The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05

"N%orthwnrd Over tho Great Ice"
Under the title "Northward Over the Great
lee" our distinguished Arctic explorer, II. f.
PEARY. c. E, U. 5. N. describes his work of
discovery and exploration in Greenland during
several years. Ills story is published In two
handsome volumes by the Frederick A. Stokes
Company.
Mr.. Peary says in his preface that this nara.
tive was written to supply a complete record Of
his Arctic work. Everything that he has done
Is here set down. The story, in It's two volumes.
Is n chronicle purely; 1t makes no account
Of what was done in Arctic investigation
previously. The accomplishments of Kane.
Hayes, Hall, Greedy. Melville. and others
are allowed TO stand by themselves; this
Is a supplement that docs not burden
itself with retrospect and reference. It
has gathered a great deal OF Information in the
respect of geography, ethnology. and natural
history, and 1t contains new and peculiar infor-
nation about meteors. The author made n
summer voyage and formed some acquaintance
with the inland ice of Greenland in 1886. In
1891 and 1892 he soiourned for thirteen months
in northern Greenland and made q l,200-mile
journey across the ice cap OF that land. outlin-
ing Its coast and determining its insularity. In
1898 90 he occupied himself during twenty-five
months in North Greenland, making in the
course of that sojourn n l .2OO-mile sledge jour
ney across the ice can. completing his interesting
and valuable studies OF the Whale Sound ma
tives and discovering the meteoric deposits Mt
Cape York. In his fourth voyage. 1867. he
secured the last and largest OF tho Cape York
meteorites. a mass weighing ninety tons.
Describing Greenland. Mr.. Peary speaks Of it
as the pendent brooch in the glittcring necklace
of ice and snow which circles the North Pole.
An krctic islap nd cnptipaut ha lilo ~. the p,oot
interesting of Arctic lands: a land Of startling
Contrasts; n land OF midnight suns and MONDAY
nights: OF tropical skies and eternal ice: Of
mountains with sides still tinRed with the deep,
warm glow Of ancient volcanic fires and sum
mits hidden beneath caps Of everlasting snow.
The author in his preface affords a brief his.
tory OF Greenland. 1t was discovered by Erik.
an Icelandic outlaw, 300 years ago. He gave it
its present name. believing the same to be at
t%raCtive. IL not Just. and considering that wan
dcrins and colonizinG people might be nllured
by it. Further history of Greenland. until re.
cent times. seems TO have been surmised rather
than authenticated 1t may be that Europe was
repopulated from Greenland aftnr the devasta.
tions OF the plague known as the BLACK death. ~
Perhaps walrus tusks were sentfrom Greenland
as symbols to inspire the Crusaders. These are
matters of which 1t is to be said only that. in
case they are true. Greenland must have been in
the past something very different from what II
now is. 1t seems to he not without reason that
Mr.. Peary speaks OF Greenland rs having been
geographically and geographically a land OF
mystery: perhaps historically there is no reason
why It should not be still included In the same
category.
Mr.. Peary estimates that the northern extrem,
ity Of Greenland is in or near the eighty.nfth
parallel. in which case the length of the island
Ia to be measured ms about the same ms tho dis
tancc from the City of Mexico to Washington
1t is $40 miles across and its area amounts tC
about four times the area Of the New England
and Middle States; but four.ffths of this OK
panse, or about the equivalent of three times the
aren of France or Germany, is covered with ice
and Is consequently untitled for the production
OF either bananas or Strawberries. Possibly, In
its earth formation, tho interior OF Greenland II
a country resembling the region of the Rocky
Mountains or the Alps; IL 1t is. tho rance
Of the fact Inns been entirely subordinatcd
and lost. for snow. which constantly come
and never disappears, yielding in M
degree even to the longest summer day
has filled up the valleys and reared itself in ar
unbroken plane above tho highest peaks. Thit
Is the significance of what is called the "snow
cap the interior of Greenland being to-day
what Mr.. Peary calls nm elevated unhroker
plateau of snow, lifted from 5000 to 5000 ant
even to 10. 900 feet above the level OF the sea-F
huge white. glisieninR shield, some ] 200 mile'
In length and 800 miles in width, resting on thu
supporting mountains. 1t is an Arctic Sahara
without evidence of vegetable or animal life
without sign of rock or grain OF sand. One
journeyInE over 1t sees but three things-the in
finite eXpansc of the frozen plain. tho infinite
dome OF the blue sky, and the white sun.
Mr.. Penry sums up certain results from his
Arctic work. The Eskimos have profted by tho
opportunities which his journeyings and so
journ afforded. Seven years nRo many m
Eskimo man in Greenland was without a knife
and many an Eskimo woman without a needle
Fow Of the men possessed kayaks. or Skin
canoes, and he was indeed well of who Ind q
harpoon shaft made of n single piece OF wood
To-day men and women are andy supplied
with knives and needles; every man and boy
has his canoe: most Of the men have guns, and
every hunter Is supplied with the best OF Woo
for his lance. his harpoon. his se1l spear and hi
sledRe. The effect OF these improvements II
their weapons has shown itself at onco n
} an improved condition Of the tribe, resulting
from the more effective work of tho hunters
{ The people are better clothed, they can sup
port a larger number of dogs their only domestic
: animNll. and MS a result OF their more Rmpl'
| no|urishmcnt the death rate among them har
decreased and the birth rate has pcrceptibly in
creased within the last six years. Again. 1t ha
t been shown by Mr.. Peary's experience that lonl
| slodgo Journeys may he undertaken with sSfctl
even In tho Arctic night; that white men cal
I, remain In high ATTITUDES for long periods with
out fear OF that dread of Arctic explorers
, scurVy; that very small parties are the onl!
ones suited for effective work in the Arctic re
/ EiOnS; that the work Of northern exploration