BY DR. G. HARTWIG, AUTHOR OF "THE SEA AND ITS LIVING WONDERS," AND THE Edited, WITH ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS, BY DR. A. H. GUERNSEY. WITH NEARLY TWO HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS. PUBLISHED BY JOHNSON & MCCLAIN, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1871. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 579 SAMUEL BOWLES & CO., PREFACE. IN editing and combining into one volume the two admirable works of Dr. HARTWIG, "The Polar World" and "The Tropical World,” I have had in view, while working in the spirit of the Author, to avail myself of all new sources of information, and especially to enlarge upon those features which are of especial interest to American readers. Thus, in "The Polar World," I have added a chapter descriptive of our new acquisition of Alaska, full materials for which came into my hands from our Department of State. I have also added a chapter describing the remarkable exploring expedition in the Arctic regions, performed by my friend, CHARLES FRANCIS HALL. This expedition is especially notable from the clear proof which it furnishes that, had Sir John Franklin only known how to avail himself of the facilities for living afforded by the region in which he was cast away, his whole party might have survived and made their way back to their homes; and also that the fearful sufferings so graphically narrated by the lamented Kane might all have been avoided, had he only have known how to adapt his mode of life to the requirements of an Arctic climate. Of Hall's second expedition, lasting from 1864 to the close of 1869, no full account has been published; he has been too busily engaged in preparing for a third expedition to find time to prepare the narrative of that which he had just accomplished. I have, however, his own testimony to the fact that all his previous opinions are fully confirmed. His own appearance is abundant proof that more than ten years mainly spent in the high Arctic regions, is not necessarily more exhaustive of life, than the same space of time passed among us. In the few weeks which will elapse between the writing of this preface and the opening of northern navigation, Hall will have set out on his third expedition, sent out under the auspices of our Government, and supplied with every requisite for thorough exploration. We may confidently expect that he will be able to solve the still vexed questions as to the nature of the region which encircles the northern pole. |