May 23, 1884.] 
» making additional scientific observations. The most 
likely course to be pursued would be the subordina- 
tion of both science and safety to Hall’s dominant 
motive, —the desire to reach ahigh latitude. In the 
event of his death, the foregoing possibilities would 
become probabilities, if not actual certainties. It 
should never be forgotten, when attempting to de- 
termine the relative values of the organizations of 
the several polar expeditions, that the success of the 
Polaris was entirely due to unprecedented good for- 
tune, and not at all to good management, or extraor- 
dinary judgment in encountering and overcoming 
obstacles. Had serious difficulties occurred at the 
outset, for instance such as the English expedition 
had to contend with, it is probable that geographical 
knowledge would not have been advanced to any 
important extent. 
The principal defect to be noticed in Dr. Bessels’ 
paper is a want of appreciation of the laws of literary 
and historical perspective. Quite unconsciously, per- 
haps, he exaggerates the importance of events with 
which he was personally associated. As an instance, 
the narrative of the Polaris’ voyage is detailed at ex- 
traordinary length, occupying some thirty pages of 
the paper; while the history of the late English ex- 
pedition, by far the most important of all, occupies 
but fourteen pages. In fact, an ice-hummock seen 
by the Polaris appears to be of more consequence 
than an iceberg seen from any one vessel; and an oath 
of Buddington’s more worthy of chronicle than the 
most animated descriptions of Kane, Hayes, or Nares. 
This is a very serious fault in an historical writer, and 
cannot be too severely reprehended. Generally speak- 
ing, it tends to render the style of the publication un- 
dignified, and the substance trivial. But it is only 
fair to remember that Dr. Bessels is writing of cir- 
cumstances of an exceptional nature; that he is re- 
lating much that is new, and which to most persons 
is rather secret than general history; that he was in- 
timately and prominently connected with the events 
of which he writes; and that the facts have not, here- 
tofore, been presented from his particular point of 
view. The faults of the paper are therefore excus- 
able, while the merits would counterbalance them 
even were they not. The history of two hundred 
and sixty years of arctic exploration, so far as it re- 
lates to Smith Sound, has been condensed into a vol- 
ume of a hundred and fifteen pages, accessible to any 
one. The voyages of the various discoverers, begin- 
ning with Baffin and Bylot, and ending with Garling- 
tou, have been analyzed with a care that indicates 
the expenditure of considerable labor. The result 
wil! be a better appreciation of the work of the older 
navigators, which Dr. Bessels shows to have been 
more accurate than was to be expected, and strong- 
ly contrasting with that of some of their succes- 
sors, notably Dr. Hayes. Indeed, considering the 
light thrown on the geography of this region by the 
observations of the Polaris, Nares, and Proteus ex- 
peditions, it is very difficult to understand how Dr. 
Hayes could have asserted the existence of the open 
polar sea. But Dr. Bessels has shown how it was 
possible for the mistake to be made. In his opinion, 
SCIENCE. 
§23 
and he brings strong evidence to support it, Hayes 
never reached a latitude above 80°. If this be true, 
then we can understand why Hayes, looking, as he 
must have done, across Kane’s basin, should have im- 
agined that he saw an open sea. No other plausible 
explanation can be given; for, had he been north of 
Cape Collinson with an atmosphere sufficiently clear 
for observations, he could not have failed to see the 
opposite coast of Greenland, only thirty miles distant. 
In discussing the scientific results, Dr. Bessels 
might have gone more into detail without fear of 
incurring displeasure, for the scientific results are 
the most valuable products of the various arctic ex- 
peditions. He is of the opinion that the general set 
of the currents is to the southward, and that there are 
no data supporting the theory of an extension of the 
Gulf Stream to these high latitudes. He calls atten- 
tion to the fact that the ice met by the Polaris was 
of a different character from that encountered by the 
English expedition, and points out the causes which 
would prevent the latter formation from being contin- 
uous. He says, ‘‘ There is no reason to assume that 
the ice-cover of the sea in close vicinity to the north 
pole should be more dense and impenetrable than its 
lower latitudes.’? He is also of the opinion that 
land in some shape exists to the northward of Mark- 
ham’s highest position, basing his opinion upon the 
soundings and character of the ice in that latitude. 
This latter assumption may or may not be true; but 
it will not, in all probability, be removed from the 
domain of hypothesis for some time to come. 
Finally, Dr. Bessels does not consider Greely’s 
situation as dangerous, and is of the opinion that 
the party remained at Lady Franklin Bay during 
the past winter, and will be found in the vicinity 
of Littleton Island about the end of June. He adds 
some advice regarding the conduct of the relief ex- 
pedition, which appears judicious; and, considering 
the experience of the author, it should have great 
weight. 
The impression left after reading the paper, while 
not exactly prejudicial to arctic expeditions, is cer- 
tainly opposed to them as some have been heretofore 
constituted. Their value really lies in the opportunity 
they afford scientific observers to study phenomena 
out of the usual range. Unfortunately this end has 
always been subordinated to a desire to reach the 
north pole, or an effort to rescue those who had 
gone forth on that rather barren quest. Without 
doubt, had not most arctic expeditions been animated 
by those dominant motives, the results would have 
been of far more consequence. Certainly future ex- 
peditions should be guarded against the operation 
of similar influences. 
THE DEEP-SEA FISHES COLLECTED 
BY ME TALISMAN.* 
In the cruises made by the Travailleur, the explor- 
ing-instruments left much to desire, and the taking 
of fish was so rare, that, as Mr. Milne-Edwards said 
1 Translated from an article by H. FrtHouin Za Nature. 
