adds IAN
these referring to his own speclmens)
were also found at. Cape Wankarema 70
of them being only known from there and
from nowhere else in the whole world
and that though the dlatom fora of the
Kara sea, Franz Josef Land, Spitzbergen
and Greenland has also been partly ex-
All through his paper Nansen showed
his keen appreciation of little things The
In the dust were also examined,
no less than 20 varieties being recognized
by Tornbohm who exclatms: Can it be
possible that the terrestrial portions of
the dust originate from northern Siberia?
That It is partly mud carried into the sea
by the great Siberian rivers? The great
variety of minerals contained in the dust
seems to me to Indicate that it originates
from an extensive land region, and thus
1t seems most natural to think of north
ern Siberia" Again, much pumice, be-
longing to a group of rocks known as the
has been found on the shores
of Spitzbergen and Greenland. altogether
dissimilar from those OIL any volcanic re-
glon in the Atlantic ocean, but very pos
sibly- derived from the Andesitic volcanic
regions near the Boring sea.
Thus, relying on some driftwood, min
ute minerals and microscopic plants
backed it is true, by wider considerations
did this gallant explorer trust himself
to his vessel, and, Joining the ice f6es:.y
near the New Siberian Islands, walt in
the Fran the fulfllment of his expecta-
TONS. What has been achieved Is known
of all men, but when the results come tor
be weighed in the balance let. us hopey
that the humble plant-helpers will not be-.
forgotten.