Buchanan’s Journal of Man, Volume 1, Number 1, edited by Joseph Rodes Buchanan. Published February 1887.

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The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, Volume 23, Issue 2.

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1. I have unintentionally omitted to name Falconer, who deserves the highest honors among nautical writers.[back]

One of the most interesting items that we have learned from the whale men who have cruised the Arctic ocean the past summer, is the discovery of extensive land in the middle of that ocean, which may yet prove to be a polar continent. The existence of this land has long been known, but owing to the impassible ice barriers along its shores, of its extent and character nothing very definite has been known until this season. Baron Wrangell, the famous Russian explorer, first communicated to the world the knowledge of its existence as he learned it from the Siberian Indians, and it is simply marked on most Arctic charts, “extensive highlands.” It should be stated that the past summer has been the mildest and most favorable for whaling ever known by our oldest whalemen. One master says that he did not see a piece of ice as large as his hand till he reached the Straits, and even beyond that, up to 72 degrees the sea was generally free from floating ice. The weather, for the most part, haas been exceedingly mild, with southerly winds prevailing, which tended to meld the ice or drive it northward. As a result of the favorable state of the ocean and weather the ships have gone further north this summer than ever before, some having reached as high as 73 degrees 30 minutes.

Captain Long, of the bark Nile, who seems to have examined the land attentively, having cruised along the entire southern coast, has drawn a sketch of its appearance. It is quite elevated, and near the centre has an extinct crater cone, which he estimated at 2,480 feet high. He named Wrangell’s Lank, after the noted Russian explorer. The west point he named Cape Thomas, after the seaman on his ship who discovered it, and the southeast point Cape Hawaii. The names given by Capt. Long are so exceedingly appropriate that we doubt not geographical societies in Europe and America will adopt them, and call this land Wrangell’s Land. Captain Long has prepared for us an account of this interesting discovery, which we insert here:

Honolulu, Nov. 5, 1867.

Sir: During my cruise in the Arctic Ocean this season, I saw land not laid down on any chart that I have seen. The land was first seen from the bark Nile on the evening of the 14th of August, and the next forenoon at 9:30 the ship was eighteen miles distant from the west point of the land. I had good observations this day, and made the west point to be in latitude 70 degrees and 40 minutes north, and in longitude 170 degrees and 30 minutes east.–The lower part of the land was entirely free from snow, and had a green appearance, as if covered with vegetation. There was broken ice between the ship and land, but as there were no indications of whales, I did not feel justified in endeavoring to work through it and reach the shore, which I think I could have done without much danger. We sailed to the eastward along the land during the 15th, and part of the 16th, and in some places approached it as near as 15 miles.

On the 16th the weather was very clear and pleasant, and we had a good view of the middle and eastern portion of the land. Near the centre, or about in longitude 180 degrees, there is a mountain which has the appearance of and extinct volcano. By approximate measurement I found it to be 2,480 feet high. I had excellent observation on the 16th, and made the southeastern cape, which I have named Cape Hawaii, to be in latitude 70 degrees 40 minutes north, and 178 degrees 15 minutes west. It is impossible to tell how far this land extends northward, but as far as the eye could reach we could see ranges of mountains until they were lost in the distance; and I lear from Captain Biven, of the ship Nautilus, that he saw land northwest of Herald Island, as far north as latitude 72 degrees.

The first knowledge of the existence of this land was given to the civilized world by Lieutenant Ferdinand Wrangell, of the Russian navy (who I find in 1740, was an admiral in the same service). In his expedition from Nishne Kolymsk, in the consecutive years from 1820 to 1824, he obtained information from the Techuktsch that in clear days in the summer season, they could see land north from Cape Jakan.

From the appearance of this land as we saw it, I feel convinced that it is inhabited, as there were large numbers of walrus in this vicinity, and the land appeared more green than the main coast of Asia, and quite as capable of supporting man as the coast from Point Harrow to the Mackenzie river, or the northern parts of Greenland, which are in a much higher latitude. There is a cape a little to the Westward of Cape Jakan, which has a very singular appearance. On the summit and along the slopes of this promontory there is an immense number of upright and prostrate columns some having the appearance of pyramids, others like obelisks, some of them with the summit larger than the base. The character of the surrounding country, which was rolling with no abrupt declivities, made these objects appear more singular. They were not in one continuous mass, but scattered over a large surface, and in clusters of fifteen or twenty yards, with intervals of several hundred yards between them.

While at anchor near this place, Captain Philips of the Monticello, came on board, and drew my attention to a large black place on the slope of one of the hills, and said he thought it was coal. It glistened in the sun, and appeared like a large surface which had been used as s deposit for coal. It was about one and a half miles in length and on-half mile in breadth, the country surrounding that being covered with vegetation. From 170 east, there were no indications of animal life in the water. We saw no seals walrus, whales, or animalculae in it. It appeared almost as blue as it does in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, although there was but from fifteen to eighteen fathoms of water in any place within forty miles of the land. I think the position I have assigned to this land will be found correct as Mr. Flitner examined my chronometer on my arrival and found it only one and a half miles in error.

I have named this northern land Wrangell’s Land as an appropriate tribute to the memory of the man who spent three consecutive years north of latitude 66 degrees and demonstrated the problem of this open Polar Sea, forty-five years ago, although others of much later date, have endeavored to claim the merit of this discovery. The west cape of this land I have named Cape Thomas, from the man who first reported the land from the masthead of my ship, and the southeastern cape I have named after the largest island in this group. As this report has been hurriedly prepared, I would wish to make more extended observations on the subject, which may be of benefit of other cruisers in this direction, if you will allow me room in your paper on some future occasion.

Yours, very truly,

Thomas Long.

A curious and interesting article on the subject of dreams appears in The Freeman, of London. The writer discusses dreams from a scientific, a sentimental, and a speculative point of view. An attempt is made to describe the process of dreaming in the following words:

“Imagine an organ, which it was essential should keep playing continually, so that when the organist ceased touching the keys they would be automatically moved at random. You would find therein a correct illustration of the human brain. From such an instrument, if listened to when the master was absent, there would be a succession of tones, perhaps at times giving forth a weird music, occasionally issuing chords rarely heard and possibly now and then a charming air. So in sleep. Or to take another musical illustration. The difference between thinking and dreaming is similar to that of playing a violin with a bow or using it as an Æolian harp.”

It is contended that the phenomena of dreams afford no evidence of the supposed dual nature of human existence. Neither, it is said, is there anything supernatural about it. Aside from the recorded instances in the Scriptures where God made use of dreams to convey His messages to certain men, there is no authentic record of dreams being used as agencies for communication from the unseen world, this notwithstanding many alleged happenings of this kind. On this point the writer says:

“In passing we may note some of the weird unauthenticated narratives which have somehow gained currency. Such stories as those of Lord Lyttleton forecasting his death at Pitt Place by a dream. Or Maria Martin, in which a dream is said to have aided in the discovery of a murder at the Red Barn. Or the strange tale of Mr. John William, of Redruth, and the assassination of Mr. Percival in the House of Commons. These legends are singularly tenacious of life, and are repeated again and again after having been shown to be all but destitute of truth. Could any of these narratives bear the test of thorough examination it would be most unphilosophical to found a theory on the coincidence of a chance. It is an evidence of the widespread prevalence of good sense that we have not a hundred times as many tales of dreams coming true as have found acceptance among a certain class, and are related by certain authors.”

Coming to the interesting question whether dreams have any prophetic power, the writer says:

“Some very serious stories are undoubtedly told on very good authority of what is called fulfilment of dreams. How can it be otherwise? The famous professor, Herr Teufelsdrock, when he looked out of his garret window in Weisnitchwo, down upon the town, at the midnight hour, reflected on the fact that upward of five hundred thousand two-legged animals without feathers were lying round about in horizontal position, their heads all in nightcaps and full of the foolishest dreams. It would be indeed a miracle if no event happened the next day that would correspond to one of the dreams in those five hundred thousand brains. If you dream but three dreams a night you have had one thousand every year you have lived, and as most of these relate to ordinary life many must by chance have, what is called, come true. Consider this. There are, say, fifteen hundred millions of persons in the world. Each of these has dreams, some one, some a score or more, each of the 365 nights of the year. Five hundred thousand million dreams every year at least! On the doctrine of probabilities many thousands must truly represent coming events. Every person has at least ten thousand nights every thirty years. Suppose an individual in good health, waking only once each morning, formed the habit of remembering his last sleeping presentation. Say the chances are a thousand to one against the waking dream coming true. Then the chances are that he will have ten remarkable dreams in the thirty years. Consider the probabilities as less, and add the experience of acquaintances, then each one might know of many coincidences of dreams and subsequent events. So that the fact that out of the countless number of dreams dreamed, now and then one strangely and even vividly forecasts an event, need be no mystery. The less so when the power of the imagination over the memory is taken into account.

“Representation with many persons is a growing thing; the plain green blade soon develops into a fine plant with abundance of flowers unseen before. Skilfully draw out a dream-teller. Get him to relate his vision on meeting him in the morning. Have the story retold later on in the day. Note carefully the difference between the narrative at breakfast and at dinnertime. You will find it budding into new forms and colors. Now introduce into conversation some circumstances you have just heard of — say, a death in the family, or some murder told in the newspaper, or some singular discovery which might in a faint way correspond with the vision. See how the remembrance alters even while you talk. By tea-time that dream has lost the feature which did not coincide with the fact to which it is about to be united as a very remarkable forecast, and has gained some additions which improve the resemblance. By supper-time it has developed into a very satisfactory vision, and the dreamer, with perfect good faith, declares that henceforth no one shall ever persuade him that there is no truth in dreams, and grows proud with the consciousness that he is the subject of functions which do not belong to ordinary mortals, and is the true successor of the patriarch Joseph and the prophet Daniel — a veritable Zaphnath Paaneah. We all are pleased to feel ourselves in some small point a little superior to our fellows, especially in supernatural revelation.”

A great change is taking place in our views in regard to the moon, and it may be that we are on the eve of discoveries which will make this century an epoch in astronomical history. Some American observers saw not long since a crater on the lunar surface in active operation under conditions as reliable as human vision at such a distance can be expected to reach. A French astronomer has made observations on a grander scale, and confidently asserts that the moon is inhabited. M. Camille Flammarion, the present originator of this long-cherished idea, is a scientist of honor and renown, well known for his reputation as an observer and enthusiastic writer. He has written several articles to prove his position, and has determined to devote his life to this branch of astronomical research. No instruments on the globe are powerful enough to afford a glimpse of our lunarian neighbors. M. Flammarion is not in the least discouraged at this apparently insuperable obstacle in the way of a solution of his problem. He is going to have one made that will exhibit the men in the moon to terrestrial eyes without a possibility of mistake. He is urgently soliciting contributions to a fund for an immense refracting telescope, whose estimated cost is 1,000,000 francs, or $200,000. This instrument, the astronomer believes, will be effectual in revealing the inhabitants in the moon really existing, according to his sanguine faith. Some of the largest refractors in the world, if used when the air is pure, bear a power of 3,000 on the moon; that is, the moon appears as if it were eighty miles instead of 240,000. It can thus be seen that an immensely-increased power would be required to detect small objects on the surface.

We trust M. Flammarion will be successful in collecting funds for his monster telescope, and that he will pick up crowds of lunarians through its far-seeing eye before the vision of the present generation becomes too dim to behold the long-wished for sight.–Providence (R. I.) Journal.

South Atchison is shaken from turret to foundation stone. A sensation has occurred within its precincts that bids fair to outrival even the startling wonders of sensational Kansas City, and become the usual nine days’ neighborhood talk. The heroine of the sensation, for the principal character is a woman, is Tenny Dysart, the wife of John Dysart, an intelligent and industrious colored man, who lives in West Atchison, and for an occupation drives A. B. Symns’ delivery wagon. About Christmas time Mrs. Dysart was taken down with dropsy, and the disease has confined her to her house and bed nearly ever since. She was about forty years old, and before her present sickness was a strong and healthy woman. Medical aid had treated her with all that human skill could command, but it was apparently of no avail, and Tuesday night about twelve o’clock she died–that is, to all appearances. Wednesday kind friends came in and looked at the body, condoled with the husband and children, and preparations were made for the funeral. Wednesday night watchers sat by the inanimate body, and Thursday was fixed as the day of the burial. Thursday morning the body was robed for the grave and placed in the coffin, the sorrowing husband and mourning children sadly grieving the loss of their wife and mother. The funeral was to take place at three o’clock, at which time the house was filled with mourning friends, the hearse was waiting at the door, and the body was soon ready to be borne to its last resting place. As the lid of the coffin was thrown back to take the farewell look at the body one lady laid her hand on the forehead of the supposed dead, and with a cry of astonishment declared that the body was warm. This lead to another examination, and Dr. Gough was sent for. The physicians applied the usual tests and pronounced that life still remained. The body was taken from the coffin, remedies and restoratives applied, and to-day at noon the patient was conscious and sensible and in a fair way of recovery. It is needless to say that excitement and consternation prevailed, the hearse and carriages went away and the probabilities are that Mrs. Dysart’s funeral will be postponed for many days to come.–Atchison (Kan.) Patriot.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 35-1926.

The undersigned, intending to become an aviator, will sell by, PUBLIC AUCTION, at his farm in Hayban Township, on the Bulltoad road and a short distance from the barn all his belongings, to wit:

POLAND CHINA BULL GOOD AS NEW.

7 MILK COWS.

2 of which are bulls, 2 fall cows, and 3 have never fell; Plymouth Rock Calf, will have peepies by day of sale, weather permitting; 8 Brown Leghor Pigs, with their Golden Hair Hanging Down Their Backs; Old Fashioned Wood Saw with Directions for Use; Triple Expansion Patent Lever Bicycle With Full Jeweled Mud Guard; Hench and Drumgold,

SULKY PLOW.

Will Be Fresh By Time Of Sale; 7 Dung-Forks, 3 Of Which Are Equipped With Fly-Net Attachments; A Lot Of Broad And Narrow Tread Hourse Gears; Berkshire Wheel-barrow, With Ball Bearings, Geared 120, Can Trot, Pace Or Gallop; 27 Dapple Grey Chickens, Of The Eggs-Shell (?) or Breed; Jagger Wagon, With The Jaggers Broken Off; 2 Fallen Top Buggies And One On Which The Top Has Fell; 1 Large Oliver Chilled Land Roller, WIth Velvetine Flouces; Fine Cherry Colored,

JASSACK.

WIth Good Open Countenance and Splendid “Physique”; 1 Double Breasted Cupboard, Fleece-lined; Stationary Bake Oven; 2 Fine Handpainted Bob Sleds With Automatic Cut Off; Patent Adjustable Cross-Eyed Fountain Pen, Just The Thing For A Left Handed Person; 1 Colored Canine Constructed on the Hiberian Plan,

FIVE FINE GAOTS.

2 Of Which Are Willies With Red Wiskers “A la mode” The Goats Do Excellent Team Work As They Are Very Strong; One Ford Automobile, That AUTO RUN, But It Wont; In Addition To The Above Mentioned Articles There are Many Others Too Numerous To Mention Here.

Sale to Commence at 11:55 P.M. When Terms Will Be Made Known By, J.A. SIMPSON,

Note:–If You Are Unable To Attend This Auction Send In Your Bids By RADIO.

FOR “BETTER QUALITY AUCTION SELLING SERVICE” YOU WILL FIND IT TO YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST TO EMPLOY.

MAXWELL H. HITE & SON

Michigan Office with Chas E. Gallup Co.
First National Bank Bldg. Ann Arbor, Mich.

This Service Costs More Than The Cheaper Class Of Service–BUT IT IS WORTH MORE–Because IT GIVES RESULTS THAT CAN BE DEPOSITED IN THE BANK.