A POPULAR DESCRIPTION OF MAN AND NATURE IN THE ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC REGIONS OF THE GLOBE. BY DR. G. HARTWIG, AUTHOR OF "THE SEA AND ITS LIVING WONDERS," "THE HARMONIES OF NATURE,” WITH ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS AND ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY- NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1 869. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by HARPER & BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. PREFACE. THE object of the following pages is to describe the Polar World in its principal natural features, to point out the influence of its long winternight and fleeting summer on the development of vegetable and animal existence, and finally to picture man waging the battle of life against the dreadful climate of the high latitudes of our globe either as the inhabitant of their gloomy solitudes, or as the bold investigator of their mysteries. The table of contents shows the great variety of interesting subjects embraced within a comparatively narrow compass; and as my constant aim has been to convey solid instruction under an entertaining form, I venture to hope that the public will grant this new work the favorable reception given to my previous writings. G. HARTWIG. NOTE BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. HAVE made no alterations in the text of Dr. Hartwig's book beyond changing the orthography of a few geographical and ethnological terms so that they shall conform to the mode of representation usual in our maps and books of travel. For example, I substitute Nova Zembla for "Novaya Zemla," and Samoïedes for "Samojedes." Here and there throughout the work I have added a sentence or a paragraph. The two chapters on "Alaska" and "The Innuits" have been supplied by me; and for them Dr. Hartwig is in no way responsible. The Illustrations have been wholly selected and arranged by me. I found at my disposal an immense number of illustrations which seemed to me better to elucidate the text than those introduced by Dr. Hartwig. In the List of Illustrations the names of the authors to whom I am indebted are sup plied. The following gives the names of the authors, and the titles of the works from which the illustrations have been taken: ATKINSON, THOMAS WITLAM: "Travels in the Regions of the Upper Amoor;" and "Oriental and Western Siberia." BROWNE, J. Ross: "The Land of Thor. DUFFERIN, LORD: "Letters from High Latitudes." HALL, CHARLES FRANCIS: "Arctic Researches, and Life among the Esquimaux." HARPER'S MAGAZINE: The Illustrations credited to this periodical have been furnished during many years by more than a score of travellers and voyagers. They are in every case authentic. LAMONT, JAMES: "Seasons with the Sea-Horses; or, Sporting Adventures in the Northern Seas." MILTON, VISCOUNT: "North-west Passage by Land." WHYMPER, FREDERICK: "Alaska, and British America." WOOD, REV. J. G.: "Natural History ;" and "Homes without Hands." I trust that I have throughout wrought in the spirit of the author; and that my labors will enhance the value of his admirable book. A. H. G. CONTENTS. The barren Grounds or Tundri.-Abundance of animal Life on the Tundri in Summer.-Their Silence and Desolation in Winter.-Protection afforded to Vegetation by the Snow.-Flower-growth in the highest Latitudes.-Character of Tundra Vegetation.-Southern Boundary-line of the barren Grounds.-Their Extent.-The forest Zone.-Arctic Trees.-Slowness of their Growth.-Monotony of the Northern Forests.-Mosquitoes.-The various Causes which determine the Severity of an Arctic Climate.-Insular and Continental Position.-Currents.-Winds.-Extremes of Cold observed by Sir E. Belcher and Dr. Kane.-How is Man able to support the Rigors of an Arctic Winter?- Proofs of a milder Climate having once reigned in the Arctic Regions.-Its Cause according to Dr. Oswald Heer.-Peculiar Beauties of the Arctic Regions.-Sunset.-Long lunar Nights.-The The Reindeer.-Structure of its Foot.-Clattering Noise when walking.-Antlers.-Extraordinary olfactory Powers.-The Icelandic Moss.-Present and Former Range of the Reindeer.-Its invalu- able Qualities as an Arctic domestic Animal.-Revolts against Oppression.-Enemies of the Rein- deer.-The Wolf.-The Glutton or Wolverine.-Gad-flies.-The Elk or Moose-deer.-The Musk- ox.-The Wild Sheep of the Rocky Mountains.-The Siberian Argali.-The Arctic Fox.-Its Bur- rows.-The Lemmings.-Their Migrations and Enemies.-Arctic Anatidæ.-The Snow-bunting.- The Lapland Bunting.-The Sea-eagle.-Drowned by a Dolphin............. Dangers peculiar to the Arctic Sea.-Ice-fields.-Hummocks.-Collision of Ice-fields.-Icebergs.-Their Origin. Their Size.-The Glaciers which give them Birth.-Their Beauty.-Sometimes useful Auxiliaries to the Mariner.-Dangers of anchoring to a Berg.-A crumbling Berg.-The Ice-blink. -Fogs.-Transparency of the Atmosphere.-Phenomena of Reflection and Refraction.-Causes which prevent the Accumulation of Polar Ice.-Tides.-Currents.-Ice a bad Conductor of Heat.- Populousness of the Arctic Seas. The Greenland Whale. - The Fin Whales. The Narwhal. The Beluga, or White Dolphin.-The Black Dolphin.-His wholesale Massacre on the Faeroe Isl- ands.-The Orc, or Grampus.-The Seals.-The Walrus.-Its acute Smell.-History of a young Walrus.-Parental Affection.-The Polar Bear.-His Sagacity.-Hibernation of the She-bear.- |