542 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. II., No. 37, 



meteorological observations, the quarrels of the 

 Eskimo dogs, innumerable devices for sav- 

 ing coal, pumping the ship drj-, or preventing 

 condensation of moisture within 

 the living-rooms, — these things, 

 and such as these, made up the 

 characteristics of a life which 

 eventually became almost unen 

 durable in its mouotonj^ Good 

 health in general prevailed 

 owing to the extraordinary' pre 

 cautions planned by Dr. Am 

 bier, and energeticallj' put in 

 force by the commander. No 

 extreme temperatures (rated bj' 

 the experience of other arctic 

 voyages) were noted : indeed, 

 the mildness, arctically speak- 

 ing, of the temperatures experienced, is some- 

 what remarkable. The auroras do not seem to 

 have been sufflcientlj^ brilliant to call for espe- 



cial comment. The ice reached about six feet 

 in thickness, and all parts of it contained more 

 or less salt ; while the precipitation of snow 

 was insuflicient to afford a suppl}' of drinking- 

 water by melting. On this account, water had 

 to be distilled most of the time, — a process 

 which used much invaluable fuel. Man_v of 

 their experiences were such as had alreadj' 

 been recorded b}- those who drifted with the 

 Germania's crew, the Tegethotf, or the float- 

 ing Polaris' part}', of which the indefatigable 

 Nindeman had been a member. Payer's con- 

 clusion that the motions of the arctic pack 

 result from the friction upon its surface of 

 the prevailing winds, was fullv confirmed, and 

 placed upon an impregnable basis, by the drift 

 of the Jeannette. This is perhaps the most 

 important generalization the liistor}- of the voy- 

 age affords. Another fact of value is the de- 

 termination of the shallow character of this 

 part of the arctic basin, which nowhere reached 

 one hundred fathoms in depth, and was usually 

 less than fifty fathoms. From the constant 

 though moderate motion of the pack which held 



JEANNETTE ISLAND (PROM 



KETCH BY MR. MELVILLE). 



A POLAR BEAR. 



the vessel, tidal observations were impractica- 

 ble ; and the disturbances of the surface so 

 occasioned, also prevented the pei-manent occu- 

 pation of an observatory away from the ship. 

 Polar bears, seals, a fox or two, walrus, and 

 a small number of birds, comprise the air- 

 breathing vertebrates obtained. Some fish- 

 bones were found on the ice, but it does not 

 appear that anj' fishing was attempted. Vign- 

 ettes from the pencil of Mr. Newcomb, who 

 acted as naturalist of the expedition, are scat- 

 tered through the text, and illustrate the scantj' 

 fauna in a neat and artistic way. On the IGth of 

 Maj', 1881, land was seen bearing nearlj' west, 

 which was named Jeannette Island. It proved 

 to be a small rocky island with bold shores, 

 and was situated in latitude 76° 47', and east 

 longitude 158° 56'. On the 2-lth another island 

 was observed more to the north and west, which 



