THE SECRET OF THE NORTH POLE. 107 



shores of Asia or America. As it is, however, it 

 remains clear, that if there were any ocean commu- 

 nicating with the spot reached by Dr. Kane, but 

 separated from all communication by open water 

 either with the Atlantic or with the Pacific, that 

 ocean would be so limited in extent that the moon's 

 attraction could exert no more effective influence upon 

 its waters than upon the waters of the Mediterranean 

 where, as we know, no tides are generated. This, 

 then, would be a tideless ocean, and we must look 

 elsewhere for an explanation of the tidal waves seen 

 by Dr. Kane. 



We thus seem to have prima facie evidence that the 

 sea reached by Kane communicates either with the 

 Pacific or with the Atlantic, or which is the most 

 probable view with both those oceans. When we 

 consider the voyages which have been made towards 

 the North Pole along the northerly prolongation of 

 the Atlantic Ocean, we find very strong evidence in 

 favour of the view that there is open-water communi- 

 cation in this direction, not only with the spot reached 

 by Kane, but with a region very much nearer to the 

 North Pole. 



So far back as 1607, Hudson had penetrated within 

 eight and a half degrees (or about 600 miles) of the 

 North Pole on this route. When we consider the 

 clumsy build and the poor sailing qualities of the 

 ships of Hudson's day, we cannot but feel that so 

 successful a journey marks this route as one of the 

 most promising ever tried. Hudson was not turned 



