The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

THE EUROPEAN ISLANDS OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN.HE seas stretching from the Scandinavian peninsula and Russianorthwards to the unexplored regions about the pole have, like theNorth Atlantic itself, their islands and archipelagos, often boundtogether by frozen masses. These islands, some of which havehitherto been but dimly seen through mist and snow, and to whichfurther polar exploration may soon add others, are not even usually regarded asforming part of Europe. With the northern extremity of Greenland and thearctic groups on the north coast of America, they form a world apart, not yetsubdued by man. Certain European states have doubtless claimed possession ofSpitzbergen, and hoisted their flags over its dreary wastes; but those remotelands remain none the less vast solitudes, shrouded for months together in themantle of night, then lit up by a pale sun sweeping in mid-air above the horizon,but rarely acting as a beacon except to a few daring whalers.The naturalists who are exploring these polar islands may possibly some daydiscover treasures in them sufficient to attract settlers to these desolate regions,but hitherto fishers and the shipwrecked alone have passed the winter on theirshores. Although lying beyond the habitable world, these inhospitable lands stillrecall some of the most unsullied deeds of humanity. These dangerous watershave been traversed in every direction by men strangers to fear, who soughtneither the glory of battle nor fortunes, but only the pleasure of being useful totheir fellow-men. The names of Barents, Heemskerk, and Bernard, of Willoughbyand Parry, of Nordenskjold, Payer, and Weyprecht, conjure up noble deeds ofcourage and endurance of which mankind may ever be proud. And no year passesthat docs not witness other dauntless navigators following in their track, eager toenlarge the known world and penetrate farther into the mysteries of the pole.I—BEAR ISLAND.The first land in the Frozen Ocean, lying about 280 miles north-west of theFinmark coast, is completely separated from Scandinavia by profound abysses, thesea being here no less than 1,800 feet in depth. Discovered on July 1st, 1596, by