The sun., 1900-08-19

Setting qSlGe the COnsllerNtlOn tnN tns AilHl-
! low sea which separates northeastern Asia
| from north western America l. Of recent origin
We know that. unlike the deep and broad ocean
which separates the two worlds on the other
side ~ the globe II has never boon a serious OBJ
stacle 10 intercourse between the shores which
II separates. The tribes which inhabit those
shores belong 10 tho same stock and speak dia-
lects Of tho same language They are well
known TO each other for tho TchukchIs Of tho
Asatic EAe constantly visit America, where
they procure sunplics Of furs and walrus teeth,
while tho American E'luimauN extend their
hunting AMI fishing ctpe !iuons to Asia In
winter the strait ls narrowed by Ice hoes which
unite In large masses: AMI. after n snowfall the
Diomede Islands, in the middle Of the strait from
which both shores are visible. can be reached
In sledges. America is even said to be some
times visible from the Asatic side Of the strait.
and the first Russian explorers who vIsitei tho
TchukchI' Learned from them that, on the east
ern side Of tho strait there was vast island
which they callsl the Great Country" which
could be roachsi by boats in two days. Tho
relative aspect Of the two shores would appear
To hold out direct inducemsnt to migration
from Asia TO America While the Asatic coast
is exposed and barren, and covered during most
OF the year with snow and ice, that OF America
the mllder westerly winds and is washed by a
comparatively warm ocean current Hence. in
It's more genial climate. vegetation is better
developed. and green forests are even found
here and there extending 20 the sea-
The drIitwood from America supplies the
Tchukchis with fuel animal life. too, Is more
abundant on the American side Of the strait.
and furs OF many kinds unknown in Siberia
may be procured. Further southwark the
sea aud rivers TEEN with Ash. II these appar-
emily favorable geographical conditions ever
constituted an inducement 20 immigration.
this nducement must have been a permanent
one. though II would be subject to interruption
by a state OF war. such as has within historical
times existed between the peoples iuhabitiuR
the opposite coasts or BY temporary depopula-
ton on the Asiato side. when il Is considered,
however. that the northeast of siberia must
during existing climatic conditions. have al
ways been very thlnly peopled. no great inf,l-
uation OF population can have taken place,
oven during a considerable period, and we are
irresistibly referred 10 earlier tmes-to the
tertiary period. when mans occupation OF the
New World was an easy and natural process.
and TO the glacial period. an age when the land
was less ply submerged In the ocean, aud when
broad lttorsl plains. washed by a warm ocean
current, stretched In a vast arc from California
10 northern Asis-as the period during which
the New World received the main body OF that
population which It actually drew from tho Old
Nor Is Behring Strait the only place where
sven existing conditions might well attract man
from Asia TO America. Bounding the Sea Of
Behring on the south and connecting the Asiatic
peninsula Of Kamtchstka with the American
peninsula OF Alaska, there stretches the vol
oanio chain OF the Aleutian Islands, whereof