CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
|---|---|
| Various routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans described—Advantagesof a North-West Passage, if practicable—What is to begained from further Arctic exploration—What zoology would gain—Theproblem of the migration of birds—About the Knots—Boundariesof the North Polar Regions—Their principal geographicalfeatures—Divisions into two zones, or sections—The stony tundras—Theflora of the North—The Siberian desert—Limits of perpetualsnow—General character of life in the Polar World | [9–21] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| An imaginary voyage—View of the Greenland coast—A splendidpicture of land and sea—The winter night and its atmosphericphenomena—The aurora borealis described—Its peculiarities andpossible causes—Winds and whirlwinds—Phenomena of refraction—The“ice-blink”—Characteristics of the Arctic night—Describedby Dr. Kane—Remarkable atmospheric conditions—Effect of prolongeddarkness on animal life—Characteristics of the Arctic spring—Aspring landscape described by Dr. Hayes—Summer in theNorth—The Northern heavens and the Pole-Star—List of Northernconstellations—The Great Bear—Some conspicuous stars | [22–40] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| The Polar seas—Formation of icebergs—Their dimensions and appearance—Descriptionof colossal bergs—Their danger to navigation—Adventureswith bergs—Quotations from various writers—Dissolutionof an iceberg—Icebergs in Melville Bay—How icebergs areformed—Reference to icebergs in the Alpine lakes—Professor Tyndallquoted—Breaking up of a berg described by Dr. Hayes—Avision of icebergs—Their range—The “pack-ice” described—Extentof the ice-fields—“Taking the pack”—An incident describedby Admiral Beechey—Dangerous position of Captain Parry’s ships—Characterof an ice-field—Crossing an ice-field—Its extraordinarydimensions—Animal life in the Polar seas—Walrus-hunting—Quotationfrom Mr. Lamont—A disagreeable process—Naturalhistory of the walrus—The walrus and the Polar bear—Historicalsketch of the walrus-fishery—Adventure with walruses—A walrus-huntdescribed—Hunting in an Arctic gale—The Phocidæ family—Naturalhistory of the seal—Different genera—Seal’s flesh, andits uses—An incident in Dr. Kane’s expedition—An Eskimo hut—AnEskimo seal-hunter—The whale, and all about it—The Greenlandwhale—What is whalebone?—Food of the whale—The Northernrorqual—Eskimo whale-fishers—About the narwhal—Theblack dolphin—The orc, or grampus—The Polar bear—Bears andseals—Particulars of the habits of the Polar bear—His voracity—Affectionof the bear for her young—An episode described—Battlewith a bear—The bear and the Eskimo dogs—The Arctic night—Itsvarious phases—Coming of the sun—Return of the birds—Guillemotsand auks—About the puffins—The mergansers—Thesmew, or white nun—The eider duck described—Eider ducks inIceland—Collecting eider down—The wild swan—Fables about itsdeath-song—The Arctic waters, and their teeming life—Migrationsof fish | [41–107] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| The formation of snow described—Snow-crystals—Effects of the crystallizingforce—Ice-flowers—Sir David Brewster’s experiment withpolarised light—Regelation and moulding of ice—Characteristics ofglacier-ice—Cleavage in compact ice—The aspect of glaciers—Onthe motion of glaciers—History of its discovery—Moraines described—Theoryof glacier-motion—Quotation from ProfessorTyndall—Glaciers of the Polar Regions—Glacier in Bell Sound—Formationof icebergs—Icebergs in Baffin Bay—Glacier describedby Dr. Hayes—The Greenland Mer de Glace—Glacier of Sermiatsialik—Thegreat Humboldt Glacier—Discovered by Dr. Kane—Descriptionof its features—Kane’s theory of icebergs—Notes onthe glacier | [108–134] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Red snow, what is it?—First forms of vegetable life—The lichens,their variety—Reindeer moss—Rock-hair—Rock tripe, or tripe deroche—Used as food—Iceland moss and its properties—The mossesof the Arctic Regions—Scurvy-grass—The fly-agaric—Microscopicvegetation—A memorial of Franklin—Phænogamous plants of theNorth—Cryptogamous plants—Vegetation in Novaia Zemlaia—InSpitzbergen—In Kamtschatka—The Fritallaria sarrana—Thewooded and desert zones—Forms of animal life—Natural historyof the reindeer—His usefulness—His food—Reindeer and wolves—Cunningof the Arctic wolf—Domesticity of the wolf—The musk-oxdescribed—Captain M’Clintock quoted—The Arctic fox—Hiswariness—A fox-trap—The bear and the fox—The Arctic hare—TheAlpine hare—The Hudson Bay lemming—The Mustelidæfamily—The marten—The sable—The polecat—About the glutton,or wolverine—anecdotes of his extraordinary sagacity—A greatenemy to the trapper—The biter bit—Arctic birds—The falcons—Thecrows—Distribution of animals | [135–161] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Iceland, its extent—Its history—Its volcanoes—Hekla and its eruptions—Eruptionof the Skaptá Jokul—The geysers, or boilingsprings—Their phenomena described—Account of the Strokr—Coastsand valleys of Iceland—The Thingvalla—Description ofReikiavik, the capital—Character of the Icelander—His haymakingoperations—His dwelling described—An Icelandic church—Icelandicclergy—Travelling in Iceland—Its inconveniences—Fordingthe streams—Fishing in Iceland | [162–174] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| The land of the Eskimos—Range of the so-called Arctic Highlanders—Danishsettlements in Greenland—Upernavik described—Jacobshav’n—Godhav’n—TheirEskimo inhabitants—The MoravianMissions—Characteristics of the nomadic Eskimos—Their physicalqualities—Their mode of dress—An Eskimo hut—The Eskimokayak, or canoe—Their weapons and implements—Hostility betweenthe Eskimos and Red Indians—Eskimo settlement at Anatoak—Eskimosinging—Food of the Eskimos—Dr. Hayes’ intercoursewith the Eskimos—The story of Hans the Hunter—TheEskimo dogs—Anecdote of Toodla—The Eskimo sledge—Equipmentof the sledge—Equipment of an Eskimo hunter—Generalcharacter of the Eskimos | [175–196] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Lapland, its divisions, extent, and boundaries—Its climate—Its inhabitants—Theirphysical characteristics—Dress of the Lapps—Theirsuperstitions—The Mountain Lapps—Their migratoryhabits—Their tuguria, or huts, described—Milking the reindeer—Sledgingand skating—A Lapp’s skates—A Lapp’s sledge—TheLapp hunters—Encounter with a bear—Intemperance ofthe Mountain Lapps—The Forest Lapps—Interior economy of aLapland hut—Lapps at Bjorkholm—Racial characteristics of theLapps—Habits and manners of the Lapps—The Lapp dialect—TheLapps and the Quénes—The stationary Lapps, and theirgârds | [197–207] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| The Samojedes—Their degrading superstitions—Samojede idol at Waigatz—TheTadebtsios, or spirits—Influence of the Tadibe, or sorcerer—Hismode of incantation—Customs of the Samojedes—TheOstiaks—Their Schaïtans and Schamans—Residence of the Ostiaks—Huntingthe white bear—Kamtschatka described—Its inhabitants—Theirphysical peculiarities—The dog of Kamtschatka—Hisqualities—His usefulness—How he is trained—Siberia and itstribes—The Jakuts—Their jarts, or huts—Their hardy horses—Thecharacter of the Jakuts—Jakut travellers—Jakut merchantsand their caravans—Dreariness of the country they inhabit—Huntingthe reindeer—At Kolymsk—The Tungusi—His mode oftravelling—His food—The Tchuktche, and their land—Theiractivity as traders—Tobacco, a staple of commerce—Visit to aTchuktche family—The Tenngyk and the Oukilon | [208–221] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| History of Discovery in the Arctic Regions—Expeditions of Thorneand Hore—Of Sir Hugh Willoughby—Martin Frobisher and hisadventures—Discoveries of Davis—Hudson, his discovery of HudsonBay, Jan Mayen, and Cape Wolstenholm—His fate—Baffin’svoyages—Highway to the North Pole—Expedition of Ross andParry—Parry’s second expedition—Loss of the Fury—Overlandjourneys—Franklin’s last expedition—The search after Franklin—Discoveryof relics—Captain Penny’s expedition—Sir RobertM’Clure’s discovery of the North-West Passage—Voyage ofM’Clintock—Lieutenant Hobson’s discoveries—Dr. Kane’s expedition—ExploresSmith Sound—Discovers the Humboldt Glacierand Kennedy Channel—Wintering in the Arctic Regions—Dr.Hayes’ expedition—Voyage of the Germania and the Hansa—Lossof the latter—Escape of the crew on an ice-raft—Arrival at Greenland—Adventuresof the Germania—Barents and Carlsen—Austrianexpedition under Payer—Voyage of the Polaris—Death of Hall—Tyson’svoyage on an ice-raft—Rescued by the Tigress—CaptainBuddington abandons the Polaris—His winter quarters—Boatvoyage—Safe arrival—British expedition of 1875–76—Departure ofthe Alert and Discovery—Narrative of the expedition—Winteramusements—The sledging-parties—Important discoveries—Noroad to the Pole—Return home—Cruise of the Pandora | [222–337] |
NORTH POLAR REGIONS
List of Illustrations.
| 1. | THE CREW OF THE “HANSA” DRAGGING THEIR BOATS ACROSS THE ICE ([FRONTISPIECE)]. | |
| 2. | A DESERT OF ICE IN THE ARCTIC REGION, | [13] |
| 3. | THE SWAMPS OF THE OBI, | [16] |
| 4. | IN THE FOREST ZONE OF THE NORTH (FULL-PAGE), | [17] |
| 5. | THE MIDNIGHT SUN (FULL-PAGE), | [23] |
| 6. | OFF THE COAST OF GREENLAND, | [25] |
| 7. | MOONLIGHT IN THE POLAR WORLD, | [26] |
| 8. | THE AURORA BOREALIS, | [28] |
| 9. | THE AURORA BOREALIS—THE CORONA, | [29] |
| 10. | ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS:—REFLECTION OF ICEBERGS, | [32] |
| 11. | ADVENT OF SPRING IN THE POLAR REGIONS, | [35] |
| 12. | URSA MAJOR AND URSA MINOR, | [36] |
| 13. | NEBULA IN ANDROMEDA, | [39] |
| 14. | ARCHED ICEBERG OFF THE GREENLAND COAST, | [42] |
| 15. | AMONG THE BERGS—A NARROW ESCAPE, | [43] |
| 16. | ICEBERG AND ICE-FIELD, MELVILLE BAY, GREENLAND, | [45] |
| 17. | ORIGIN OF ICEBERGS—EXTENSION OF A GLACIER SEAWARDS, | [47] |
| 18. | THE ALETSCH GLACIER, SWITZERLAND, FROM THE ÆGGISCHHORN, SHOWING ITS MORAINES, | [48] |
| 19. | THE MARJELEN SEA, SWITZERLAND, | [48] |
| 20. | FALL OF AN ICEBERG (FULL-PAGE), | [51] |
| 21. | IN AN ICE-PACK, MELVILLE BAY, | [53] |
| 22. | CHANNEL IN AN ICE-FIELD, | [54] |
| 23. | “NIPPED” IN AN ICE-FIELD, | [54] |
| 24. | AMONG THE ICE-HUMMOCKS (FULL-PAGE), | [57] |
| 25. | HUNTING THE WALRUS, | [61] |
| 26. | THE WALRUS, OR MORSE, | [63] |
| 27. | A WALRUS FAMILY, | [64] |
| 28. | FIGHT BETWEEN A WALRUS AND A POLAR BEAR, | [64] |
| 29. | BOAT ATTACKED BY A WALRUS (FULL-PAGE), | [65] |
| 30. | FIGHT WITH A WALRUS, | [68] |
| 31. | HERD OF SEALS, NEAR THE DEVIL’S THUMB, BAFFIN SEA, GREENLAND, | [71] |
| 32. | THE COMMON SEAL, | [73] |
| 33. | SHOOTING A SEAL, | [74] |
| 34. | THE OTARY, | [75] |
| 35. | THE HOODED SEAL, | [76] |
| 36. | AN ESKIMO SEAL-HUNTER, | [77] |
| 37. | THE GREENLAND WHALE, | [79] |
| 38. | NARWHALS, MALE AND FEMALE, | [82] |
| 39. | A SHOAL OF DOLPHINS, | [83] |
| 40. | POLAR BEARS, | [84] |
| 41. | BEAR CATCHING A SEAL, | [86] |
| 42. | BEARS DESTROYING A CACHE, | [88] |
| 43. | FIGHT WITH A WHITE BEAR (FULL-PAGE), | [89] |
| 44. | STALKING A BEAR, | [94] |
| 45. | SEA-BIRDS IN THE POLAR REGIONS, | [97] |
| 46. | THE GREAT AUK—RAZOR-BILLS—THE PUFFIN, | [98] |
| 47. | PUFFINS, | [99] |
| 48. | THE GOOSANDER, | [100] |
| 49. | A BIRD “BAZAAR” IN NOVAIA ZEMLAIA (FULL-PAGE), | [101] |
| 50. | THE BLACK-BACKED GULL, | [103] |
| 51. | THE EIDER-DUCK, | [103] |
| 52. | THE HAUNT OF THE WILD SWAN, | [105] |
| 53. | VARIOUS FORMS OF SNOW-CRYSTALS, | [109] |
| 54. | EXHIBITION OF ICE-FLOWERS BY PROJECTION, | [110] |
| 55. | ICE-FLOWERS, | [110] |
| 56. | MOULDING ICE, | [112] |
| 57. | A POLAR GLACIER, | [118] |
| 58. | GLACIER, ENGLISH BAY, SPITZBERGEN, | [119] |
| 59. | GLACIER, BELL SOUND, SPITZBERGEN, | [120] |
| 60. | STEAMER “CHARGING” AN ICEBERG, UPERNAVIK, GREENLAND (FULL-PAGE), | [121] |
| 61. | FORCING A PASSAGE THROUGH THE ICE (FULL-PAGE), | [125] |
| 62. | THE GLACIER OF SERMIATSIALIK, GREENLAND (FULL-PAGE), | [129] |
| 63. | PROTOCOCCUS NIVALIS, | [136] |
| 64. | WILD REINDEER, | [145] |
| 65. | THE MUSK-OX, | [150] |
| 66. | ARCTIC FOXES, | [152] |
| 67. | A FOX-TRAP, | [153] |
| 68. | THE ERMINE, OR SABLE MARTEN, | [156] |
| 69. | THE GLUTTON, OR WOLVERINE, | [157] |
| 70. | PTARMIGAN, | [160] |
| 71. | AN ICELANDIC LANDSCAPE, | [163] |
| 72. | MOUNT HEKLA, FROM THE VALLEY OF HEVITA, | [164] |
| 73. | THE GREAT GEYSER, | [166] |
| 74. | HARBOUR OF REIKIAVIK, | [169] |
| 75. | ICELANDERS FISHING FOR NARWHAL, | [174] |
| 76. | UPERNAVIK, GREENLAND, | [176] |
| 77. | DISKO ISLAND, GREENLAND, | [177] |
| 78. | GODHAV’N, DISKO ISLAND, GREENLAND, | [177] |
| 79. | DANISH SETTLEMENT OF JACOBSHAV’N, GREENLAND, | [178] |
| 80. | BUILDING AN ESKIMO HUT, | [181] |
| 81. | THE ESKIMO KAYAK, | [182] |
| 82. | THE ESKIMO OOMIAK, | [183] |
| 83. | DR. HAYES FALLS IN WITH HANS THE HUNTER (FULL-PAGE), | [187] |
| 84. | ESKIMO DOGS, | [191] |
| 85. | ESKIMO SLEDGE AND TEAM (FULL-PAGE), | [193] |
| 86. | REINDEER IN LAPLAND, | [200] |
| 87. | TRAVELLING IN LAPLAND, | [201] |
| 88. | FISHER LAPPS, | [203] |
| 89. | SAMOJEDE HUTS ON WAIGATZ ISLAND, | [209] |
| 90. | A SAMOJEDE FAMILY, | [210] |
| 91. | JAKUT HUNTER AND BEAR, | [212] |
| 92. | KAMTSCHATKANS, | [213] |
| 93. | A KAMTSCHATKAN SLEDGE AND TEAM, | [215] |
| 94. | THE LOSS OF THE “SQUIRREL,” | [224] |
| 95. | SHIP OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, | [225] |
| 96. | SCENERY OF JAN MAYEN, | [226] |
| 97. | THE “HECLA” AND “FURY” WINTERING AT WINTER ISLAND, | [229] |
| 98. | THE “FURY” ABANDONED BY PARRY, | [230] |
| 99. | DISCOVERY OF THE CAIRN CONTAINING SIR JOHN FRANKLIN’S PAPERS, | [235] |
| 100. | RELICS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION BROUGHT BACK TO ENGLAND, | [235] |
| 101. | DISCOVERY OF ONE OF THE BOATS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION, | [236] |
| 102. | THE “THREE BROTHER TURRETS,” | [238] |
| 103. | MORTON ON THE SHORE OF THE SUPPOSED POLAR OCEAN, | [240] |
| 104. | DR. KANE PAYING A VISIT TO AN ESKIMO HUT AT ETAH, | [241] |
| 105. | TRYING TO LASSO A BEAR (FULL-PAGE), | [247] |
| 106. | THE MIDNIGHT SUN, GREENLAND, | [249] |
| 107. | A BEAR AT ANCHOR, | [249] |
| 108. | SKATING—OFF THE COAST OF GREENLAND, | [250] |
| 109. | SNOW LINNETS AND BUNTINGS VISITING THE CREW OF THE “HANSA,” | [254] |
| 110. | THE CREW OF THE “HANSA” BIVOUACKING ON THE ICE (FULL-PAGE), | [255] |
| 111. | A RASH INTRUDER, | [259] |
| 112. | BEAR-HUNTING, GREENLAND, | [260] |
| 113. | “INTO A WATER-GAP,” | [261] |
| 114. | THE CREW OF THE “GERMANIA” IN A SNOW-STORM (FULL-PAGE), | [263] |
| 115. | MATERIALS FOR THE HOUSE, | [266] |
| 116. | ATTACK ON A BEAR, | [267] |
| 117. | SETTING FOX-TRAPS, | [268] |
| 118. | RELIEVED, | [269] |
| 119. | FUNERAL OF CAPTAIN HALL (FULL-PAGE), | [273] |
| 120. | AN ARCTIC SNOW-STORM, | [276] |
| 121. | THE CASTAWAYS ON THE ICE (FULL-PAGE), | [279] |
| 122. | ADRIFT ON THE ICE-FLOE, | [281] |
| 123. | RECOVERY OF THE BOAT BY CAPTAIN TYSON, | [282] |
| 124. | IGLOES CONSTRUCTED BY THE CASTAWAYS, | [283] |
| 125. | HANS MISTAKEN FOR A BEAR, | [284] |
| 126. | DIFFICULT TRAVELLING (FULL-PAGE), | [285] |
| 127. | THE GUIDING LIGHT, | [287] |
| 128. | DRAGGING A SEAL, | [288] |
| 129. | RETURN OF THE SUN (FULL-PAGE), | [289] |
| 130. | SHOOTING NARWHAL, | [291] |
| 131. | DRAGGING THE OOGJOOK, | [292] |
| 132. | SUNLIGHT EFFECT IN THE ARCTIC REGION (FULL-PAGE), | [293] |
| 133. | FIRST SIGHT OF A WHALE, | [295] |
| 134. | FACE TO FACE WITH A POLAR BEAR, | [296] |
| 135. | AN ARCTIC ICE-SCAPE (FULL-PAGE), | [297] |
| 136. | ON BOARD THE BOAT, | [299] |
| 137. | BREAKING UP OF THE ICE, | [300] |
| 138. | JOE CAPTURES A SEAL, | [300] |
| 139. | A NIGHT OF FEAR (FULL-PAGE), | [301] |
| 140. | A “HELL OF WATERS,” | [303] |
| 141. | DRAGGING THE BOAT ON TO A FLOE, | [304] |
| 142. | CLINGING TO THE BOAT (FULL-PAGE), | [305] |
| 143. | SAVED! (FULL-PAGE), | [309] |
THE ARCTIC WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
THE NORTH POLE—THRESHOLD OF THE UNKNOWN WORLD—THE CIRCUMPOLAR REGIONS—THE FLORA OF THE NORTH—LIFE IN THE POLAR WORLD—THE NORTH-WEST AND NORTH-EAST PASSAGES.
As the reader knows, the Poles are the two extremities of the axis round which the Earth revolves. It is to the North Pole, and the regions surrounding it, that the following pages will be devoted.