Ice Fire-Places | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 12, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 23.

Ice Fire-Places.

LIEUTENANT RAY, U. S. N., relates the following, showing how, in the Arctic regions, blocks of snow-ice make good chimney-places. The story is well-nigh incredible. He says:—

“Meade River is about sixty miles east of Point Barrow. On this river the Ooglaamte-meun tribe often go on hunting excursions and frequently stay a month or two. The snow hut is built, which is really used as a sleeping apartment, and a few feet therefrom, but connected by a snow tunnel, is a smaller room, which is used as a living room and kitchen. In this latter room is constructed a fire-place of blocks of snow, about the size of the common grate, and here the cooking is done during the hunting season.”

Preposterous as this account may seem, the Lieutenant states that it is nevertheless true. The fire is built in this snow fire-place, and after being heated the first time there is no melting of snow. Even the first fire built therein only serves to melt the snow blocks into a solid mass; then they freeze and forever after are as impervious to heat as fire-bricks. The fuel used in cooking in this snow grate is the dwarf willow, found under the tundra on Meade River, thoroughly saturated with seal oil, and when ignited makes a bright, hot fire similar to the pitch-pine of the Northwest. Captain Herendeen could hardly believe Lieutenant Ray’s first report, and made a special trip to Meade River to witness this truly astonishing phenomenon. After returning to the Point, the Captain became convinced that there was snow which would not yield to heat at certain low temperature. Ray says, when these fire-places have been used for a short time, and while a hot, blazing fire is burning, these snow grates present one of the most pleasing sights he ever witnessed. The hard, glassy ice reflects like marble, and further in the grate the changeable hues are as varied and pleasing to the eye as the colors of a rainbow. But when the temperature rises as high as twenty, then the fire will quickly melt the snow grate and the snow house is no longer habitable, for it becomes damp and oppressive. I believe no other Arctic traveler has ever witnessed this scene, and Ray will not say that he has yet solved the perplexing question. It is well known that ice in vacuum under pressure will not melt before the hottest fire. But this new phenomenon is passing wonderful if true, and it is vouched for on good authority.