Year: 1859

"Arctic Life and Travel"


In opening, the Doctor hoped, that in his last
lecture, he had been successful in LAYING before the
audience the fact that there was an open Polar
Sea. In the present discourse he trusted that he
would be able to show conclusively that the only
difficulties in travelling towards, and reaching the
Sea, were ice, cold and the scurvy. To establish
connection between the lectures, ,and keep constantly
before the minds of his auditory, the subject under
discussion, the lecturer recaptulated majority of
the main points in his previous discourses
He showed that vessel had ever penetrated
the outward barrier, or ice-belt, beyond Spitz-
bergen, and that the farthest Northern
gators was the fishing banks on this coast.
Failing to get beyond the barrier, by water,
the commanders of the several expeditions had uni
tormly resorted to sedges or boats upon runners,
drawn by dogs or men. These means of effecting
their researches were adopted by the Russians and
English; Dr. Kane, following their example, prose-
cuted his onward course by the same means, until
his efforts crowned with success bv the dis
covery of the long sought Polar Sea- With the
evidence OF Morton, who was the actual discoverer
of the on Kanes Expedition, added to the asser-
tions Of its existence by the numerous Russian,
Dutch and English navigators, the lecturer
thought its existence could not for a moment
be doubted. Though this may not be
navlgable in winter, on account of being blocked
up by moving masses of ice yet in summer months
there not the least doubt but that it was en-
tirely free from all impediment. Let then the sea
be but reached, said the lecturer, and there was
nothing to prevent the complete circumnavigation
of the Pole. To bring about so desirable end
the means and the manner of its accomplishment
was the next question.


In his last lecture the Doctor proposed to follow
the course of DR.. X ane far as the beginning of
the zone or belt of icebergs surrounding the
open water, and when this was reached to
employ sledges drawn by dogs for the further
prosecution of the journey; to send out parties
ahead with provision for the establishment of de-
pots and in everything profit by past experience
and hardshps He stated that it was also held in
view for the expedition to set out from New York
in the month of May. In June they will have ar
rived in Bafiins Bay, and by August proceed on as
far as is practicable. When the winter months ar
rive, suffering themselves to be frozen in, head
quarters will be established from which to send
out the various exploring parties.


In prosecuting Arctic research, the most danger
Gus enemy the explorer has to encounter is the
scurvy. But, with past experience, and the deep
attention which has been bestowed upon the treat
ment of the disease, nothing is to be feared at pres
ent from this disastrous malady. The characters
tics OF the disease are peculiar and deserving of
passing notice. 1t is, in fact, a disease of the
blood, brought on by the excessive cold, salt food
and the absence of sunlight. 1t brings with
1t depression of spirits, and total recklessness
OF lie. Proper precautions in clothing the men
and furnishing them with proper fuel and, above
all, exercising them with work, will be a complete
safeguard against the first cause. The perfection
to which the art of packing fresh fruits, and





abundant supply Of game indigenous to the coun-
try, will remove the second cause. The total dark
ness OF the region for one hundred and thirty-five
days in the year cannot be overcome-that is be-
yond the control of man. The moral and physical
effects of this long continued darkness make a most
powerful impression upon doomed to wear
away so many months in these dreary and desoate
regions Men, like plants, if allowed to vegetate in
darkness become lean, sicky and pale At Rensaelar
Harbor, when with Kane's expedition during the
long continued night, the lecturer and every one
composing the party, became so pale that when the
sun once mere made his appearance, the faces of all
looked like so many spermaceti candles, and their
blood resembed brick dust in color. In this terri
bic disease, not only do the gums become filled with
tumors, the mouth sore that fresh air cannot be
inhaled into it, but the mind becomes indif
ferent to everything, and the unfortunate
subject is almost powerless, to exert his
reasoning faculties account of listlessness In
the treatment of the disease the greatest care should
be taken to provide good ventil alton even at the
expense OF temperature. A careful diet and health
iul exercise will do the rest. The sutferings of
kane's party at Rensselaer, Harbor were occasoned
principally because he sailed too to take ad-
vantage of all the discoveries recently made in the
art of preserving food. When it is considered that
he sailed with only small quantity of pemican and
the regular navy rations of ''salt junk and corn
dodger," it is not to be wondered that the
suferings from scurvy were extreme


1t was curious to listen to the excuses made by
the men on kane's Expedition, as the extreme cold
weather set in, to keep from exercising in the open
air. One had such sore mouth that the wind hurt
IT. the muscles OF the leg of another were so con-
tracted as to make it form right angle at the knee
while another's foot hurt him where he went, from
the effects of the cold upon cut he received twenty
years before by an oyster shell in a bathing pond
One principal means for preventing the alarming
progress of scurvy among the men of this expedi-
ton. was the plentiful supply of fatty substances
they procured from the animals Astounding in the
desoate regions. Walrusses, polar BEARS seals,
birds, foxes, &C., were hunted and killed in num-
bers BY the men, as well the natives. The lee
turer here went into minute description of the
manner of hunting the polar bear by the Esqui-
maux, He said that they pursued in sledges,
the dogs following the tracks of the bear by scent.
hen the enormous monster is bayed, the dogs are
let loose from their harness, and the
Esquimaux hunter attacks him with
spear IN hand while the dogs worry him in the rear
In this manner they worry the animal until nearly
exhausted the hunter ends his existence by blow
with his spear. So eager did the men become after
fresh food that nothing came amss with them.
They initiated the Chinese, and tasted fried or
roasted rats, and exceled the Celestals in barbara
ty of taste by devouring the raw flesh of puppies
and even dogs of larger growth.


The lecturer thought that the cold of the Arctic
regions estimated. He found it was not
so cold by halt as he had expected and since his re-
turn had suffered more from the severity of the
weather in this latitude than in the codest regions
OF the pole he had penetrated to. The principal
cause of this, seemingly improbable effect, the
regularity of the temperature. 1t was cold to- day
as it would be on the morrow and if there was
change in the temperature it was not sudden. The
Thermometer would indicate the degree of cold
ness and sufficient clothing could be put on
to- protect against its influence before is
suing out. Besides the universal economy
of the body can be graduated to meet
the GOODNESS of the atmosphere by plentiful
use OF carbon. Carb IN is necessary, and carbon
the system will have. The aristocratic palate be-
comes thoroughly democratic, and the stomach
will not rebel against fat-be it the blubber of the
walrus or tallow candle. Nothing in the shape
nff fnf arnI,S Irt IL.
quimaux, before going out to hunt, shoves between
his capacious jaws huge pieces of blubber, which
he devours like steam engine devouring shovel
full OF Goals; and the explorer, initiating his ex
ample, soon learns to stuff himself with grease and
drink train oil with the best of the natives The
lecturer entered into all the details of Arctic Life
and Travel in so lengthy manner, that, owing to
the press OF matter, we are compelled to give it in
the most concisA manner possible. At 81 o'clock
he concluded, having spoken over an hour and
half


THE ATLANTIC CABLE.


The London Times says: The tests for faults give
such results almost to lead to the belief that
tnuity has ceased and the wire is completely part
ed. Nevertheless, In spite of this most discourage
ing state of things, there not wanting able men
who express themselves confident that the wire is
still capable of being restored to good working
der. Of these various schemes and propositions,
only two deserve notice. The first is made by a
gentleman of skill and experience who proposes to
better the earth connections of the wire, which at
Vaentia were always bad, and which now, from
oxdisation of the plates, are worse than ever. By
enlarging, to a considerable degree, the present
surface of the earth plates and saturatng the earth
round them with a solution of sulphate of copper,
there is no doubt that the condition of the wire
may be much improved. His plan is next to charge
the wire itself till in a state of electrical equ
brum, and so keep it in circuit with battery, and
on the make and-break principle, disturb the cleo
tricty in the wire and transmit the signal This
gentleman has made several experiments in the
presence of the Lord Lieutenant, in Phoenix Park,
upon an uninsulated wire upwards of one hundred
yards in eng tn, immersed in water, through which
signals were freely sent. Another proposition is to
under-run the wire till the most serious faults on
the English and Newfoundland sides have been
raised and repaired In the meantime as we have
said, the condition of the wire is as bad as it can
possibly be. ..


About month since the words "Henly," and
''You understand - were received at Newfoundland,
and for time revived the hopes of those in charge
at that side of the Atlantic that successful means
had been found to restore .he cable to working
der. Unfortunately, comparison of dates showed
that on the day these words reached Newfoundland
the station at Valentia was locked up and deserted,
and the signals, therefore, were merely due to
the constant and perplexing vagaries of earth
currents.


The Atlantic Company, in case all attempts to re-
suscitate the cable fail, have applied to Govern
ment for guarantee of AZ per cent. on fresh
| capital of f500,000.


| If the prime pie of guarantee for a Submarine
line to India is admitted, it appears difficult to see
how it can be withheld from line to America, for
none foretell the hour when such events may