. The earth and its inhabitants .. . HE seas stretcliing from the Scandinavian peninsula ami Eussia northwards to the unexplored regions about the pole have, like the North Atlantic itself, their islands and archipelagos, often hound together by frozen masses. These islands, some of which have hitherto been but dimly seen through mist and snow, and to which further polar exploration may soon add others, are not even usually regarded as forming part of Europe. ^Yith. the northern extremity of Greenland and the arctic groups on the north coast of America, they form a world apart, not yet subdued
. The earth and its inhabitants .. . HE seas stretcliing from the Scandinavian peninsula ami Eussia northwards to the unexplored regions about the pole have, like the North Atlantic itself, their islands and archipelagos, often hound together by frozen masses. These islands, some of which have hitherto been but dimly seen through mist and snow, and to which further polar exploration may soon add others, are not even usually regarded as forming part of Europe. ^Yith. the northern extremity of Greenland and the arctic groups on the north coast of America, they form a world apart, not yet subdued by man. Certain European states have doubtless claimed possession of Spitzbergen, and hoisted their flags over its dreary wastes ; but those remote lands remain none the less vast solitudes, shrouded for months together in the mantle of night, then lit up by a pale sun sweejjing in mid-air above the horizon, but rarely acting as a beacon except to a few daring whalers. The naturalists who are exploring these polar islands may possibly some day discover treasures in them sufficient to attract settlers to these desolate regions, but hitherto fishers and the shipwrecked alone have passed the winter on their shores. Although lying beyond the habitable world, these inhospitable lands still recall some of the most unsullied deeds of humanity. These dangerous waters have been traversed in ever}' direction by men strangers to fear, who sought neither the glory of battle nor fortunes, but only the pleasure of being useful to their fellow-men. The names of Barents, Heemskerk, and Bernard, of Willoughby and Parry, of Nordenskjold, Payer, and Wej'precht, conjure up noble deeds of courage and endurance of which mankind may ever be proud. And no year passes that does not witness other dauntless navigators following in their track, eager to enlarge the known world and penetrate farther into the m^^steries of the pole. I.—BEAU ISLAND. The first land in the Frozen Ocean, lying about 280 mile
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade18, booksubjectgeography, bookyear1883
