ARCTIC ILLUSIONS.

Shannon News, 18 July 1924, Page 4

ARCTIC ILLUSIONS.

DISPELLED by lecturer. LIFE AND VEGETATION. BUTTERCUPS AT NORTH POLE. SYDNEY, June 6. Most, of the popular' beliefs we have cherished about the Arctic regions -were exploded on Saturday evening wheh Mr. Stefansson, the famous explorer, delivered his first lecture in Australia. He did' nothing but surprise liis audience, and all, who have read the reports of his lecture. “There is nothing to prevent me going to the North Pole, camping there, and bringing up a family,” he said. “They might not like it, but i-'s easy. The great Arctic region is hot a • merciless waste. There «vr e 29 varieties of ferns: t-;>U varieties of mosses; 760 flowering plants. There are bluebells and buttercups daisies and dandelions and meadow's of grass and flowers" not excelled by any land in the world.”

“Eskimos do not . live in snow houses. In fact, more than half the Eskimos in the world have never seen :i snow house, and would not believe ;. ou if you told them about it! 'i he Eskimos do not drink oil. The Eskimo stomach is very much the same as the European stomach, andH a European drank a cup of oil ■veil!

“Wolves do not go in packs. There never was, a pack of wolves in the worh.l bigger than 12, and that consistev. of the mother, and father, find the biggest known litter —10 young oner! .

“Cue of the greatest difficulties in the arctic is to find something to drink! The terrible Polar thirst is beyond description. If you eat snow you Will develop cramps, and collapse. If you wear a suit of fur, as worn by the Eskimos, you might also be dressed in a thermos flask. You can sit on a block of ice for hours and not notice it.

And so the great explorer went on exploding popular beliefs with a tripping flow of humour. He told how he had solved the great Arctic’ problem of food and fuel—th e problem which had cost the lives of so many northern explorers; the problem which had entirely obliterated the great party of 130 under Sir John Franklyn, when it was proved years later that some had been killed and eaten by • thenown party, It was solved by Mr. Stcfansson’s discovery of animal life beneath the ice.

How they found the seals is a thrilling story. When the , ice gets thick — three to ' five feet—the seal gnaws its way through until it has a little hole about the size of a shilling. It comes up to breath through' this, having room for its nose. This small', hole cannot be seen when the snow covers it. But the dogs scent the seals, and when the explorers see the dogs sniffing they pitch camp. Then they poke through the snow with a steel bar, until the hole is. located. This done, they dig away the snow to within two inches, and Insert a small ivory needle, just like a knitting needle. When the seal comes /up to breathe its nose moves the needle, Standing by with a harpoon, the explorers strike —and the seal is fast.

In that paragraph is told the secret of Stefansson’s five years on the Arctiq ice. It enaoled him to go hundreds of miles without stores, confident of their ability to eat, and obtain oil to cook. It was the lack of this one thing that caused death and failure through the long calendar-of brave Arctic effort. The North Pole is not the centre of the great ice region. The centre is four hundred miles beyond. That is where Stefansson went, hunting and obtaining seals and adding to the world , a scientific knowledge almost incredible. It was interesting to note the remarks of Sir Edgeworth David in introducing Stefansfion at his 'first lectures —“Dr. Stefansson is not here on a commercial tour. In his last expeditiorv, financed himself, he contracted personal debts amounting to £3500, thereby adding unlimited wealth to the world’s knowledge. He is here to help pay them off.” • ,

However three anchors were | opened up and things generally were found to be anything but satisfactoiy. Part of the cables under the ground are not protected and some strands have given way and erosion set in. I hope to be able to submit a full report for next meeting.” . In moving that the Engineer’s report be adopted the chairman stated that, he Was pleased to state that the roads in the County were practically all in very good condition. They must remember, however,, that they were spending a tremendous amount of money on them. Regarding the County’s claim for strike compensation he would like to say that it was his opiniqn that tihe effect of this extra traffic would be apparent on the roads for two or three years to come owing to the severe shaking Which had been given to the foundations. The report was adopted. The ranger reported that 33 head of wandering stock had been impounded during the month and that two informations would be laid at the next Magistrate’s Court at Levin.