The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-16
LIFE IN THE ARCTIC.
POPULAR ERRORS ABOUT CONDI.
TONS IN THE ICY NORTH.
the Long NightIcss Summers and
Dayicss Winters - The Gathering
Dusk and the BreaEin.: Dawn-Tic
luxury of n Sleeping Tag.

Dusk and the BreSLiI: D3Wn-Ihe
luxury of n Sleeping nag.
There is such perverted impression In
the popular mind about the actual arctic
conditions that | always find it diiiicuiU 10
impress my listeners with real lnowl-
edge OF polar phCnomcDa. The surround
ings are, Of course, wild enough to satisfy
tho most savage longings, but it must not
be inferred that the temperature Of the
ar il always below zero nor that the land
il completely buried by perennial snow,
ECr that the sea is always covered by
palcocrys5ic ico Hoes or mountainous ice
nassvs. Daring the low arctic night such
conditions are fairly constant, but for
much of the year the genial rays of the
san are felt.
Our headquarters (the first Pcary ex-
pedition) in 1891 were pitched on the
northwest coast Of Greenland, near the
seventy eighth parallel of latitude, which
is about midway between the north pole
and the Arctic circle. In this latitude the
seasons arc briefly as follows:
A long nightlcss summer day of nearly
four months and an extended dayless win
ter night of nearly four months. These
periods are separated from each other by
a season of advancing night during the
autumn when the sun gradually recedes,
but reappears for a shorter period every
succeeding day, until it finally remains
below the horizon on Oct. %. In the
spring there is similar period, but it is
the dawn of the coming day. The sun
reappearS on Feb. II. 1t first remains
only few minutes, but each succeeding
day it rises higher and sweeps more of the
southern sky, until about May l it re
mains above tho horizon, and then the
long arctic day with its silyery glory be-
gins.
The specific effects of cold and darkness
and light are difficult of analysis, moro so
among the members of our party than
among the native people and animals
The effect of isolation, of change of food,
clothing and habits of life, is so potent
that any physical or mental peculiGrities
must necessarily include these clements.
The withdrawal of heat is so gradual
that the animal organisms have an oppor-
tuuity to protect themselves. During tire
summer (the only time when the extreme
north is accessiblc) the temperature and
some Of the meteorological conditions are
much like our March and April weather
Incredible myriads of birds i'll summer
plumage, fresh from the temperate zone,
/
and moss covered rocky cliffs, but with
the first warning Of the polar night, as the
sun drops below the southern sky, they
quickly emigratc to "a more Congeninl
land, leaving apparently lifeless the cold
shores which have been animated by their
wild shrills of love and joy. Their powers
and instincts are such that they have only
to seek the lands which are best adapted
to their manner Of living. Many OF the
forms of sea life are able to do the same,
but men and all other land animals must
remain and become adapted to the chang
ing conditions.
The polar bear changes his fur during
the summer to protect him from the ox-
pected cold next winter, but life is to him
an awful struggle during the long night.
Nevertheless ho carly develops an ability
to fast for prolonged periods, which is a
faculty possessed by all tho other arctic
land life. Tho nearly complete covering
of the sea by tho winter ice deprivCs him
OF his accustomed source OF food; hence
he must either hibernate or find his way
far out over Is lifclesS sea of leo to the
open water, where varying fortunes may
put him in possession of an unwary
meal But with all brrtin s ingenuity and
hard earned adnptabiIity long periods of
famine are always before him.
The native people, like the animals,
have evolved system of life and ad3gta.
ton to their habitat which could not be
much improved by civilized aid. They are
ahic to withstand long periods of famine
ike the deer and bear, with no apparent
injury, except a loss of bodily weight
Their cutancous circulation is always pro-
fuse. The muscular outlines are largely