ARCTIC RESOURCES 223 



desert. That area, like every other, should of course be studied — 

 but why in the medieval attitude of a search for a lifeless North? 

 Rather should we do our work there as elsewhere with suspended 

 judgment, refraining from further assertions that lifelessness is going 

 to be found because of latitude, cold, opacity of ice, thickness of ice, 

 or any set of conditions whose real effect on life is as yet unknown. 

 Why be mystical about the Arctic when we are scientific about all the 

 other oceans? 



If we must make a forecast on the basis of our present knowledge, 

 perhaps we may arrive at a reasonable picture by a comparison be- 

 tween the Arctic seas and those of lower latitudes. The work of suc- 

 cessive dredging expeditions has shown that there is not only a great 

 horizontal variation in the distribution of ocean life but a great vertical 

 variation as well. Take the ocean southwest of the Galapagos Islands. 

 For various reasons we have there what may be called a sea desert by 

 analogy with the arid lands where life is sparse and specialized. The 

 oceans as a whole have not been studied thoroughly from this stand- 

 point nor the areas most deficient in life mapped out. We know of 

 the existence of such marine deserts in the frequented oceans; we do 

 not know their extent. Naturally, therefore, no one can say what 

 extent they may have in the Arctic. It may be that a marine desert 

 or several of them may be located in the Arctic Basin. Only intensive 

 oceanographical collecting will disclose the true state of affairs. 

 Pending such study, we can only say that no one has yet definitely 

 located such an area in the Arctic. For even in districts where my 

 expedition, for instance, discovered little animal life, there may well 

 be an abundance another year — and there may even have been an 

 abundance when we were there, only we failed to see it. 



Our living by hunting many months in the previously "lifeless" 

 Beaufort Sea has not proved, of course, that life is as abundant in the 

 Arctic as in any ocean. We have established, however, a presumption 

 to that effect, and (pending further studies) the burden of proof will 

 lie upon those who desire to cling to the old theories. 



Between the larger marine deserts just referred to and the areas 

 that I had in mind when writing the Geographical Review article and 

 "The Friendly Arctic "there is a substantial difference, however. 

 Marine deserts are of a much greater magnitude. The smaller areas 

 that I had in mind may be caused by local or temporary conditions, 

 such as an unusual amount of pack ice, etc. The smaller areas of 

 deficient life may therefore shift in position. They may be crossed 

 with only a modern degree of difficulty. On the other hand, the larger 

 areas, if they exist, may offer much more substantial obstacles. 



The outstanding object in research on the possible marine deserts 

 of the Arctic should be the search or discovery, along positive lines, 

 of facts regarding the existence and distribution of such life as occurs. 



