Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 19.djvu/340

Rh 324 POLAK REGIONS mountainous country was sighted about 14 miles to the north. In October the vessel was drifted within 3 miles of an island lying off the main mass of land. Payer landed on it, and found the latitude to be 79 54 X. It was named after Count Wilczek, one of the warmest friends of the expedition. Here the second winter was passed. Bears were very numerous and as many as sixty- seven were killed, their meat proving to be a most efficient remedy against scurvy. In March 1874 Payer made a preliminary sledge journey in intense cold (thermometer at - 58 F.). On 24th March he started for a more pro longed journey of thirty days. Payer found that the newly discovered country equalled Spitzbergen in extent, and consisted of two or more large masses- -Wilczek Land to the east, Zichy Land to the west, intersected by numer ous fjords and skirted by a large number of islands. A wide channel, named Austria Sound, separates the two main masses of land, and extends to 82 N., where Rawlin- son Sound forks off to the north-east. The mountains attain a. height of 2000 to 3000 feet, the depressions between them being covered with glaciers ; and all the islands even are covered with a glacial cap. The whole country was named Franz-Josef Land. Payer returned to the &quot; Tegethoff &quot; on 24th April ; and a third journey was undertaken to explore a large island named after M Clin- tock. It then became necessary to abandon the ship and attempt a retreat in boats. This perilous voyage was com menced on 20th May. Three boats stored with provisions were placed on sledges. It was not until 14th August that they reached the edge of the pack in 77 40 X., and launched the boats. Eventually they were picked up by a Eussian schooner and arrived at Vardo on September 3, 1874. This great achievement is one of the most important con nected with the north polar region that has been made in the present century, and will probably lead in due time to still further discoveries in the same direction. One of the most interesting problems connected with the physical geography of the polar regions is the history and actual condition of the vast interior of Greenland, which is generally believed to be one enormous glacier. In 1867 Mr Edward Whymper carefully planned an expedition to solve the question, and went to Greenland, Robert accompanied by Dr Robert Brown ; but the season was Brown, too late, and progress was stopped, after going a short distance, by the breaking down of the dog-sledges. But Dr Brown made most valuable geological and natural history collections, chiefly in the neighbourhood of Disco, and still more valuable observations, the publication of which has added considerably to our knowledge. Dr Rink, for many years royal inspector of South Greenland and the most distinguished authority on all Greenlandic questions, has also visited the inland ice, and has given his stores of information to the world. The most import- Norden- ant inland journey was undertaken by Professor Norden- Id in skicild in 1870, accompanied by Dr Berggren, the professor land&quot;&quot; of botan y at Lund - Tlie difficulty of traversing the inland ice of Greenland is caused by the vast glacier being in constant motion, advancing slowly towards the sea. This movement gives rise to huge chasms and clefts, which from their almost bottomless depth close the traveller s way. The chasms occur chiefly where the movement of the glacier is most rapid, near the ice streams which reach the sea and discharge glaciers. Nordenskiold, therefore, chose for a starting point the northern arm of a deep inlet called Auleitsivikfjord, which is 60 miles south of the discharging glacier at Jakobshavn and 240 north of that at Godthaab. He commenced his inland journey on 19th July. The party consisted of himself, Dr Berggren, and two Green- landers ; and they advanced 30 miles over the glaciers to a height of 2200 feet above the sea. The gallant enterprises of other countries rekindled the Englis zeal of England for arctic discovery; and in October 1874 expedi the prime minister announced that an expedition would be despatched in the following year. The route by Smith Sound was selected because it gave the certainty of ex ploring a previously unknown area of considerable extent, because it yielded the best prospect of valuable scientific results, and because it offered, with proper precautions, reasonable security for a safe retreat in case of disaster. Two powerful screw steamers, the &quot; Alert &quot; and &quot; Dis covery,&quot; were selected for the service, and Captain Nares was selected as leader. Commander Markham, who had made a cruise up Baffin s Bay and Barrow Strait in a whaler during the previous year, Lieutenant Aldrich, an accomplished surveyor, and Captain Feilden, R.A., as naturalist, were also in the &quot;Alert.&quot; The * Discovery&quot; was commanded by Captain Stephenson, with Lieutenant Beaumont as first lieutenant. The expedition left Ports mouth on the 29th May 1875, and entered Smith Sound in the last days of July, After much difficulty with the drifting ice Lady Franklin Bay was reached in 81 44 1ST., where the &quot; Discovery &quot; was established in winter-quarters. The &quot; Alert &quot; pressed onwards, and reached the edge of the pateocrystic sea, the ice-floes being from 80 to 100 feet in thickness. Leaving Robeson Channel, the vessel made progress between the land and the grounded floe pieces, and passed the winter off the open coast and facing the great polar pack, in 82 27 N&quot;. Autumn travelling parties were despatched in September and October to lay out depots ; and during the winter a complete scheme was matured for the examination of as much of the unknown area as possible, by the combined efforts of sledging parties from the two ships, in the ensuing spring. The parties started on April 3, 1876. Captain Markham with Lieutenant Parr advanced, in the face of almost insurmountable difficulties, over the polar pack to the high latitude of 83 20 26&quot; 1ST. Lieutenant Aldrich ex plored the coast-line to the westward, facing the frozen polar ocean, for a distance of 220 miles. Lieutenant Beaumont made discoveries of great interest along the northern coast of Greenland. The parties were attacked by scurvy, which, while increasing the difficulty and hardships of the work a hundredfold, also enhanced the devoted heroism of these gallant explorers. Captain Feilden was indefatigable in making collections, and was zealously assisted by all the officers. The expedition returned to England in October 1876. The &quot;Alert&quot; reached the highest northern latitude ever attained by any ship, and wintered further north than any ship had ever wintered before. The results of the expedition were the discovery of 300 miles of new coast-line, the examination of this part of the frozen polar ocean, a series of meteorological, magnetic, and tidal observations at two points farther north than any such observations had ever been taken before, and large geological and natural history collections. In the same year 1875 Sir Allen Young undertook a Voyag voyage in his steam yacht the &quot;Pandora&quot; to attempt to [ tllu force his way down Peel Sound to the magnetic pole, and j orai if possible to make the north-west passage by rounding the eastern shore of King William Island. The &quot; Pandora &quot; entered Peel Sound on August 29, 1875, and proceeded down it much farther than any vessel had gone before since it was passed by Franklin s two ships in 1846. Sir Allen reached a latitude of 72 14 N., and sighted Cape Bird, at the northern side of the western entrance of Bellot Strait. But here an ice-barrier right across the channel barred his progress, and he was obliged to retrace his steps, returning to England on October 16, 1875. In the following year Sir Allen Young made