316 



ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



been elaborated in the vessels of a plant, or the stomach of an ani- 

 mal ? Is it not more philosophical to reverse the process, and to say 

 that animal and vegetable life derives its material substance by a 

 power of accretion from what existed before, in a mineral state ; and 

 from gases coeval with the primitive minerals ? 



ARCTIC PHENOMENA. 



The following interesting items of scientific intelligence we glean 

 from the recently published despatches of Com. Me Clure, the Arctic 

 navigator. When abreast of the Horton river, between Cape Bathurst 

 and Cape Parry, large volumes of smoke were observed, and the look-out 

 watch reported that he saw several persons moving about dressed in 

 white shirts, and saw white tents in a hollow of the cliff. An examina- 

 tion of the locality confirmed the existence of the smoke, which 

 proceeded from fifteen small mounds, of volcanic appearance, occupy- 

 ing a space of about fifty yards. The entire ground was strongly im- 

 pregnated with sulphur ; and the land in the neighborhood was inter- 

 sected by ravines and deep watercourses, varying in elevation from 

 300 to 500 feet. Marks of reindeer were seen in the vicinity, and 

 the temperature at the time (September the 6th) was warm. Several 

 whales and seals played around the ship. The mystery of the white 

 shirts and tents was thus satisfactorily explained : and it is highly 

 interesting in a geographical point of view to find these volca- 

 nic appearances at so high a latitude. The active volcano discovered 

 by Sir James Ross in a high latitude in the Antarctic regions will be 

 in the remembrance of our readers. 



Another discovery of great interest was made on the north of Banks 

 Land, by shooting parties who had proceeded a short way into the in- 

 terior in search of game. This consisted of" a range of hills, com- 

 posed of one entire mass of wood in every stage from petrification to a 

 log fit for fire-wood. Many large trees were among it ; but in 

 endeavoring to exhume them, they were found too much decayed to 

 stand removal. In the vicinity the heads of musk-oxen and the well- 

 picked carcases of deer were frequently met with ; and there was 

 every appearance of the country being frequented by large herds of 

 animals. Since the publication of Capt. M'Clure's despatches, an offi- 

 cial return, of which the following is a copy, has issued from the Ad- 

 miralty, showing the game killed by Capt. M'Clure's party between 

 Oct. 1st, 1850, and April 8th, 1853. It is right, however, to state, 

 that the principal part was killed during the spring of this year. 



Musk Oxen 



Deer . 



Hares 



Grouse 



Ducks 



Geese 



Wolves 



Bears 



Number Killed. 



7 



. 110 

 . 169 

 . 486 

 . 178 

 . 29 



2 



4 



Average'Weijht 

 of each. 



278 Ibs. 

 70 



not 



u 

 u 



u 

 u 



Total Weight. 



1,945 Ibs. 



7,716 



1,014 



Total 1.005 



