The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-04

Through the First Antarctic Night,
by Frederick A. Cook. is a narrative of
a polar expedition which cannot fail to
be of interest to readers interested either
in adventure or in science Many books on
the Arctic regions have been written. but
the South Pole is as yet neglected in lit
erature. The author of this book is a
pioneer in his field.
The volume is large one and full of
fine illustrations. The author, in the
brig Belgica, visited Fuegia and saw there
a tribe of giants: he observed many ami
mails of new species; he explored five
hundred miles of coast, and had The ex-
perience of drifting helplessly while froz-
en- in the ice over many hundred miles Of
an unknown sea. The story is a fascinat-
ing and thrilling one, and very well told.
There has been nothing as coed since Dr..
Sven Hedins story of his experience in
Central Asia made its appearance a year
or two ago.
The Belgian Government is responsible
for this expedition, and the little steamer
Belgica had a crew of mixed Norwegians
and Belgians. while two Russians and a
Roumanian were members of the cxpedi-
ton, and Dr. Cook himself is an Ameri-
can, Brooklyn being his home. 1t may be
mentioned incidentally that owing to this
expedition there is now a Brooklyn ISL
and in the South Pacific.
The illustrations, of which there are
something like hundred and fifty. are
from photographs taken by members of
the party, and several OF them are in
color, which adds 20 their effectiveness
and value.
Although TERRA del Fuego is land
most fertile in material for the writer
OF sensation stories. no one. save Mayne
Reid. has undertaken to make the read
ing world familiar with II. DR.. Cooks
account of the Onas. who inhabit most
Of this region. is, therefore. interesting
both on account of its accuracy and its
novelty. The general rule that human be-
ings know how to adapt themselves to the
requirements of the place where they hap
pen to live seems scarcely to hold with
the Fuegians, who are. apparently. very
low in the scale of intelligence. The au-
thor says Of them:
The matter Of clothing with the ona is very
simple affair; although the climate Of their region
is cold, stormy, and even humid, they are very
imperfectiy dressed. The children run about in
tie snows either naked or nearly so. The nel
have large mantle made of several guanaco
skins sewn together. This reaches from the shout
de.s to the feet. but il is not ata.lsd iv c.ti.r
buttons or strings: Il is simply heid ai.ouI .he
shoulders by the hands. The woman, when well
dressed, wears piece Of .ur attached about the
waist, and another loosely thrown aicLt the
shoulders, but she is hot often wei. dressed and
must generally be contented with a kind OF man
tie. carelessly suspended from the shoulders.
which is allowed to fall upon the Slightest PROV
ecaticn.
Nothing could be less like idea of n home
than an Ona house II is proof 10 n2.le of the
dtss.or forts ff l.f an
wind enter il freely. for il Is a simne .ccunula-
tion of tree branches thrown together in the
easiest possible manner. son .times ii has 4 conf
al shape, but more often il - only crocccas or
,reastwork, behind which the entire family sit or
deep. To the windgard are thrown humber OF
ikins to keep out The full blast OF the wind, but
rom overhead the cold rains jri-'ie eyer poorly
lad bodies, while the ground is always uncovered
and cold In the centre of this circle of shive:ing
humanity, or Just outside oi il. is camp fie,
which, however. serves better Tor cooking pur-
poses than fo- heating. The arrangement oi the
house is such that the neat all cscap.s. A. r:ci:t
thc fires are allowed 10 go ont. ard the adults
lying in a circle place the liiar = in the centre,
with blankets OF guanaeo-ssins spread cver all.
To keep the blankets from being blown of, ard
to add additional warmth. they next call the
dogs. VII. take their positions the top of the
er-.e mass Of quivering Indians. In former years
Il was poverty stricken family who had I OF dogs
enough to it out Of sight; but the shepherds
have now killed the dogs, ard the Indians must
bedfellows.
In spite of this mixed condition of
things this is what DR.. Cook has TO say
about the state of morality among the
Fuegians:
doubt if regular missionary work will improve
the hard lot of this noble band Of human strug
glers. The efforts thus far made have certainly
had the contrary effect; and altogether they do
not need new system of morals as badly as We
do ourselves. ! do not mean TO infer that ais
sionary work, in general, is lurtful - abo1gines.
There is legitimate field for such efforts, brt II
Is no; among Onas, unless the work is conducted
in a new manner by thoroughly practical RAN.
They need to be placed in position where they
may follow their wild habits without the intec-
tious degeneration of higher life. Individually and
collectively, they have lever sins than New York
ers The lesson of ages to untutorod man
has impressed upon him prescription of moral
direction which is quite good and ia more
appropriate for him than the white mans code OF
ethics.
The author also tells curious little
romance concerning white miner and an
Indian girl, which came to his knowledge
through the former.
A great part of this narrative is inter
esting more as scientific record than as
literature, but there is a graphic descrip
tion of March night on which DR.. Cook
slept On an ice foe, and saw the aurora
australia. He says:
At midnight 1 took my bag and, leaving the
warmth and comfort Of the cabin, ! struggled out
over the icy walls of the 5ark's embankment, and
upon foe three hundred yards east ] spread out
the bag. The temperature OF the caSin the
ordinary temperature Of comfortable rs'on; The
Temperature of the outside air was 20 degrees be-
low zero centigrade. After undressing quickly.
is apt TO do in such Temperatures, | slid
into the fur bag and rolled the ice until
found depression suitable 10 my ideas Of COM
fort At first my teeth chartered and every mus
Gle of my body quivcred, but in few minutes
this passed of and there came reaction similar
10 that after cold bath. With this warm glow
j turned from lie TO side and peeped past the
fringe Of accommodating frost. AROUND r;y Di,w-
hole through the b.g, at the cold glitter of the
stars. As lay there alone away from the noise
Of the ship. the silence and the solitude we're
curiously oppressive There was not Z breath Of
air stirring the CLASSY atmosphere. and not
sound from the ice-Gecked its life 10 indi-
cate movement or conmotion. Only day ago
this same ice VAS mas Of small detached fnes
moving and grinding off edges with complaining
squeak. How diferen; il was now, Every frag-
ment cenented together into uns hctero-
geneous mass and carpeted by hard, irory-like
sheet OF snow. Every move which made in my
bag was followed by cracking complaint from
The snow crust
At about o'clock in the morning littl. wind
came from the east Ny blow hole was turned in
this direction, but the slow blast Of air which
struck my face kept my moustache aud NY vhis-
kers. and every bit Of fur near the ,pcir & GOV.
cred with ice. As I rolled over to face the lee
ward their seemed to be q nisft somewhere. The
hood portion Of tbs bag was as hard If coated
with sheet iron, and NV bean was firmly tncascd
Ny hair. my face, AMI The I'm Ter earmcr,. a5cut
my neck were frozen TO the hood. With every
turn endured ~ scon, Of hair pdllng. II re-
n,aned still my head remained and more
Fixed by the inc Q asing condensation. In the
morning my head was boxed ike ihG Of a deep
sea diver. But aside from this little discomfort
was perfectly at and might have slept II
the glory Of the heavens sTd the charm OF tine
NIT res;irl repose.
The aurora, as the twilight announced the
dawn had s.ttled into an Of steady bril-