The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-07

ufne, ne shows In profound ana
straightforward manner, what the
main arguments for religion is.
The book teaches that our aim should
be to do true mems work in the world;
to turn pain and sorrow and lossss into
larger sympathy, friendliness and faith
In God; to keep our eyes on the past
only so far as to learn Its lessons; TO
harbor neither forebodings or fear; bur
to keep our eyes ever toward the light,
while we do the nearest present duty, to
go on, whether in storm or stress, shadow
or sunshine, with love warm In our
hearts, and hope In our eyes. as the sons
OF God, immortals, New York; Thomas
Y. Crowell 81 Go. Portland; Loring,
Short g. Harmony
Through the FirsS Antarctic Night,
lSgS-159o. A Narrative OF the Voyage OF
the Belgica among newly Discovered
Lands and over an Unknown Sea about
the South Pole. BY Frederick A. Cook,
M. D., Surgeon and Antnropologist of
ths Belgian Antoro tic Expedition. With
an Appendix containing q number Of the
scientific results. Illustrated, This
work Of Mr.. Cooks Is the first great con-
tribution made in our time to the ntera-
ture of Antarctic exploration. For three
hundred years explorers have been trying
to discover the north pole but the south
pole has been, during all this time, almost
wholly neglected. There have been ex-
petitions to the far south, but the results
have been nearly forgotten. Valuable re-
suits have been obtained In the Antarctic.
but the interest In that region has been
very slight compared with that In the
north pole. In 1773 Capt. James Cook
was sent out to the Antarctic to make
discoveries. Sixty years later, through
the efforts OF American and British seal
ers, the United States England and
France fitted out rival expeditions, which
resulted In the re establishment OF q great
polar continent on the Austral chart.
The voyage of the Belgica is the Ebegin-
ming Of third revival OF antarctic expior
alton, which has been brought about by
determined efforts made In England, Ger
many, Belgium and the United States
about the same time; the object OF these
expeditions being wholly In the interest
OF science. In writing this work the au-
thor says his aim has been to select from
his diary and notes such data as might
prove of interest to the general reader.
In the opening chapter, he says,''it had
Teen the dream OF his life TO visit the
mysterious antarctic" He has made OF
the fulfillment OF this dream q very inter
esting volume. he does not give a rose
colored view Of long antarctic night,
Imprisoned imam endless sea of Ice Time
weighed heavily upon them as the dark
ness slowly advanced. He gives an In
teresting description of the returning
sun after seventy dayless nights, and the
delight OF the men as they watched the
fragment of the. sun slide over hummocks
and along the even expanse OF the frozen
sea, with a worshipful air November i6,
the author writes: 1.-The winter night
with It's death-dealing blackness, has
passed; the spring with its awful storms
and gray monotony has followed, and the
summer, with its continuous MONDAY
splendor commences today. They discov-
cred new system OF penguin hunting.
At meAltime a oornet was used to call
the men together, and when the penguins
heard it they made directly for the ship
and remained as long as the music last
ed. The seals also would come up out
of the water to enjoy It," In connection
with the voyage of the Belgica, they had
unusual opportunities for studying the
wild life of the sFuegans and their
weatherbeaten land. "They are not,
the author says, lone homogeneous tribe,
but three distinct races. with different
languages, different appearances, differ
emit habits and homes" An interesting
chapter is devoted to these people.
We will give the authors own words as
to the results or the expedition. He says:
cit seldom falls to the lot OF explorers to
be made to feel as we have been, the i'm
poruance OF their work ana the success of
their mission. By the honors bestowed
upon Us by his Majesty, King Leopold.
by IL ,dals from the Royal Society of
Belgium, the Geographical Society OF
Brussels, and the municipality OF Brus-
sells, we are assured that our hard efforts
have been appreciated. The favorable
criticism of the geographers OF all lands
convince us OF what we had hardly dared
to hope, that the expedition was an entire
success. Such appreciation by
knowing critics is indeed the highest
honor which falls to man." The book
throughout is a very vivid and Interest
ing record OF the first expedition to pass
through the ordeal of the long antarctic
night, and Its gloomy winter storms. The
Illustrations of the book are mostly from
photographs, a number of them being In
alta fNff he
antarctic sun. New York: Doubleday
AZ Mcclure Co Portland: LorinR, Short