Washington sentinel., 1899-08-26
The Arctic Circle as a HeAlr b
Resort.


Jackson and Peary alone. Even
the pleasure seeker has been at
racted, and it is not so very long
ago that the LHStlanta woke the
Arctic echoes with the strains OF a
string band. Another trip was
made to Spitzbergen, and one OF
the party gave a striking picture
OF Polar charms. 1--WE are invad-
ing" he wrote, "the very sanctu-
ary of solitude; we. with our string
band, our trained cook, our cos
tunes made in London, and our
end of-the- century habits and Gus
toms-what had we to DO here
disturbing the silence OF frozen
quletP And yet how strangely
beautiful it was! OF almost every
other famous scene the traveller
asks himself, 'Of what does this
remind me7' or the coast line OF
Spitzbergen there is no rival south
OF itself. Could you imagine your
self on some Alpine height, sur
rounded by vast mountains, cut
off some few thousand feet from
SUBMITS by level line OF olive
grey clouds, you might get an
idea Of the outline oi that wonder
iul scene. But no words can give
| the iaintest impression OF the mar
vellous atmospheric changes pro-
duced by the sun towards mid
night. Look ahead and the snowy
peaks are glowing pink with the
approaching sunset; look back, ano
the spires OF snow are living in that
dead white light which precedes
the dawn, and midway between is
a long stretch that is neither sun
rise nor sunset. Ii is a period
OF its own. AS the heights
vary so you think you are
catching the last CLEAN OF diving
sun or the first fash OF its rising
The sun at midnight we saw not.
AT about a quarter OF an hour be-
lore the bells told US it was mid
night, a bank Of thick clouds
slowly rose apd hid the sun from
our too curious eyes; another hall
hour and he was bright again; but
the sun at midnight always was
curtained for US. 1t was difficult
to force oneself to bed. so bright
was the sunlight and so varied the
attractions that met the eye."
The Arctic circle as a health re-
sort sounds somewhat eccentric,
but it is not beyond the dreams OF
the doctors. Recollect that DR..
Nausen has declared that his med
zeal adviser on the Fran was a
sinecure while the crew was in the
farthest North. Every one was
absurdlY healthy" remarked the
leader of the expedition. "a man
with an ache or pain would have
broken the monotony."
It is more extraordinary that
Spitzbergen should become a san
irauum than that Davos in winter
should have won the approval oi
; the medical men tor consumDtives7
Davos was originally discovered
by the Germans. Thirty years
ago. a Teutonic physician, accom-
y panied by friend, wandered to the
spot, and with difficulty obtained a
lodging IN a solitary dwelling. The
2 doctor was suffering from con
2 sumption, and to his deligh
? and astonishment found himsel
J rapidly getting better He con
/. sitlered that the high Alpine All
was an admirable tonic; tha
:, though at a great height above the
= sea, the sun beat down with i'm
mense power through the rarifec {
, atmosphere; and that the pine for
J ests which clothed the hillside
! were fraught with healthful inf la.
/ ence. The German doctor, hap
, PLY recovered, started the theory
J tor his countrYmen that in case!
: OF phthisis a cold climate was bet
c ter than a warm one. This medi
u cal heresy, for such it would hav,
g seemed at the time, gradually
= made its way. The theory wa
o that in this cold climate the living
!. germs which cause pulmonary dis
n ease cannot exist, and are gradu
e ally extirpated. The Germans
e came IN crowds. Gradually, L
u deiraY the expenses, they resorteC
= to every means of earning a liveli
!. hood. They opened all kinds o
", shops, hotels, pensions; gave les
}. sons in every province OF education
= languages, natural science, paint
S ing, wood carving.
'' In the next century we may SCI
n Spitzbergen a Aourishing health
:. resort. We are getting tired ot tn
e Continental cures. Arctic bath
. sound invigoratlng, and Arctic al
= is certainly tree from noxlous mic
q robes. The only disadvantage j
u the long sea voyage. which, how
!, 6 ever, may be declared to constItut
. part OF the treatment.