The Phantom of the Poles by William Reed

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CHAPTER XV.

WHAT PRODUCES COLORED SNOW IN THE ARCTIC?

Why is the snow colored in the Arctic regions? What causes it to be colored?

The snow has been analyzed, and the red, green, and yellow have been found to contain vegetable matter, presumably a flower, or the pollen of a plant. The black snow has also been analyzed, and found to contain carbon and iron, supposed to come from a volcanic eruption. But whence did it come? A flower that produced pollen sufficient to permeate the air with such density that it colored the snow, would require a vast territory--millions of acres--to grow it. Where is that to be found? If on earth, it must be near the North Pole; for, if it grew elsewhere, colored snow would be found at other locations, and not be confined to the Arctic regions. As no such flowering plant is known on earth, we must look elsewhere.

The interior of the earth is the only spot that will furnish us with an answer to the question. As the colors fall at different seasons, it is fair to presume that the flower matures at those seasons. It is also easy to find out where the black snow, frequently mentioned by the explorers, comes from. It comes out of an exploding volcano--of the kind that covered Nansen's ship with dust. All unexplained questions could be easily answered if one would believe that the earth is hollow; it is impossible to answer them under any other theory. A falsehood could not furnish so many solutions: one or two might point to some other answer; but a score of unanswered problems could not be answered by a falsehood.

Kane, in his first volume, page 44, says: "We passed the 'Crimson Cliffs' of Sir John Ross in the forenoon of August 5th. The patches of red snow, from which they derive their name, could be seen clearly at the distance of ten miles from the coast. It had a fine, deep-rose hue, not at all like the brown stain which I noticed when I was here before. All the gorges and ravines in which the snow had lodged were deeply tinted with it. I had no difficulty now in justifying the somewhat poetical nomenclature which Sir John Franklin applied to this locality; for if the snowy surface were more diffused, as it is no doubt earlier in the season, crimson would be the prevailing color."

Kane also states: "The red snow was diversified with large surfaces of beautifully green mosses and alopecurus; and where the sandstone was bare, it threw in a rich shade of brown."

Kane speaks of the red snow as if it had a regular season in which to appear--as he says "if the snowy surface were more diffused, as it is no doubt earlier in the season." In another place he speaks of the red snow being two weeks later than usual. Now, taking the fact into account that the material that colors the snow is a vegetable matter, supposed to be the blossom or pollen of a plant, and that no such plant grows on earth, where does it come from? The time for its appearance is in July and August. This may not seem of great importance to many readers, but when taken in connection with the object of this book, then it becomes important; for if it does not grow on the earth, it must grow in the interior of the earth.


Next: Chapter XVI. Where and how are Icebergs Formed?