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diff --git a/old/53158-0.txt b/old/53158-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f4ea512..0000000 --- a/old/53158-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9593 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The New Eldorado, by Maturin Murray Ballou - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The New Eldorado - A Summer Journey to Alaska - -Author: Maturin Murray Ballou - -Release Date: September 28, 2016 [EBook #53158] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NEW ELDORADO *** - - - - -Produced by Charlene Taylor, Bryan Ness, ellinora and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - Transcriber Note - - Obvious typos and punctuation errors corrected. - - Inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation retained. - - The book catalog at the back uses a Unicode character “Asterism” - (U+2042). If the font in use on the reader’s device does not support - it, this character, ⁂, may not display correctly. - - [Publisher Logo] on the title page represents an illustration with the - publisher name. - - A short decorative line has been represented in the text as --*--. - - Italic text is indicated by underscores surrounding the _italic text_. - - Small capitals in the original have been converted to ALL CAPS. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - By the same Author. - - -A TREASURY OF THOUGHT. An Encyclopædia of Quotations from Ancient and - Modern Authors. 8vo, full gilt, $4.00. - - The most complete and exhaustive volume of the kind with which we are -acquainted. The literature of all times has contributed to it, and the -range of reading necessary to its compilation is the widest.—_Hartford -Courant._ - -NOTABLE THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN. A Literary Mosaic. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - Full of delicious bits from nearly every writer of any celebrity, -English, American, French, or German, early and modern, it is a -fascinating medley. When one takes up the book it is difficult to lay it -down, for one is led on from one brilliant or striking thought to -another, in a way that is quite absorbing.—_Portland Transcript._ - -PEARLS OF THOUGHT. Choice Sentences from the wisest Authors. 16mo, full - gilt, $1.25. - - The first noticeable thing about “Pearls of Thought” is that the -“pearls” are offered in a jewel-box of printing and binding. The -selections have the merit of being short and sparkling. Authors, ancient -and modern, and of all nations, are represented.—_New York Tribune._ - -DUE WEST; or, Round the World in Ten Months. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - It is a book of books on foreign travel, and deserves to be in the -hands of all subsequent writers as combining just the qualities to give -the greater information and zest.—_Boston Commonwealth._ - -DUE SOUTH; or, Cuba Past and Present. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - Full of information concerning the Bahama Islands, the Caribbean Sea, -and the island of Cuba. Of the finest and most extensive culture, Mr. -Ballou is the ideal traveler.—_Boston Traveller._ - -DUE NORTH; or, Glimpses of Scandinavia and Russia. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - The author has the tact to travel without an object; he strolls. He -sees things accidentally; you feel that you might have seen the same -things, under the same circumstances. He never lectures; rarely -theorizes. It is as useful to read him as it is enjoyable to travel with -him.—_Journal of Education._ - -UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS: or, Travels in New Zealand, Australia, and - Tasmania. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - Few persons have traveled so extensively, and no one more profitably -both to himself and the public, than Mr. Ballou.—EDWIN P. WHIPPLE. - -EDGE-TOOLS OF SPEECH. Crown 8vo, $3.50. - - A remarkable compilation of brilliant and wise sayings from more than -a thousand various sources, embracing all the notable authors, classic -and modern, who have enriched the pages of history and literature. It -might be termed a whole library in one volume.—_Boston Beacon._ - -GENIUS IN SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. Crown 8vo, $1.50. - - Mr. Ballou displays a broad and thorough knowledge of men of genius in -all ages, and the comprehensive index makes the volume invaluable as a -book of reference, while—a rare thing in reference books—it is -thoroughly interesting for consecutive reading.—_The Journalist_ (New -York). - - - HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO., PUBLISHERS, - BOSTON AND NEW YORK. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE NEW ELDORADO - - A SUMMER JOURNEY TO ALASKA - - BY - - MATURIN M. BALLOU - - - I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry: - “’Tis all barren!” and so it is, and so is all the world to him - who will not cultivate the fruits it offers.—STERNE. - - [Publisher Logo] - - - BOSTON AND NEW YORK - HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY - The Riverside Press, Cambridge - 1889 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - Copyright, 1889, - BY MATURIN M. BALLOU. - - _All rights reserved._ - - - _The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A._ - Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Company. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PREFACE. - - --*-- - - -The Spaniards of old had a proverb signifying that he who would bring -home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with -him. If we would benefit by travel we must take with us an ample store -of appreciative intelligence. Nature, like lovely womanhood, only -reveals herself to him who humbly and diligently seeks her. As Sir -Richard Steele said of a certain noble lady: “To love her is a liberal -education.” Keen observation is as necessary to the traveler who would -improve by his vocation as are wings to an albatross. The trained and -appreciative eye is like the object-glass of the photographic machine, -nothing is so seemingly insignificant as to escape it. Careless, -half-educated persons are sent upon their travels in order, it is said, -that they may “learn.” Such individuals had best first learn to travel. -Those who improve the modern facilities for seeing the world acquire an -inexhaustible wealth of information, and a delightful mental resort of -which nothing can deprive them. The power of vision is thus enlarged, -many occurrences which have heretofore proved daily mysteries become -clear, prejudices are annihilated, and the judgment broadened. Above -all, let us first become familiar with the important features of our own -beautiful and widespread land before we seek foreign shores, especially -as we have on this continent so much of unequaled grandeur and unique -phenomena to satisfy and to attract us. It seems to the undersigned that -perhaps this volume will have a tendency to lead the reader to such -conclusion, and certainly this is its primary object. - - M. M. B. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS. - - --*-- - - - CHAPTER I. - - PAGE - - Itinerary.—St. Paul.—The Northern Pacific Railroad.— - Progress.—Luxurious Traveling.—Riding on a Locomotive.— - Night Experiences.—Prairie Scenes.—Immense Grain-Fields.— - The Badlands.—Climbing the Rocky Mountains.—Cinnabar.—The - Yellowstone Park.—An Accumulation of Wonders.—The Famous - Hot Springs Terrace.—How Formed.—As seen by Moonlight 1 - - - CHAPTER II. - - Nature in Poetic Moods.—Is there Lurking Danger?—A - Sanitarium.—The Liberty Cap.—The Giant’s Thumb.—Singular - Caves.—Falls of the Gardiner River.—In the Saddle.—Grand - Cañon of the Yellowstone.—Far-Reaching Antiquity.—Obsidian - Cliffs.—A Road of Glass.—Beaver Lake.—Animal Builders.— - Aborigines of the Park.—The Sheep-Eaters.—The Shoshones - and other Tribes 20 - - - CHAPTER III. - - Norris Geyser Basin.—Fire beneath the Surface.—A Guide’s - Ideas.—The Curious Paint Pot Basin.—Lower Geyser Basin.— - Boiling Springs of Many Colors.—Mountain Lions at Play.— - Midway Geyser Basin.—“Hell’s Half Acre.”—In the Midst of - Wonderland.—“Old Faithful.”—Other Active Geysers.—Erratic - Nature of these Remarkable Fountains 34 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - The Great Yellowstone Lake.—Myriads of Birds.—Solitary - Beauty of the Lake.—The Flora of the Park.—Devastating - Fires.—Wild Animals.—Grand Volcanic Centre.—Mountain - Climbing and Wonderful Views.—A Story of Discovery.— - Government Exploration of the Reservation.—Governor - Washburn’s Expedition.—“For the Benefit of the People at - Large Forever” 47 - - - CHAPTER V. - - Westward Journey resumed.—Queen City of the Mountains.— - Crossing the Rockies.—Butte City, the Great Mining - Centre.—Montana.—The Red Men.—About the Aborigines.—The - Cowboys of the West.—A Successful Hunter.—Emigrant Teams - on the Prairies.—Immense Forests.—Puget Sound.—The Famous - Stampede Tunnel.—Immigration 57 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Mount Tacoma.—Terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad.— - Great Inland Sea.—City of Tacoma and its Marvelous - Growth.—Coal Measures.—The Modoc Indians.—Embarking for - Alaska.—The Rapidly Growing City of Seattle.—Tacoma with - its Fifteen Glaciers.—Something about Port Townsend.—A - Chance for Members of Alpine Clubs 73 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - Victoria, Vancouver’s Island.—Esquimalt.—Chinamen.— - Remarkable Flora.—Suburbs of the Town.—Native Tribes.— - Cossacks of the Sea.—Manners and Customs.—The Early - Discoverer.—Sailing in the Inland Sea.—Excursionists.— - Mount St. Elias.—Mount Fairweather.—A Mount Olympus.— - Seymour Narrows.—Night on the Waters.—A Touch of the - Pacific 84 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Steamship Corona and her Passengers.—The New Eldorado.—The - Greed for Gold.—Alaska the Synonym of Glacier Fields.— - Vegetation of the Islands.—Aleutian Islands.—Attoo our - most Westerly Possession.—Native Whalers.—Life on the - Island of Attoo.—Unalaska.—Kodiak, former Capital of - Russian America.—The Greek Church.—Whence the Natives - originally came 109 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - Cook’s Inlet.—Manufacture of Quass.—Native Piety.—Mummies.— - The North Coast.—Geographical Position.—Shallowness of - Behring Sea.—Alaskan Peninsula.—Size of Alaska.—A “Terra - Incognita.”—Reasons why Russia sold it to our Government.— - The Price comparatively Nothing.—Rental of the Seal - Islands.—Mr. Seward’s Purchase turns out to be a Bonanza 127 - - - CHAPTER X. - - Territorial Acquisitions.—Population of Alaska.—Steady - Commercial Growth.—Primeval Forests.—The Country teems - with Animal Life.—A Mighty Reserve of Codfish.—Native - Food.—Fur-Bearing Animals.—Islands of St. George and St. - Paul.—Interesting Habits of the Fur-Seal.—The Breeding - Season.—Their Natural Food.—Mammoth Size of the Bull Seals 143 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - Enormous Slaughter of Seals.—Manner of Killing.—Battles - between the Bulls.—A Mythical Island.—The Seal as Food.— - The Sea-Otter.—A Rare and Valuable Fur.—The Baby - Sea-Otter.—Great Breeding-Place of Birds.—Banks of the - Yukon River.—Fur-Bearing Land Animals.—Aggregate Value of - the Trade.—Character of the Native Race 159 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - Climate of Alaska.—Ample Grass for Domestic Cattle.—Winter - and Summer Seasons.—The Japanese Current.—Temperature in - the Interior.—The Eskimos.—Their Customs.—Their Homes.— - These Arctic Regions once Tropical.—The Mississippi of - Alaska.—Placer Mines.—The Natives.—Strong Inclination for - Intoxicants 173 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - Sailing Northward.—Chinese Labor.—Unexplored Islands.—The - Alexander Archipelago.—Rich Virgin Soil.—Fish Cunning.— - Myriads of Salmon.—Native Villages.—Reckless Habits.— - Awkward Fashions and their Origin.—Tattooing Young Girls.— - Peculiar Effect of Inland Passages.—Mountain Echoes.— - Moonlight and Midnight on the Sea 186 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - The Alaskan’s Habit of Gambling.—Extraordinary Domestic - Carvings.—Silver Bracelets.—Prevailing Superstitions.— - Disposal of the Dead.—The Native “Potlatch.”—Cannibalism.— - Ambitions of Preferment.—Human Sacrifices.—The Tribes - slowly decreasing in Numbers.—Influence of the Women.— - Witchcraft.—Fetich Worship.—The Native Canoes.—Eskimo Skin - Boats 199 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - Still sailing Northward.—Multitudes of Water-Fowls.—Native - Graveyards.—Curious Totem-Poles.—Tribal and Family - Emblems.—Division of the Tribes.—Whence the Race came.—A - Clew to their Origin.—The Northern Eskimos.—A Remarkable - Museum of Aleutian Antiquities.—Jade Mountain.—The Art of - Carving.—Long Days.—Aborigines of the Yukon Valley.—Their - Customs 212 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - Fort Wrangel.—Plenty of Wild Game.—Natives do not care for - Soldiers, but have a Wholesome Fear of Gunboats.—Mode of - Trading.—Girls’ School and Home.—A Deadly Tragedy.—Native - Jewelry and Carving.—No Totem-Poles for Sale.—Missionary - Enterprises.—Progress in Educating Natives.—Various - Denominations engaged in the Missionary Work 222 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - Schools in Alaska.—Natives Ambitious to learn.—Wild - Flowers.—Native Grasses.—Boat Racing.—Avaricious Natives.— - The Candle Fish.—Gold Mines Inland.—Chinese Gold-Diggers.— - A Ledge of Garnets.—Belief in Omens.—More Schools - required.—The Pestiferous Mosquito.—Mosquitoes and Bears.— - Alaskan Fjords.—The Patterson Glacier 231 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - Norwegian Scenery.—Lonely Navigation.—The Marvels of Takou - Inlet.—Hundreds of Icebergs.—Home of the Frost King.—More - Gold Deposits.—Snowstorm among the Peaks.—Juneau the - Metropolis of Alaska.—Auk and Takou Indians.—Manners and - Customs.—Spartan Habits.—Disposal of Widows.—Duels.— - Sacrificing Slaves.—Hideous Customs still prevail 246 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - Aboriginal Dwellings.—Mastodons in Alaska.—Few Old People - alive.—Abundance of Rain.—The Wonderful Treadwell Gold - Mine.—Largest Quartz Crushing Mill in the World.— - Inexhaustible Riches.—Other Gold Mines.—The Great Davidson - Glacier.—Pyramid Harbor.—Native Frauds.—The Chilcats.— - Mammoth Bear.—Salmon Canneries 258 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - Glacier Bay.—More Ice Bays.—Majestic Front of the Muir - Glacier.—The Bombardment of the Glacier.—One of the - Grandest Sights in the World.—A Moving River of Ice.—The - Natives.—Abundance of Fish.—Native Cooking.—Wild Berries.— - Hoonish Tribe.—Copper Mines.—An Iron Mountain.—Coal Mines 275 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - Sailing Southward.—Sitka, Capital of Alaska.—Transfer of the - Territory from Russia to America.—Site of the City.—The - Old Castle.—Russian Habits.—A Haunted Chamber.—Russian - Elegance and Hospitality.—The Old Greek Church.—Rainfall - at Sitka.—The Japanese Current.—Abundance of Food.—Plenty - of Vegetables.—A Fine Harbor 293 - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - Contrast between American and Russian Sitka.—A Practical - Missionary.—The Sitka Industrial School.—Gold Mines on the - Island.—Environs of the Town.—Future Prosperity of the - Country.—Hot Springs.—Native Religious Ideas.—A Natural - Taste for Music.—A Native Brass Band.—Final View of the - Capital 304 - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - The Return Voyage.—Prince of Wales Island.—Peculiar - Effects.—Island and Ocean Voyages contrasted.—Labyrinth of - Verdant Islands.—Flora of the North.—Political Condition - of Alaska.—Return to Victoria.—What Clothing to wear on - the Journey North.—City of Vancouver.—Scenes in British - Columbia.—Through the Mountain Ranges 321 - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - In the Heart of the Rocky Mountains.—Struggle in a - Thunder-Storm.—Grand Scenery.—Snow-Capped Mountains and - Glaciers.—Banff Hot Springs.—The Canadian Park.—Eastern - Gate of the Rockies.—Calgary.—Natural Gas.—Cree and - Blackfeet Indians.—Regina.—Farming on a Big Scale.—Port - Arthur.—North Side of Lake Superior.—A Midsummer Night’s - Dream 338 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE NEW ELDORADO - - --*-- - - - - - CHAPTER I. - -Itinerary.—St. Paul.—The Northern Pacific Railroad.—Progress.—Luxurious - Traveling.—Riding on a Locomotive.—Night Experiences.—Prairie Scenes.— - Immense Grain-Fields.—The Badlands.—Climbing the Rocky Mountains.— - Cinnabar.—The Yellowstone Park.—An Accumulation of Wonders.—The Famous - Hot Springs Terrace.—How Formed.—As Seen by Moonlight. - - -A journey from Massachusetts to Alaska was a serious undertaking a few -years ago. It involved great personal risk, considerable expense, and -many long months of weary travel; but it is now considered scarcely more -than a holiday excursion, a good share of which may be denominated a -marine picnic. That an important country, so easily accessible, should -remain comparatively unexplored seems singular in the nineteenth -century, especially when its great mineral wealth and natural -attractions are freely admitted. The trip to Sitka, the capital of the -Territory, and back is easily accomplished in three months, affording -also ample time to visit the principal points of interest on the route, -including the marvels of the Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, -which is not only not surpassed in grandeur and beauty by any scenery on -the continent, but in fact has no parallel on the globe. The traveler -also naturally pauses on his way to examine at least one of the great -mining centres of this gold-producing country, such as Butte, the -“Silver City” of Montana, where he may behold scenes eclipsing in -affluence the fabulous story of Midas. The plan adopted by the author, -as herein detailed, was to make the westward journey by the Northern -Pacific Railroad to Tacoma, on Puget Sound, where the remarkable inland -sea voyage begins, thence sailing north to Pyramid Harbor and Glacier -Bay, stopping as usual at the intermediate places of interest. - -On the homeward passage, to vary the journey and to enjoy the wild -scenery of British Columbia, Alberta, Assiniboia, and Manitoba, he left -the steamer at Vancouver, returning by the Canadian Pacific Railway, -which presents to the lover of nature such famous scenic advantages. - -The journey westward seems practically to begin when the traveler -reaches St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota, by way of Chicago, as here -he strikes the trunk line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which has an -exclusive and unbroken track thence to Tacoma, a distance of nearly two -thousand miles, the whole of which is covered with novelty and interest. - -We will not pause to fully describe St. Paul, that youthful city of -marvelous growth, promise, and beauty, with her mammoth business -edifices of stone and brick, her palatial private residences, and her -charming boulevards. The most casual visitor is eloquent upon these -themes, as well as regarding the open-handed hospitality of her two -hundred thousand inhabitants. Three iron bridges span the Mississippi at -St. Paul, one of which is nearly three thousand feet long, supported -upon arches two hundred and fifty feet in span, and having a roadway -elevated two hundred feet above the water. - -St. Paul is situated upon a series of terraces rising from the left bank -of the Mississippi River, its site being both commanding and -picturesque. Thus built at the head of navigation on a great waterway, -it naturally commands a trade of no circumscribed character, besides -enjoying the prestige of being the State capital. - -Were it not for the unlimited facilities of transportation afforded by -the grand and beneficent railroad enterprise embraced in the Northern -Pacific system, the development of the vast and fertile country which -lies between Lake Superior and the Pacific Ocean would have been delayed -for half a century or more. It should be remembered that so late as 1850 -there was not one mile of railroad in existence west of the Mississippi -River. In 1836 there were, at most, but a thousand miles in operation on -the entire American continent. This is an epoch of progress. Japan is -traversed by railways, even China has caught the contagion, and is now -building roads for the use of the iron horse in more than one direction -within that ancient and widespread empire, while Russia and India are -“gridironed” with rails. - -It was remarked in a congressional speech in the year 1847 that the -Rocky Mountains would be the limit of railroad enterprise across our -continent; that the barrier presented by these huge elevations and the -extensive “desert tract” beyond them must certainly prevent the -development of the Pacific States. - -“Desert,” indeed! - -No land on the globe produces such remarkable cereal crops as this very -prairie soil is doing each successive year, not only supplying our own -rapidly increasing population with the stuff of life, but also feeding -the less fortunate millions of Europe, where excessive labor and costly -enrichment must make up the deficit arising from an exhausted soil and -circumscribed area. The reader who follows these pages will not fail to -see how liable legislators are to be mistaken in their predictions, and -how apt events are to transcend the weak judgment of the confident and -inexperienced declaimer. Even that Titan statesman, Daniel Webster, put -himself on record in the United States Senate, while speaking against a -proposition to establish a mail route through a portion of the western -country, as follows: “What do we want with this vast, worthless area— -this region of savages and wild beasts, of deserts of shifting sands and -whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we -ever hope to put these great deserts or those endless mountain ranges, -impenetrable, and covered to their very base with eternal snow? What can -we ever hope to do with the western coast,—a coast of three thousand -miles, rock-bound, cheerless, uninviting, and not a harbor on it? What -use have we for this country?” - -In crossing the continent by the route we have chosen, one passes -through a country whose grand scenic charms can hardly be exaggerated, -in describing which superlatives only will apply, and whose agricultural -advantages, natural resources, and mineral wealth are probably unequaled -in the known world. We are taken through the productive wheat-fields of -Minnesota and Dakota, among the gold and silver bearing hills of Idaho -and Montana, into the prolific, garden-like valleys of Washington, whose -lovely hopfields rival the gorgeous display of Kent in England, and -whose abundant supply of coal and iron is only second to that of -Pennsylvania. - -The State has been, and may well be, denominated the Eden of the North -Pacific. - -On our way we are constantly meeting immense freight trains, laden with -grain, flour, cattle, and other merchandise, bound for the Atlantic -coast; long strings of coal cars, winding snake-like round sharp curves, -and creeping up steep grades; passenger vans crowded with animated, -intelligent people, all together testifying to the great and growing -traffic of the West and Northwest. We pass scores of lofty grain -elevators, high piles of lumber, and miles of various kinds of -merchandise prepared for, and awaiting, shipment eastward, all of which -evinces a local capacity for production far beyond our computation. How -marvelous is the change from the conditions existing in this region a -few years since, when millions of buffaloes roamed unmolested over these -plains, valleys, and hills from Texas to Manitoba! The skeletons of -these herds still sprinkle the prairies, bleached by the summer sun and -crumbled by the winter’s frost. Hundreds of carloads are annually -shipped eastward to the factories which manufacture fertilizers. - -As we speed on our western journey day and night, gliding through long -tunnels and deep rock cuttings, over airy trestles, immense embankments, -bridges, and viaducts, representing the skillful accomplishments of -modern engineering, we carry along with us the domestic conveniences of -home. The train, in fact, becomes our hotel for the time being, where we -bathe, eat, sleep, and enjoy the passing scenery seated in luxuriously -upholstered easy-chairs, which at night are ingeniously transformed as -if by magic into soft and inviting beds. The elegance and comfort of -these parlor, dining, and sleeping cars is calculated to make traveling -what it has in a measure become, an inviting luxury. The miraculous cap -of Fortunatus would seem to have been pressed into our service. So -thoroughly perfected is the transcontinental railroad system that it is -quite possible to enter the cars in an Atlantic city, say at Boston or -New York, and not leave the train until five or six days have expired, -when the objective point on the Pacific coast is reached. - -While passing through deep gorges at night, or creeping over a mountain -top, the effect from one’s seat in the cars is weird and curious, -especially when the winding track makes long curves in the train, so -that the panting iron horse is seen from the rear, all ablaze and -emitting dense clouds of smoke. The snow-tipped peaks on one side and -the threatening gulch of unknown depth on the other assume a mantle of -soft, gauze-like texture in the clear moonlight. At times one half -believes this rails are laid upon the tree-tops, the branches of which -loom up so close to us. Away in the valley, two thousand feet and more -below our level, a rippling stream sparkles in the silvery light while -on its way to swell some larger watercourse which drains the rocky -hills. Looking far across the valley we try to make out the distant -mountains, but only dim phantoms of gigantic size are seen, gliding -stealthily away in the darkness. - -We make interest with the conductor and engineer of the train for a -special purpose. We are in search of a new sensation, to wit, such as -may be derived from a night-ride on the engine, where one can see all -the engineer sees, which is indeed little enough. The headlight of the -locomotive throws its rays dimly on the darkness for a few rods in -advance of the train. But what does that amount to, so far as being able -to avoid danger? That brief space is passed in a second of time, and it -is impossible to see what is beyond. The faithful engineer stands with -both hands upon the machinery, one with which to instantly apply the -brakes, the other to shut off the steam if danger shows itself ahead. -That is all he can do. What a boisterous, asthmatic monster it is that -drags the long train through the darkness at the rate of a mile in two -minutes! How its hot breath belches forth, and how it springs and leaps -over the iron track, fed incessantly with fresh fuel by the stoker! To -one not accustomed to the oscillating motion, it is nearly impossible to -keep his footing, much more difficult than on board of a pitching or -rolling ship at sea. The motion is short, quick, and incessant. Black,— -black as Erebus; how venturesome it seems to dash into such darkness! -What a tempting of fate! Yet how few accidents, comparatively, occur! -“The law of averages is what we calculate upon,” said the engineer of -No. —; “about so many people will be killed annually out of a given -number of railroad travelers. We take all reasonable precautions to -prevent accidents, but there are thousands of exigencies beyond our -control.” If any one proposes to you, gentle reader, to indulge in a -night-ride on a locomotive, take our advice, and don’t do it. - -One does not linger in bed when passing through a country famous for its -scenery. The experienced traveler has learned that the opening hours of -the day are those in which his best and clearest impressions are -received. He therefore rises betimes to enjoy the cool, dewy freshness -of the morning. Now and again a prairie-owl is seen groping its winged -way to shelter from the increasing light. He is sure to see plenty of -coyotes, gray wolves, and graceful antelopes on the rolling prairies, -each of these animals exhibiting in some special and interesting manner -its natural proclivities. The prairie-dog nervously diving into and -leaping out of its little prairie mound; the wolf bravely facing and -glaring at the passing train, though careful to keep at a wholesome -distance; and the antelopes in small herds hastening away by graceful -bounds over the nearest hills, far too pretty and far too ornamental to -shoot, suggesting in form and movements that most picturesque of wild -animals, the Tyrolean chamois. - -Minnesota presents to the eye of the traveler a grand and impressive -country in the form of rolling prairies, diversified by lakes,—of which -there are said to be ten thousand in the State,—forests, and inviting -valleys, the latter particularly adapted for raising wheat and for dairy -farming. Vast fields of ripening cereals are seen stretching for miles -on either side of the railroad, without a fence to break their -uniformity. This State possesses among other advantages that of a -climate particularly dry, invigorating, and healthful. Four hundred -miles of our route is through Northern Dakota, where the farming lands -are easily tilled, well watered, and wonderfully prolific in crops. The -choicest wheat grown in America, known as hard spring wheat, comes from -this section, which has been called “the granary of the world.” The -gigantic scale on which wheat-raising is here conducted would seem -incredible if faithfully described to an old-time New England farmer. -The improvement which has been made in machinery connected with sowing, -reaping, harvesting, and threshing grain enables one man to do as much -in this western country as a dozen men could accomplish twenty-five or -thirty years ago. There are wheat farms here embracing twenty thousand -acres each, where economy in labor is of the utmost importance, and -where the employees are so numerous as to be kept under semi-military -organization. The author has seen the big grain-fields of Russian Poland -in their prime, but they are as nothing when compared with those of -Northern Dakota, nor are the farming facilities which are generally -employed throughout Europe nearly equal to those of this country. - -At Bismarck, capital of the State, which is a small but energetic and -thriving place, the Missouri River is crossed by a magnificent iron -bridge, hung high in air, which cost a million dollars. This is the acme -of successful engineering, passing our long, heavy train of cars over a -track of gleaming rails from shore to shore without the least -perceptible tremor, or the deflection of a single inch. The great -waterway which it spans measures at this place fully twenty-eight -hundred feet from bank to bank, though it is at this point two thousand -miles from its confluence with the Mississippi. - -The route we are following soon takes us through what are called the -Badlands, a most singular region, where subterranean and surface fires -are constantly burning, where trees have become petrified, and where the -natural blue clay has been converted into terra cotta. This locality, -extending for miles and miles, has been called Pyramid Park, on account -of its fantastic forms presented in a singular variety of colors, and -because of its mounds, domes, pyramids, and rocky towers. These vary as -much in height as in form, some measuring ten feet, some two hundred, -while all are clad in harlequin costume, black, white, blue, green, and -yellow. It is called Badlands in contradistinction to the adjoining -country, which is so very fertile, but the district is improved as good -grazing ground for many thousands of cattle which supply our Atlantic -cities with beef. Some of the best breeds of horses furnished to the -Eastern States are raised, fed, and brought into marketable condition on -these peculiar lands. - -This region forms a sort of tangible hint of what we shall experience -still farther on our Wonderland journey in the interesting and unequaled -valley of the Yellowstone, where there are abundant evidences of -volcanic force and subterranean fires, and where Nature is seen in her -most erratic mood. - -Just as we pass from Dakota into Montana, a short distance beyond the -Little Missouri River, a lofty peak called Sentinel Butte is seen, at an -elevation of nearly three thousand feet above sea level. The teeming, -vigorous young life of the Northwest is manifest all along the route, -with its wonderful energy and its almost incredible rate of progress. We -were told that in the State which we had just left three thousand miles -of railroad had been built and properly equipped before it contained a -single town of more than five hundred inhabitants. - -In the State of Montana we find a more hilly country than that through -which we have so recently passed, yet it is well adapted to farming and -possesses large areas of excellent grazing land. Indeed, there is -scarcely any part of this territory, except the mountain ranges, where -the climate is not sufficiently mild for cattle to winter out-of-doors. -Undoubtedly they will thrive better for being housed at night in the -coldest weather here or anywhere, but this is not absolutely necessary. -No food is required for them except the native bunch grass, which cures -itself, and stands as hay until the succeeding spring. Cattle are very -fond of and will quickly fatten upon it. Sheep husbandry is also a great -and growing interest here. We observe now and again a thrifty flock, -tended by a boy-shepherd accompanied by his dog, recalling similar -scenes in Tasmania and on the plains of Russia. - -Statistics show that there are over two million acres now under -cultivation in Montana, and that the territory is also fabulously rich -in minerals. The present output of gold, silver, and copper is at the -rate of three million dollars per month, and the yield of the mines is -steadily on the increase. - -As we hasten on our way, looking on one side far down into sombre -depths, and on the other at threatening, overhanging bowlders, or -backward at the road-bed cut out of the solid rock which forms the -cliff, we wonder at the successful audacity which conceived and built -such a difficult highway. We have seen few instances of similar -engineering so remarkable as is exhibited at certain points on the -Northern Pacific Railroad. Equal difficulties have been overcome on the -Zig-zag Railway over the Blue Mountain Range, near Sidney, Australia, -and also in Northern India, where the narrow gauge railroad climbs the -foothills of the Himalayan Range to Darjeeling, about eight thousand -feet above the plains of Hindostan, but in neither of these instances is -the work so thorough, or on so gigantic a scale, as where the Northern -Pacific crosses the Rocky Mountains. - -We are quite conscious of being on an up grade, the large engine panting -audibly from its extra exertion, and the train moving forward no faster -than one could walk. Presently tall, snow-capped peaks come trooping -into view, like mounted Bedouins clad in fleecy white, as the small city -of Livingston is reached. This locality is about forty-five hundred feet -above the sea. The town is situated in a beautiful valley, with nothing -to indicate its altitude except the snow-crowned mountains not far away, -standing like frigid sentinels. The observant traveler will also notice -a certain rarefied condition of the atmosphere. Here we are about midway -between the Great Lakes and the Pacific coast,—between Superior, the -largest lake on the globe, and the Pacific, the largest ocean in the -world. - -Livingston contains three thousand inhabitants, and is a thriving place, -the frequent resort of many lovers of the rod and gun, both large and -small game being found in abundance hereabouts. Forty miles north of -Livingston is Castle Mountain mining district, rich in silver ores, and -from whose argentiferous soil millions of dollars have been coined and -hundreds of enterprising prospectors enriched. A branch road is taken at -this point which runs directly southward to Cinnabar, a distance of -nearly fifty miles, from which place coaches convey the traveler about -six miles farther to the Wonderland of our continent,—the Yellowstone -National Park. - -The terminus of the railroad is known by the name of Cinnabar because it -is situated at the base of a mountain bearing that title, remarkable for -its exposure of vertical strata of three distinct geological periods. -Here is a famous place known as the Devil’s Slide, a singular formation -caused by the washing out of a vertical stratum of soft material between -one of quartzite and another of porphyry. The slide is two thousand feet -high, and being of different color from the rest of the rocky mountain -side is discernible for many miles away. - -We have now reached one of the most remarkable points of our excursion, -which demands more than a passing notice, sharing with the great -glaciers of Alaska the principal interest of the present journey -westward across the continent. - -This magnificent territorial reservation is situated in the northwestern -part of Wyoming, embracing also a narrow strip of southern Montana and -southeastern Idaho, lying in the very heart of the Rocky Mountains. It -was wisely withdrawn from settlement by an act of Congress in 1872, and -is beneficently devoted forever to “the pleasure and enjoyment of the -people.” It forms a great preserve for wild animals, and a natural -museum of marvels free to all. The well conceived liberality of this -purpose is only commensurate with the unequaled grandeur of the Park -itself, though at the time of passing this law comparatively little was -actually known of the stupendous marvels contained within its widespread -borders, besides which fresh discoveries of interest are still being -made annually. - -Of all those who have endeavored to depict this locality, none have been -able to convey with the pen an adequate idea of its wild magnificence, -or to give a satisfactory description of its accumulated wonders. The -eye alone can appreciate its indescribable beauty, majesty, and -loveliness. - -By the judicious expenditure of public money and the liberal outlay of -corporate enterprise in road and bridge building, not to mention other -facilities, one can now pretty thoroughly explore the Park in the brief -period of a week or ten days. To do this satisfactorily heretofore -required thrice this length of time, besides which, camping out was -necessary; but it is no longer so, unless one chooses to play the gypsy. -This plan is adopted by a few summer tourists, who take with them a -regular camp outfit, depending upon the fish they catch for a -considerable portion of their food supply during this out-of-door life. - -The Park is under the control of the Secretary of the Interior. A local -superintendent lives here, who is assisted by a few game-keepers and -government police, besides which there is a small gang of laborers -constantly at work during the favorable season, building roads and -bridges, opening vistas here and there, and clearing convenient -footpaths, under the direction of an army engineer. Two companies of -United States cavalry make their headquarters in the Park during the -summer months, distributed so as to prevent any unlawful acts of -visitors. The size of the reservation is sixty-four miles in length by -fifty-four in width, thus giving it an area of over three thousand six -hundred square miles. Or, to convey perhaps a clearer idea of its extent -to the reader’s mind, it may be said to be nearly one half the size of -the State of Massachusetts. It is a volcanic region of incessant -activity, with mountains ranging from eight to twelve thousand feet in -height, and embracing a collection of spouting geysers, hot springs, -steam holes, petrified forests, cascades, extraordinary cañons, and -grand waterfalls, such as are unequaled in the known world. - -We do not forget the well-known geysers of Iceland, or the Hot Lake -district of New Zealand, with which the traveled visitor finds himself -contrasting the phenomena of the Yellowstone. - -The writer of these pages happened lately to see an article upon our -National Park, written by the Earl of Dunraven, in which that gentleman -questions whether the singular natural exhibitions here are not exceeded -by those of New Zealand. We are familiar with both localities, and shall -dismiss such a supposition simply by saying that the hot springs of the -British colony referred to are no more to be compared with those of the -Yellowstone Park, than is an artificial Swiss cascade comparable with -Niagara. If Nature has anywhere else shown so wonderful a specimen of -her handicraft, it has not yet been our lot to see it. - -All the natural objects best worth visiting in the Park are now -accessible by daily stages, which start at convenient hours from the -hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs, making the round of the interesting -sights; thus affording the general public every needed facility for -examining the strangely attractive vicinity. - -Near the hotel is an area of two hundred acres and more, covered here -and there with boiling, terrace-building springs, which burst out of -sloping ground in ceaseless pulsations, at an elevation of about a -thousand feet above the Gardiner River near by, into which the main -portion of the chemically impregnated waters flow. Five hundred feet -from the base of the springs the water becomes cool, tasteless, and -perfectly clear to the eye, as refreshing to drink as any water from the -purest mountain rill. In ordinary quantities it has no evident medicinal -effect, but is thought to be a wholesome tonic, with blood-purifying -power. Some springs in the Park, though inviting in appearance, are to -be avoided on account of certain objectionable medical properties which -they possess. The hot springs adjacent to the hotel issue from many -vents and at various elevations, slowly building for themselves terrace -after terrace with circular pools, held in singularly beautiful -stalactite basins, formed by depositing in thin layers the chemical -substances which they contain. Some are infused with the oxide of iron, -and produce a coating of delicately tinted red; others are exquisitely -shaded in yellow by an infusion of sulphur; while some, from like -causes, are of a dainty cream color. Upon numerous basins there are seen -wavy, frill-like borders of bright green, indicating the presence of -arsenic. Here and there the margins of the pools are scalloped and edged -with a delicate bead-work, like Oriental pearls, while others are -curiously honeycombed, and fretted with singular regularity. No artistic -hand, however skillful, could equal Nature in these delicate and -exquisitely developed forms. The grand terrace, viewed as a whole, is -like a huge series of stairs or steps, two hundred feet high and five -hundred broad, decked with variegated marble, together with white and -pink coral. This immense calcareous formation might represent a frozen -waterfall, or a congealed cascade. The water, in most instances, is at -boiling heat as it pours out of the various openings, charged with iron, -magnesia, sulphur, alumina, soda, and other substances. Every spring has -its succession of limpid pools spreading out in all directions, the -basins varying in size from ten to forty feet across their openings. -When the sun penetrates the half enshrouding mist, and brings out the -myriad colors of these beautiful terraces, the effect is truly charming; -it is as though a rainbow had been shattered and the pieces strewn -broadcast. While thus wreathed in vapors, as the evening approaches and -the whole is touched by the rosy tints of the setting sun, the entire -façade glows with softest opaline blushes, like a conscious maiden -challenged by ardent admiration. For a moment, as we gaze upon its -illumined expanse, it seems like a gorgeous marble ruin half consumed -and still ablaze, the fire of which is being extinguished by an -avalanche of snow-clouds. Such a scene cannot be depicted by -photography; it cannot be represented faithfully by the artist’s -skillful touch in oils, because, like the vivid beauty of a sunset on -the ocean, the light and shade are momentarily changing, while the -prismatic hues gently dissolve into each other’s embrace. - -If possible, let the visitor witness the magic of the spot by moonlight. -It is then fairy-like indeed, shrouded in a thin, silvery screen,— -“mysterious veil of brightness made,”—like the transparent yashmak of an -East Indian houri. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER II. - -Nature in Poetic Moods.—Is there Lurking Danger?—A Sanitarium.—The - Liberty Cap.—The Giant’s Thumb.—Singular Caves.—Falls of the Gardiner - River.—In the Saddle.—Grand Cañon of the Yellowstone.—Far-Reaching - Antiquity. Obsidian Cliffs.—A Road of Glass.—Beaver Lake.—Animal - Builders.—Aborigines of the Park.—The Sheep-Eaters.—The Shoshones and - other Tribes. - - -How unapproachable is Nature in her poetic moods! how opulent in -measure! how subtle in delicacy! No structure of truest proportions -reared by man could equal the beauty of this lovely, parti-colored -terrace. It recalled—being of kindred charm—that perfection of -Mohammedan architecture the Taj-Mahal at Agra, as seen under the deep -blue sky and blazing sun of India. Since the late sweeping destruction -by earthquake and volcanic outburst of the similarly formed pink and -white terraces in the Hot Lake district of New Zealand, at Tarawera, -these of the Yellowstone Park have no longer a known rival. We may -therefore congratulate ourselves in possessing a natural formation which -is both grand and unique. In the far-away southern country referred to, -there were no more symptoms foretelling the awful convulsion of nature -which buried a broad, deep lake, together with an entire valley and -native village, beneath lava and volcanic ashes, than there is exhibited -in our own reservation at this writing. What signifies it that the -Yellowstone Park has probably remained in its present comparatively -quiet condition for many, many ages? The liability to a grand volcanic -outburst at any moment is none the less imminent. History repeats -itself. It has ever been the same with all great throes of Nature. -Centuries of comparative quiet elapse, and then occurs, without any -obvious predisposing cause, a great and awful explosion. The catastrophe -of Pompeii is familiar to us all, which, in its turn, repeated the story -of Herculaneum. - -The Mammoth Hot Springs of the Yellowstone Park are not only beautiful -in the tangible forms which they present, and the kaleidoscopic -combinations of color which they produce, though their seeming crystal -clearness is indescribable, but they have also remarkable medicinal -virtues which enhance their interest and practical value. It is on this -account that the place is gradually becoming a popular sanitarium, -drawing patients from long distances at suitable seasons, especially -those who suffer from rheumatic affections and skin diseases. Persistent -bathing in the waters accomplishes many remarkable cures, if current -statements can be credited, and there is ample reason for such a result. -The pure air of this altitude must also be of great benefit to invalids -generally, but more especially to those suffering from malarial poison -and nervous prostration. The chemical properties of each spring are -distinctive, most of them having been carefully analyzed, and the -invalid is thus enabled to choose the one which is presumably best -adapted to his special ailment. - -Groups of pines, or single trees, find sufficient nutriment in the -calcareous deposit to support life, and thus a certain barrenness is -robbed of its depressing effect, while the whole is partially framed by -densely wooded hills which serve to throw the terraces strongly into the -foreground. When we last looked upon the scene the sun was setting amid -a canopy of gold and orange hues, as the evening gun of the military -encampment in the valley echoed again and again in sonorous tones among -the everlasting hills, and died away in the distant gorges of the -Yellowstone. - -A lady visitor who entered the Park at the same time with the author, on -the first day of her arrival placed a pine cone in one of the springs -near to the hotel. So rapid is the action of the mineral deposit which -is constantly going on that at the close of the eighth day the cone was -taken from the spring crystallized, as it were, being encrusted with a -silicious deposit nearly the sixteenth of an inch in thickness. Branches -of fern, acorns, and other objects are treated in a similar manner, -often producing very charming and peculiar ornaments which serve as -pleasing souvenirs of the traveler’s visit. - -In sight of the hotel piazza there is a curious and interesting object, -built up by a spouting spring long since extinct, and which has been -named the Liberty Cap. It is a little on one side but yet in front of -the terraces, and appears to be composed entirely of carbonate of lime. -With a diameter of about fifteen feet at the base, it gradually tapers -to its apex forty feet from the ground. This prominent formation, though -remarkable, is yet no mystery. It was produced by the waters of a -spring, probably forced up by hydrostatic pressure, overflowing and -precipitating its sediment around the vent, until finally, the cause -ceasing, the pressure become exhausted and the cone was thus formed. It -may have required ages of activity in the spring thus to erect its own -mausoleum,—no one can safely conjecture how long. Still nearer to the -terraces is a similar formation called the Giant’s Thumb. Both are -slowly becoming disintegrated by atmospheric influences; we say slowly, -since they may still exist, slightly diminished in size, a hundred years -hence. There is manifestly a tendency in the springs which are now -active in other parts of the neighborhood to build just such tall -cylinders of sinter about their vents. Some of the partially formed -cones in the vicinity are perfect, as far as they have accumulated, -while others present a broken appearance, as if shattered by a sudden -explosion. - -There are several caves in the neighborhood of the terraces daintily -ornamented with stalactites of snowy whiteness, where springs which have -long since become exhausted were once as active as those which now -render this place so interesting. From one of these caves there issues a -peculiar gas, believed to be fatal to animal life. A bird, it is said, -flying across the entrance close enough to inhale the vapor will drop -lifeless to the ground. We are not prepared to vouch for this,—indeed we -very much doubt the guide’s story,—but it naturally recalled the Grotto -del Cane, near Naples, where it will be remembered the guides are only -too ready to sacrifice a dog for such visitors as are cruel enough to -permit it, by causing the animal to inhale the poisonous gas which -settles to the lower part of the cave so named. - -There is another cave not far from the hotel very seldom resorted to, -and which appears to have once been the operating sphere of a large -geyser, but which is now only a dark hole. Into this one descends by a -ladder. It is a weird, uncanny place, requiring torches in order to see -after entering its precincts. Aroused by the artificial light, myriads -of bats drop from the ceiling, until the place seems alive with them. -Now and then in their gyrations one touches the visitor’s hand or cheek -with its cold, damp body, causing an involuntary shudder. Verily, the -Bats’ Cave is not an inviting place to visit. - -One of the first places which the stranger seeks after enjoying the -attractions of the terraces and a few curiosities near to the hotel is -the Middle Falls of the Gardiner River, situated three or four miles -away in a southerly direction. Here we look down into a broad, dark -cañon considerably over a thousand feet deep, and whose rough, -precipitous sides are nearly five hundred feet apart at the summit, -gradually narrowing towards the bottom. The Gardiner River flows through -the gorge, having at one place an unbroken fall of a hundred feet; also -presenting a mad, roaring, rushing series of cascades of three hundred -feet descent. The aspect and general characteristics of this turmoil of -waters recalled the famous Falls of Trolhätta, in Sweden. The hoarse -music of the waters, rising through the branches of the pines which line -the gorge, pierce the ear with a thrilling cadence all their own, while -the dark cañon stretches away for many miles in its wild and sombre -grandeur. It is well to visit this spot before going to greater -distances from the hotel. Impressive as it is sure to prove, there is -yet a much superior feature of the Park, of similar character, which -remains to be seen. We refer to the Grand Cañon of the Yellowstone -River, where an immense cataract is formed by the surging waters near -the head of the gorge, which here narrows to about one hundred feet. The -volume of water is very great at the point where it rushes over a ledge -nearly four hundred feet in height, at one bold leap. This is known as -the Lower Fall, there being another half a mile above it, called the -Upper Fall, which is one hundred and fifty feet high. These falls are -more picturesque, but less grand than the Lower. They are presented to -our view higher up among the green trees, where lovely wild flowers and -waving ferns cling to the rocks, and under the inspiring rays of the -sunlight add to their brightness and crystal beauty. A waterfall, like -an oil-painting, may be hung in a good or a disadvantageous position as -to light, and both are largely dependent upon this contingency for their -inspiring charm. - -The Great or Lower Fall of the Yellowstone Cañon is twice as high as -Niagara, while the beautiful blazonry on the walls of the deep gorge, -like some huge mosaic, all aglow with matchless color, marvelous in -opulence, adds a fascinating charm unknown to the mammoth fall just -named. These varied hues have been produced by the snow and frost, vapor -and sunshine, the lightning and the rain of ages, acting upon certain -chemical constituents of the native rock. This is said to be the most -wonderful mountain gorge, when all of its belongings are taken into -consideration, yet discovered. It is over twenty miles long, and is in -many places from twelve to fifteen hundred feet deep. The author has -visited the imposing cañons of Colorado, the thrilling gorges of the -Yosemite, and some of still greater magnitude in the Himalayan range of -northern India, but never has he seen the equal of this Grand Cañon of -the Yellowstone, or beheld so high a waterfall of equal volume. - -A safe platform has been erected at the edge of the fall, where one can -stand and witness its amazing plunge of over three hundred and fifty -feet. The stranger instinctively holds his breath while watching the -irresistible volume of water as it advances, and follows it with the eye -into the profound depth of the cañon. The best view of the gorge, -however, is that obtained from Lookout Point, situated about a mile -south of the Lower Fall. A half mile farther in the same direction, and -at the same elevation, lies Inspiration Point, from whence a more -comprehensive outlook may be enjoyed. The grouping of crags, pinnacles, -and inaccessible points is grand and inexpressibly beautiful. Eagles’ -nests with their young are visible at eyries quite out of reach, save to -the monarch bird itself. On other isolated points, far below us, are -seen the nests of fish-hawks, whose builders look like swallows in size -as they float upon the air, or dart for their prey into the swift, -tumultuous stream that threads the valley. Gazing upon the scene, the -vastness of which is bewildering, a sense of reverence creeps over us,— -reverence for that Almighty hand whose power is here recorded in such -unequaled splendor. At last it is a relief to turn away from looking -into the sheer depth and reach a securer basis for the feet. Still we -linger until the sunset shadows lengthen and pass away, followed by the -silvery moonlight. Every hour of the day has its peculiar charm of light -and shade as seen upon the cañon and its churning waters. - -The excursion out and back from the hotel to view the principal points -of interest in the neighborhood covers a distance of about seven miles -through the woods and along the threatening brink of the gorge. A rude -Indian trail affords the only means of reaching the several outlooks. -Saddle-horses are supplied for the excursion by the hotel proprietor, -and visitors generally avail themselves of this mode of transportation. -The horses employed for the service are remarkably sagacious and -sure-footed. Understanding exactly what is required of them, they -overcome the deep pitches and abrupt rises of the narrow, tortuous way -with great ingenuity and caution. At times one is borne so near the -brink of the awful chasm as to make the passage rather exciting. It must -be admitted that a single misstep on the part of the animal which bears -him would hurl horse and rider two thousand feet down the cañon to -instant destruction. There is no barrier between the cliff and the few -inches of earth forming the path. Visitors are cautioned at starting to -give the horses their heads, and not attempt to guide them as they would -do under ordinary circumstances. The intelligent animals fully -comprehend the exigencies of the situation. On the occasion of the -writer’s visit the equestrian party consisted of nine persons, including -the guide; of these, two ladies and one gentleman abandoned the saddles -after the first mile, finding the seeming danger too much for their -nerves, and completed the long tramp on foot. - -“What wonderful majesty and beauty are hidden here from an unconscious -world,” said an experienced member of our little party whom chance had -brought together at the brink of the gorge. “Everybody visits Niagara,” -he continued, “but few, comparatively, participate in the glory and -loveliness of this place, and yet how superior in attraction it is to -those lines of summer travel, the Natural Bridge of Virginia, the -Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, or even the justly famed Yosemite Valley;”—a -sentiment which all heartily indorsed. - -In these pages we pass rapidly from one great attraction to another, -because we have only a limited space in which to speak of them, but the -intelligent and appreciative visitor will be more leisurely in his -examination. Hours may be profitably occupied in the careful observation -and thorough enjoyment of each locality, the interest growing by what it -feeds upon. One hardly realizes the passage of time when occupied in the -contemplation of such strange and absorbing objects, and is apt to -linger thoughtfully until he is warned by the business-like suggestion -of the guide. - -Another interesting spot which the stranger will hasten to visit is the -Obsidian Cliffs, situated about a dozen miles from the hotel. These -singular and, so far as we know, unique cliffs are formed of volcanic -glass, and measure a thousand feet in length by nearly two hundred in -height, recalling in general effect the Giant’s Causeway in the north of -Ireland. They rise in almost vertical columns from the eastern shore of -Beaver Lake. The color of the glass is dark green, like that of which -cheap quart bottles are made, and though the glass glistens like jet it -is opaque. A carriage road has been provided,—a glass road,—a quarter of -a mile long, running by the base of the cliffs. To construct this road -large fires were built upon the obsidian mass, which, when thoroughly -heated, was dashed with cold water, causing it to crack and crumble to -pieces. It was a tedious undertaking, but an available roadway was at -last the result. - -Close at hand is Beaver Lake, of artificial origin, having been created -by the industrious animal after which it is named. A colony have here -built a series of thirty dams, thus forming a sheet of water of -considerable depth, half a mile in width, and two miles long, framed by -tall, straight pines, and covered near the shore with aquatic flowers. -As we passed the lake, in its shady corners were seen flocks of ducks in -gaudy colors and of many different species, while on the far side -representatives of the beaver tribe were kind enough to exhibit -themselves for our amusement. The series of dams which these little -creatures have constructed hereabouts have falls of from three to six -feet each, extending for a distance of nearly two miles. The lily plants -which bordered Beaver Lake were of a curious amber color, growing here -and there in groups of great density. At a snap of the driver’s whip a -bevy of wild ducks rose, but lazily settled again upon the water close -at hand. “They have read the printed regulations of the Park,” said the -driver, “and know that no one will attempt to shoot them.” Beyond the -lake are broad patches of level meads, sprinkled with lovely wild -flowers, in which yellow, purple, and white prevailed. The delicate -little phlox, modestly clinging to the ground, was fragrant above all -the rest. Occasional spots bordering the pine woods showed the exquisite -enamel of the blue violets, which emitted their familiar and welcome -fragrance. These were dominated by a tall, regal flower, clustering on -one stem, whose name we know not, but which formed great masses of -purple bloom. - -Close to the curious and interesting Obsidian Cliffs is a pleasant -resort called Willow Park, a cool, shady spot, where a clear stream of -good water flows through a stretch of rich pasture land, forming a -delightful rural picture, full of peaceful and poetic suggestiveness. -This is a favorite camping ground for those who adapt that mode of -visiting the several sections of the Park. - -The stranger looks about him in silent amazement, wondering how long -Nature has been displaying her erratic moods after the fashion exhibited -here, now smiling with winning tenderness, and now frowning with -implacable sternness. He sees everywhere evidences of great antiquity, -and beholds objects which must date from time incalculably remote, but -there is no recorded history extant of this strange region. The original -Indian inhabitants of the Park were a very peculiar people,—a sort of -gnome race,—a tribe individually of Liliputian size, who lived in -natural caves, of which there are many in the hills, where rude and -primitive implements of domestic use belonging to the aborigines have -been found. They do not seem to have possessed even the customary -legends of savage races concerning their surroundings and their origin. -This tribe, the former dwellers here, were called the Sheep-eating -Indians, because they lived almost solely upon the flesh, and clothed -themselves in the skins, of the big-horn sheep of these mountains,—an -animal which is found running wild in more or less abundance throughout -the whole northern range of the Rocky Mountains, even where it reaches -into Alaska. These natives are represented to have been a timid and -harmless people, without iron tools or weapons of any sort, except bows -and arrows, to which may be added hatchets and knives formed of the -flint-like volcanic glass indigenous to the Park. They were an isolated -people from the very nature of their country, which was nearly -inaccessible at all seasons, and entirely so during the long and severe -winters. - -Other native tribes were debarred from this region through superstitious -fear, induced by the incomprehensible demonstrations of Nature exhibited -in boiling springs, spouting geysers, and the trembling earth, -accompanied by subterranean explosions. This seemed to them to be -evidence of the wrath of the Great Spirit, angered, perhaps, by their -unwelcome presence. The Sheep-eaters, born among these scenes, gave no -special heed to them, and rather fostered an idea which prevented others -from interfering with the surrounding game, and which also gave them -immunity from the otherwise inevitable oppression of a stronger and more -aggressive people than themselves. As civilization advanced westward, or -rather as the white man found his way thither, this Yellowstone tribe -gradually dwindled away or became united with the Shoshones of Iowa. -Their individuality seems now to have been entirely lost, not a trace of -them, even, being discernible, according to more than one intelligent -writer upon the subject. - -No Indians of any tribe are now permitted in the reservation, otherwise, -lazy as these aborigines are, they would soon make reckless havoc among -the fine collection of wild animals which is gathered here. The Indians -are all in the annual receipt of money and ample food supplies from the -government; and the killing of extra game and selling the hides would -furnish them with only so many more dollars to be expended for whiskey -and tobacco. These tribes have no idea of economy, or care for the -future. The reliance they place upon government supplies promotes a -spirit of recklessness and extravagance. If their potato crop fails, or -partial famine sets in from some extraordinary cause, it finds them -utterly unprepared to meet the exigency. Oftentimes it is found that the -government rations and supplies have been sold, and the money received -therefor lavishly squandered. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER III. - -Norris Geyser Basin.—Fire beneath the Surface.—A Guide’s Ideas.—The - Curious Paint Pot Basin.—Lower Geyser Basin.—Boiling Springs of Many - Colors.—Mountain Lions at Play.—Midway Geyser Basin.—“Hell’s Half - Acre.”—In the Midst of Wonderland.—Old Faithful.—Other Active - Geysers.—Erratic Nature of these Remarkable Fountains. - - -A pleasant drive of twenty miles in a southerly direction from the Hot -Springs Hotel, through the wildest sort of scenery, over mountain roads -and beside gorgeous cañons, will take the visitor to the Norris Geyser -Basin, a spot which promptly recalled to the writer somewhat similar -scenes witnessed at the aboriginal town of Ohinemutu, in the northern -part of New Zealand. Clouds of sulphurous vapor constantly hang alike -over both places, produced by a similar cause, though the scene here is -far more vivid and demonstrative. This whole basin is dotted by hot -water springs and fumaroles, which maintain an incessant hissing, -spluttering, and bubbling, night and day, through the twelve months of -the year. The water which issues from these sources is of various -colors, according to the impregnating principle which prevails, the -yellow sulphur vats being especially conspicuous to the sight and -offensive to the smell. What a strange, weird place it is! No art could -successfully imitate these extravagances of Nature. Some of the rills -are cool, others are boiling hot; some are white, some pink or red, and -one large basin, fifty feet across, is called the Emerald Pool, because -of its intensely green color; yet it appears to be quite pure and -transparent when a sample is taken out and examined. Each spring seems -to be entirely independent of the rest, though all are situated so near -to each other. An almost constant tremor of the earth is realized -throughout this immediate region, as though only a thin crust separated -the visitor from an active volcano beneath his feet; and, -notwithstanding the various scientific theories, who can say that such -is not actually the case? - -“I know all about the idea that these eruptions of boiling water, steam, -and sulphurous gases are produced by chemical action,” said our guide. -“I’ve heard lots of scientific men talk about the subject, but I don’t -believe nothing of the sort.” - -“And why not?” we asked. - -“Do you believe,” he said, “that chemical action in the earth could -create power enough, first to bring water to 212° of heat, and then -force it two hundred feet into the air a number of times every day in a -column four or five feet in diameter, and keep it up for quarter of an -hour at a time?” - -“Well, it does seem somewhat problematical,” we were forced to answer. - -“After living here summer and winter for six years,” he said, “I have -seen enough to satisfy me that there is a great sulphurous fire far down -in the earth below us, which, if the steam and power it accumulates did -not find vent through the hundreds of surface outlets distributed all -over the Park, would seek one by a grand volcanic outburst.” - -“Put your hand on the ground just here,” he continued, as we walked over -a certain spot where our footfall caused a reverberation and trembling -of the soil. - -“It is almost too hot for the flesh to bear,” we said, quickly -withdrawing our hand. - -“Too hot! I should say so. Now I don’t believe anything but a burning -fire can produce such heat as that,” he added, with an expression of the -face which seemed to imply, “I don’t believe you do either.” - -“The original volcanic condition of this whole region seems also to -argue in favor of your deductions,” we replied. - -“That’s just what I tell ’em,” continued the guide. “Them big fires that -first did the business for this neighborhood are still smouldering down -below. You may bet your life on that.” - -This rather startling idea is emphasized by a smoking vent close at -hand, which is also constantly sending forth superheated steam and -sulphurous gases, like the extinct volcano of Solfatara, near Naples. -Sulphur crystals strew the ground, and are heaped up in small yellow -mounds. Not far away an intermittent geyser bursts forth every sixty -seconds from a deep hole in the rock-bed of the basin, showing a stream -of water six inches in diameter, and sending the same skyward thirty or -forty feet. Here also is a powerful geyser called the Monarch, which -leaps into action with great regularity once in twenty-four hours, -throwing a triple stream to the height of a hundred and thirty feet, and -continuing to do so for the space of fifteen or twenty minutes. Beneath -the sun’s rays all the colors of the prism are reflected in this -vertical column of water, and not infrequently the distinct arch of a -rainbow is suspended like a halo about its crown. Nature, even in her -most fantastic caprice, is always beautiful. - -There are several other high-reaching and powerful geysers in this -vicinity, but we will not weary the reader by pausing to describe them. - -Gibbon Paint Pot Basin is next visited, being a most curious area, -measuring some twenty acres, more or less, situated in a heavily-wooded -district, not far from Gibbon Cañon. Here is a most strange collection -of over five hundred springs of boiling, splashing, exploding mud, -exhibiting many distinct colors, which gives rise to the name it bears. -One pot is of an emerald green, another is as blue as turquoise, a third -is as red as blood, a fourth is of orange yellow, another is of a rich -cream color and consistency. The visitor is struck by the singularity of -this hot-spring system, which produces from vents so close together -colors diametrically opposite. The earth is piled up about the seething -pools, making small mounds all over the basin, and forming a series of -pots of clay and silicious compounds. Near the entrance of Gibbon Cañon -is a remarkable collection of extinct geysers; the tall, slim, -crystallized structures, originating like the Liberty Cap already -described, look like genii totem poles, corrugated by the finger of -time, and forming significant monuments of bygone eruptions, while the -surrounding volcanoes were slowly exhausting their fury. Even about -these long-extinct geysers there is an atmosphere indicating their -former intensity, though it is quite possible they may have been -sleeping for ten centuries. - -The locality known as the Lower Geyser Basin is filled with striking and -somewhat similar volcanic exhibitions, though there are more hot springs -here than other phenomena, the aggregate number being a trifle less than -seven hundred, including seventeen active geysers. In some respects this -spot exceeds in interest those previously visited, being more readily -surveyed as a whole. The variety of form and the large number of these -springs are remarkable. As a rule they are less sulphurous and more -silicious than those already spoken of. Here, as at the terraces near -the hotel, the last touch of beauty is imparted by the sun’s rays -forcing themselves through the white vapory clouds which are thrown off -by the mysteriously heated waters. One of the large basins, measuring -forty by sixty feet, is filled with a sort of porcelain slime, notable -for its soft rose tints and delicate yellow hues, which are brought out -with magic effect under a cloudless sky. This basin has an elevation of -over seven thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is surrounded -by heavily-timbered hills which are four and five hundred feet higher. -Numerous as these springs and geysers are, each one is strongly -individualized by some special feature which marks it as distinctive -from the rest, and renders it recognizable by the residents of the Park, -but which, however interesting to the observing visitor, would only -prove to be tedious if here described in detail. - -While sitting at twilight on the piazza of the rude little inn where we -passed the night in this basin, there came out from the edge of the wood -on to a broad green plateau a couple of long tailed mountain lions. They -were not quite full grown, and were of a tawny color. These creatures, -savage and dangerous enough under some circumstances, seemed half tame -and entirely fearless, playfully romping with each other, and exhibiting -catlike agility. The proprietor of the inn told us that not long since, -upon a dark night, they came to the house and attacked his favorite dog, -killing and eating him, leaving only the bones to explain his -disappearance in the morning. They, too, must have read the regulations, -“No firearms permitted in the Park.” - -The Midway Geyser Basin is situated a few miles directly south of that -just spoken of, and contains an extraordinary group of hot springs, -among which is the marvelous Excelsior Geyser, largest in the known -world. It bursts forth from a pit two hundred and fifty feet in -diameter, worn in the solid rock, and which is at all times nearly full -of boiling water, above which there is constantly floating a dense -column of steam, which rising slowly is borne away and absorbed by the -atmosphere. The water which flows so continuously over the brim has -formed a series of terraces beaming with beautiful tints. This -stupendous fountain is intermittent, giving an exhibition of its -startling powers at very irregular periods, when it is said to send up a -column of water sixty feet in diameter to a height of from fifty to one -hundred feet! So great is the sudden flood thus produced in the Firehole -River, which is here between seventy-five and a hundred yards broad, -that it is turned for the time being into a furious torrent of steaming, -half-boiling water. The Excelsior has also a disagreeable and dangerous -habit of throwing up hundred-pound stones and metallic débris with this -great volume of water, while the surrounding earth vibrates in sympathy -with the hidden power which operates so mysteriously. Visitors naturally -hasten to a safe distance during these moments of extraordinary -activity. - -About midway between Firehole and the Upper Geyser Basin is a strange, -unearthly, vaporous piece of low land, which is endowed with a name more -expressive than elegant, being called “Hell’s Half Acre.” Here again it -seems as if this spot is separated from the raging fires below by only -the thinnest crust of earth, through which numerous boiling springs find -riotous vent. The soil in many parts is burning hot, and echoes to the -tread as though liable to open at any moment and swallow the venturesome -stranger. During the season of 1888, a lady visitor who stepped upon a -thin place sank nearly out of sight, and though instantly rescued by her -friends, she was so severely scalded as to be confined to her bed for a -month and more at the Mammoth Springs Hotel. The air is filled with -fumes of sulphur, and the place would seem to be appropriately named. -There are forty springs in this “Half Acre,” which, by the way, occupies -ten times the space which the name indicates, where the seething and -bubbling noise is like the agonized wailing of lost spirits. The place -has another, and perhaps better, designation besides this satanic title, -namely, Egeria Springs. Great is the contrast between the heavens above -and the direful suggestions of the earth below, as we behold it under -the serene beauty of the blue sky which prevails here in the summer -months, and which renders camping out in the Park delightful. “You -should come here during a thunder-storm,” said our companion, who is a -dweller in this region. “I have done so twice,” he continued, “simply to -witness the fitness of the association: rolling thunder overhead and -flashes of lightning in the atmosphere, through which the boiling vats, -hissing pools, and steaming fissures are seen in full operation, as -though they were a part and parcel of the electric turmoil agitating the -sky.” - -It is impossible to appreciate these various phenomena in a single -hurried visit. Like the Falls of Niagara, or the Pyramids of Gizeh, they -must become in some degree familiar to the observer before he will be -able to form a complete, intelligent, and satisfactory impression which -will remain with him. One cannot grasp the full significance of such -accumulated wonders at sight. We look about us among the green trees -that border the open areas, surprised to behold the calm sunshine, the -tuneful birds, and the chattering squirrels, moved by their normal -instincts, utterly regardless of these myriad surrounding marvels. - -The grandest spouting springs are to be found in Upper Geyser Basin, -where there are twenty-five active fountains of this character. Here is -situated the famous “Old Faithful,” which, from a mound rising gradually -about six or eight feet above the surrounding level, emits a huge column -of boiling water for five or six minutes in each hour with never-failing -regularity, while it gives forth at all times clouds of steam and heated -air. The height reached by the waters of this thermal fountain varies -from eighty to one hundred and twenty feet, and it has earned its -expressive name by never failing to be on time. It seemed, somehow, to -be a more satisfactory representative of the spouting spring phenomenon -than any other in the entire Park, though it would be difficult to say -exactly why. Its prominent position, dominating the rest of the geysers -of the basin, gives it special effect. Irrespective of all other similar -exhibitions, the stately column of “Old Faithful” rises heavenward with -splendid effect in the broad light of day, or in the still hours of the -night, once in every sixty minutes, as uniformly as the rotation of the -second-hand of a watch. The effect was ghostly at midnight under the -sheen of the moon and the contrasting shadows of the woods near at hand, -while not far away, across the Firehole River, the lesser geysers were -exhibiting their erratic performances, casting up occasional crystal -columns, which glistened in the silvery light like pendulous glass. -There is quite a large group of geysers in this immediate vicinity, -which perform with notable regularity at stated periods. There is one -called the Beehive, because of its vent, which has a resemblance to an -old-fashioned straw article of the sort, the crater being about three -feet in height. The author saw this spring throw up a stream three feet -in diameter nearly or quite two hundred vertical feet for eight or ten -minutes, when it gradually subsided. There are over four hundred geysers -and boiling springs in this basin. Among them is the Giantess, situated -four hundred feet from the Beehive, which does not display its powers -oftener than once in ten or twelve days; but when the eruption does take -place, it is said to exceed all the rest in the height which it attains -and the length of time during which it operates. It has no raised -crater, but comes forth from a vent even with the surface of the ground, -thirty-four feet in length and twenty-four in width. When it is in -action, so great is the force expended that miniature earthquakes are -felt throughout the immediate neighborhood. There are seen, not far -away, the Lion, Lioness, Young Faithful, the Grotto, the Splendid, etc., -each one more or less operative. We have by no means enumerated all the -active fountains in this basin, seeking only to designate their general -character. However well prepared for the outburst, one cannot but feel -startled when a geyser suddenly rises, mysteriously and ghost-like, -close at hand, from out the deep bowels of the earth, its white form -growing taller and taller, while the spray expands like weird and -shrouded arms. To heighten this sepulchral effect the atmosphere is full -of sulphurous vapors, while strange noises fall upon the ear like -subterranean thunder. What puzzling mysteries Nature holds concealed in -her dark, earthy bosom! - -Let us not forget to mention, in this connection, one of the hugest -fountains of the Firehole Basin, namely, the Grand Geyser, which is -placed next to the Excelsior in size and performance. This fountain has -no raised cone, and operates once in about thirty-six hours. Of course -the visitor is not able to see each and all of these strange fountains -in operation. He might remain a month upon the ground and not do so; -consequently, he is obliged to take some of the dimensions and -performances on trust; but most of the statements which are made to him -can easily be verified. - -When this Grand Geyser is about to burst forth, the deep basin, which is -twenty feet and more across, first gradually fills with furiously -boiling water until it overflows the brim; then it becomes shrouded by -heavy volumes of steam, out of which come several loud reports, like the -discharge of a small cannon, when suddenly the whole body of water is -lifted, and a column ten or twelve feet in diameter rises to a height of -ninety feet, from the apex of which a lesser stream mounts many feet -higher, until the earth trembles with the force of the discharge and -falling water as it rushes towards the river. This strange exhibition -lasts for eight or ten minutes, then the fountain slowly subsides, with -hoarse mutterings, like some retreating and overmastered wild beast, -growling sullenly as it disappears. - -It will thus be seen that these geysers vary greatly in their action, in -the duration of their eruptions, and in the intervals which elapse -between the performances. Some of them labor as though the water was -slowly pumped up from vast depths, some burst forth with full vigor to -their highest point at once, while others become exhausted with a brief -effort. There are a few that subside only to again commence spouting, -being thus virtually continuous; but these are not of such power as to -throw their streams to a great height. One group of this sort is called -the Minute Men, some of which spout sixty times within the hour; others -eject small streams incessantly. - -This immediate valley is very irregular in surface and thickly wooded in -parts, showing also the ruins of many extinct geysers. It is a dozen -miles long and between two and three wide, literally crowded with -wonders from end to end. It contains a collection of boiling and -spouting springs on a scale which would belittle all similar phenomena -of the rest of the known world, could they be brought together. - -As the reader will have understood, the period of activity with all the -geysers is more or less irregular, except in the instance of Old -Faithful. We have no knowledge of a simultaneous eruption having ever -taken place. Many of these active springs which now exist will, -doubtless, sooner or later subside and new ones will form to take their -places, a process which has been going on, no one can even guess for how -many ages. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - -The Great Yellowstone Lake.—Myriads of Birds.—Solitary Beauty of the - Lake.—The Flora of the Park.—Devastating Fires.—Wild Animals.—Grand - Volcanic Centre.—Mountain Climbing and Wonderful Views.—A Story of - Discovery.—Government Exploration of the Reservation.—Governor - Washburn’s Expedition.—“For the Benefit of the People at Large - Forever.” - - -In the southern section of the Yellowstone Park, near its longitudinal -centre, is one of the most beautiful yet lonely lakes imaginable, framed -in a margin of sparkling sands, and surrounded by Alpine heights. One -stretch of the shore about five miles long is called Diamond Beach; the -volcanic material of which it is formed, being entirely obsidian, -reflects the sun’s rays like brilliant gems, while the beach is caressed -by wavelets scarcely less bright. Surrounded by many wonders, the lake -is itself a great surprise, lying in the bosom of rock-ribbed mountains -at an elevation of nearly eight thousand feet above the sea. We know of -but one other large body of water on the globe at any such height, -namely, Lake Titicaca, in South America, famous in Peruvian history. The -Yellowstone Lake is always of crystal clearness, and is fed from the -eternal snow that piles itself up on the lofty peaks which surround it, -and which are sharply outlined in all directions against the blue of the -sky. The outlet of the lake is the Yellowstone River, which issues from -the northern end, while the Upper Yellowstone runs into it on the -opposite side. The lake is twenty-two miles long by fifteen in width, -and has an area of a hundred and fifty square miles. Its greatest depth -is three hundred feet, and it is overstocked with trout, many of which, -unfortunately, are infested by a parasitic worm which renders them unfit -for food; but this is not the case with all the fish; a large portion -are good and wholesome. Geologists find sufficient evidence to satisfy -them that this lake, now narrowed to the dimensions just given, in -ancient times covered two thirds of the present Park. Aquatic birds -abound upon its broad surface, and build their myriad nests on its green -islands. They are of many species, comprising geese, cranes, swans, -snipe, mallards, teal, curlew, plover, and ducks of various sorts. -Pelicans swim about in long white lines; herons, in their delicate -ash-colored plumage, stand idly on the shore, while ermine-feathered -gulls fill the air with their loud and tuneless serenade. Hawks, -kingfishers, and ravens also abound on the shore, the first-named -watching other birds as they rise from the water with fish, which they -make it their business, freebooter-like, to rob them of. The lake has -many thickly-wooded islands, and there are several long, pine-covered -promontories which stretch out in a graceful manner from the mainland, -the whole forming a grand primeval solitude. Now and again a solitary -eagle, on broad-spread pinions, sails away from the top of some lofty -pine on the mountain side to the deep green seclusion of the nearest -island. Even the presence of this proud and austere bird only serves to -emphasize the grave and solemn loneliness which rests upon the locality. - -It is a charming feature of this placid lake which causes it to gather -into its bosom a picture of all things far and near: the clouds, “those -playful fancies of the mighty sky,” seem to float upon its surface; the -blue of the heavens is reflected there; the tall peaks and wooded slopes -mirror themselves in its depths. As we look upon the lake through the -purple haze of sunset, a picture is presented of surpassing loveliness, -tinted with blue and golden hues, which creep lovingly closer and closer -about the quiet isles; while there come from out the forest resinous -pine odors, delightfully soothing to the senses, accompanied by the soft -music of swaying branches, and the low drone of insect life. - -To linger over such a scene is a joy and an inspiration to the -experienced traveler, who, in wandering hither and thither upon the -globe, places an occasional white stone at certain points to which -memory turns with never-failing pleasure. Thus he recalls a sunrise over -the silvery peaks of the grand Himalayan range; a thrilling view from -the Mosque of Mahomet Ali at Cairo, localizing Biblical story; or a -summer sunset-glow on the glassy mirror of the Yellowstone Lake. - -Along the mountain side, east of the lake, are ancient terraces, -indented shorelines, and other evidences which clearly prove that, at no -very remote geological period, the surface of this grand sheet of water -was at least five or six hundred feet higher than it is at the present -time. Nearly two hundred square miles of the Park are still covered by -lakes. - -As to the flora of the Yellowstone Park, seventy-five per cent. of the -whole area seems to be covered by dense forests, the black fir being the -most plentiful, often growing to three or four feet in diameter and a -hundred and fifty feet in height. The white pine is the most graceful -among the indigenous trees, and is always remarkable for its stately -symmetrical beauty. The thick groves of balsam fir are particularly fine -and fragrant, while the dwarf maples and willows are charming features -as they mingle abundantly with larger and more pretentious trees. Wild -flowers, Nature’s bright mosaics, are found in great variety during the -summer, though there is rarely a night in this neighborhood without -frost, while the winters are truly arctic in temperature. The larkspur, -columbine, harebell, lupin, and primrose abound, with occasional daisies -and other blossoms. Yellow water-lilies, anchored by their fragile -stems, profusely sprinkle and beautify the surface of the shady pools. -Exquisite ferns, lichens, and velvety mosses delight the appreciative -eye in many a sylvan nook which is only invaded by squirrels and -song-birds. - -Here, as in the valley of the Yosemite, it is melancholy to see the -track of devastating fires caused by the half-extinguished blaze left by -careless camping parties. It is difficult to realize how intelligent -people can be so wickedly reckless as to cause such destruction. Many a -forest monarch stands bereft of every limb by the devouring flames, and -large areas are entirely denuded of growth other than the shrubbery -which springs up quickly after a sweeping fire in the woods, as though -Nature desired to cover from sight the devastating footsteps of the Fire -King. The grasses grow luxuriantly, especially alpine, timothy, and -Kentucky blue grass. - -There are many wild animals in the Park, such as elk, deer, antelope, -big-horn sheep, foxes, buffalo, and what is called the California lion, -a small but rather dangerous animal for the hunter to encounter. The -buffalo is rarely seen in the West, and it is said is now only to be -found wild in this Park. The streams and creeks also swarm with otter, -beaver, and mink. These animals are all protected by law, visitors being -only permitted to shoot such birds as they can cook and eat in their -camps, together with any species of bear they may chance to fall in -with; and there are several kinds of the latter animal to be found in -the hills. At least this has been the case until lately; but stricter -rules have been found necessary, and no visitors are now permitted to -take firearms with them while remaining in the Park. The purpose of the -government is to strictly preserve the game, the effect of which has -already been to render the animals gathered here less shy of human -approach, and to greatly increase their number. - -So abundant are the evidences of grand volcanic action throughout the -lake basin that it has been looked upon by scientists as the remains or -centre of one enormous crater forty miles across! Dr. Hayden, the -profound geologist, who was sent professionally by the government to -report upon the Park, declares it to have been the former scene of -volcanic activity as great as that of any part of this planet, a -conclusion which the observer of to-day is quite ready to admit, -inasmuch as the subsidence has yet left enough of the original forces to -demonstrate the sleeping power which still lurks restlessly beneath the -soil. We wonder, standing amid such remarkable surroundings, how many -centuries have passed since the valley assumed its present shape. -Everything is indicative of high antiquity, and it is probably rather -thousands than hundreds of years since this volcanic centre was at its -maximum power and activity. The valley has been partly excavated out of -ancient crystalline rocks, partly out of later stratified formations, -and partly from masses of lava that were poured forth during a -succession of ages which make up the different epochs of the earth’s -long history. - -The lowest level of the Park is about six thousand feet above the sea, -and the average elevation, independent of mountains, is much over this -estimate. It is very properly designated as the summit of the continent, -and gives rise to three of the largest rivers in North America, namely: -on the north side are the sources of the Yellowstone; on the west, three -of the forks of the Missouri; and on the southwest are the sources of -the Snake River, which flows into the Columbia, and thence to the -distant Pacific Ocean. - -If possible, before leaving the neighborhood, the visitor should ascend -Mount Washburn, the highest point of observation within the great -reservation, a feat easily accomplished on horseback. Such an excursion -is particularly desirable since all the scenery of the Park is -circumscribed while we are at the level of its springs, geysers, and -lakes. The grand view from this elevation will repay all the time and -effort expended in its accomplishment. Its height above the base is five -thousand feet, its height above the sea five thousand more. A clear day -is absolutely necessary for the proper enjoyment of such an excursion, -in order to bring out fairly the panorama of forests, lakes, prairies, -and mountains, decked by the golden glory of the sunshine. In some -directions the vision reaches a hundred and fifty miles through space. -Here, on the summit of Mount Washburn, we virtually stand upon the apex -of the North American continent, if we except one or two of the -sky-reaching peaks of the Territory of Alaska. - -As we face the north, just before us lies the valley of the Yellowstone, -and in the distance, looming far above its surroundings, is the tall -Emigrant Peak. To the eastward Index and Pilot peaks pierce the clouds, -beyond which stretches away the Big Horn Range. In the west the summits -of the Gallatin Mountains follow one another northward, while trending -in the same direction, but farther towards the horizon, is the lofty -Madison Range. We gaze until bewildered by peak after peak, mountain -beyond mountain, range upon range, mingling with each other, all -combining to form a glorious view embodying the indescribably grand -characteristics of the Rocky Mountain system, the equal of which we may -never again behold. - -The tall range of mountains which girdle the Park are snow-covered all -the year round, frigid, giant sentinels, which long proved a complete -barrier to organized exploration, forming an amphitheatre of sublime and -lonely scenery. The story of the discovery of this Wonderland is briefly -told as follows: It seems that a gold-seeking prospector named Coulter -made his way with infinite perseverance into the region in 1807, and -after many hair-breadth escapes from Indians, wild beasts, poisonous -waters, and starvation, finally succeeded in rejoining his comrades, -whom he entertained with stories of what he had seen, which seemed to -them so incredible that they believed him to be crazy. Afterwards, first -one and then another adventurer found his way hither, and though each of -them corroborated Coulter’s story, they were by no means fully credited. -But public attention and curiosity were thus aroused, leading the -government to send Professor Hayden and a small exploring party to -carefully examine the region. This enterprise not only corroborated the -stories already made public, but greatly added to their volume and -amazing detail. - -It was found that the representations of Coulter and those who followed -him, so far from exaggerating the wonders of the Yellowstone, in reality -fell far below the truth. - -During the year 1870 Governor Washburn, accompanied by a small body of -United States cavalry, entered the Park by the valley of the -Yellowstone, and thoroughly explored the cañons, the shores of the great -lake, and the geyser region of Firehole River, together with the various -interesting localities of which we have spoken. On returning he declared -that the party had seen the greatest marvels to be found upon this -continent, and that there was no other spot on the globe where there -were crowded together so many natural wonders, combined with so much -beauty and grandeur. - -Finally Congress, foreseeing that the greed of speculators would lead -them to monopolize this Wonderland for mercenary purposes, promptly took -action in the matter, setting the region aside as a National Park and -Reservation, for the benefit of the people at large forever, retaining -the fee and control of the same in the name of the government. - -Not many persons have ever attempted to traverse the Park in the winter -season, but it has been done by a few hardy and adventurous people, who -nearly perished in the attempt. Such individuals have reported that the -raging snow-storms and blizzards which they encountered were on a scale -quite equal to the other demonstrations and natural curiosities of the -place. The trees in their neighborhood were beautifully gemmed with the -frozen vapor of the geysers, and the heated springs seemed doubly active -by the contrast between their temperature and that of the freezing -atmosphere. It was only by camping at night upon the very brink of these -boiling waters that life could be sustained, with the atmosphere at -forty degrees below zero. - -One who comes hither with preconceived ideas of the peculiar sights to -be met with is sure to be disappointed, not in their want of -strangeness, for the Park is overstocked with curiosities having no -counterpart elsewhere, but the features are so thoroughly unique that -his anticipations are transcended both in the quality and the quantity -of the food for wonder which is spread out before him on every side. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER V. - -Westward Journey resumed.—Queen City of the Mountains.—Crossing the - Rockies.—Butte City, the Great Mining Centre.—Montana.—The Red Men.— - About the Aborigines.—The Cowboys of the West.—A Successful Hunter.— - Emigrant Teams on the Prairies.—Immense Forests.—Puget Sound.—The - Famous Stampede Tunnel.—Immigration. - - -After a delightful, though brief, sojourn of ten days in the Yellowstone -Park, realizing that twice that length of time might be profitably spent -therein, we returned to Livingston, where the Northern Pacific Railroad -was once more reached, and the westward journey promptly resumed. The -Belt Range of mountains is soon crossed, at an elevation of over five -thousand five hundred feet. A remarkable tunnel is also passed through, -three thousand six hundred feet in length, from which the train emerges -into a grand cañon, and soon arrives at the city of Bozeman. This place -has a thrifty and intelligent population of over five thousand, and is -notable for its rural and picturesque surroundings, in the fertile -Gallatin Valley, which is encircled by majestic ranges of mountains, -shrouded in “white, cold, virgin snow.” Having passed the point where -the Madison and Jefferson rivers unite to form the headwaters of that -great river, the Missouri, whence it starts upon its long and winding -course of over four thousand miles towards the Mexican Gulf, we arrive -presently at Helena, the interesting capital of Montana. This is called -the “Queen City of the Mountains,” and is famous as a great and -successful mining centre, the present population of which is about -twenty thousand. It is said to be the richest city of its size in the -United States, an assertion which we have good reasons for believing to -be correct. The vast mineral region surrounding Helena is unsurpassed -anywhere for the number and richness of its gold and silver-bearing -lodes, having within an area of twenty-five miles over three thousand -such natural deposits, the ownership of which is duly recorded, and many -of which are being profitably worked. The city is lighted by a system of -electric lamps, and has an excellent water-supply from inexhaustible -mountain streams. - -We were told an authentic story illustrating the richness of the soil in -and about Helena, as a gold-bearing earth, which we repeat in brief. - -It seems that a resident was digging a cellar on which to place a -foundation for a new dwelling house, when a passing stranger asked -permission to remove the pile of earth that was being thrown out of the -excavation, agreeing to return one half of whatever value he could get -from the same, after washing and submitting it to the usual treatment by -which gold is extracted. Permission was granted, and the earth was soon -removed. The citizen thought no more about the matter. After a couple of -weeks, however, the stranger returned and handed the proprietor of the -ground thirteen hundred dollars as his half of the proceeds realized -from the dirt casually thrown out upon the roadway in digging his -cellar. - -Between Helena and Garrison the main range of the Rocky Mountains is -crossed, and at an elevation of five thousand five hundred and forty -feet the cars enter what is called the Mullan Tunnel. This dismal and -remarkable excavation is nearly four thousand feet long. From it the -western-bound traveler finally emerges on the Pacific slope, passing -through the beautiful valley of the Little Blackfoot. - -The region through which we were traveling stretches from Lake Superior -to Puget Sound, on the Pacific coast, and spreads out for many miles on -either side of the Northern Pacific Railroad, known as the “Northern -Pacific Country.” No portion of the United Sates offers more favorable -opportunities for settlement, and in no other section is there as much -desirable government land still open to preëmption, presenting such a -variety of surface, richness of soil, and wealth of natural productions. -Intelligent emigrants are rapidly appropriating the land of this very -attractive region, but there is still enough and to spare. Europe may -continue to send us her surplus population for fifty years to come at -the same rate she has done for the past half century, and there will -still be room enough in the great West and Northwest to accommodate -them. - -As we left the main track of the Northern Pacific Railroad at Livingston -to visit the Yellowstone Park, so at Garrison we again take a branch -road to Butte City, situated fifty-five miles southward, and which is -admitted to be the greatest mining city of the American continent. Here, -on the western slope of the main range of the Rocky Mountains, stands -the “Silver City,” as it is generally called, though one of its main -features is its copper product, which rivals that of the Lake Superior -district in quantity and quality, giving employment to the most -extensive smelting works in the world. There are thirty thousand -inhabitants in Butte, and it is rapidly growing in territory and -population. Its citizens seem to be far above the average of our -frontier settlers in intelligence and thrift. The Blue Bird silver mine -is perhaps the richest in this locality, yielding every twelve months a -million and a half of dollars in bullion; while the Moulton, Alice, and -Lexington mines each produce a million dollars or more in silver yearly. -There are several other rich mines, among them the Anaconda copper mine, -which gives an aggregate each year larger in value than any we have -named. The Parrott Copper Company, also the Montana and Boston Copper -Company, each show an annual output of metal valued at a million of -dollars. In place of there being any falling off in these large amounts, -all of the mines are increasing their productiveness monthly by means of -improved processes and enlarged mechanical facilities. But we have gone -sufficiently into detail to prove the assertion already made, that Butte -City is the greatest mining town on the continent. Eight tenths of its -population is connected, either directly or indirectly, with mining. - -“It would seem that the United States form the richest mineral country -on the globe,” said an English fellow-traveler to whom these facts were -being explained by an intelligent resident. - -“That has long been admitted,” said the American. - -“And what country comes next?” asked the Englishman. - -“Australia,” was the reply. “But the United States,” continued the -American, “have another and superior source of wealth exceeding that of -all other lands, namely, their agricultural capacity. There are here -millions upon millions of acres, richer than the valley of the Nile, -which are still virgin soil untouched by the plow or harrow.” - -Not mining, but agriculture forms the great and lasting wealth of our -broad and fertile Western States, rich though they be in mineral -deposits, especially of gold and silver. - -Before proceeding further on our journey, let us pause for a moment to -consider the magnitude of this imperial State of Montana, which measures -over five hundred miles from east to west, and which is three hundred -miles from north to south, containing one hundred and forty-four -thousand square miles. This makes it larger in surface than the States -of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, -Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana combined. With its vast stores of mineral -wealth and many other advantages, who will venture to predict its future -possibilities? It would be difficult to exaggerate them. The precious -metals mined in the State during the last year gave a total value of -over forty million of dollars, which was an increase of six million over -that of the preceding year. Between forty and fifty million dollars in -value is anticipated as the result of the local mining enterprise for -the current twelve months, and yet we consider this to be the second, -not the first, interest of Montana; agriculture take the precedence. - -Returning to Garrison, after a couple of days passed at Butte City -examining its extremely interesting system of mining for the precious -metals, we once more resume our western journey. - -Along the less populous portions of the route groups of dirty, but -picturesque looking Indians are seen lounging about, wrapped in fiery -red blankets. These belong to various native tribes, such as the Sioux, -Blackfeet, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes. Bucks, squaws, and papooses gather -about the small railroad stations, partly from curiosity, and partly -because they have nothing else to do; but they are ever ready to sell -trifles of their own rude manufacture to travelers as souvenirs, also -gladly receiving donations of tobacco or small silver coins. The men are -fat, lazy, and useless, scorning even the semblance of working for a -livelihood, leaving the squaws to do the trading with travelers. These -are “wards” of our government, who receive regular annuities of money -and subsistence, including flour, beef, blankets, and so on. Support is -thus insured to them so long as they live, and no American Indian was -ever known to work for himself, or any one else, unless driven to it by -absolute necessity. - -When the author first crossed these plains, nearly thirty years ago, -before there was any transcontinental railroad, the Indian tribes were -very different people from what we find them to-day. The men were thin -in flesh, wiry, active, and constantly on the alert. They were ever -ready for bloodshed and robbery when they could be perpetrated without -much danger to themselves. Contact with civilization has changed all -this. They have become fat and lazy. They have borrowed the white man’s -vices, but have ignored his virtues. When not fighting with the pale -faces, the tribes were, thirty and forty years ago, incessantly at war -with each other, thus actively promoting the fate which surely awaited -them as a people. Their pride, even to-day, is to display at their belts -not only the scalps of white men and women taken in belligerent times, -but also the scalps of hostile tribes of their own race. - -We believe most sincerely in fulfilling all treaty obligations between -our government and the Indians, to the very letter of the contract, nor -have we any doubt that our official agents have often been unfaithful in -the performance of their duties; but when we attempt to create saints -and martyrs out of the Red Men, we are certainty forcing the canonizing -principle. They are entitled to as much consideration as the whites, but -they are not entitled to more. They are crafty and cruel by nature; this -is, perhaps, not their fault, but it is their misfortune. Nothing is -really gained in our fine-spun moral theories by attempting to deceive -ourselves or others. The plain truth is the best. - -A little way from the railroad station on the open prairie the camps of -these aborigines may often be seen, consisting of a few rude buffalo -hides or canvas tents, while a score of rough looking ponies are grazing -hard by, tethered to stakes driven into the soil. Here and there in -front of a tent an iron kettle, in which a savory compound of meat and -vegetables is simmering, hangs upon a tripod above a low fire built on -the ground, presided over by some ancient squaw, all very much like a -gypsy camp by the roadside in far off Granada. - -The male aborigines wear semi-civilized clothing made of dressed -deerskins, and woolen goods indiscriminately mixed; their long coarse -black hair, decked with eagle’s feathers, hangs about their necks and -faces, the latter often smeared with yellow ochre. Now and then a touch -of manliness is seen in the bearing and facial expression of the bucks; -but the larger number are debauched and degraded specimens of humanity, -who impress the stranger with some curiosity, but with very little -interest. Like the gypsies of Spain, they are incorrigible nomads, -detesting the ordinary conventionalities of civilized life. The Indian -women are clad in leather leggings, blue woolen skirts and waists, -having striped blankets gathered loosely over their shoulders. No one -can truthfully ascribe the virtue of cleanliness to these squaws. The -papooses are strapped in flat baskets to the mothers’ backs, being -swathed, arms, legs, and body, like an Egyptian mummy, and are as silent -even as those dried-up remains of humanity. Whoever heard an Indian baby -cry? The mothers seemed to be kind to the little creatures, whose faces, -like those of the Eskimo babies, are so fat that they can hardly open -their eyes. - -We are sure to see about these railroad stations in the far West an -occasional “cowboy,” clad in his fanciful leather suit cut after the -Mexican style, wearing heavy spurs, and carrying a ready revolver in his -belt. His long hair is covered by a broad felt sombrero, and he wears a -high-colored handkerchief tied loosely about his neck. He enjoys robust -health, is sinewy, clear-eyed, and intelligent in every feature, leading -an active, open-air life as a herdsman, and being ever ready for an -Indian fight or a generous act of self-abnegation in behalf of a -comrade. He will not object on an occasion to join a lynching-party who -happen to have in hand some horse-thief or a murderous scoundrel who has -long successfully defied the laws. These cowboys are splendid horsemen, -sitting their high-pommeled Mexican saddles like the Arabs. They are -oftentimes educated young men, belonging to respectable Eastern -families, seeking a brief experience of this wild, exposed life, simply -from a love of independence and adventure. They are chivalric, and -nearly always to be found on the side of justice, however quick they may -be in the use of the revolver. Their life is spent amid associations, -and in regions, where the slow process of the law does not meet the -exigencies constantly occurring. The reader may be assured that they are -nevertheless governed by a sense of “wild justice,” in which an element -of real equity predominates. To realize the skill which they acquire, -one must see half a dozen of them join together in “rounding up” a herd -of several hundred cattle, or wild horses, scattered and feeding on the -prairie, and from the herds collect and sort out the animals belonging -to different owners, all being distinctly branded with hot irons when -brought from Texas or elsewhere. In doing this it is often necessary to -lasso and throw an animal while the operator is himself in the saddle -and his horse at full gallop. No equestrian feats of the ring equal -their daily performances, and no Indian of the prairies can compare with -them for daring and successful horsemanship. Indeed, an Indian is hardly -the equal of a white man in anything, not even in endurance. “An -intelligent white man can beat any Indian, even at his own game,” says -Buffalo Bill. Each one of the aborigines has his pony, and some have two -or three, but they are as a rule of a poor breed, overworked and -underfed. They are never housed, never supplied with grain, but subsist -solely upon the coarse bunch grass of the prairie. The poor, uncared-for -animals which are seen as described about the natives’ encampments tell -their own doleful story. The Indian ponies and the squaws are alike -always abused. - -As we cross these plains straggling emigrant teams are often seen, -called “prairie schooners.” The wagons as a rule are much the worse for -wear, being surmounted by a rude canvas covering, dark and mildewed, -under which a wife and four or five children are generally domiciled. A -few domestic utensils are carried in, or hung upon the body of, the -vehicle,—a tin dipper here, a water-pail there, a frying-pan in one -place, and an iron kettle in another. These wagons are usually drawn by -a couple of sorry-looking horses, and sometimes by a yoke of oxen. -Beside the team trudges the father and husband, the typical pioneer -farmer, hardy, independent, self-reliant, bound west to find means of -support for himself and brood. Many such are seen as we glide swiftly -over the iron rails, causing us to realize how steadily the stream of -humanity flows westward, spreading itself over the virgin soil of the -new States and Territories, and producing a growth in population no less -legitimate than it is rapid. These pioneers are almost invariably -farmers, and by adhering to their calling are sure to make at least a -comfortable living. - -While stopping at a watering-place in the early morning, the picturesque -figure of a hunter was seen with rifle in hand. Over his shoulder hung -the body of an antelope, while some smaller game was secured to his -leathern belt. He had just captured these in the wild brown hills which -border the plateau where our train had stopped. Cooper’s -Leather-Stocking Tales were instantly suggested to the mind of the -observer, as he watched the careless, graceful attitude and bearing of -the rugged frontiersman, whose entire unconsciousness of the unique -figure which he presented was especially noticeable. - -After traveling more than five hundred miles in Montana, which is -surpassed in size only by Alaska and Dakota, we enter northern Idaho, -attractive for its wild and picturesque scenery,—a territory of -mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, and prairies combined, second only to -Montana in its mineral wealth, and possessing also some of the choicest -agricultural districts in the great West, where Nature herself freely -bestows the best of irrigation in uniform and abundant rains. While -traveling in Idaho we find that the route passes through a magnificent -forest region, where the trees measure from six to ten feet in diameter, -and are of colossal height, such growing timber as would challenge -comment in any part of the world, consisting mostly of white pine, -cedar, and hemlock. - -We soon cross into the State of Washington, its northern boundary being -British Columbia and its southern boundary Oregon, from which it is -separated for more than a hundred miles of its length by the Columbia -River. Its form is that of a parallelogram, fronting upon the Pacific -Ocean for about two hundred and fifty miles, and having a length from -east to west of over three hundred and sixty miles. This State has -immense agricultural areas, as well as being rich in coal, iron, and -timber. We pause at Spokane Falls for a day and night of rest. It is on -the direct line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and is the principal -city of eastern Washington, having the largest and best water-power on -the Pacific slope. Government engineers report the water fall here to -exceed two hundred thousand horse-power, a small portion only of which -is yet improved, and that as a motor for large grain and flouring mills. -Here we find a thrifty business community numbering over twelve -thousand, the streets traversed by a horse railroad, and the place -having electric lights, gas and public water works, with a Methodist and -a Catholic college. It commands the trade of what is termed the Big Bend -country and the Palouse district, and is the fitting-out place for the -thousands of miners engaged in Cœur d’Alene County. In spite of the late -disastrous fire which she has experienced, Spokane, like Seattle, will -rapidly rise from her ashes. Official reports show that over nine -million acres of this State are particularly adapted to the raising of -wheat. Our route, after a brief rest at Spokane Falls, lies through -Palouse County, where this cereal is raised in quantities -proportionately larger than even in Dakota, and at a considerably less -cost. Thirty-five to forty bushels of wheat to the acre is considered a -royal yield in Dakota and the best localities elsewhere, but here fifty -bushels to the acre are pretty sure to reward the cultivator, and even -this large amount is sometimes exceeded. One enthusiastic observer and -writer declares that Palouse County is destined to destroy wheat-growing -in India by virtue of its immense crops, its favorable seasons, its -economy of production, and its proximity to the seaboard. - -In the western part of the State, on Puget Sound, the lumber business is -the most important industry, giving profitable employment to thousands -of people. The productive capacity of the several sawmills on the sound -is placed at two million feet per day, and all are in active operation. -A new one of large proportions was also observed to be in course of -construction. The forests which produce the crude material are -practically inexhaustible. The pines are of great size, ranging from -eight to twelve feet in diameter, and from two hundred to two hundred -and eighty feet in height. No trees upon this continent, except the -giant conifers of the Yosemite, surpass these in magnitude. United -States surveyors have declared, in their printed reports, that this -State contains the finest body of timber in the world, and that its -forests cover an area larger than the entire State of Maine. - -The most productive hop districts that are known anywhere are to be -found in the broad valleys of this State, where hop-growing has become a -great and increasing industry, yielding remarkable profits upon the -money invested and the labor required to market the crop. The course of -the railroad is lined with these gorgeous fields of bloom, hanging on -poles fifteen feet in height, planted with mathematical regularity. -Large fruit orchards of apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and other -varieties are seen flourishing here; and residents speak confidently of -fruit raising as being one of the most promising future industries of -this region, together with the canning and preserving of the fruits for -use in Eastern markets. We are reminded, in this connection, that the -United States crop reports also represent Washington as producing more -bushels of wheat to the acre than any other State or Territory within -the national domain. This grand region of the far northwestern portion -of our country is three hundred miles long, from east to west, and two -hundred and forty miles from north to south, giving it an area in round -numbers of seventy thousand square miles. That is to say, it is nearly -as large as the States of New York and Pennsylvania combined. - -The immigration pouring into the new State of Washington is simply -enormous, its aggregate for the year 1889 being estimated at thirty-five -thousand persons, the majority of whom come hither for agricultural -purposes, and to establish permanent homes. One train observed by the -author consisted of nine second-class cars filled entirely with -Scandinavians, that is, people from Norway and Sweden, presenting an -appearance of more than average sturdiness and intelligence. - -As the Pacific coast is approached we come to the famous Stampede -Tunnel, which is nearly ten thousand feet long, and, with the exception -of the Hoosac Tunnel in Massachusetts, the longest in America. On -emerging from the Stampede Tunnel the traveler gets his first view of -Mount Tacoma, rising in perpendicular height to nearly three miles, the -summit robed in dazzling whiteness throughout the entire year. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - -Mount Tacoma.—Terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad.—Great Inland - Sea.—City of Tacoma and its Marvelous Growth.—Coal Measures.—The Modoc - Indians.—Embarking for Alaska.—The Rapidly Growing City of Seattle.— - Tacoma with its Fifteen Glaciers.—Something about Port Townsend.—A - Chance for Members of Alpine Clubs. - - -The city of Tacoma takes its name from the grand towering mountain, so -massive and symmetrical, in sight of which it is situated. We cannot but -regret that the newly formed State did not assume the name also. - -This is the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and is -destined to become a great commercial port in the near future, being -situated so advantageously at the head of the sound, less than two -hundred miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its well-arranged system of -wharves is already a mile and a half long, while there is a sufficient -depth of water in any part of the sound to admit of safely mooring the -largest ships. The reports of the United States Coast Survey describe -Puget Sound as having sixteen hundred miles of shore line, and a surface -of two thousand square miles, thus forming a grand inland sea, smooth, -serene, and still, often appropriately spoken of as the Mediterranean of -the North Pacific. It is indented with many bays, harbors, and inlets, -and receives into its bosom the waters of numerous streams and -tributaries, all of which are more or less navigable, and upon whose -banks are established the homes of many hundred thrifty farmers. - -History shows that long ago, before any Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, -Spanish voyagers planted colonies on Puget Sound. From them the Indians -of these shores learned to grow crops of cereals, though according to -the ingenious Ignatius Donnelly’s “Atlantis” they brought the art from a -lost continent. Puget Sound may be described as an arm of the Pacific -which, running through the Strait of Fuca, extends for a hundred miles, -more or less, southward into the State of Washington. Nothing can exceed -the beauty of these deep, calm waters, or their excellence for the -purpose of navigation; not a shoal exists either in the strait or the -sound that can interfere with the progress of the largest ironclad. A -ship’s side would strike the shore before her keel would touch the -bottom. Storms do not trouble these waters; such as are frequently -encountered in narrow seas, like the Straits of Magellan, and heavy -snow-storms are unknown. The entire expanse is deep, clear, and placid. - -Tacoma has about thirty thousand inhabitants to-day; in 1880 it had -seven hundred and twenty! The assessed valuation eight years ago was -half a million dollars. It is now over sixteen million dollars, and this -aggregate does not quite represent the rapid increase of real estate. -Here, months have witnessed more growth and progress in permanent -business wealth and value of property than years in the history of our -Eastern cities. At this writing there is being built a large and -architecturally grand opera house of stone and brick which will cost -quarter of a million dollars, besides which the author counted over -forty stone and brick business edifices in course of construction, and -nearly a hundred two and three story frame-houses for dwelling purposes, -of handsome modern architectural designs. Away from the business centre -of the city the residences are universally beautiful, with well-kept -lawns of exquisite green, and small charming flower gardens fragrant -with roses, syringas, and honeysuckles, mingling with pansies, -geraniums, verbenas, and forget-me-nots. It is astonishing what an air -of leisure and refinement is imparted to these dwellings by this means,— -an air of retirement and culture, amid all the surrounding bustle and -rush of business interests. - -The city claims an ocean commerce surpassed in volume by no other port -on the Pacific except San Francisco. Its substantial and well-arranged -brick blocks, of both dwellings and storehouses, lining the broad -avenues, are suggestive of permanence and commercial importance, while a -general appearance of thrift prevails in all of the surroundings. -Pacific Avenue is noticeably a fine thoroughfare,—the principal one of -the town. The place seems to be thoroughly alive, and especially in the -vicinity of the shipping. The author counted fifteen ocean steamers in -the harbor, and there were at the same time as many large sailing -vessels lying at the wharves loading with lumber, wheat, coal, and other -merchandise, exhibiting a degree of commercial energy hardly to be -expected of so comparatively small a community. We were informed that -four fifths of the citizens were Americans by birth, drawn mostly from -the educated and energetic classes of the United States, forming a -community of much more than average intelligence. Young America, backed -by capital, is the element which has made the place what it is. It was a -surprise to find a hotel so large and well appointed in this city as the -“Tacoma” proved to be; a five-story stone and brick house, of pleasing -architectural effect, and having ample accommodations for three hundred -guests. It stands upon rising ground overlooking the extensive bay. The -view from its broad piazzas is something to be remembered. - -Across Commencement Bay is a point of well-wooded land, called “Indian -Reservation,” where our government located what remains of the Modoc -tribe who so long resisted the advance of the whites towards the Pacific -shore. These former belligerents are peaceable enough now, fully -realizing their own interests. - -Statistics show that there is shipped from Tacoma, on an average, a -thousand tons of native coal per day, mostly to San Francisco and some -other Pacific ports. A large portion of this coal comes from valuable -measures belonging to the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, situated -thirty or forty miles from Tacoma, and some from the Roslyn mines -farther away. The Wilkinson and Carbonado mines form the principal -source of supply for shipment, and the Roslyn for use on the railroad. -These last are thirty-five thousand acres in extent. One of the many -veins of the Roslyn coal deposit is estimated to contain three hundred -million tons of coal, conveniently situated for transportation on the -line of the Northern Pacific Railroad. - -The great Tacoma sawmill does a very large and successful business, -finding its motor in a steam engine of fourteen hundred horse-power, and -having over seven hundred men on its pay-roll. This number includes -mill-hands, dock-men, choppers, and watermen, the latter being the hands -who bring the logs by rafts from different parts of the sound. There are -a dozen other sawmills in and about the city. The lumber business of -this region is fast assuming gigantic proportions, shipments being -regularly made to China, Japan, Australia, and even to Atlantic ports. A -whole fleet of merchantmen were waiting their turn to take in cargo -while we were there. We believe that Tacoma will ere long become the -second city on the Pacific coast, and perhaps eventually a rival to San -Francisco. Its abundance of coal, iron, and lumber, added to its variety -of fish and immense agricultural products, are sufficient to support a -city twice as large as the capital of California. - -One sturdy gang of men, who are bringing in a large raft of logs, -attracts our attention by their similarity of dress and general -appearance, as well as by their dark skins and well-developed forms. On -inquiry we learn that they are native Indians of the Haida tribe, who -come down from the north to work through a part of the season as -lumbermen, at liberal wages. They are accustomed to perilous voyages -while seeking the whale and fishing for halibut in deep waters, -commanding good wages, as being equal to any white laborers obtainable. - -We embark at Tacoma for Alaska in a large and well-appointed steamer -belonging to the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, heading due north. - -The first place of importance at which we stop is the city of Seattle, -the oldest American settlement on the sound, and now having a busy -commercial population of nearly thirty thousand. It has an admirable -harbor, deep, ample in size, and circular in form; the commercial -facilities could hardly be improved. Here again are large substantial -brick and stone blocks, schools, churches, and various public and -private edifices of architectural excellence. Enterprise and wealth are -conspicuous, while the neighboring scenery is grand and attractive. To -the east of the city, scarcely a mile away, is situated a very beautiful -body of water, deep and pure, known as Lake Washington, twenty miles -long by an average of three in width, and from which the citizens have a -never-failing supply of the best of water. The lake has an area of over -sixty square miles, and is surrounded by hills covered with a noble -forest-growth of fir, spruce, and cedar. Seattle has four large public -schools averaging six hundred pupils each, and a university to which -there are seven professors attached, with a regular attendance of two -hundred students. - -Among the great natural resources of this region there is included sixty -thousand acres of coal fields within a radius of thirty miles of -Seattle. These coal fields are connected with the city by railways. -Tacoma and Seattle are also joined by rail, besides two daily lines of -steamboats. - -Great is the rivalry existing between the people here and those of -Tacoma, but there is certainly room enough for both; and, -notwithstanding the destructive fire which lately occurred at Seattle, -it is prospering wonderfully. About four miles distant from the centre -of business is situated one of the largest steel manufactories in this -country, the immediate locality being known as Moss Bay. Here timber, -water, coal, and mineral are close at hand to further the object of this -mammoth establishment, which, when in full operation, will give -employment to five thousand men. Real estate speculation is the present -rage at Seattle, based on the idea that it is to be _the_ port of Puget -Sound. - -Between the city and hoary-headed Mount Tacoma is one of the finest -hop-growing valleys extant. It has enriched its dwellers by this -industry, and more hops are being planted each succeeding year, -increasing the quantity exported by some twenty-five per cent. annually. -It may be doubted if the earth produces a more beautiful sight in the -form of an annual crop of vegetation than that afforded by a hop-field, -say of forty acres, when in full bloom. We were told that the land of -King County, of which Seattle is the capital, is marvelous in fertility, -especially in the valleys, often producing four tons of hay to the acre; -three thousand pounds of hops, or six hundred bushels of potatoes, or -one hundred bushels of oats to the acre are common. It must be -remembered also that while there is plenty of land to be had of -government or the Northern Pacific Railroad Company at singularly low -rates, transportation in all directions by land or water is ample and -convenient, a desideratum by no means to be found everywhere. - -From the deck of the steamer, as we sail northward, the -irregular-formed, but well-wooded shore is seen to be dotted with -hamlets, sawmills, farms, and hop-fields, all forming a pleasing -foreground to the remarkable scenery of land and water presided over by -the snow-crowned peak of Mount Tacoma, which looms fourteen thousand -feet and more skyward in its grandeur and loneliness. How awful must be -the stillness which pervades those heights! As we view it, the snow-line -commences at about six thousand feet from the base, above which there -are eight thousand feet more, ice-topped and glacier-bound, where the -snow and ice rest in endless sleep. There are embraced within the -capacious bosom of Tacoma fifteen glaciers, three of which, by liberal -road-making and engineering, have been rendered accessible to visitors, -and a few persistent mountain climbers come hither every year to witness -glacial scenery finer than can be found in Europe. Persons who have -traveled in Japan will be struck by the strong resemblance of this -Alpine Titan to the famous volcano of Fujiyama, whose snow-wreathed cone -is seen by the stranger as he enters the harbor of Yokohama, though it -is eighty miles away. - -As we steam northward other peaks come into view, one after another, -until the whole Cascade Range is visible, half a hundred and more in -number. - -The summit of Tacoma is not absolutely inaccessible. A dozen daring and -hardy climbers have accomplished the ascent first and last; but it -involves a degree of labor and the encountering of serious dangers which -have thus far rendered it a task rarely achieved. Many have attempted to -scale these lonely heights, and many have given up exhausted, glad to -return alive from this perilous experience between earth and sky. -Members of various Alpine clubs cross the Atlantic to climb inferior -elevations. Let such Americans test their athletic capacity and indulge -their ambition by overcoming the difficult ascent of Tacoma. - -Port Townsend is finally reached,—the port of entry for Puget Sound -district and the gateway of this great body of inland water. Tacoma, -Seattle, and Port Townsend are all lively contestants for supremacy on -Puget Sound. The business part of Port Townsend is situated at the base -of a bluff which rises sixty feet above the sea level, upon the top of -which the dwelling-houses have been erected, and where a marine hospital -flies the national flag. To live in comfort here it would seem to be -necessary for each family to possess a balloon, or that a big public -lift should be established to take the inhabitants of the town from one -part to the other. It is rapidly growing,—street grading and building of -stores and dwelling-houses going on in its several sections. Vancouver -named the place after his distinguished patron, the Marquis of -Townshend. We were told that over two thousand vessels enter and clear -at the United States custom-house here annually, besides which there are -at least a thousand which pass in and out of the sound under coasting -licenses, and are not included in this aggregate. The collections of the -district average one thousand dollars for each working day of the year. - -Port Townsend is nine hundred miles from San Francisco by sea, and -thirty-five hundred miles, in round numbers, from Boston or New York. It -is the first port from the Pacific Ocean, and the nearest one to British -Columbia, besides being the natural outfitting port for Alaska. We were -surprised to learn the extent of maritime business done here, and that -in the number of American steam vessels engaged in foreign trade it -stands foremost in all the United States. Its climate is said to be more -like that of Italy than any other part of America. The place is -certainly remarkable for salubrity and healthfulness, and is universally -commended by persons who have had occasion to remain there for any -considerable period. The view from the upper part of the town is very -comprehensive, including Mount Baker on one side and the Olympic Range -on the other, while the far-away silver cone of Mount Tacoma is also in -full view. The busy waters of the sound are constantly changing in the -view presented, various craft passing before the eye singly and in -groups. Long lines of smoke trail after the steamers, whose turbulent -wakes are crossed now and then by some dancing egg-shell canoe or a -white-winged, graceful sailboat bending to the breeze. - -Certain custom-house formalities having been duly complied with, we -continued on our course, bearing more to the westward, crossing the -Strait of Juan de Fuca, bound for Victoria, the capital of Vancouver -Island and of British Columbia, at which interesting place we land for a -brief sojourn. To the westward the port looks out through the Strait of -Fuca to the Pacific, southward into Puget Sound, and eastward beyond the -Gulf of Georgia to the mainland. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - -Victoria, Vancouver’s Island.—Esquimalt.—Chinamen.—Remarkable Flora.— - Suburbs of the Town.—Native Tribes.—Cossacks of the Sea.—Manners and - Customs.—The Early Discoverer.—Sailing in the Inland Sea.— - Excursionists.—Mount St. Elias.—Mount Fairweather.—A Mount Olympus.— - Seymour Narrows.—Night on the Waters.—A Touch of the Pacific. - - -The city of Victoria contains twelve thousand inhabitants, more or less, -and is situated just seventy miles from the mainland; but beyond the -fact that it is a naval station, commanding the entrance to the British -possessions from the Pacific, we see nothing to conduce to the future -growth of Victoria beyond that of any other place on the sound. The -aspect is that of an old, steady-going, conservative town, undisturbed -by the bustle, activity, and business life of such places as Tacoma and -Seattle. Vancouver, on the opposite shore, being the terminus of the -Canadian Pacific Railway, bids fair to soon exceed it in business -importance, though it has to-day less than ten thousand inhabitants. The -population of Victoria is highly cosmopolitan in its character, being of -American, French, German, English, Spanish, and Chinese origin. Of the -latter there are fully three thousand. They are the successful -market-gardeners of Victoria, a position they fill in many of the -English colonies of the Pacific, also performing the public laundry work -here, as we find them doing in so many other places. In the hotels they -are employed as house-servants, cooks, and waiters. Yet every Chinaman -who lands here, the same as in Australia and New Zealand, is compelled -to pay a tax of fifty dollars entrance fee. The surprise is that such an -arbitrary rule does not act as a bar to Asiatic immigration; but it -certainly does not have that effect, while it yields quite a revenue to -the local treasury. At most ports the importation or landing of Chinese -women is forbidden, but some of the gayest representatives of the sex -are to be seen in the streets of Victoria, with bare heads, having their -intensely black hair, shining with grease, dressed in large puffs. The -heavy Canton silks in which they are clothed indicate that they have -plenty of money. They affect gaudy colors, and wear heavy jade -ear-rings, with breastpins of the same stone set in gold. The lewd -character of the Chinese women who leave their native land in search of -foreign homes is so well known as to fully warrant the prohibition -relative to their landing in American or British ports. The effort to -exclude them is, however, not infrequently a failure, as with a trifling -disguise male and female look so much alike as to deceive an ordinary -observer. The Asiatics are up to all sorts of tricks to evade what they -consider arbitrary laws. - -Officially Victoria is English, but in population it is anything else -rather than English. Until 1858 it was only a small trading station -belonging to the Hudson Bay Company; but in that year the discovery of -gold on the bar of the Fraser River and elsewhere in the vicinity caused -a great influx of miners and prospectors, mostly from California, and it -was this circumstance which gave the place a business start and large -degree of importance. The houses are many of them built of stone and -bricks, the gardens being also neatly inclosed. The streets are -macadamized and kept in excellent order. The city is lighted by electric -lamps placed on poles over a hundred feet high, and has many modern -improvements designed to benefit the people at large, including large -public buildings and a fine opera house. - -The harbor of Victoria is small, and has only sufficient depth to -accommodate vessels drawing eighteen feet of water; but near at hand is -a second harbor, known as Esquimalt, with sufficient depth for all -practical purposes. If quiet is an element of charm, then Victoria is -charming; but we must add that it is also rather sleepy and tame. It -might be centuries old, everything moving, as it does, in grooves. -Business people get to their offices at about ten o’clock in the -morning, and leave them by three in the afternoon. There is no evidence -here of the fever of living, no symptom of the go-ahead spirit which -actuates their Yankee neighbors across the sound. - -Esquimalt is situated but three or four miles from Victoria, and is the -headquarters of the English Pacific squadron, where two or three British -men-of-war are nearly always to be seen in the harbor, and where there -is also a very capacious dry-dock and a naval arsenal. At the time of -our visit a couple of swift little torpedo-boats were exercising about -the harbor and the sound. The well-wooded shore is dressed in “Lincoln -green,” far more tropical than boreal. The many pleasing residences are -surrounded with pretty garden-plots, and flowers abound. We have rarely -seen so handsome an array of cultivated roses as were found here. So -equable is the climate that these flowers bloom all the year round. A -macadamized road connects Esquimalt with Victoria, running between -fragrant hedges, past charming cottages, and through delightful pine -groves. We see here a flora of great variety and attractiveness, which -could not exist in this latitude without an unusually high degree of -temperature, accompanied with a great condensation of vapor and -precipitation of rain. Victoria is admirably situated, with the sea on -three sides and a background of high-rolling hills, and also enjoys an -exceptionally good climate, almost entirely devoid of extremes. - -The suburbs are thickly wooded, where palm-like fern-trees a dozen feet -high, and in great abundance, recalled specimens of the same family, -hardly more thrivingly developed, which the writer has seen in the -islands of the South Pacific. The wild rose-bushes were overburdened -with their wealth of fragrant bloom; we saw them in June, the favorite -month of this queen of flowers. No wonder that Marchand, the old French -voyager, when he found himself here on a soft June day, nearly a century -ago, amid the annual carnival of flowers, compared these fields to the -rose-colored and perfumed slopes of Bulgaria. If the reader should ever -come to this charming spot in the far Northwest, it is the author’s hope -that he may see it beneath just such mellow summer sunshine as glows -about us while we record these pleasant impressions in the queen-month -of roses. Glutinously rich vines of various-colored honeysuckles were -draped about the porticoes of the dwellings, whence they hung with a -self-conscious grace, as though they realized how much beauty they -imparted to the surroundings. The drone of bees and swift-winged -humming-birds were not wanting, and the air was laden with their -delicious perfume. The wild syringas, which in a profusion of snow-white -blossoms lined the shaded roads here and there, were as fragrant as -orange-blossoms, which, indeed, they much resemble. The air was also -heavy with a dull, sweet smell of mingled blossoms, among which was the -tall, graceful spirea with its cream-colored flowers, so thickly set as -to hide the leaves and branches. The maple leaves are twice the usual -size, and fruit trees bend to the very ground with their wealth of -pears, apples, and peaches. The alders, like the ferns, assume the size -of trees, and cultivated flowers grow to astonishing proportions and -beauty. The bark-shedding arbutus was noticeable for its peculiar habit, -and its bare, salmon-colored trunk contrasting with its neighbors. - -A portion of the site of Victoria is set aside as a reservation, and -named Beacon Hill Park, containing choice trees and pleasant paths -bordered with delicate shrubbery. But the whole place is park-like in -its attractive picturesqueness. In the interior of the island there is -said to be plenty of game, such as elk and red deer, foxes and beaver. -These forests are dense and scarcely explored; sportsmen do not have to -penetrate them far to find an abundance of game, so that in the open -season venison is abundant and cheap in the town. - -British Columbia, of which this city is the capital, embraces all that -portion of North America lying north of the United States and west of -the Rocky Mountains to the Alaska line. Its area is three hundred and -forty thousand square miles, and it certainly possesses more intrinsic -wealth than any other portion of the Dominion, except the eastern cities -of Canada. It is but sparsely settled, and its natural resources are -quite undeveloped. - -The well-constructed roads in and about Victoria give it an advantage -over most newly settled places, and the idea is worthy of all -commendation. The seaward, or western shore of Vancouver, overlooking -the North Pacific is very rocky, and is indented by frequent arms of the -sea, like the fjords of Scandinavia, while the surface of the island is -generally mountainous. - -The Haidas and the Timplons are the two native tribes of Vancouver, who -are represented to have once been very numerous, brave, and warlike. -Some of their canoes were eighty feet long, and most substantially -constructed, being capable of carrying seventy-five fighting men, with -their bows, arrows, spears, and shields of thick walrus hide. These -war-boats were made from the trunk of a single tree, shaped and hollowed -in fine nautical lines, so as to make them swift and buoyant, as well as -quite safe in these inland waters. In these frail craft the natives were -perfectly at home, and excited the admiration of the early navigators by -the skill they displayed in managing them, so that Admiral Lütke named -them the “Cossacks of the Sea.” - -But the Haidas, like the tribes of the Aleutian islands and the Alaska -groups generally, have rapidly dwindled into insignificance—slowly -fading away. People who subsist on fish and oil as staples can hardly be -expected to evince much enterprise or industry. It cannot be denied, -however, that as a race they appear much more intelligent and -self-reliant than the aborigines of our Western States. Vincent Colyer, -special Indian commissioner, says with regard to the natives of the -southern part of Alaska and the Alexander Archipelago: “I do not -hesitate to say that if three fourths of these Alaska Indians were -landed in New York as coming from Europe, they would be selected as -among the most intelligent of the many worthy emigrants who daily arrive -at that port.” - -When these islands were first discovered by the whites, the native -tribes occupying them were almost constantly at war one with another. -The different tribes even to-day show no sympathy for each other, nor -will they admit that they are of the same origin. Each has some theory -of its exclusiveness and independence, all of which is a puzzle to -ethnologists. - -There seems never to have been any union of interest entertained among -them. Before and after the advent of the Russians tribal wars raged -among them incessantly. Blood was the only recognized atonement for -offenses, and must be washed out by blood; thus vengeance was kept -alive, and civil war was endless. Bancroft in his “Native Races of the -Pacific” tells us that the Aleuts are still fond of pantomimic -performances; of representing in dances their myths and their legends; -of acting out a chase, one assuming the part of hunter, another of a -bird or beast trying to escape the snare, now succeeding, now failing, -until finally a captive bird is transformed into an attractive woman, -who falls exhausted into the hunter’s arms. - -With well-screened foot-lights, verdant woodland surroundings, -characters assumed by a trained ballet troupe, framed in the usual -proscenium boxes, with orchestra in front, this would be a fitting -entertainment for a first-class Boston or New York audience. - -The Indians, or portions of the native race, seen in and about the -streets of Victoria are of the most squalid character, dirty and -unintelligent, being altogether repulsive to look upon. - -The Indians of the west coast of the island are brought less in contact -with the whites, and still keep up to a certain extent their native -manners and customs, wearing fewer garments of civilization, and being -satisfied with a single blanket as a covering during some portions of -the year. They are fond of wearing curiously carved wooden masks at all -their festivals,—some representing the head of a bear, some that of a -huge bird, and others forming exaggerated human faces. There seems to be -a spirit of caricature prevailing among them, as it does among the -Chinese and Japanese. - -These Vancouver aborigines have an original and extraordinary method of -expressing their warm regard for each other, in isolated districts where -they are quite by themselves. When they meet, instead of grasping hands -or embracing, they bite each other’s shoulders, and the scars thus -produced are regarded with considerable satisfaction by the recipient. -Their sacred rites are sanguinary, and their notions of religion are of -a vague and incomprehensible kind. They believe in omens and sorcery, -suffering as much from fear of supernatural evil as the most benighted -African tribes. The west coast of Vancouver is nearly always bleak; the -great waves of the North Pacific breaking upon it, even in quiet -weather, with fierce grandeur, roaring sullenly among the rocks and -caves. - -The distant view from the eastern side of Vancouver is of a most -charming character, embracing the blue Olympic range of mountains in the -State of Washington, whose heads are turbaned with snow, while the lofty -undulating peaks, taken _en masse_, resemble the fiercely agitated waves -of the sea; a view which vividly recalled the Bernese Alps as seen from -the city of Berne. - -Vancouver is the largest island on the Pacific coast, and is well -diversified with mountains, valleys, and long stretches of low pleasant -shore. Its name commemorates that of one of the world’s great explorers. -Vancouver had served, previous to these notable explorations, as an -officer under Captain Cook for two long and eventful voyages, and was -thus well fitted for a discoverer and pioneer. He made a careful survey -of Puget Sound with all of its channels, inlets, and bays, and wrote a -faithful description of the coast of the mainland as well as of the -islands. Though this was about a century ago, so faithfully did he -perform his work that his charts are still regarded as good authority, -though not absolutely perfect. - -That practical seaman, in his sailing-ship, puts us to shame with all -our science and steam facilities as regards surveys of this complicated -region. The coast survey organization of the United States has done -little more than to corroborate a portion of Vancouver’s work. It is -surprising that the government should neglect to properly explore and -define by maps the islands, channels, and straits of the North Pacific -coast. Notwithstanding our boasted enterprise, we are behind every power -of Europe in these maritime matters. - -The island of Vancouver has an area of eighteen thousand square miles, -and is therefore larger than Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, -and Delaware combined. It is only by these familiar comparisons that we -can hope to convey clearly to the mind of the average reader such -statistical facts, and cause them to be remembered. - -Reference has been made to the favorable climate of Victoria. We should -state that the maximum summer temperature is 84° Fah., and the minimum -of the year is 22°. - -From here our course lies in a northwest direction, leading through the -broad Gulf of Georgia, which separates Vancouver from British Columbia. -The magnificent ermine-clad head of Mount Baker is seen, for many hours, -to the east of our course, looming far, far above the clouds, and -radiating the glowing beauty of the sunset, which happened to be -exceptionally fine at the close of our first day out from Victoria. The -atmosphere, sea, and horizon were all the color of gold. The surface of -the water was unbroken by a ripple, while it flashed in opaline variety -the brilliant hues of the evening hour. The grand scenery which we -encounter foreshadows the character of the voyage of a thousand miles, -more or less, northward, to the locality of the great glaciers, forming -a vast interior line of navigation unequaled elsewhere for bold shores, -depth of water, numberless bays, and inviting harbors. The course is -bordered for most of the distance with continuous forests, distinctly -reflected in the placid surface of these straits and sounds. At times -the passage, perhaps not more than a mile in width, is lined on either -side with mountains of granite, whose dizzy heights are capped with -snow, up whose precipitous sides spruce and pine trees struggle for a -foothold, and clinging there thrive strangely upon food afforded by -stones and atmospheric air. Occasionally we pass some deep, dark fjord, -which pierces the mountains far inland, presenting mysterious and -unexplored vistas. We come upon the island of San Juan, not long after -leaving Victoria, which was for a considerable period a source of -serious contention between England and America, the ownership being -finally settled by arbitration, and awarded to us by the Late Emperor of -Germany. San Juan is remarkable for producing limestone in sufficient -quantity to keep scores of lime-kilns occupied for a hundred years. The -island was only important to us by its position, and as establishing -certain boundary lines. - -Now and again smoke is seen winding upwards from some rude but -comfortable cabin on the shore, where a white settler and his Indian -wife live in semi-civilized style. A rude garden patch adjoins the -cabin, carpeted with thriving root crops, bordered by currant and -gooseberry bushes, while numerous wooden frames are reared close by on -which to dry salmon, cod, and halibut for winter use. Three or four -half-breed children, with a marvelous wealth of hair, and clothed in a -single garment reaching to the knees, watch us with open eyes and mouths -as we glide along the smooth water-way. At last the father’s attention -is called to us by the exclamations of the papooses, and he waves us a -salute with his slouchy fur cap. It is only a little spot on the lonely -shore, but it is all the world to the squatter and his brood. One pauses -mentally for an instant to contrast this type of lonely existence with -the fierce and furious tide of life which exists in populous cities. -Steamers, sailing craft, or native canoes have no storms to encounter -here; the course is almost wholly sheltered, while coal or wood can be -procured at nearly any place where the steamer chooses to stop. The -fierce swell of the Pacific, so very near at hand, is completely warded -off by the broad and beautiful islands of Vancouver, Queen Charlotte, -Prince of Wales, Baranoff, and Chichagoff, which form a matchless -panorama as they slowly pass, day after day, clad in thrifty verdure, -before the eyes of the delighted voyager. Throughout so many hours of -close observation one never wearies of the charming scene. - -The trip between Victoria and Pyramid Harbor, in many of its features, -recalls the voyage from Tromsöe, on the coast of Norway, to the North -Cape, where the traveler beholds the grand phenomenon of the midnight -sun,—passing over deep, still waters, winding through groups of lovely -islands, covered with primeval forests and veined with minerals, amidst -the grandest of Alpine scenery, where the nearer mountain peaks are clad -in misty purple and those far away are wrapped in snow shrouds, where -signs of human life are seldom seen, and the deep silence of the passage -is broken only by the shrill cry of some wandering sea-bird. In both of -these northern regions, situated in opposite hemispheres, grand -mountains, volcanic peaks, and mammoth glaciers form the guiding -landmarks. The glaciers of Alaska are not only many times as large as -anything of the sort in Switzerland, but they have the added charm of -the ever-changing beauties of the sea, thus altogether forming scenery -of peculiar and incomparable grandeur. One often finds examples of the -Scotch and Italian lakes repeated again and again on this inland voyage, -where the delightful tranquillity of the waters so adds to the -appearance of profound depth. It requires but little stretch of the -imagination to believe one’s self upon the Lake of Como or Lake -Maggiore. - -The enjoyment afforded to the intelligent tourist on this delightful -route of travel is being more and more appreciated annually, as clearly -evinced by the fact that over two thousand excursionists participated in -the trips of steamers from Puget Sound to Sitka last year, by way of -Glacier Bay and Pyramid Harbor, representing nearly every State in the -Union, and also embracing many European travelers. “I thought it would -be as cold as Greenland,” said one of these tourists to us; “but after -leaving Port Townsend I hardly once had occasion to wear my overcoat, -night or day, during the whole of the fourteen days’ summer voyage -through Alaska’s Inland Sea. The thermometer ranged between 68° and 78° -during the whole trip, while the pleasant daylight never quite faded out -of the sky.” - -Mount St. Elias, inexpressibly grand in its proportions, is probably the -highest mountain in Alaska, and, indeed, is one of the half dozen -loftiest peaks on the globe, reaching the remarkable height of nearly -twenty thousand feet, according to the United States Coast Survey. It -may fall short of, or it may exceed, this measurement by a few hundred -feet. Owing to the low point to which the line of perpetual snow -descends in this latitude, St. Elias is believed to present the greatest -snow climb of all known mountains. Another notable peculiarity of this -grand elevation is, like that of Tacoma, in its springing at once from -the level of the Pacific Ocean, whereas most mountains, like those of -Colorado, Norway, and Switzerland, say of twelve or fourteen thousand -feet in height, rise from a plain already two or three thousand feet -above sea level, detracting just so much from their effectiveness upon -the eye, and from their apparent elevation. Vitus Behring, a Dane by -birth and the discoverer of the strait which bears his name, first -sighted this mountain on St. Elias’ day, and so gave it the name which -it bears. When the American whalemen on the coast saw the summit of -Mount Fairweather from the sea, they felt sure that some days of fair -weather would follow, hence we have the expressive name which is -bestowed upon it. Mount St. Elias, with its snow and ice mantle reaching -nearly down to sea level, is higher than any elevation in Norway or -Switzerland, rising from its base in pyramid form, straight, regular, -and massive, to three times the height of our New England giant in the -White Mountain range of New Hampshire, namely, Mount Washington. Only -the Himalayas and the Andes exceed it in altitude. Eleven glaciers are -known to come down from the south side of St. Elias, one of which, named -Agassiz Glacier, is estimated to be twenty miles in width and fifty in -length, covering an area of a thousand square miles! - -Fairweather is situated about two hundred miles southeast of Mount St. -Elias, its hoary head being often visible a hundred miles and more at -sea; rising above the fogs and clouds, its summit is recognizable while -all other land is far below the horizon. We were told that when the -earthquake occurred at Sitka in 1847, this mountain emitted huge volumes -of smoke and vapor. The force of volcanic action in Alaska is, however, -evidently diminishing, though occasional slight shocks of earthquakes -are experienced, especially on the outlying islands of the Aleutian -group and near the mouth of Cook’s Inlet. - -Besides these loftiest mountains named,—“Rough quarries, rocks, and -hills whose heads touch heaven,”—Mount Cook, Mount Crillon, and Mount -Wrangel should not be forgotten. Lieutenant H. T. Allen, U. S. A., makes -the height of the latter exceed that of Mount St. Elias, but we think it -very questionable. This officer’s statement that Mount Wrangel is the -birthplace of some of the largest glaciers known to exist seems much -more likely to be correct. In this region, therefore, this far northwest -territory of the United States, we find the highest elevations on the -North American continent. The mountain ranges of California and Montana -unite with the Rocky Mountains, and turning to the south and west form -the Alaska Peninsula, finally disappearing in the North Pacific, except -where a high peak appears now and then, raising its rocky crest above -the sea, like a giant standing breast-high in the ocean, and thus they -form the Aleutian chain of treeless islands, which stretch away westward -towards the opposite continent. That these islands are all connected -beneath the sea, from Attoo, the most distant, to where they join the -Alaska Peninsula, is made manifest by the exhibition of volcanic -sympathy. When one of the lofty summits emits smoke or fiery débris the -others are similarly affected, or at least experience slight shocks of -earthquake. So the several islands which form the Hawaiian group are -believed to be joined below the ocean depths, and several, if not all, -of the islands of the West Indies are considered to be similarly -connected. - -This has been in some period, long ago, a very active volcanic region, -as the lofty peaks, both among the Aleutian Islands and on the mainland, -which emit more or less smoke and ashes, clearly testify; not only -suggestive of the past, but significant of possible contingencies in the -future. There are, in fact, according to the best authorities, sixty-one -volcanic peaks in Alaska. One of the extinct volcanoes near Sitka, Mount -Edgecombe, according to the Coast Pilot, has a dimension at the ancient -crater of two thousand feet across, and an elevation of over three -thousand feet above the sea. The depth of the crater is said to be three -hundred feet. From the top, radiating downwards in singular regularity, -are the deep red gorges scored by the burning lava in its fiery course, -as thrown out of the crater less than a hundred years ago. - -This is a Mount Olympus for the natives, about which many ancient myths -are told by these imaginative aborigines. - -For more than twenty-four hours after sailing from Victoria the -irregular, kelp-fringed shore of Vancouver, which is three hundred miles -long, is seen on our left, until presently the large, iron-bearing -island of Texada, with its tall summit, appears on the right of our -course. The magnetic ore found here in abundance is of such purity as to -render it suitable for the manufacture of the highest grade of steel, -and it is shipped to the furnaces at Seattle and elsewhere for this -purpose. - -It is found in pursuing the voyage northward that the fierce tide-way -prevailing in some of the deep, narrow channels produces such turbulent -rapids that steamers are obliged to wait for a favorable condition of -the waters before attempting their passage, as the adverse current runs -at the rate of nine miles an hour. This was especially the case in the -Seymour Narrows, which is about nine hundred yards wide, and situated at -no great distance from Nanaimo, in the Gulf of Georgia. It is a far more -tumultuous water-way, at certain stages of the tide—which has a rise and -fall of thirteen feet—than the famous Maelstrom on the coast of Norway. -The latter is also caused by the power of the wind and tide, though it -was long held as the mystery and terror of the ocean. - -The author remembers in his school geography a crude woodcut, which -depicted a ship being drawn by some mysterious power into a gaping -vortex of the ocean, and already half submerged. It was intended to -represent the terrible perils of passing too near the Maelstrom, off the -Lofoden Islands. In after years he sailed quietly across this once -dreaded spot in the North Sea, without experiencing even an extra lurch -of the ship. Thus do the marvels and terrors of youth melt away. Travel -and experience make great havoc in the wonderland of our credulity, and -yet modern discovery outdoes in reality the miracles of the past. - -A powerful steamer which attempted to pass through the Seymour Narrows -at an unfavorable state of the water, last season, was unable to make -way against the current, and came near being wrecked. By crowding on all -steam she succeeded in holding her position until the waters subsided, -though she made no headway for two hours. It was here that the United -States steamer Saranac was lost a few years since, being caught at -disadvantage in the seething waters, and forced upon the mid-channel -rocks. Her hull now lies seventy fathoms below the surface of the sea. -Since this event took place the United States ship Suwanee struck on an -unknown rock farther north, and was also totally wrecked. Perhaps after -a few more national vessels are lost in these channels our government -will awaken from its lethargy, and have a proper survey made and -reliable charts issued of this important coast and its intricate -water-ways. A single vessel is now engaged in this survey, but half a -dozen should be employed in Alaskan waters. Nanaimo is situated on the -east side of Vancouver Island, seventy miles from Victoria, with which -it is connected by railroad. It is a thrifty little town, mainly -supported by the coal interest, though there are two or three -manufacturing establishments. The extensive coal mines in its -neighborhood are of great value, and are constantly worked. These coal -deposits are of the bituminous sort, particularly well adapted for -steamboat use, and are so situated as to facilitate the growing commerce -of these islands. Many thousands of tons are shipped during the summer -months to San Francisco. We are told that it cost the proprietors of -these coal mines one dollar and a half a ton to place the product on -board steamers, which on arriving at San Francisco fetches from twelve -to fifteen dollars per ton. There are five mines worked here, giving -employment to some two thousand men, who receive two dollars and a half -per day as laborers. - -There is not a lighthouse upon any headland amid all of these meandering -channels, though it must be admitted that navigation is rarely impeded -for want of light in summer, as one can see to read common print at -midnight upon the ship’s deck without artificial aid any time during the -traveling or excursion season of the year. - -Now and again we look ahead inquiringly as we thread the labyrinth of -islands and wonder how egress is possible from the many mountainous -cliffs rising, sullen and frowning, directly in the steamer’s course. -The exit from this maze is quite invisible; but presently there is a -swift turn of the wheel, the rudder promptly responds, and we gracefully -round a projecting point into another lonely, far-reaching channel -framed by granite peaks a thousand feet in height. - -At night, when all but the watch were sleeping, how gaunt and weird -stood forth those tall, black sentinel rocks, past which we were gliding -so silently, while overhead was spread the broad firmanent of space, -dimly lighted by heaven’s distant lamps! How suggestive the dark, -mysterious shadows! how active the imagination! Was the atmosphere -indeed peopled with the invisible spirits of bygone ages? Did the -air-waves vibrate with the history of the long, long past, the unknown -story of these silent fjords and deep water gorges? Is it only -thousands, or tens of thousands, of years since the first human beings -appeared and disappeared among these now wild, untrodden shores? - -The inlets which are found at the head of the Gulf of Georgia, northeast -of Vancouver Island, are miniature Norwegian fjords, deeper and darker -than the sombre Saguenay; a hundred and eighty fathoms of line will not -reach the bottom. They are from forty to sixty miles in length, with an -average width of nearly two miles, being walled by abrupt mountains from -four to seven thousand feet in height. A grand elevation, whose name has -escaped us, stands eight thousand feet above the sea at the head of -Butte Inlet, while Mount Alfred, at the head of Jarvis Inlet, is still -higher. A remarkable feature of these elongated arms of the sea is their -great depth, some of them measuring over three hundred fathoms. It is a -popular idea that the phosphorescence of the sea is exhibited in its -strongest effect in the tropics; but we have seen in the Gulf of -Georgia, after sunset, so brilliant an illumination from this cause that -it was only comparable to liquid fire, quite equal in intensity to -anything the author has witnessed in the Indian Ocean or the Caribbean -Sea. It is impossible to convey by the pen an idea of the novel splendor -of the scene. A drop of this flame-like water, dipped from the sea in -equatorial or Arctic waters and placed under the microscope is found to -be teeming with the most curious living and active organisms. These -myriads of tiny creatures are so minute that, were it not for the -revelations of the microscope, we should not even know of their -existence. Nor are these infinitesimal objects the smallest -representatives of animal life; glasses of greater power will show still -more diminutive creatures. - -Persons who are accustomed to make sea-voyages do not forget to supply -themselves with a good but inexpensive microscope, for use on shipboard. -The abundant specimens of minute animal and vegetable life which the sea -affords, form a source of instructive amusement by which many otherwise -monotonous hours are pleasantly beguiled. A little familiarity with the -instrument enables one to profitably entertain a whole ship’s company -with its powers. - -In the region between Vancouver and Queen Charlotte Island we cross an -open reach of the sea, and while the Pacific swell tosses us about after -the usual erratic fashion of its unpacific waters, we observe a few -ocean sights which serve pleasantly to vary the experience of the trip. -A school of humpback whales put in an appearance, full of sport and -frolic, in such extraordinary numbers that three or four are seen in the -act of spouting all the while. In spots the sea is yellow, where its -surface is covered for acres together with that animated food for other -piscatory creatures, the jelly-fish. The shining, furry head of a -sea-lion comes up to the surface now and again, gazing curiously at us -with big, glassy eyes, and turning its face nimbly from side to side. A -school of porpoises play about the hull of the steamer, leaping high out -of the water and falling back again in graceful curves. The only shark -we chanced to meet with on the entire voyage was observed in our wake -just before entering Smith’s Sound, south of Calvert Island. In this -region the huge gona-bird was seen sailing slowly on the wing, recalling -the albatross of the low latitudes in its long, lazy sweeps, as well as -by its size and gracefulness. These bird-monarchs of the north measure -eight feet from tip to tip, and glide with or against the wind on their -broad, outspread pinions without the least visible muscular exertion, a -mystery of motive power which is sure to challenge the observer’s -curiosity. - -In the narrow passages the tall peaks, arched by the soft gray of the -clouds and the clear blue of the sky, cast deep shadows where the water -looked like pools of ink, whose blackness intensified the fact of their -great but unknown depth. - -The American whalers have never been accustomed to seek their big game -in these immediate waters, preferring to attack the leviathans in lesser -depths, such as the waters of Behring Sea, or farther north in the -vicinity of the strait, between the frozen ocean and the North Pacific. -There, if a whale dove after being struck by the harpoon, he was sure -very soon to fetch up in the muddy bottom; but here, among the channels -of the islands, he might dive, and dive again, to almost any depth, and -unless great care was taken he was liable in his lightning-like velocity -to carry down with him a whole boat’s crew and all their belongings. -Were it not that the whaling industry has gradually declined here, as it -has done in all other sections of the globe, the possession of Alaska, -with its great number of safe harbors, would be an invaluable boon to -those of our countrymen engaged in that branch of commercial enterprise. - -Inland sea travel is the perfection of steamboating, but the -rapidly-changing landscape of these wild Alaskan shores, rimmed with -sharp volcanic peaks, at last wearies the senses, and one is forced to -seek a brief intermission by finding rest in sleep, only, however, to -again renew the charm with greater zest on the morrow. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - -Steamship Corona and her Passengers.—The New Eldorado.—The Greed for - Gold.—Alaska the Synonym of Glacier Fields.—Vegetation of the - Islands.—Aleutian Islands.—Attoo our most Westerly Possession.—Native - Whalers.—Life on the Island of Attoo.—Unalaska.—Kodiak, former Capital - of Russian America.—The Greek Church.—Whence the Natives originally - came. - - -Our journey through that portion of Alaska known as the Inland Sea was -made in the steamship Corona, Captain Carroll, a commander who has had -long experience in these waters. His pleasure seemed to lie in the -degree of enjoyment which he could afford his passengers, and the amount -of information which he was enabled to impart to them. There were on -board the Corona the members of a large excursion party conducted by -Raymond & Whitcomb of Boston, numbering some eighty persons. We have -rarely seen together a large party of ladies and gentlemen embracing so -many cultured and agreeable persons. They had already occupied some -weeks in a tour of Mexico and southern California. It was exceedingly -pleasant to see the courtesy and consideration exercised among them -towards each other,—amenities which go so far to lighten the inevitable -inconveniences of travel, and to enhance its enjoyments. Oftentimes -friendships are formed under such circumstances which continue through -every exigency to the very end of life. - -Having reached latitude 54° 40′ (the fifty-four forty or fight of 1862), -we come to the boundary line between British Columbia and the United -States, Dixon Entrance being on the left and Fort Tongas on the right. -Here the far-reaching Portland Canal, or more properly channel, -penetrates the mainland for a great distance, precisely like the -Norwegian fjords, presenting, with its various arms, stupendous watery -cañons, whence arise mountain precipices thousands of feet high on -either side of the deep narrow course, their heads shrouded in perpetual -snow. This channel, or fjord, runs nearly due north, and forms a -boundary line to its head between the English and United States -possessions. - -Opposite and just south of Fort Tongas lies Fort Simpson, on British -soil, and close at hand is Metla-katla, where that self-sacrificing -missionary, Mr. Duncan, gathered and established a village of a thousand -Christian residents from the various savage tribes of the vicinity. By -his individual effort, with almost miraculous success, he raised from -the lowest depths of barbarous life a law-abiding, religious, -industrious, and self-supporting community, who justly considered him -their moral and physical savior. Official persecution drove Mr. Duncan -from Metla-katla to the nearest available American island, namely, -Annetta, lying some sixty miles northward. Eight hundred of these -aborigines whom he had reclaimed from savage life and its terrible -practices have followed him with their families, freely abandoning all -their property and improvements at Metla-katla, and are now struggling -to create for themselves a new and permanent home under the United -States. - -The Senate committee, whose members lately visited Alaska, made a call -at Annetta, and “found,” as one of its members writes to the press, “the -Indians living in an apparent condition of contentment, and engaged in -almost all the pursuits of the whites. Their execution of artistic -designs upon silver wrought by themselves into bracelets, rings, and all -kinds of jewelry is marvelous. Baskets made in brilliant colors from -stripped reeds constitute a beautiful and artistic employment of most of -the women of the tribe. Their particular ambition is their anxiety to -possess lands in severalty, or to have certain parcels set aside for -them, that they may cultivate and hold in individual right. They ask -that the whole of Gravine Island be given to their tribe. They found the -state of the morals of the Indian women at Annetta, or, as they call it, -New Metla-katla, far above the average of Indian women of this -Territory. At Sitka the committee visited the habitations of the -Indians, and learned much from personal intercourse as to their habits -and needs. It was found that the companionship and virtue of the women -is a matter of simply dollars and cents, and not difficult to negotiate -for.” - -“The committee were surprised to observe such an apparent freedom from -rowdyism, quarrels, and disturbances of any character in any portion of -the Territory, and remarked the entire absence of six-shooters about the -person of a single individual, a feature always so prominent in the -mining camps of the West.” - -Until Alaska—THE NEW ELDORADO—came into our possession, it was from the -persistent and adventurous fur-traders that our knowledge of the country -was almost solely obtained. To most of the public it was (and is still -to many) scarcely more than a geographical expression, occupying an -insignificant space on the extreme northwest portion of the maps of -North America, without any regard being paid to the scale on which the -other States and Territories of the country are delineated. The fact -nevertheless stares us in the face, that Alaska is nearly as large as -the whole of the United States lying east of the Mississippi River, or -three times as large as France. Within the last twenty years greater -intelligence has been shown, in part through missionaries,— -self-sacrificing and devout men,—who have sought by their teachings to -abolish the wild superstitions of the natives, together with their cruel -rites of Shamanism. Organized companies of explorers, as well as -enterprising miners and prospectors, have also liberally furnished us -with general information relating to this great outlying province, which -has been found to be so full of mineral wealth and future promise. But -so vast is the Territory, so varied the climate, and so undeveloped are -the means of access to its several parts, that our information as -regards detail is still very meagre. There are not ten miles of roadway -in all of Alaska outside of the island of Kodiak; or rather, we should -say, the island just opposite Kodiak, namely, Wood Island, which has a -road constructed completely round it, covering a dozen miles or -thereabouts. The only road at Sitka is not over a mile and a half in -length, and these two are the only ones in this vast Territory. Two -objects of commercial gain, the profitable fur-trade and seeking for -gold, have been the great agents of progress and development thus far in -Alaska. In a like manner it was the greed for gold that first sent the -Spaniards to Mexico and Peru; in pursuit of the lucrative fur-traffic -the French and Britons opened the way for civilization in Canada. Here -in Alaska it will not be philanthropy,—some of whose noblest exponents -are upon the ground,—but self-interest; not government enterprise, but -the seeking for precious metals, which will gradually unfold the great -wealth and resources of this extensive province, whose area is greater -than the thirteen original States of this Union. The hope of commercial -gain has doubtless done nearly as much for the cause of truth and -progress as the love of truth itself. The course of multitudes, guided -by the natural instinct of selfishness, will be overruled by a higher -power for the general good. - -The very name of Alaska has to the popular ear a ring of glacier fields -and snow-clad peaks, conveying a frigid impression of the climate quite -contrary to fact. The most habitable portions of the country lie between -55° and 60° north, about the same latitude as that of Scotland and -southern Scandinavia, but the area of this portion of Alaska is greater -than that of both these countries combined. The name is derived from -Al-ay-ck-sa, which was given to the mainland by the aborigines, and -which signifies “great country.” On the old maps it is very properly -designated as Russian America, and so it really was until its transfer -from the possession of that government to our own. It was at the request -of Charles Sumner, whose able, eloquent, and consistent advocacy did so -much towards its acquirement, that the aboriginal title of Alaska was -adopted. The portion of the country which is at present visited by -excursionists is the southeastern coast line and the archipelago of the -Sitkan Islands or Alexander group. If one desires to reach the vast -country and islands lying to the west and northwest, the proper way to -do so is to sail direct from San Francisco for Unalaska and Kodiak. The -last named island lies south of Cook’s Inlet, one of the most remarkable -volcanic regions in the Territory. Sitka is five hundred and fifty miles -to the eastward of Kodiak. Cook’s Inlet is well named, as the great -discoverer sailed to its very head in 1778, being the first white man -who ever did so, and, indeed, few have done it since. This was while he -was prosecuting his vain search for a northwest passage around the -continent of America. The finest and largest salmon which were ever -known are taken in Cook’s Inlet, reaching the weight of one hundred -pounds in some instances, and measuring six feet in length. The island -of Kodiak is also famous for its excellent and abundant salmon -fisheries. - -In 1874 a committee from the Icelandic residents of Wisconsin, aided by -our government, made an excursion to Alaska to determine whether it -would be advisable to recommend their people in Iceland to seek homes in -and about Kodiak. The report of this committee, which consisted of three -experienced and intelligent men, was published from the government -printing-office in Washington, and from it we quote as follows:— - -“Potatoes grow and do well, although the natives have not the slightest -idea of how they should be cultivated, which goes to show they would -thrive excellently if properly cared for. Cabbages, turnips, and the -various garden vegetables have great success, and to judge from the soil -and climate there is no reason why everything that succeeds in Scotland -should not succeed at Kodiak. Pasture land is so excellent on the -island, and the hay harvest so abundant, that our countrymen would here, -just as in Iceland, make sheep breeding and cattle-raising their chief -method of livelihood. The quality of the grass is such that the milk, -the beef, and mutton must be excellent; and we had also an opportunity -to try these at Kodiak.” - -The purpose of colonizing portions of Alaska with people from Iceland is -being revived, and active measures to this end are now progressing. The -people of that country are eager to avail themselves of such an -opportunity. They are being gradually crowded out of their native land -by the increased flow of volcanic matter over their plains and valleys. -Alaska, while it affords them in certain portions, say the valley of the -Yukon, a climate similar to their own, offers them also many advantages -over the place of their nativity. It is authoritatively stated that over -fifty thousand souls will gladly avail themselves of this chance to -emigrate to Alaska, provided our government will aid them in the matter -of transportation. At this writing, in the village of Afognak, on the -island of Kodiak, with a population of three hundred natives, over one -hundred acres of rich land is planted in potatoes and turnips, and has -yielded annually a large crop of excellent vegetables for three or four -consecutive years. If it were necessary we could point to several other -successful agricultural developments in islands even less favorably -situated than is the Kodiak group. Nevertheless, there are plenty of -writers who assert that domestic vegetables will not grow in Alaska. One -has no patience with such perversion of facts. - -Miss Kate Field says in a late published article relative to Alaska: “In -agriculture Alaska is not promising, but the country is by no means as -impossible in this respect as it has been represented. ‘There is not an -acre of grain in the whole territory,’ wrote Whymper. Because there was -no grain grown, it by no means follows that grain cannot be grown in -certain localities. Hundreds of acres of land near Wrangel can be -drained and cultivated. The Indians on the neighboring islands raise -tons of potatoes and turnips for their own consumption. Butter made for -me by the Scotch housekeeper of Wrangel mission was a sweet boon, and -proved that cows were a success in that region, and that dairies were a -mere question of time.” - -The island of the Aleutian group situated the farthest seaward is named -Attoo, and forms the most westerly point of the possessions of the -United States. This island is situated about seven thousand five hundred -miles in a straight line from the eastern coast of Maine, and is a -little over three thousand miles west of San Francisco, making that city -about the central point between the extreme east and west of this Union. -It would be nearer, if one desired to reach England from Attoo, to -continue his journey westward, rather than to travel east and cross the -Atlantic. A few moments’ examination of the globe or a good map of the -world is especially desirable in this connection, and unless one is -already familiar with this region will prove interesting and -instructive. The Aleutian group, besides innumerable islets and rocks, -contains over fifty islands exceeding three miles in length, seven of -them being over forty miles long. Unimak, which is the largest, is over -seventy miles long, with an average width of twenty. - -It seems almost impossible to conceive of these islands having ever been -densely populated, where human life is so sparsely represented to-day, -and yet scientific investigation gives ample proof that in the far past -every cove and bay echoed to the cry of the successful otter hunter, and -the beaches now lined with numberless bidarkas or native canoes. The -mummies which W. H. Dall brought hence may have been ten centuries old. -This able investigator tells us of ruined villages and deserted hearths, -to be found in almost any sheltered cove or favorably situated upland. A -few strokes of the pick and the spade is sure to unearth arrow-heads, -stone axes, and chipped implements of flint, or perhaps even the -singularly proportioned bones of a now extinct human race. Bones have -been exhumed on these islands which have puzzled scientists to account -for. - -When these islands were discovered by the Russians the inhabitants of -Attoo were numerous, warlike, and brave, being well supplied with otter -skins, and altogether were a self-reliant and thrifty tribe. Now the -place contains but one small village, numbering about a hundred and -twenty souls, situated on the south side of the island in a sheltered -cove. - -There are residents living upon Attoo to-day who have in their time -witnessed two wrecks of Japanese vessels upon their shores; and who can -say that Attoo was not originally peopled in this manner by Asiatics -thousands of years ago? It was so late as 1861 that the last Japanese -junk was stranded upon the island; three of the Japanese sailors -surviving were ultimately sent home by way of Siberia overland. - -The sea-otter has been driven from this immediate neighborhood by too -vigorous and indiscriminate pursuit, but the sea-lion, various -water-fowls, and plenty of cod, halibut, and salmon still abound among -these lonely islands of the North Pacific. Occasionally a dead whale is -stranded on the shore, which is considered a cause for great rejoicing, -every part of the animal being utilized by the natives. No matter how -putrid the flesh may be, it is eagerly eaten by these people, both raw -and cooked. When a school of whales appears in sight of these shores, -the natives go out in their frail boats, and with lances so prepared as -to work into the vitals of the big creatures, they pierce them in the -most vulnerable places, leaving the animal to die where it will, and -trusting to the currents to carry the body where they can reach it. To -their lances there are securely attached inflated sealskin buoys, which -render diving a very laborious exertion to the whales, and which aid -finally in securing the carcass. In this way, it is said, the natives -get one whale out of fifteen or twenty which they succeed in harpooning. -Whales, singular to say, are more esteemed as food by all the Alaskan -shore tribes than any other product of the sea, or, in fact, any other -sort of food. The securing of one is an event celebrated with limitless -feasting and rejoicing. A New England whale-ship captain told the writer -that he had seen these natives cut long strips of blubber from the body -of a stranded whale, which had been so long dead that it was with -difficulty he could breathe the atmosphere to leeward of the carcass, -and chew upon the same with the greatest relish until it had entirely -disappeared down their throats, the oil dripping all the while in small -streams from the corners of their mouths. This is not a practice -confined to the Aleuts, but extends throughout the several groups of -islands, and is also a marked habit of the Eskimos proper, living both -north and south of Behring Strait, and on the coast of the Polar Sea. - -“The natives would rather have a dead whale drift ashore,” says Mr. -George Wardman, United States Treasury agent in Alaska, “than to own the -best crop of the biggest farm in the United States. Dead whale is a -great blessing in the Aleutian part of our Alaska possessions, and -agricultural products are but little sought after or valued. The dead -whale may be so putrid that the effluvia arising from it will blacken -the white paint of a vessel lying one hundred yards distant, but, all -the same, the whale is a blessing.” - -There is a variety store kept on Attoo by an agent of the Alaska -Commercial Company, where the natives exchange their furs for tea, -sugar, and hard biscuit, besides tobacco and a few fancy articles. - -The mountains which surround the settlement are two or three thousand -feet in height, “rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun,” and are white with -snow for a considerable portion of the year. These Aleutian Islands, -bounded by wave-battered rocks, stretching far out in the Pacific -towards Asia, have no trees, the soil not having sufficient depth to -support them, but they are thickly covered with a low-growing, luxuriant -vegetation in great variety. Between the mountains and the sea are many -natural prairies, with a rich soil of vegetable mould suitable for -domestic gardening. The wood consumed by the inhabitants as fuel is the -product of drift-logs or trees reclaimed from the sea. On the breaking -up of winter in the large islands at the northeast and on the mainland, -the unsealing of the ice-bound rivers sends down from the great forests -through which they flow thousands of fallen trees, many of which are -very large. This is especially the case with the Yukon River, which -empties its immense accumulation of debris into Norton Sound, and the -Kuskoquin, emptying into a bay of the same name one hundred and fifty -miles farther south. When these tree trunks find their way to the open -sea, the prevailing currents bear them southward to the Aleutian -Islands, where a large number become stranded at Attoo, and are promptly -secured and stored for use as fuel. It would seem to be rather a -precarious source of supply to depend upon for this purpose, but we were -told that, as a rule, it was ample to meet the demand. There is also a -stocky vine growing in great abundance upon the islands, which the -native women gather and dry, and this makes a quick, strong fire. At -certain seasons the women may be seen in long lines coming from the -hills, each one bearing upon her back a monster bundle of this product, -which they store for use when the other source of fuel fails them or -proves insufficient. The people of Attoo have tamed the wild goose, of -which they rear considerable flocks for domestic use, similar to our New -England custom with the tame bird, and it is said they are the only -tribe in Alaska who do so. Long since the blue fox was by some means -introduced upon the island, and being at first properly protected, the -place has become fairly stocked with them, a certain number only being -killed annually by the natives, and from their valuable fur these Aleuts -realize quite a large sum. Were it necessary, lumber could be brought in -small quantities from the island of Kodiak, or even from the mainland -far away; but there is very little use for it in Attoo, the houses being -built of drift-logs and not of boards. Besides the low, thrifty species -of shrubbery growing on these islands, there are also wild berries in -great abundance, the original seeds having probably been brought by the -birds from the mainland. Grasses grow luxuriantly, being cut and cured -to feed a few small Siberian cattle through the winter months, though it -is hardly necessary to house them at all. They are kept on only one or -two of the larger islands of the group. Domestic animals might do well -here with a little care, but the attention of the natives is given -almost exclusively to the products of the sea, whose very bounty -demoralizes them. At Unalaska, of this same group, the natural grass -grows to six feet in height, and with such body that one must part it by -exerting considerable force in order to get through. The natives braid -it into useful and ornamental articles, hats, baskets, mats, and the -like. This prolific growth is represented to be remarkably nutritious, -and cattle are very fond of it. W. H. Dall predicted that this Aleutian -district will yet furnish California with its best butter and cheese; -while Dr. Kellogg, botanist of the United States Exploring Expedition, -wrote: “Unalaska abounds in grasses, with a climate better adapted for -haying than the coast of Oregon. The cattle are remarkably fat, and the -milk abundant.” This is the refitting station for all vessels passing -between the Pacific Ocean and Behring Strait, and here also is the -principal trading post of the Alaska Commercial Company. - -Mr. George Wardman, United States Treasury Agent, that stated on his -late visit to this island he saw in one warehouse sea-otter skins ready -for shipment which were worth quarter of a million dollars in the London -market. This will represent, perhaps, two thirds of all this class of -pelts furnished to the world annually, as comparatively few go from any -other quarter. Other land furs are brought here for shipment to San -Francisco, two fur companies having headquarters at Unalaska. The place -has some sixty native houses, and perhaps five hundred inhabitants. -Unalaska is known to be rich in both gold and silver mines, one of which -is owned by a San Francisco company, and which it is proposed to fully -develop and work during the coming year, careful tests having proven its -prospective value. - -The same fertility seen at Unalaska exists also at Kodiak and Atagnak, -where the small breed of cattle that live upon the grass are as fat as -seals, and require no shelter all the year round. There is a small -ship-yard near the first named island, where vessels of twenty-five and -thirty tons are built for fishing in the neighboring sea. These two -islands, situated just off the eastern shore of the Alaska Peninsula, -are called the garden spots of this region, enjoying more sunshine and -fair weather than any other part of the Territory. They contain rich -pastures, beautiful woodlands, and broad open fields, which during the -summer are carpeted with constant verdure and wild flowers. Kodiak was -for a long time the capital of the Russian American possessions, but the -government headquarters were removed for some reason to Sitka. On Wood -Island, opposite Kodiak, is the clear and spacious lake which so long -furnished ice to the dwellers on the Pacific coast, but particularly to -the people of San Francisco. The whole range of Aleutian Islands from -Attoo to Kodiak contains between four and five thousand inhabitants, -nearly all of whom are called Christians, being members of the Greek -Church. They are very generally half-breeds, that is, born of -intermarriage between emigrant Russians and native women. Professor -Davidson was struck by the strong resemblance of the aboriginal tribes -inhabiting these islands to the Chinese and Japanese, and was satisfied -that they came originally from Asia. There are many very intelligent -persons among them. “They are docile, honest, industrious, and very -ingenious,” says Professor Davidson. The women of Unalaska have always -been noted for the beauty and variety of their woven grass mats and -various other ornamental work, particularly in the combinations of -colors and unique designs. - -This cunning of the hand and artistic ingenuity is not confined to the -women; the men are also skillful carvers and engravers. Whenever they -have been afforded a fair degree of instruction, and the opportunity to -exercise their ability, they have proved themselves to be adepts -especially in this last mentioned branch of skilled labor. We have seen -artistic work produced by a native Unalaskan which it was difficult to -believe was not the performance of some experienced and thoroughly -educated European. - -The thirty-eight charts in the Hydrographic Atlas of Tebenkoff were all -drawn and engraved on copper by a native Aleut. - -On the island of Unga, one of the Shumagin group, situated half way -between Unalaska and Kodiak, is a small settlement of a score of white -men and about a hundred and fifty natives. By a regulation of our -Treasury Department, only natives are allowed to hunt the sea-otter, and -therefore these white men have married native wives, thereby becoming -natives in the eyes of the law. The revenue derived from the sea-otter -trade on this island is said to average from six to seven hundred -dollars a year to every family. Off the southern shore of the Shumagin -group is the best cod fishing bank that is known. It is estimated that a -million good-sized cod were taken here last season and shipped to San -Francisco. This metropolis of California once depended upon the product -of our Newfoundland fisheries for its salted cod, but has drawn its -supply for the last few years almost entirely from the coast of Alaska, -and the consumption has increased every year. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - -Cook’s Inlet.—Manufacture of Quass.—Native Piety.—Mummies.—The North - Coast.—Geographical Position.—Shallowness of Behring Sea.—Alaskan - Peninsula.—Size of Alaska.—A “Terra Incognita.”—Reasons why Russia - sold it to our Government.—The Price Comparatively Nothing.—Rental of - the Seal Islands.—Mr. Seward’s Purchase turns out to be a Bonanza. - - -Cook’s Inlet, which lies to the north of the island of Kodiak, was -esteemed by the Russians to be the pleasantest portion of Alaska in the -summer season, with its bright skies and well wooded shores. It -stretches far inland in a northeasterly direction, and is quite out of -the region of the fogs which prevail on the coast. Gold has been -profitably mined for some years on the Kakny River, which empties into -the eastern side of this extensive inlet, and good coal abounds in the -neighborhood. - -When the Russians first came to this region they taught the natives to -make what they called quass, a cooling and comparatively harmless acid -drink. To produce this article rye meal is mixed with water, in certain -proportions, and allowed to remain in a cask until fermentation takes -place and it is sour and lively enough to draw. Latterly the natives -have learned to add sugar, and thus to produce a fermented liquor of an -intoxicating nature. Progress in this direction has been made until now -they mix a certain portion each of sugar, flour, dried apples, and a few -hops, when they can be obtained, putting the whole into a close barrel -or cask. When fermentation has taken place and the mixture has worked -itself clear, it forms a strong intoxicant. This article proves the -cause of a thousand ills among the aborigines. In each of the scattered -villages among the islands there is sure to be seen a few broken-down -victims of this active poison, who have impoverished their families and -wrecked their own constitutions. - -In each of these Aleutian islands there is found a Russian-Greek chapel -and a regularly appointed priest, this religion being preferred by the -natives to that of all other sects, captivating their simple minds by -its gorgeous show and its mystery. Their honest devotion, however, to a -religion which they cannot comprehend may be reasonably questioned. -There can be no doubt that their idolatrous customs and original -pantheism have been almost entirely abandoned,—ceremonies which were -elaborately described by the early voyagers, and which involved strange -incantations and even human sacrifices. Intercourse with the whites has -at least had the effect of abolishing the most objectionable features of -their early superstitions. The bishop of the organization is a Russian -and resides in San Francisco, whence he controls these parishes, which -he occasionally visits, being amply supplied with pecuniary means by the -home government at St. Petersburg. The piety of these Aleuts is very -pronounced, so far as all outward observances go, and we were told that -they never sit down to their meals without briefly asking a blessing -upon their rude repast. Golovin, a Russian who lived many years among -the Aleuts, says: “Their attention during religious services is -unflinching, though they do not understand a word of the whole rite.” -The same author goes on to say, “During my ten years’ stay in Unalaska -not a single case of murder happened among the Aleutians. Not an attempt -to kill, nor fight, nor even a considerable dispute, although I often -saw them drunk.” Hunting is the principal source of their support, and -to get the sea-otter they often make long, exposed trips in their -undecked boats, and experience many trying hardships. When they return -to their homes at the close of the season, having been nearly always -reasonably successful, the quass barrel is brought into requisition, and -its contents partaken of to excess, drunken orgies following with all -their attendant evils. - -The Aleuts are a very honest people, quite unlike the Eskimos of the -north, who are natural pilferers. They are also possessed of a certain -stoicism which compels admiration. When they are sick or suffering great -pain they utter no complaint, and outwardly are always content, no -matter what the future may send as their lot. An Aleut is never known to -sigh, groan, or shed a tear. If he feels it, he never evinces immoderate -joy, but is always quiet, moderate, and grave. They are in a great -degree fatalists, and believe that which is decreed by the power in the -sky will come to pass, whatever they may do to prevent it. It is Kismet. - -It is an interesting fact that before these islands were discovered by -the Russians, the natives were in the practice of preserving their dead -in the form of mummies, and this had probably been their habit for -centuries. Satisfactory evidence is afforded by what is found upon the -islands to show that they have been the residence of populous tribes for -over two thousand years. Mr. Dall, in his indefatigable researches, was -able to secure several examples of the mummified dead on these outlying -islands, eleven of which came from one cave on the south end of -Unalaska, but none were ever found or known to have existed upon the -mainland. This fact is looked upon by ethnologists as an important -addition to our knowledge of the prehistoric condition of these peculiar -people of the far Northwest, now part and parcel of our widespread -population. The mummies of Peru and those of Alaska are now arranged -side by side in the cases of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, -and what is very singular is that they seem, in their general -appearance, to be almost identical. - -The interior of Alaska and its more Arctic regions north of the valley -of the Yukon remain still only partially explored. No more is actually -known of it than of Central Africa. It would be anything but a pleasure -excursion, at present, to penetrate the extreme northern harbors of the -extended coast line, which are mostly uninhabited, and which are -tempest-swept for a large portion of the year. Northwestern Alaska -shares with northeastern Siberia the possession of the coldest winter -climate in the world, but we must remember it is not always winter, and -thousands of Eskimos here find life quite tolerable. Beyond 70° of north -latitude no trees are to be found; even shrubs have disappeared, giving -place to a scanty growth of lichens and creeping wood-plants. Even here, -however, Nature asserts her prerogative and brings forth a few bright -flowers and blooming grasses in the brief midsummer days. Point Barrow -is what might be termed, in common parlance, “the jumping-off place;” -the beginning of that mysterious ocean where the compass needle, which -lies horizontal at the equator, attracted by an unexplained influence -dips and points straight downward. There is no lack of animal life in -this frozen region, the sea is as full as in the tropics; the whale here -finds its birthplace, and herring issue forth in countless columns to -seek more southern seas, while the air is darkened by innumerable flocks -of sea-fowl. The wolves, the polar bear, and other fur-bearing animals -afford meat and clothing to the Eskimo to an extent far exceeding his -requirements. Only thoroughly organized expeditions and a few -adventurous whalers attempt to pass Point Barrow, a long reach of low -barren land, and the most northerly portion of the Territory, which -projects itself into the great Arctic Ocean very much after the fashion -of the North Cape of Norway, in the eastern hemisphere, at latitude 71° -10′. - -There is a village at Point Barrow containing about a hundred and fifty -people, living in houses partly under ground as a protection against the -cold. The roofs are supported by rafters of whale jaws and ribs. This -people we call the Eskimo proper. They have a severe climate to contend -with, but are abundantly supplied with food and oil from the sea. They -have a strange aversion to salt, and any food thus cooked or preserved -they will not eat unless driven to it by dire necessity. Our government -is just about to erect a comfortable structure here as a sort of refuge -to shipwrecked navigators of the Polar Sea, this being the verge of -those unknown waters which guard the secret of the Pole. - -A peninsula makes out from near the centre of the western coast of -Alaska, the terminus of which is the nearest point between this -continent and Asia, the two being separated by Behring Strait, where the -East and the West confront each other, and where the extreme western -boundary of our country is the line which separates Asia from America. -This is called. Cape Prince of Wales, a rocky point rising in its -highest peak to twenty-five hundred feet above the sea. Here is a -village of Eskimos numbering between three and four hundred souls, who -do not bear a good reputation. They are skilled as fishermen on the sea -and hunters on the land, to which it may be added that they are -professional smugglers. Here it is quite possible in clear weather to -see the Asiatic coast—Eastern Siberia—from United States soil, the -distance across the strait being about forty miles. There are two -islands in the strait, known as the Diomedes, almost in a direct line -between Cape Prince of Wales on one side and East Cape on the other; -stepping-stones, as it were, between the two continents. Occasional -intercourse between the natives of the two opposite shores is maintained -to-day by means of sailing craft, and doubtless has been going on for -hundreds, if not for thousands, of years. So moderate are the seas, and -so calm the weather hereabouts at some portions of the year, that the -passage is made in open or undecked boats. - -On King’s Island, fifty miles south of Cape Prince of Wales, there is a -tribe of veritable cave-dwellers. The island is a great mass of rock, -with almost perpendicular sides rising seven hundred feet above the sea. -On one side, where the angle is nearly forty-five degrees, the Eskimos -have excavated homes in the rock, about half a hundred of which are two -hundred feet above the sea. These people openly defy the revenue laws, -and are the known distributers of contraband articles, especially of -intoxicants. - -Behring Sea, where it washes the shores of Alaska, from Norton Sound to -Bristol Bay, is slowly growing more shallow, having but fifteen fathoms -depth, in some places, forty miles off the west shore of the mainland, -and growing shallower as it approaches the continent. This has caused a -speculative writer to suggest the possible joining of Asia and America, -at some future period, by the gradual filling up of Behring Sea. The -reason of this is obvious. The Yukon River brings down from its course -of two thousand miles and more many hundred tons of soil daily which it -deposits along the coast, while the Kuskoquin River, second only to the -Yukon in volume, is engaged in the same work about a hundred and fifty -miles south of where the greater river empties into Norton Sound. These -large water-ways carry, like the Mississippi, immense deposits to the -sea, and the process has been going on night and day for no human being -knows how long. - -One hundred and fifty miles from the mouth of this Kuskoquin River the -Moravians of Bethlehem, Pa., support a missionary establishment. The -station is named Bethel, one of the most isolated points in Alaska, -receiving a mail but once a year! Truly, nothing save fulfilling a -conscientious sense of duty could compensate intelligent people for thus -separating themselves from home and friends. - -We have spoken of a peninsula making out at the north towards Asia, but -this comparatively insignificant projection from the mainland should not -be permitted to confuse the reader’s mind as regards the Alaska -Peninsula, properly so called, which extends from the southern part of -the Territory, ending in the islands which form the Aleutian group. This -peninsula is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable in the world, being -fifty miles broad and three hundred long, literally piled with -mountains, some of which are but partially extinct volcanoes, emitting -at the present time more or less smoke and ashes, sometimes accompanied -by blazing gases discernible at night far away over land and sea, -appearing to the midnight watch on board ship like a raging -conflagration in the heavens. The principal islands of the group of -which we have been speaking, and which stretch far away from the -southwestern corner of the Alaska Peninsula towards Kamschatka, as -though extending a cordial hand from the Occident to the Orient, are as -follows: Unimak, with a volcanic peak nine thousand feet high; Unalaska, -whose peak is five thousand seven hundred feet high; Atka, with a height -of four thousand eight hundred feet; Kyska, which is crowned by an -elevation of three thousand seven hundred feet; and Attoo, whose tallest -peak is over three thousand feet. This island is just about four hundred -miles from the Asiatic coast. Unimak has a large lake of sulphur within -its borders, and all of these islands have more or less hot springs. -From those in Unalaska loud reports issue at intervals, like the boom of -cannon, recalling our late similar experience in the Yellowstone Park. - -Alaska constitutes the northwestern portion of the American continent, -and has a coast line exceeding eleven thousand miles. The extreme length -of the Territory, north and south, is eleven hundred miles, and its -breadth is eight hundred. It is bounded on the north by the Arctic -Ocean, on the east by British Columbia, on the south by the Pacific -Ocean, and on the west by Behring Strait and the North Pacific. Our -geographies and encyclopædias help us to little more than the boundaries -of this great Territory, which contains nearly six hundred thousand -square miles. The latest published estimates give the aggregate number -of square miles as nineteen thousand less than the amount we have named, -but Governor Swineford and other residents of the Territory believe it -to be an underestimate. As there is no actual survey extant, the figures -given can only be a reasonable approximation to the true number. The -boundary dividing Alaska and British Columbia was settled by treaty -between England and Russia in 1825, and the same line is recognized -to-day as separating our possessions in this quarter from those of Great -Britain. Alaska is as large as all of the New England and Middle States, -with Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, and -Tennessee combined. So far as size is concerned, the Territory is, -therefore, an empire in itself, being equal in area to seventy-one -States like Massachusetts, and containing as many square miles as -England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, -and Belgium united. It has been estimated by competent judges that, with -its islands, it has a coast line equal to the circumference of the -globe. Very few of our people, even among the educated class, have an -adequate idea of the immensity of this northwestern Territory, two -thirds of which abounds in available resources, only awaiting -development. Were Alaska situated on our Atlantic coast it would extend -from Maine to Florida. - -Miss Kate Field, in a comprehensive article already quoted from, -published in the “North American Review,” justly censuring Congress for -its supineness and ignorance in relation to Alaska, says: “American -citizens, living comfortably on the Atlantic seaboard, knowing their own -wants and dictating terms to their submissive representatives, take -little heed of those new additions to the United States which are -destined to be the crowning glory of the Republic. When a nation is so -big as to render portions of it a _terra incognita_ to those who make -the laws, there’s something rotten this side of Denmark!... The march of -empire goes on in spite of human fallibility, and now the land of the -midnight sun knocks at the door of Congress. She is twenty-three years -old, and asks to be treated as though she were of age. The big-wigs at -Washington rub their eyes, put on their spectacles, and wonder what this -Hyperborean hubbub means?” - -In examining the geographical characteristics of Alaska, we observe a -peculiarity in its outlying islands which is also found in the -construction of the continents. They all have east of their southern -points series of islands. Thus, Alaska has the Sitkan or Alexander -group; Africa has Madagascar; Asia has Ceylon; Australia has the two -large islands of New Zealand; and America has the Falkland Islands. -Alaska is the great island region of the United States. - -It is not for us to enter into the brief history of the country, that -is, brief as known to us, but it is well to fix in the mind the fact -that Russia’s title was derived from prior discovery. Behring first saw -the continent in this region of North America, July 18, 1741, in -latitude 58° 28′, and two days later anchored in a bay near a point -which he called St. Elias, a name which he also gave to the great -mountain overshadowing the neighboring shore. It is sufficient for our -purpose that we know this Territory was purchased from Russia by our -government in 1867, after that country had occupied it a little more -than a century, paying therefor the sum of seven million two hundred -thousand dollars. It has been truly said that it was practically giving -away the country on the part of Russia; but doubtless diplomatic reasons -influenced the Tzar, who would much rather have presented it outright to -the United States than to have it, by conquest or otherwise, fall into -the hands of England, who was known to crave its possession as connected -with her Pacific coast interests. So when the first Napoleon sold us -Louisiana, he did so not alone in consideration of the money, which was -doubtless much needed by his treasury,—amounting to sixty million -francs,—but because he was not willing to leave this distant territory a -prey to Great Britain in the event of hostilities between France and -England, which were then imminent. He was glad, as he remarked, “to -establish forever the power of the United States, and give to England a -maritime rival destined to humble her pride;” adding, “It is for the -interest of France that America should be great and strong.” - -Alaska was a white elephant to Russia, but in our hands it has already -proved a bonanza. - -Any one can now see that the sum named as an equivalent for this -colossal territory was a trifling value to place upon it, when its great -extent is realized, together with its vast mineral wealth and -inexhaustible supply of fish, fur, and timber. It is in fact the only -great game and fur preserve left in the Western world, inviting the -trapper and hunter to reap a rich return for their industry. Nowhere -else on this continent do wild animals more abound, or enjoy such -immunity from harm, as is afforded them in the dense, half-impenetrable -forests of Alaska, where Nature herself becomes our gamekeeper, -preventing the too rapid extinction of animal life. - -From a lease in favor of the Alaska Commercial Company of San Francisco, -giving them the exclusive right to take seals on the Prybiloff group of -islands, our government has received four and one half per cent. -interest, annually, during the last nineteen years, on the entire -purchase-money paid to Russia. This same company, whose term is just -about to expire, would gladly renew the lease with our government at a -considerable advance upon the amount heretofore paid; but it is an open -question whether the continuance of this great monopoly is for the best -interest of Alaska, when considered in all its bearings. - -Undoubtedly this contract is a real benefit in one way. The company, -through its agents, will take good care to see that no outside interest -interferes with their rights so as to permit any indiscriminate -slaughter of the seals. Whereas, were the capture of these peltries not -guarded, an end of the product would be brought about in a very short -time. There is a manifest injustice in all monopolies, as we view them; -but of two evils, in this instance we should perhaps feel inclined to -choose the least by selling the privilege to a responsible company. It -must be admitted that the high-handed course of the present company, -their arbitrary assumptions, and their treatment of the natives -generally, are represented in a very bad light by many residents of -Alaska; but little else, however, could be expected of so great a -monopoly. One thing is certain, and that is, the company has realized a -great fortune by its contract. - -There were plenty of people who ridiculed the acquisition of this -Territory at the time when it was brought about; but there were also -some far-seeing statesmen, influenced by no selfish motives, who felt -very different about the matter, among whom was Mr. Seward, then -Secretary of State, and to whom the credit is mostly due for -consummating the important purchase. That able diplomat considered the -transaction to have been the most important act of his official career, -and put himself on record to that effect. He remarked, in discussing the -matter at a public meeting, “It may take two generations before the -purchase is properly appreciated.” Mr. Seward was right. It was a -crowning glory for him to have added a new empire to his country’s -domain, though in 1867 its great commercial importance was hardly known, -even to himself. Its valuable gold deposits were then thought possibly -to exist; but subsequent developments have already far outstripped -anticipations in that direction, and the large yield of the precious -metal is annually increasing. - -“I thought when Alaska was purchased, in 1867,” says that keen observer -and clever writer, Captain John Codman, “that it might answer for a -great skating park; but now I know, from merely coasting along its -southeastern shores and landing at a few of its outposts, that the seven -million two hundred thousand dollars paid for it is less than the -interest of the sum that it is worth. A great part of it is yet -unexplored, for its whole area is three times greater than the republic -of France; but what has been discovered is invaluable, and what has not -been discovered may be valuable beyond calculation.” - -So little did we, as a people, appreciate the new acquisition that it -was almost entirely neglected for seventeen years. Not until 1884 was it -granted a territorial government, Hon. John H. Kinkead, ex-governor of -Nevada, being the first governor appointed for Alaska. “Twenty years -ago,” says Governor Swineford of Alaska, “I made political capital out -of Seward’s purchase. I called it the refrigerator of the United States. -I heaped obloquy on William H. Seward. I shall spend the rest of my life -in making reparation to what I have so foully wronged.” Such has been -the general testimony of all who speak from personal observation, and -uninfluenced by sinister motives. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER X. - -Territorial Acquisitions.—Population of Alaska.—Steady Commercial - Growth.—Primeval Forests.—The Country teems with Animal Life.—A Mighty - Reserve of Codfish.—Native Food.—Fur-Bearing Animals.—Islands of St. - George and St. Paul.—Interesting Habits of the Fur-Seal.—The Breeding - Season.—Their Natural Food.—Mammoth Size of the Bull Seals. - - -The subject of the addition of Alaska to the United States suggests the -fact that our territorial acquisitions from time to time form certain -decided and interesting landmarks in the history of the country. Thus, -in 1803 we acquired Louisiana from France by the payment of fifteen -million dollars. In 1845 Texas was annexed and her debt assumed, -amounting to the sum of seven million five hundred thousand dollars. In -1848 California, New Mexico, and Utah were acquired from Mexico, partly -through war, and by the payment of fifteen million dollars. In 1854 -Arizona was purchased from Mexico for ten million dollars. And last, but -by no means least, Alaska, as has been stated, was obtained from Russia -in 1867 for seven million two hundred thousand dollars. “By this -purchase,” said Charles Summer in his able speech before Congress, “we -dismiss one more monarch from this continent. One by one they have -retired; first France; then Spain; then France again; and now Russia; -all give way to the absorbing Unity which is declared in the national -motto, _E Pluribus Unum_.” - -At the time of the transfer of Alaska, the native population, Russians, -half-breeds and all, did not probably exceed forty thousand; indeed, -careful inquiry seems to indicate that this is an overestimate. Since -that period the native population has steadily decreased, but the white -population has increased, it is believed, sufficiently to make good the -estimated aggregate of twenty-two years ago. In 1867 the commerce of -Alaska was officially reported as being two million five hundred -thousand dollars for the current year. The published estimate for the -last year made it a fraction less than seven million dollars, of which -about a million five hundred thousand dollars was in gold bullion. -Certainly this shows a very steady if not rapid commercial growth. -Competent individuals estimate that the commerce of the Territory for -the year 1889 will reach ten million dollars in amount. The increase in -the number of fish-canning establishments alone will add two millions to -last year’s aggregate. The shipment of preserved salmon exported in tins -and barrels is increasing annually. - -The available timber now standing in the Territory might alone meet the -ordinary demand of this continent for half a century. Though the extreme -northern part of Alaska is treeless, its southern shores, both of the -islands and mainland, are covered with a dense forest growth, the -Aleutian group excepted. It is the visible wealth of the country, and a -source of admiration to all appreciative visitors. - -Fort Tongas is very near the southeast point of Alaska, and about ten -miles north of Fort Simpson; the former American, the latter English -territory. When the ground was cleared to establish the American fort, -“yellow cedar-trees,” says W. H. Dall, “eight feet in diameter were cut -down. The flanks of all the islands of this archipelago bear a -magnificent growth of the finest timber, from the water’s edge to -fifteen hundred feet above the sea.” It must be a cedar of magnificent -proportions out of which the natives can hew and construct a canoe -seventy feet long capable of carrying one hundred men. This the Haidas -do, producing models both swift and seaworthy, the prows extending in a -peak not unlike the ancient galleys of Greece, decorated with totemic -designs. These magnificent forests, having never felt the stroke of the -axe, present a growth naturally very dense and peculiar, the branches of -the tall trees being often draped with long black and white moss, dry -and fine as hair, which it resembles. This characteristic recalled the -same effect observed upon the thickly wooded shores of the St. John -River in Florida, and the Lake Pontchartrain district of Louisiana. The -fallen trees and stumps are cushioned by a growth of green, velvety -moss, nearly ten inches in thickness, and are also decked with creeping -vines in the most picturesque manner; among which is seen here and there -deep red clusters of the bunch-berry. The timber is pronounced by good -judges to be as valuable as that of Oregon and Washington, compared with -which our forests in Maine are hardly more than tall undergrowth. A very -large percentage of the Alaska timber grows at the most convenient -points for shipment, making it especially available. The white spruce, -called the Sitka pine, rises to a height of from a hundred and fifty to -a hundred and eighty feet, and measures from three to six feet in -diameter. When this growth is cut into dimension lumber it very much -resembles our southern pitch-pine. There is also found in these forests -the usual variety of cedar, fir, ash, maple, and birch trees, mingled -with the others of loftier growth. The yellow cedar of this region grows -nowhere else of such size and quality. It is much prized, and best -adapted for shipbuilding, having been found to be unequaled for -durability, and also because it is impervious to the troublesome teredo, -or boring worm, which destroys the ordinary piles under the wharves at -Puget Sound, as well as at Sitka, so rapidly as to render it necessary -to renew them every three or four years. Southern latitudes, in the -neighborhood of the Gulf of Mexico, suffer equally from the depredations -of this active marine pest. The Alaska cedar is also a choice cabinet -wood, possessing a very agreeable odor, considerable quantities of it -being shipped for select use in San Francisco and elsewhere. The coast -of the Alexander Archipelago comprises nearly eight thousand miles of -shore line, forming long straight avenues of calm deep water many miles -in length, sprinkled with islands densely wooded from the water’s edge, -while the number of good harbors is almost countless, in which vessels -may lay alongside the land and receive their cargoes of timber or lumber -in the most convenient manner. - -When the woods of Maine and Michigan cease to yield satisfactorily, as -they must do by and by, we have here a ready source of supply which no -ordinary demand can exhaust in many years. One enthusiastic writer upon -this subject predicts that this part of the North Pacific coast will -eventually become the ship-yard of the American continent. One is hardly -prepared to indorse so sweeping a prediction, but that there is a nearly -inexhaustible supply of the necessary timber for such a purpose even an -inexperienced visitor cannot fail to realize. It is gratifying to know -that these forests are free from all danger by fire, which often proves -so destructive in the State of Washington and elsewhere. This immunity -from a much dreaded exigency is owing to the frequent rains, which keep -the undergrowth in Alaska so moist that the flames cannot spread. - -Speaking of Fort Tongas, we should not forget to mention that a native -couple, educated by the missionaries, are here teaching a school of -young natives numbering fifty pupils, for which our government pays them -five hundred dollars per annum. The success attained by these -instructors in teaching the ordinary branches of an English education is -surprising. Tongas, it will be remembered, is the most southerly point -of our Alaska possessions. - -The country teems with animal life. The sea which laves its shores and -the outlying islands is so full of excellent fish as to have been a -wonder in this respect since the days of the earliest navigators. The -same may be said of its rivers, inlets, and lakes, the former being -famous for the abundance, size, and excellence of the salmon which they -produce, and which are annually packed for exportation in such large -quantities to various parts of the world. We were told by the overseer -of the canning factory at Pyramid Harbor that the entire product of the -establishment was already—the season but just commencing—engaged by a -Liverpool house. To secure the delivery the foreign merchant had -cheerfully advanced five hundred pounds sterling. - -“The Alaska banks would be an ocean paradise to the Newfoundland -fishermen,” says Professor Davidson. “The eastern part of Behring Sea -‘is a mighty reserve of cod,’ and the area within the limits of fifty -fathoms of water is no less than eighteen thousand miles.” “What I have -seen,” said W. H. Seward at Sitka, in 1869, “has almost made me a -convert to the theory of some naturalists, that the waters of the globe -are filled with stores for the sustenance of animal life surpassing the -available productions of the land.” The coast also abounds in oysters, -clams, mussels, and crabs. The oysters are small, but of excellent -flavor, and might be greatly improved by cultivation. Clams and mussels -are much esteemed by the aborigines, the first-named being large and of -prime quality. They dry the clams, as they do salmon and cod, using no -salt in the process, but stringing them by the score on long blades of -strong grass, and in this shape laying them away for winter use. There -is certainly some special preservative quality in the atmosphere here -which enables the natives to keep clams unfrozen in good condition for -several months. The matter of “ripeness,” however, makes no difference -to these Indians, who seem actually to prefer their fish a little -putrid, and oil is purposely kept until it becomes so before they will -use it. - -The hills and valleys of the islands and the mainland support more -fur-bearing animals than can be found on any other part of this -continent, and we certainly believe of any other part of the world. The -great variety includes bears of several species, wolves, beavers, deer, -foxes, caribou, martens, mountain goats, moose, musk-oxen, and others. -Herds of walruses are found on the far north coast, as well as in -Behring Sea, which yield food to the natives, and the best of ivory for -sale to the traders. It is a curious fact that no reptile, toad, lizard, -or similar animal is to be found in Alaskan territory. The waters of the -North Pacific, from the most westerly of the Aleutian Islands up to -Behring Strait, swarm with cod, haddock, sturgeon, large flounders, and -halibut, while our hardy whale men successfully pursue their mammoth -game both north and south of the strait. When the country was first -discovered, there was another important animal found here in -considerable numbers, known as the sea-cow, which furnished Vancouver -and his crew with wholesome and palatable meat, and which had formed a -source of food supply for the aborigines probably for centuries. But -this large, amphibious animal, thirty feet long and seal-like in shape, -has now entirely disappeared. This was owing to merciless slaughter by -the Russians, who found the sea-cow an easy prey to capture, because of -its inactivity and clumsiness in the water, besides which, the creature -is said to have been utterly fearless of man, making no effort to escape -when attacked. They are represented to have been fierce when attacked by -the wolves, and to have been fully able to defend themselves. - -Two islands lying to the north of the Aleutian group form a favorite -resort of the fur-seal, which so abounds in this region that nearly a -century of active war waged upon them by the hunters, for the sake of -their valuable skins, has produced no perceptible diminution in their -numbers. This is partly owing, however, to the fact that of late years -the killing has been restricted as to the aggregate annual number, and -also as to the sex and age of the seals. The pelts sent from Alaska have -not fallen short of a hundred thousand annually for the last twenty -years, and it is believed by those who should be able to judge correctly -that this number has been very much exceeded. There is hardly an -uninterested person in the Territory who will not express this opinion. - -The two islands referred to in Behring Sea, namely, St. Paul and St. -George, together with two smaller and unimportant ones named -respectively Otter Island, which is situated six miles south of St. -Paul, and Walrus Island, about the same distance to the eastward, are -known as the Prybiloff group. St. Paul is thirteen miles long by four -broad; St. George is ten miles long and between four and five broad. -Neither of them have any harbor in which vessels can safely lie, but -they anchor half a mile or more off shore, and freight is taken or -delivered by means of lighters. So violent is the surf at times on these -islands in mid-ocean that if the wind is unfavorable no attempt at -landing is made. Otter Island is peculiar in being nothing more nor less -than an extinct volcano, with a still gaping, threatening crater, and an -elevation of three hundred feet above the surrounding sea. Its only -occupants consist of water-fowl and blue foxes, both as plentiful as -peas in a pod. The animals were introduced long ago for breeding -purposes, and have greatly increased. These are the “seal islands” so -often spoken of, and which furnish four fifths of all the sealskins used -in the markets of the world. This sounds like an extravagant estimate, -but it is believed to be quite correct. - -The islands are of volcanic origin, having been thrown up from the -bottom of the sea in comparatively modern times. When one speaks of -geological facts, one or two thousand years are considered very brief -periods. At the time of their discovery, St. George and St. Paul were -uninhabited, but native Aleuts, the nearest of whom lived about two -hundred miles south of these islands, were brought hither and -domesticated, to work for the Russian Fur Company. Since the transfer to -our government these people have worked uninterruptedly for the Alaska -Commercial Company, which has, in addition to the headquarters of the -seal-fishery, some forty trading stations in the Territory. - -We speak of the “seal-fisheries,” but there is in reality no fishing -about the business. The seals are all taken on land. The employees of -the company get between the seals and the water and drive such as are -selected inland like a flock of sheep. They move slowly, pulling -themselves along by their fore flippers, as a dog might do with his hind -legs broken, but they get over the ground at the rate of one or two -miles in the hour, and are driven the latter distance to the warehouse -before the killing takes place. - -It is curious that these two islands only, with a few small spots in the -North Pacific, should possess the peculiar conditions of landing-ground -and climate combined which are necessary for the perfect life and -reproduction of the fur-seal. H. W. Elliott, who acted as United States -government agent for four seasons at the seal islands, and who is good -authority upon this special subject, says: “With the exception of these -seal islands of Behring Sea, there are none elsewhere in the world of -the slightest importance to-day. When, therefore, we note the eagerness -with which our civilization calls for sealskin fur, in spite of fashion -and its caprices, and the fact that it is and always will be an article -of intrinsic value and in demand, it at once occurs to us that the -government is exceedingly fortunate in having this great amphibious -stock-yard, far up and away in this seclusion of Behring Sea, from which -it can draw continuous revenue, and on which its wise regulations and -its firm hand can continue the seals forever.” - -This writer’s remarks should be qualified, however, so far as to state -that the Russians possess some profitable “rookeries” situated on the -Commander Islands, seven hundred miles to the southwest of the Prybiloff -group, where the same policy of protection for breeding purposes is -enforced as govern the traffic of our own islands. It is true that the -product of the Russian islands is as nothing compared with that of St. -Paul and St. George. A small number of fur-seal are also secured on the -coast of Brazil, and at the Shetland and Falkland Islands, giving -perhaps twenty thousand pelts annually from other sources than those -named in Alaska. It is our own opinion that at least forty thousand -pelts are sent to market by unauthorized people from the islands and -coast of Alaska, which number should be added to the hundred thousand -which the regular company are entitled to export, in getting at the -aggregate produced by the Territory. - -The two seal islands leased to the Alaska Commercial Company are about -thirty miles apart, and are seemingly among the most insignificant -landmarks known in the ocean. It is only on very modern maps that they -are designated at all, but they afford to the seals the happiest -isolation and shelter, their position being such as to envelop them in -fog banks nine days out of ten during the entire season of resort. -Neither the seals nor the natives can long bear the glare of the summer -sun, and so find no fault with this prevailing screen between them and -the sky. There are no icebergs, properly so called, in these waters. -Behring Strait is too shallow for anything but light field ice to pass -into the North Pacific or Behring Sea; there is therefore no fear of -visits from the polar bears often seen floating about in the frozen sea -at the north. They would make sad havoc among the seals were they to get -so far south, and drive them away altogether. Ice floats off from the -immediate shores in the spring, but encountering the thermal current, -this soon dissolves, and is no impediment to navigation. It is marvelous -that the natives dwelling on the group do not die of the poisoned -atmosphere arising from the thousands upon thousands of seal carcasses -annually slaughtered, and which are left to decay upon the ground. The -stench thus created is so powerful that vessels sailing to leeward, -three or four miles off shore, are permeated by it, and though their -captains may not have been able to get a solar observation for many -days, they can easily tell their exact latitude and longitude by “dead -reckoning.” Naval surgeons have been detached by government to visit and -examine the physical condition of the people on St. George and St. Paul, -touching this very matter, and they have reported that the natives -enjoyed good health, the mortality among them being at a very low -average compared with that of other semi-civilized communities favorably -situated. There is a church and school-house on each of the islands, -with white teachers, and also a skilled physician, who is paid for his -services by the Commercial Company. - -The fur-seal traffic has heretofore exceeded all other regular business -in value conducted in this Territory, though the product of the precious -metals will in future probably take the lead, hard pressed by the -rapidly growing development of the fisheries. The habits of the seal are -interesting and very peculiar. It is a social animal, and evinces a -degree of intelligence nearly approaching that of the dog. Occasionally -a young one is found domesticated among the natives of the more populous -islands, and when thus brought up among human beings they become very -tractable, and are easily taught many amusing tricks. They move in -herds, coming to the breeding grounds in large numbers, and at regular -periods of the year, that is in the latter part of May and early in -June. The contrast between the male and female seal is great, the former -being large, bold, and aggressive, the latter small, peaceful, and -quiet; both are models of grace and symmetry after their kind. While the -males are specimens of great physical strength, the females are -delicate, timid, and affectionate. The young are born blind and so -remain for a couple of weeks, or more. When they are about six weeks old -the mother takes them into the water to teach them to swim. They are -very shy of the sea at first, but persistent effort on the mother’s part -soon makes them expert swimmers, and rapidly develops that side of their -nature. During the breeding season the old males remain on shore, -fasting all the while, and growing extremely thin, living by absorption -of the blubber which they accumulate while at sea, so that upon retiring -at the end of the season they are but a mere shadow of their former -selves. They return again the next season, however, as plethoric as -ever. - -“All the bulls,” says Mr. Elliott, “from the very first, that have been -able to hold their positions, have not left them from the moment of -their landing, for a single instant, night or day; nor will they do so -until the end of the rutting season, which subsides entirely between -August 1st and 10th. It begins shortly after the coming of the cows in -early June. Of necessity, therefore, this causes them to fast, to -abstain entirely from food of any kind, or water, for three months at -least; and a few of them actually stay out four months, in total -abstinence, before going back into the ocean for the first time after -‘hauling up.’ They then return as so many bony shadows of what they were -a few months previously, covered with wounds; abject and spiritless, -they laboriously crawl back to the sea to obtain a fresh lease of life.” - -The natural food of the seal is believed to be small fishes and kelp, -that prolific product of the ocean which is found floating in nearly all -latitudes, being torn from its rocky bed by storms and carried -everywhere on the tides and currents. The females seldom give birth to -more than one at a time, and though they are naturally a very docile -animal, the mother will fight savagely for her young. The old males -weigh from two to three hundred pounds each, when they first land, soon -gathering a harem about them of a dozen females or more, and permitting -no other bull to approach the circle. There are occasional elopements -among the females, enticed away by young bachelor seals, who have no -family ties to occupy them, but as a rule the females remain loyal, at -least during the season. The full grown male reaches seven feet in -length, and the female about five feet; the latter averages about a -hundred pounds in weight, the former weigh twice as much and often more. -Nature seems to produce a much larger number of females than of males, -besides which the law protects the female from the hunter. The killing -of these animals on St. Paul and St. George is nearly all done in six -weeks of each year, say from the 10th of June to the 20th of July. As -regards the fur, a seal at four years of age is thought to yield the -best, and is therefore considered to be at that time in his prime. It is -the males of this age, accordingly, which are selected for slaughter. So -numerous are these animals that the shore is often black with them, -three or four thousand being in sight within the space of a hundred -square rods. The pups are full of playfulness, rolling and tumbling -about like a litter of kittens. The rule not to kill the old bulls and -female young is a necessary precaution to prevent the extermination of -the race, which indiscriminate slaughter has probably done in so many -other places. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - -Enormous Slaughter of Seals.—Manner of Killing.—Battles between the - Bulls.—A Mythical Island.—The Seal as Food.—The Sea-Otter.—A Rare and - Valuable Fur.—The Baby Sea-Otter.—Great Breeding-Place of Birds.—Banks - of the Yukon River.—Fur-Bearing Land Animals.—Aggregate Value of the - Trade.—Character of the Native Race. - - -Surgeon J. B. Parker tells us in a published article upon the fur-seals -of Alaska, that just previous to the transfer of the country to this -government five hundred thousand sealskins were being taken from these -islands annually, though it was pretended by the Russians that they -restricted the number to one quarter of this total. The strange instinct -of the animals which causes them to return yearly in such marvelous -numbers to be slaughtered is a mystery difficult to solve. Persistent -cruelty exercised towards them for a century has not disturbed their -affection for this chosen breeding-place of their ancestors in Behring -Sea. - -The seals are universally killed by a sharp blow upon the head from a -club, which fractures the skull and produces instant death. The natives -are so skillful in dealing this blow that a second one is not necessary, -and the seal cannot reasonably be supposed to suffer any pain, so that -the operation is robbed of all cruel features. The frequent battles -fought between the old bulls to maintain possession of their chosen -ground and their harems are represented to be of the fiercest character, -sometimes ending in the death of one of the combatants, though they are -so very hardy and tenacious of life that this is by no means common. The -breeding season is at its height in the middle of July. Early in -September, the pups having learned to swim, the “rookeries” are -gradually broken up for the season, old and young departing together for -the deep-sea feeding grounds, nothing being seen of them again as a body -until the following May or June. It is quite a mystery as to where they -go, but that they promptly disperse in various directions seems most -probable, as no seals are met with in large numbers by navigators of the -Pacific or the South Seas, and they only land for breeding purposes. The -author has seen a few in the month of March off the Samoan group of -islands, also in the month of December near the coast of Cochin China. -And again, in crossing the Indian Ocean from Bombay to the mouth of the -Red Sea, in February, an occasional head of the fur-seal would appear -above the surface of the ocean, showing how widely dispersed these -animals are. There is a theory which has long existed, to the effect -that when the seals depart from Behring Sea they seek a lonely island -group in the central Pacific Ocean, somewhere between 53° and 55° north -latitude, and longitude 160° to 170° west, where they pass their winter -months in peace and plenty. Expeditions have been fitted out at San -Francisco for the purpose of discovering these possible islands, but no -one has ever seen them. Those most conversant with seal-life do not -entertain this supposition, and for good reasons. If any such land -existed in the region designated it would surely have been discovered, -as it is too near the direct track of commerce not to have been sighted -long ago. - -The flesh of the fur-seal is eaten by the natives, and the blubber also -serves for fuel, as well as furnishing a much-used oil. The stench of -the burning fat is extremely disgusting to one not accustomed to it. -There is but little lean meat on the animal; nearly the whole body is -composed of blubber. The whites eat the flesh of the young seal, which -is not unpalatable when properly prepared, and is called Alaska pork. -When the females arrive at the “rookeries,” like the old males, they are -in remarkably good flesh, so much so, indeed, as to render locomotion -difficult; but though they do not fast like the bulls, they nevertheless -become quite thin by the end of the season. - -St. George and St. Paul islands contain about three hundred and fifty -Aleuts, whose sole business is killing and skinning the seals, and -afterwards salting and packing the pelts for shipment. They are all in -the regular employment of the Commercial Company, which leases the -islands. By the terms of the lease from our government, only natives of -the Aleutian group of islands can be employed to kill the seals; no -whites except the overseers are permitted to remain on the two islands. -An agent of the United States occasionally visits them to see that the -spirit of the lease is faithfully adhered to; otherwise they are quite -isolated from the outer world. Under the protective system, which is -presumedly adhered to, the number of seals is said to be on the -increase, and the space on the shores which they occupy is enlarged -yearly. It has been officially estimated, after actual inspection, that -over one million seals are born on these islands every year. It is -asserted that double the number of pelts now authorized could safely be -taken from the Pribyloff group annually, and it would certainly seem so, -when this extraordinary fecundity is realized. But it must also be taken -into consideration that man is not the only enemy which the fur-seal has -to encounter. When the young ones leave the shore to begin their -deep-sea life, they become the prey of many marine cormorants, among -which the shark is said to be the most active. This tiger of the ocean -does not attack the large, full-grown seals, who are too wary and active -for him, but the young ones often fill his capacious maw. - -The aborigines employed upon the seal islands do not reach a very old -age; persons of over fifty years are seldom found among them. -Consumption is the most fatal disease which they encounter; this runs -its course with singular speed after being once contracted. All attempts -of the physicians are in vain; the patient, falling into a condition of -hopeless indifference, soon passes away. We were told that the natives -of Alaska generally were very difficult to treat medically, ignoring the -benefit of medicines, and generally refusing to take them. These -semi-savages will not hesitate to resort to incantations to exorcise -evil spirits (or disease, which to them is the same thing), but they -fear to use the white man’s agent to remove these evil influences. - -For a number of years the manufacture of oil from seal blubber was -followed by the fur company with profit, thus disposing of the carcasses -of the animals whose skin had been removed; but oil-making on the seal -islands has been discontinued, as being no longer a paying business. - -The sea-otter is a large animal, having fine, close black fur, sprinkled -with long, white-tipped hairs, which strongly individualize it and add -much to its beauty. Its pelt is used mostly for trimming, being both too -heavy and too expensive for making up into entire garments. The size of -a full-grown skin is about four feet in length by about two and a half -wide. It is a solitary marine animal, never seen in numbers, rarely even -with a mate, and is extremely shy, demanding great patience and -shrewdness in the hunter to insure its capture. This animal rarely lands -except to bring forth its young, and the natives say that it sometimes -gives birth to its progeny on floating sedge or kelp at sea. Of this -material the ingenious creature makes a sort of buoyant nest, according -to the natives’ ideas. When sleeping, it floats upon its back, carrying -its young clasped to its body in a ludicrously human fashion. The -Indians hunt the animals by going out a considerable distance to sea in -their frail canoes, and watching for the appearance of the otter’s nose -above the water, they paddle silently towards it so as not to disturb -the game. At the proper moment the well-balanced and delicate lance is -thrown with unerring aim. A careful watch is then kept for the -reappearance of the otter, which must soon come to the surface to -breathe, being a warm-blooded, respiratory animal. A second lance is -pretty sure to disable the otter, when it floats helpless on the -surface, falling an easy prey to the pursuer. At times six or eight -natives in single canoes join in the hunt, so as to form a broad circle; -the nearest one to the otter when he rises after being wounded is the -one to throw the second lance. The hunters obtain from the local traders -between forty and fifty dollars for a full-grown otter skin, and -sometimes double that amount, so that if successful in the pursuit they -are well rewarded for many hours of patient watchfulness, aside from -which they realize a keen enjoyment in the pursuit as sportsmen. - -The hunters oftenest pursue their game alone, and if a native secures an -otter after a whole week of watching he feels well repaid, though during -that time he has lived on a scanty supply of food, and has slept nightly -in the open air exposed to the rain. Sometimes his watch is kept in his -boat upon the sea, and sometimes among the rocks on the shore, in a bay -where the otters are known to resort occasionally. A few years of such -rough life and exposure ages even an Alaskan Indian, and it is not -surprising that rheumatism and consumption should so prevail among them. -Up to a certain stage such a life may harden the hunter, but the -turning-point comes at last, and when the native begins to fail in -physical strength he does so rapidly; simply giving way to the first -attack, rejecting all medicine which the white man may offer, and unless -he is an important member of his tribe, a chief or a leader of some -sort, even the shaman or medicine man with his incantations is not -called in. Good nursing is discarded, the invalid considers it to be his -fate to die, and seems to go half way to meet the grim destroyer. - -The fur of the sea-otter varies in beauty of texture and value according -to the animal’s age and the season of the year in which it is captured. -They are considered to be in their prime when about five years old, and -those skins which are taken in winter are always of a more beautiful -texture than those which are secured in summer. Of all animals hunted by -man it is most on the alert, and, as we have said, most difficult to -obtain. One intelligent statement declares that before they were so -systematically hunted eight thousand skins were shipped from Alaska in a -single year, but we believe that from four to five thousand otter skins -would be considered a good twelve months’ yield in these days. The -Saanack islets and reefs are the principal resort of these animals on -the coast, and hither the natives come from long distances to hunt them, -camping on the main island. Frequent attempts have been made to rear the -young sea-otter, specimens being often taken when the mother is -captured, but they always perish by starvation, never partaking of food -after being separated from the mother; a well-known fact, which was -referred to with not a little sentiment by the experienced hunter who -related the circumstance to us. “Him die of broke heart,” said the -native, attempting an expression of tenderness upon his egg-shaped -features, which proved a ludicrous caricature. We saw a stuffed specimen -of a young sea-otter in a native cabin at Juneau, consisting of the skin -only, but very cleverly mounted and preserved by the hunter who had -captured its mother. - -It is somewhat singular that the world’s supply of otter fur, like that -of sealskin, comes almost entirely from the coast of Alaska, in the -North Pacific and Behring Sea. Otter fur may be said to be almost -confined in its geographical distribution to the northwest shores of -America. - -The successful pursuit of the animal, so far as the natives are -concerned, is of even more importance than that of the fur-seals, for -contingent upon its chase, and from the proceeds of its pelts, some five -thousand natives are enabled to live in comparative luxury. It requires, -as we have shown, great energy, hardihood, and patient application to -effect its capture, but the sea-otter is a most beneficent gift of -Providence to these aborigines, and administers, as well, to the pride -of the fashionable world. The natives in former times attached great -importance to preparing themselves for hunting the sea-otter, fasting, -bathing, and performing certain mystic rites before embarking for the -purpose. After his return from a successful hunt the Aleut was -accustomed to destroy the garments which he wore during the expedition, -throwing them into the sea, so that the otters might find them and come -to the conclusion that their late persecutor had been drowned and there -was no further danger in frequenting the shore. This practice, -ridiculous as it seems to us, serves to illustrate the superstitious -character of the Alaskan natives, who seldom fail to see omens in the -most trifling every-day occurrences. - -The interior and northern parts of Alaska are the greatest -breeding-places for birds in the world, being the resort of innumerable -flocks, which come from various parts of this continent, and others -which make the tropical islands their home a large portion of the year -on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of America. These myriads of the -feathered tribes consist largely of geese, ducks, and swans, coming -hither for nesting, and to fatten upon the wild salmon berries, red and -black currants, cranberries, blackberries, bilberries, and the like, -which greatly abound during the brief but intense Arctic summer. There -are eleven kinds of edible berries which mature in August, among which -the wild strawberries are the finest flavored we have ever eaten. It is -said that the geese especially become so fat feeding upon the plentiful -supply of wholesome food that at the close of the season they can hardly -fly, and are thus easily caught by the natives, who, in turn, feast -luxuriously upon their tender and succulent flesh. Explorers tell us -that they have seen on the banks of the Yukon—the great river of central -Alaska, and the third in magnitude in America—the breeding-place of the -canvas-back ducks, which has been heretofore a matter of some mystery. -They prepare on the banks of this northern watercourse broad platforms -of sedge, mingled with small twigs and bushes, laid compactly on marshy -places, and without building a carefully arranged nest deposit their -eggs in untold numbers. That keen and scientific observer, the late -Major Kennicott, says he saw on the banks of the Yukon acres of marshy -ground thus covered with the eggs of the canvas-back ducks, in numbers -defying computation. “The region drained by the Upper Yukon is spoken of -by explorers,” says Mr. Charles Hallock, editor of “Forest and Stream,” -“as being a perfect Eden, where flowers bloom, beneficent plants yield -their berries and fruits, majestic trees spread their umbrageous fronds, -and song-birds make the branches vocal. The water of the streams is pure -and pellucid; the blue of the rippled lake is like Geneva’s; their banks -resplendent with verdure, and with grass and shining pebbles.” - -At the first approach of winter the augmented millions of birds take -flight for the low latitudes, or their homes in the temperate zone, the -old birds accompanied by the broods which they have hatched in the -solitudes of the far north. Those which have come from the neighborhood -of the Caribbean Sea turn in their flight unerringly in that direction; -those from the South Pacific islands heading as surely for that tropical -region. Only the ptarmigan and the Arctic owl, with a few of the -white-hawk family, remain to brave the winter cold of northern Alaska, -with the hardy Eskimo, the walrus, and the polar bear. The smaller -tribes of birds are well represented here in the summer season, even -including several species of swallows, martins, and sparrows, these tiny -creatures seeming to follow some general bird instinct. Even the -domestic robin is seen as far north as Sitka. Limited scientific -research has recognized and classified one hundred and ninety-two -different kinds of birds which are found in this Territory, a -considerable number of which were unknown to science previous to 1867. - -We have said nothing relative to the hair-seals, or sea-lions, of -Alaska, because their importance is comparatively insignificant, having -no commercial value. Nevertheless, they are utilized by the ingenious -natives in various ways; the hides serve as a covering for a certain -class of boats, made with wooden frames, and are also employed for -several domestic purposes. The walrus is found in largest numbers on the -north coast, in the true Arctic region, affording some valuable oil, -together with considerable ivory, in carving which the natives are very -expert. Though the fur-trade of the land is by no means equal to that of -the sea, still its aggregate results are very considerable. It employs -numerous hunters and gives profitable business to many white traders, -nearly all of whom make a permanent home in the Territory. Undoubtedly -the most prolific and valuable fur-yielding district on the mainland is -the valley of the Yukon, where the beaver, marten, several kinds of -bears, with the wolf and fox, afford the best fur. We saw at the -principal store in Wrangel many packages of bearskins prepared for -shipment to San Francisco. These packages would average five hundred -dollars each in value, and had been gathered from those brought in by -the natives during the two weeks intervening between the arrival of the -regular steamers. Single bearskins sell here, according to their -marketable character, for from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars each. -The natives make little or no use of these skins, preferring the woolen -blanket of commerce. The red and cross fox is found everywhere in the -Territory, and its skin is comparatively cheap. It is singular that the -blue fox is found only on the islands of St. Paul, St. George, Attoo, -and Atkha, while the white fox is to be sought only at the far north. -There is also the black fox, which, however, is a great rarity, thought -to be an occasional accident of nature; the skins always bring -extravagant prices from the traders. The black fox is not found in any -special locality, but occurs now and again in any part of the Territory. -The skin of the silver fox is also highly prized, and proves a valuable -peltry to the native hunters, forty dollars each being the usual price -paid by the white traders. Only a few hundred are taken yearly. The -land-otter and the beaver so abound as to make up a large total value -annually. The latest official records show that there has been produced -and shipped from Alaska annually an average of fifty-seven thousand -beaver skins; eighteen thousand land-otter skins; seventy-one thousand -foxes’ skins of the various sorts; and of musk-rats two hundred and -twenty-one thousand. These figures should be largely added to in each -instance (we were told by one official that this aggregate estimate -should be doubled), in order to include the unregistered pelts which are -annually secured by various hunters, both whites and natives, and which -find their way to distant markets through irregular channels, more -especially over the borders of British Columbia. - -This fur-trade is open to all, but requires capital, organization, and -persistency to make it profitable. The natives do nearly all of the -hunting and trapping, and will only engage in it, as a rule, to supply -themselves with means to procure certain luxuries from the trader’s -store, such as sugar, tea, and tobacco. We are sorry to add to these -comparative necessities the article of whiskey, which is only too often -furnished illicitly to the eager natives. When these wants are supplied -they idle away their time until stimulated once more by their -necessities to go upon the trail of the fur-bearing animals. Of course -there are some exceptions to this, many of them being steady and willing -workers, but we speak of the average native. There is no fear of the -supply of furs being exhausted under this system of capture; even a -combined and vigorous effort on the part of the hunters could not -accomplish that in many years. Unlike our western Indians, these -Alaskans are a comparatively thrifty race, entirely self-sustaining, and -never require support from the government, notwithstanding idleness is -their besetting sin, as is, indeed, characteristic of uncivilized people -everywhere. - -We were told of several of these aborigines who had learned the lesson -of thrift from the whites to such good effect as to have saved sums of -money varying from one to five hundred dollars, which they had deposited -in the Savings Bank of San Francisco, and upon which they drew their -annual interest; an investment, the safety and economy of which they -fully appreciated. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - -Climate of Alaska.—Ample Grass for Domestic Cattle.—Winter and Summer - Seasons.—The Japanese Current.—Temperature in the Interior.—The - Eskimos.—Their Customs.—Their Homes.—These Arctic Regions once - Tropical.—The Mississippi of Alaska.—Placer Mines.—The Natives.—Strong - Inclination for Intoxicants. - - -It is a well-known fact, proven by official observations, that the -climate of the Pacific coast is considerably more temperate than that of -the same latitude on the Atlantic side of the continent. The record of -ten consecutive years, kept at Sitka, gave an annual mean of 46° Fah. - -This is in latitude 57° 3′ north, and is found by comparison to be four -degrees warmer than the average of Portland, Me., or six degrees warmer -than the temperature of Quebec, Canada. The average winter is milder, -therefore, at Sitka than it is at Boston, however singular the assertion -may at first strike us, in connection with the commonly entertained idea -of this northwestern Territory. The mean winter temperature of Sitka and -Newport, R. I., are very nearly the same, and there is only a difference -of six degrees in their mean yearly temperature, though there is a -difference of sixteen degrees of latitude. - -We have before us a printed letter which appeared in the “Philadelphia -Press,” signed by Mr. C. F. Fowler, late an agent of the Alaska Fur -Company, who has resided for twelve years in Alaska, in which he says: -“You who live in the States look upon this country as a land of -perpetual ice and snow, yet I grew in my garden last year, at Kodiak, -abundant crops of radishes, lettuce, carrots, onions, cauliflowers, -cabbages, peas, turnips, potatoes, beets, parsnips, and celery. Within -five miles of this garden was one of the largest glaciers in Alaska.” In -a certain sense it is surely a country of paradoxes. - -The harbor of Sitka is never closed by ice, which cannot be truthfully -said of Boston or New York. - -Dr. Sheldon Jackson, long resident in the Territory as United States -general agent of education for Alaska, tells us that the temperature of -Sitka and that of Richmond, Va., are nearly identical. Mr. McLean of the -United States Signal Service, who has been located at Sitka for several -years, says, “the climate of southern Alaska is the most equable I ever -experienced.” - -There is in Alaska a very large section of country, composed of islands -and the mainland, where the average temperature is higher than at -Christiania, capital of Norway, or Stockholm, capital of Sweden,—where -the winters are milder and the fall of rain and snow is less than in -southern Scandinavia, which is the geographical counterpart of Alaska in -the opposite hemisphere. Sitka harbor is no more subject to arctic -temperature than is Chesapeake Bay. “It must be a fastidious person,” -said Mr. Seward in his speech upon Alaska, “who complains of a climate -in which, while the eagle delights to soar, the hummingbird does not -disdain to flutter.” If it is sometimes misty and foggy on the coast, it -is not so to a greater extent than is the case during a large portion of -the year in the cities of London and Liverpool. - -Both the islands and mainland of this latitude afford ample grass for -cows, sheep, and horses, also producing, with ordinary care, the usual -domestic vegetables, as we have shown, the assertion of certain writers -to the contrary notwithstanding. We have not far to look for the cause -of this favorable temperature existing at so northerly a range of -latitude. The thermal stream known as the Japanese Current, coming from -the far south charged with equatorial heat, is precisely similar in its -effect to that of the better known Gulf Stream on our Atlantic coast, -rendering the climate of these islands and the coast of the mainland of -the North Pacific remarkably warm and humid. We speak especially and at -length of this subject of the temperature of Alaska, because a wrong -impression is so generally held concerning it. At a distance from the -coast the temperature falls, and most of the inland rivers are closed by -ice half the year. Even in the interior we are in about the same -latitude and average temperature of St. Petersburg. Thus on the line of -Behring Strait the annual mean at Fort Yukon, which lies just inside of -the Arctic circle, six hundred miles inland from Norton Sound, is -16.92°; this is in latitude 64° north. Along the coast of southern -Alaska the fall of snow is not greater in amount than is experienced -during an ordinary winter in the New England States, and it disappears -even more quickly than it does in Vermont and New Hampshire. In the -interior and at the far north, the quantity of snow is of course much -greater, and covers the ground for about half the year. - -But where the sun shines continuously throughout the twenty-four hours, -the growth of vegetable life is extremely rapid. The snow has hardly -disappeared before a mass of herbage springs up, and on the spot so -lately covered by a white sheet, sparkling with frosty crystals, there -is spread a soft mantle of variegated green. The leaves, blossoms, and -fruits rapidly follow each other, so that even in this boreal region -there is seed-time and harvest. The annual recurrence of this carnival -season is all the more impressive in the realm of the Frost King. - -The Japanese Current, already referred to, strikes these shores at Queen -Charlotte Island in latitude 50° north, where it divides, one portion -going northward and westward along the coast of Alaska, and the other -southward, tempering the waters which border upon Washington, Oregon, -and California; hence their mild climate. Sea captains who frequently -make the voyage between San Francisco and Yokohama have told the author -that this Japanese Current—with banks and bottom of cold water, while -its body and surface are warm—is so clearly defined as to be -distinguishable in color from the ordinary hue of the Pacific Ocean, and -that its deep blue forms a visible line of demarcation between the -greater body and itself along its entire course. The thermometer will -easily define such a current, and this the author has often seen -demonstrated from a ship’s deck; but it must be a very keen eye that can -distinguish such differences of color at sea as the above assertion -would indicate. - -In so extended a territory as that of Alaska, with broad plains, deep -valleys, and lofty mountain ranges, it is reasonable to suppose there -must be a great diversity of climate. The brief inland summer is -represented to exhibit marked extremes of heat, and the winter -corresponding extremes of cold. W. H. Dall, an undoubted authority in -all matters relating to the valley of the Yukon, though his book upon -the country was published some twenty years since, says: “At Fort Yukon -I have seen the thermometer at noon, not in the direct rays of the sun, -stand at 112°, and I was informed by the commander of the post that -several spirit thermometers graded up to 120° had burst under the -scorching sun of the Arctic midsummer.” Fort Yukon is the most northerly -point in Alaska inhabited by white men. It is estimated that ten or -twelve thousand Eskimos live in the uninviting region north of the Yukon -valley. They are a most remarkable people, who are struggling with the -cold three quarters of the year, and who seem to be strangely content -with a bare existence. Their days and nights, their seasons and years, -are not like those of the rest of the world. Six months of day is -succeeded by six months of night. They have three months of sunless -winter, three months of nightless summer, and six months of gloomy -twilight. No Christian enlightenment or religious teaching of any sort -has ever found its way into this region. The people believe in evil -spirits and powers who are in some way to be propitiated, but have no -conception of a Divine Being who overrules all things for good. Like the -southern Alaskans they are superstitious to the last degree, and -discover omens in the most ordinary occurrences. The decencies of life -are almost totally disregarded among them, their highest purpose being -apparently the achievement of animal comfort and gorging themselves with -food and oil. - -Their sky is famous for its beautiful auroral display—gorgeous -pyrotechnics of nature—in the long, chill winter night, when a brilliant -arch spans the heavens from east to west, marked with oscillating hues -of yellow, blue, green, and violet, rendering everything light as day -for a few moments, then falling back into darkness. So off the coast of -Norway among the Lofoden Islands, the hardy men who pursue the -cod-fishery in that region, during the winter season, depend upon the -Aurora Borealis to light their midnight labor, that being considered the -most favorable hour of the twenty-four to secure the fish. Without this -nocturnal meteoric illumination, it would be darkness indeed in the -polar regions for half the year. - -This phenomenon in its Arctic development is so much intensified as to -quite belittle the exhibition with which we are familiar in New England, -and which is called the Northern Lights. - -It is certainly very odd that these boreal natives, the Eskimos proper, -should have precisely the same mode of salutation which the New Zealand -Maoris practice, though they are separated by so many thousand miles of -ocean, namely, the rubbing of noses together between two persons who -desire to evince pleasure at meeting. No matter how oily the Eskimo’s -nose may be, or however dirty the Maori’s face, to decline this mode of -salutation when offered is to give mortal offense, either in tropical -New Zealand or in arctic Alaska, at Point Barrow or at Ohinemutu. “The -home of the Eskimos,” says Bancroft, in his excellent work on the -natives of the Pacific coast, “is a model of filth and freeness. Coyness -is not one of their vices, nor is modesty ranked among their virtues. -The latitude of innocency characterizes all their social relations; they -refuse to do nothing in public that they would do in private.” They seem -to live in a primitive state, without craving anything of the white -man’s possessions, except tobacco and rum, which are smuggled to them by -contrabandists, who come on to the coast to trade for furs and ivory. -This class of traders, sailing from San Francisco, and stopping at the -Hawaiian Islands to procure a few hogsheads of the vilest intoxicant -which is made, pass along the northern coast of Alaska, touching at -certain places where they are expected annually. The walrus not only -supplies the Eskimo with food, but its tusks are used as the common -currency among them, and are secured in considerable quantities by the -illicit traders. The encroachment of unscrupulous contrabandists renders -the utter extinction of the walrus only a question of time. It is to be -regretted that the wholesale slaughter of this animal cannot be -prevented. If this could be brought about, as in the instance of the -fur-seal, we might continue to get ivory from the shores of the Frozen -Sea for all time. The natural enemy of the walrus is the polar bear, but -his most relentless pursuer is man. - -These Eskimos wrap their dead in skins closely sewed and lay them in the -tundra, together with the worldly possessions of the deceased, without -any funeral ceremonies. It would be sacrilege for any one to disturb -this property left with the body, and no member of the tribe would think -of doing so. - -In the Yukon Valley the remains of elephants and buffaloes are found -fossilized, as those of the rhinoceros were discovered on the opposite -continent in Siberia, thus showing that this now arctic region was once -tropical, a conclusion, nevertheless, which seems to be almost -impossible to the traveler while gazing upon Niagaras of frozen rivers -in the month of July. - -The Yukon River is the Mississippi of Alaska, forming with its several -tributaries the great inland highway of the Territory. As yet there are -no roads in the country, everything is transported by water or on the -backs of the natives; the great importance of such an extensive -water-way can therefore be readily understood. The magnitude of the -Yukon—one of the twelve longest rivers in the world—will be realized by -the fact that it is still a matter of doubt among different writers -which of the two rivers named is the largest with respect to the volume -of their currents, though Ivan Petroff, in his report as agent of the -Secretary of the Interior, speaks thus confidently upon the subject: -“The people of the United States will not be quick to take the idea that -the volume of water in an Alaskan river is greater than that discharged -by their own Mississippi; but it is entirely within the bounds of honest -statement to say that the Yukon River, the vast deltoid mouth of which -opens into Norton Sound, of Behring Strait, discharges every hour of -recorded time as much, if not one third more, water, than the ‘Father of -Waters’ as it flows to the Gulf of Mexico.” - -This writer does not seem to us given to exaggeration, but still we are -a little inclined to question the accuracy of his estimate as to the -volume of water borne seaward by this great Alaskan river. - -The Yukon rises in the Rocky Mountain range of British Columbia; -entering Alaska at about 64° north latitude, and pursuing its course -nearly from east to west across the entire Territory, it finally -empties, as stated, into Behring Strait through Norton Sound. The river -is navigable for fifteen to eighteen hundred miles, while its entire -length is computed at over two thousand miles, with an average width of -five miles for half the distance from its mouth. There are several -places on the lower Yukon where one bank is invisible from the other. It -is seventy-five miles across its five mouths and the intersecting -deltas. At some places, six or seven hundred miles inland, the river -expands to twenty miles in breadth, thus forming in the interior a -series of connected lakes, which explorers pronounce to be deep and -navigable in all parts. This great water-way can only be said to have -been partially explored, but those persevering pioneers who have made -the attempt to unravel its mysteries have given us extremely interesting -details of their experiences, all uniting in bearing witness that its -banks are rich in fur-bearing animals, and that its waters are stocked -with an abundance of fish, including the all-pervading salmon. These -valuable fishes follow the same instinct which they exhibit in other -parts of the world, in their annual pilgrimage of reproduction, that is, -after entering a river’s mouth, to advance as far as possible towards -its source. Besides fish and fur-bearing animals, the region through -which the Yukon flows contains abundant deposits of gold, silver, -copper, nickel, and bituminous coal. Some placer gold mines which were -worked on its banks and in its shallows, so long as the season -permitted, are credibly reported to have yielded to one party of -prospectors nearly eighty dollars per day to each man. - -The trouble to be encountered in working these placers is owing to their -remoteness from all sources of supply, and the exposure to the long -winters which prevail in the placer gold-producing regions. These are -obstacles, however, which will one of these days be overcome by the -erection of suitable shelter, and a rich new mining field will thus be -permanently opened. There are a number of trading-posts along the course -of the Yukon at which white men reside permanently to traffic with the -natives, purchasing furs from such as will hunt; and there are many who -are represented to be industrious and provident, supplying the whites -with meat and fish as well as with pelts, fully appreciating the -advantage of steady habits and regular wages. In this respect the inland -tribes differ materially from most of those living on the coast; the -latter care little for work or wages until they are driven by necessity -to seek employment. We speak in general terms; there are of course many -worthy exceptions, but savage races have little idea of thrift, and like -the wild animals are aroused to action only by the demands of hunger. In -equatorial regions where the nutritious fruits are so abundant that the -natives have only to pluck and to eat, they are sluggish, dirty, and -heedless, living only for the present hour. In this Arctic region where -the sea is crowded with food and the fields are covered with berries, -the same listlessness prevails as regards the future with nine out of -ten of the aborigines. These remarks do not apply to the Aleuts, from -whom the Commercial Company obtains its workmen. These are mostly -half-breeds, who are far more civilized than are our Western Indians. - -The proprietors of the Treadwell gold mine, Douglass Island, and of the -works at Silver Bow Basin, employ large numbers of the natives, finding -them to be reliable and industrious laborers. - -“Where we can separate these Alaskan natives from the objectionable -influences which are apt to grow up in populous centres, and especially -from multitudes of adventurous miners who come from a distance, we find -them to be faithful and tractable workers,” said an employer to us. - -“How about the Chinese?” we asked. - -“They are excellent workers,” was the reply. “Set them a task, show them -how to perform it, and it will surely be done. They are almost like -automatons in this respect and require no watching.” - -“Then why not employ them more generally?” - -“Because of the prejudice, the unreasonable prejudice, against them. Our -other workmen rebel if we keep many Chinamen on the pay-roll.” - -This corresponded exactly with the author’s experience elsewhere, in -various parts of the world where the Chinese have sought a new home -outside of China. John is not perfect, but he is infinitely superior to -a large portion of the drinking, rowdy, and restless foreign element -which fills so large a place in the labor field of this country. - -The greatest care is necessary to keep spirituous liquors away from the -aborigines, a craving for which is beyond their control where there is a -possibility of its being obtained. When they fall under its influence -they seem to utterly lose their senses, and become dangerous both to -themselves and to the whites. As has been intimated, the only means of -locomotion is afforded by the watercourses, and the natives, being -excellent canoeists, find ample employment of this nature, both in -traversing the rivers and along the shore of the islands. The waters of -the Yukon, like those of the Neva at St. Petersburg, freeze to a depth -of five or six feet in winter. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - -Sailing Northward.—Chinese Labor.—Unexplored Islands.—The Alexander - Archipelago.—Rich Virgin Soil.—Fish Canning.—Myriads of Salmon.—Native - Villages.—Reckless Habits.—Awkward Fashions and their Origin.— - Tattooing Young Girls.—Peculiar Effect of Inland Passages.—Mountain - Echoes.—Moonlight and Midnight on the Sea. - - -Let us observe more order in these notes, and resume the course of our -experiences in consecutive form. - -As we speed on our sinuous course northward, inhaling with delight the -pure and balmy atmosphere, bearing always a little westerly, winding -through narrow channels which divide the richly wooded wilderness of -islands, avoiding here and there the ambuscaded reefs, the pleasurable -sensation is intense. The scenery, while in some respects similar to -that of the St. Lawrence River and the Hudson of New York, is yet -infinitely superior to either. After having reached latitude 54° 40′ we -come upon Dixon Entrance, a reach of the sea which separates Alaska from -British Columbia, and from this point we are sailing exclusively in the -purple shadow of our own shore, and in the waters of the United States. -At times we pass islands as large as the State of Massachusetts, whose -picturesque and irregular mountainous surfaces are covered with -immemorial trees, and whose unknown interiors are believed to be rich in -coal, iron, silver, and other metals. The axe has never echoed in the -deep shade of these dense plantations of nature; they form a pathless -wilderness, solemn and silent, save for the stealthy tread of wild -beasts, the mournful music of waving pines, and the occasional notes of -wandering seabirds. The migratory flocks of the tropics as a rule go -farther north to raise their broods, but a few, weary of wing, shorten -their aerial journey and build nests on these islands. For many -centuries past the great columnar trees have grown to mammoth size, and -have then fallen only by the weight of years, enriching the ground with -their decayed substance and giving place to another similar growth, -which, in its turn, has also flourished and passed away. How like the -course of human races! This process has been going on perhaps for twice -ten thousand years. “Nature alone is antique,” says Carlyle. The past -history of Alaska, except for a comparatively short period, is a blank -to the people of the nineteenth century. - -Day after day there is a continuous and unbroken chain of mountain -scenery. On the right of our course is a broad strip of the mainland, an -Alpine region, thirty miles in width, which forms a part of southern -Alaska, bounded on the east by British Columbia, and on the west by the -many spacious islands, which create so perfect a breakwater that the -constant swell of the contiguous ocean is not felt. Some of these -islands lie within a quarter of a mile of each other, on either side of -our way, and yet the water is far too deep to admit of anchoring, the -peaks rising abruptly from unknown depths to thousands of feet above the -sea. The channels seem still more narrow from the great height of the -mountains which line the course. The eye catches with delight the bright -ribbons of waterfalls tumbling down their sides, in gleeful uproar, -foaming and sparkling towards the depths below. These are fed by melting -snow and hidden lakes far up in the cloud-screened summits. Some of -these waterfalls, narrow and swift, leap from point to point, now -forming small cascades, and now continuing in a perpendicular form like -a column of crystal. Others, so abrupt and precipitous are the heights -from which they are launched, fall in an unbroken stream, clinging to -the cliffs at first, but quickly expanding into a thin sheet rivaling -the Bridal Veil of the Yosemite, and reaching the base in a constant -gauzelike spray. - -The wide, open tracks seen now and then on the steep, thickly-wooded -mountain sides, reaching from high up to the snow-line down to the very -surface of the water, are the pathways swept by giant avalanches. What -immense power and lightning-like speed are suggested by the broad, clean -swath that is left! The wind caused by the rushing avalanches is almost -equally resistless, the trees on either side of the track being torn -into splinters by it. - -Now and again, above the tops of the giant pines, one can see moving -objects on the exposed peaks and cliffs, almost too far away and too -small for identification, but we know them to be wild mountain goats,— -the Alaskan chamois,—quite safe from the hunters in these perilous -heights, never trod by the foot of man. The tender glow of twilight -enshrouding mountain peaks, emerald isles, and the gently throbbing -bosom of the sea, added daily a witching charm to a scene which already -seemed perfect in beauty. - -The principal island group lying off the shore of southwestern Alaska is -named the Alexander Archipelago, in honor of the Tzar of Russia. It -extends about three hundred miles north and south, and is seventy-five -miles from east to west, embracing over eleven hundred islands, scarcely -one of which has been explored. The group reaches from Dixon Entrance to -Cross Sound, in latitude 58° 25′ north. Upon landing at one of these -islands it was found to be covered by an impervious forest; the mass of -timber and undergrowth was so compact as to defy our progress. The -tangle of bushes, roots, vines, and branches formed almost as -impenetrable a wall as though built of masonry. The wildest jungles of -India are not more dense. Where not covered and hidden by trees, the -earth was flecked here and there by the sun, being carpeted with moss -and ferns so thickly spread as to form a spongy surface, upon which only -the velvety feet of small wild animals could be sustained. A human -pedestrian, were he to attempt to pass over it, would sink in this -vegetable compound knee-deep at every step. There are no paths in these -jungles; the natives have no occasion to penetrate them, their living -comes from the sea, and the river courses are their hunting grounds. - -This virgin soil, were it to be drained and cleared of trees, would be -rich beyond calculation, while the climate is such as to warrant the -growth and ripening of any vegetation which will thrive on the Atlantic -coast north of Chesapeake Bay. One who has not seen it in Alaska knows -not what rank and luxuriant forest undergrowth is. No tropical islands -can surpass the Alexander Archipelago in this respect. Thus far no one -has come to this region with the idea of testing its availability for -agricultural purposes; it is other business which has attracted them. -Nothing of any account has ever been done in the way of stock-raising, -though the winters of southern Alaska, of Kodiak, and the Aleutian -Islands are much milder than are those of Wyoming or northern Dakota, -and there is plenty of food for innumerable herds all the year round. If -government will but give the Territory of Alaska proper land laws, this -region will promptly invite emigration, and be rapidly peopled by -thrifty stock-growers. - -As we increase our northern latitude forests of tall cedars, spruce, and -hemlock still line the shore of the mainland, and cover the countless -islands with a mantle of softest green. It is not surprising that -artists become enthusiastic over the infinite variety of shades found in -these verdant woods, an effect which we have never seen excelled even in -equatorial regions. Gliding over the still, deep, pellucid surface of -the ocean, we behold these cliffs, forests, and mountains, with coronets -of snow reflected therein, as though there was another world below, like -that above the rose-tinted sea. One finds almost exactly repeated here -the bold, towering peaks, and low-lying rocky isles of the Lofoden group -in the far North Sea of the opposite hemisphere, whose sharp, jagged -pinnacles have been aptly compared to shark’s teeth. - -Near Cape Fox, on the mainland, there are two large fish-canning -establishments, where salmon are packed in one pound tin cases for -shipment to distant markets, and in which a few Chinamen are employed. -Some Indian women also find occupation in the establishment, while their -husbands capture and bring in the fish in large quantities. This is a -rapidly growing and profitable business in this region, there being -already forty or fifty such factories along the coast and among the -islands north of Cape Fox. - -Kasa-an Bay makes into Prince of Wales Island twenty miles, more or -less, from Clarence Strait. Here there are several villages of Kasa-an -Indians. No spot on the coast is more famous for the abundance and -excellence of its salmon; at certain seasons the waters of the bay swarm -with them. Here is a large cannery, or fish-packing station, where -native women do most of the indoor work. Two thousand barrels of salted -salmon were shipped from this bay last year. This was independent of -those used in canning. There would seem to be no limit to the expansion -of an industry that can furnish such desirable, every way wholesome, and -nutritious food to be sold in all parts of the world. - -The North Pacific Trading and Packing Company of San Francisco has been -doing a profitable business on the coast for many years. In spite of -government neglect, commerce is steadily increasing and developing -Alaska; it invades all zones, proving the greatest of civilizing -agencies. Not only is it the equalizer of the wealth, but also of the -intelligence, of nations, and this one branch alone is gradually -populating whole districts. When the active packing season is over there -is still profitable employment for all. Some are occupied in making the -tin cans to hold one pound each; others are taught to become coopers, -furnishing the casks for shipping such fish as are split, salted, and -exported in that form; while others are occupied in making pine-wood -boxes to contain two dozen each of the filled cans. Thus a -well-conducted fish-packing establishment employs many people, and -presents a busy scene all the year round. - -The salmon are so plenty in the regular season that an Indian will -sometimes deliver at the canning factory three or four canoe-loads in a -single day. They are mostly caught by net or seine, but often during the -height of the season the natives absolutely shovel the salmon out of the -water and on to the shore with their paddle blades. We were told that as -many as three thousand salmon, and even more, are sometimes taken at a -single haul of the seine; also that fish of this species weighing from -twenty to thirty pounds were common here. Great numbers are discarded at -the factories because they do not prove to be of the high pink color -which is required by the purchasers and consumers. It seems that the -bears know very well when the run of salmon commences, and that there -are certain quiet inlets where the fish are sure to get crowded and -jammed, so that Bruin has only to reach out his paws and draw one after -another on to the shore and eat until he has his fill. The bear-paths -leading to these spots are strongly marked, and the animals are thus -easily tracked and shot by the hunters. It is the white men who capture -them most generally, as the natives have some mysterious reverence and -fear combined regarding this animal. They do hunt them, however, but -shrive themselves of all sense of wrong by going through some mystic -rites. Mr. Charles Hallock says: “There are bears enough in Alaska, -grizzly, cinnamon, and black, to furnish every man on the Pacific with a -cap and overcoat, and leave breeding stock enough for next year’s -supply.” The grizzly bear is a dangerous animal to encounter -single-handed. A bullet seems to have no more effect upon him, unless it -strikes a vital spot, than it does upon an elephant. It is necessary to -use guns of large calibre when hunting the animal, and the whites rarely -seek them unless several tried men band together for the purpose. - -From time to time small native villages are seen on the islands and the -mainland, all typical of the people, and quite picturesque in their -dirtiness and peculiar construction. Some of their cabins are built of -boards, but mostly they are rude, bark-covered logs. In front of these -dwellings stand totem-poles, presenting hideous faces carved upon them -in bold relief, together with uncouth figures of birds, beasts, and -fishes. A portion of these tall posts are weather-beaten and neglected, -significantly tottering on their foundations, green with mould, -unconsciously foreshadowing the fate of the aboriginal race. Groups of -natives in bright-colored blankets, with scarlet and yellow -handkerchiefs on their heads, come into view, watching us curiously as -we glide over the smooth water, while bevies of half-naked children are -seen shifting hither and thither in clamorous excitement. What -wonderfully bright, black eyes these children have! Some of the women -are gathering kelp, for the shores are lined with edible algæ, -possessing not only fine nutritious qualities, but being also a -recognized tonic, with excellent medicinal properties. This sea-product -is collected in the most favorable season of the year, and after being -pressed into convenient sized and esculent cakes is stored for future -use. The native hamlets are always built near to the shore, -accessibility to the water being the first consideration, because from -that source comes nine tenths of their subsistence. To clear the forest -and secure open fields presupposes more thrift and application than -these natives possess; but it would unveil some of the richest soil in -the world. These Alaskans have no idea of sewerage, or the proper -disposal of domestic refuse. All accumulations of this sort are thrown -just outside the doors of their dwellings, to the right and left, -anywhere in fact which is handiest. The stench which surrounds their -cabins, under these circumstances, is almost unbearable by civilized -people, and must be very unwholesome. These natives have broad faces, -small, pig-like eyes, and high cheek bones, not very nice to look upon, -yet not without a certain expression of real intelligence gleaming -through the accumulated dirt. - -“What is needed here,” said a humorous observer to us, “is the mission -teacher with his Bible, spelling-book, and—soap!” - -The women cut their hair short on the forehead, nearly even with the -eyebrows, causing one to surmise that these Thlinkits—a generic name -given to the tribes in this vicinity—must have set the fashion of -“banging” the hair, which is so popular among civilized belles. Just so -the Japanese women originated the hideous fashion of the “bustle.” The -author saw this awkward and unbecoming appendage worn upon the backs of -the women of Yokohama, Tokio, and Nagasaki three years before it -appeared upon the streets of Boston and New York. And now we hear of the -“clinging” style of drapery, in which underskirts even are discarded, -called the Grecian or classic style. Alas! will nothing but extremes -satisfy the importunate demands of fashion? Heaven send that we do not -import another fashion from Alaska or the South Seas, namely tattooing. -It is quite common here, among young girls of about twelve years of age, -whose cheeks and chins are often thus disfigured by irregular lines. The -more the natives associate with the whites, however, the more rarely -this tattooing is resorted to, and it may be said, as a fashion, to be -going out in Alaska, though it is undoubtedly one of the most widely -diffused practices of savage life, from the Arctic to the Antarctic -circle. - -The Alaskans have an original way of producing this indelible marking, -the color being fixed by drawing a thread under the skin, whereas the -usual mode among various savages is by pricking it in with a needle. The -favorite colors are red and blue. We were told that common women were -permitted to adorn their chins with but one vertical line in the centre, -and one parallel to it on either side, while a woman of the better or -wealthier class is allowed two vertical lines from each corner of the -mouth. The New Zealand Maori women tattoo their chins in a very similar -manner, keeping the rest of the face in a natural condition. - -We had threaded the intricate labyrinth of islands, bays, and channels, -guarded by miles upon miles of sentinel peaks, nearly all day, on one -occasion, under a depressing fog and rain, when suddenly a bold headland -was rounded, which had seemed for hours to completely bar our way, and -we passed out from under the shadow of the frowning cliffs and the gloom -of the dark fathomless waters just as the sun burst forth, warm, bright, -and resistless, while the view expanded before us nearly to the horizon. -The mist, like shrouded ghosts, stole silently away, vanishing behind -the rocks and cliffs. Every dewy drop of moisture, on ship and shore, -glittered like diamonds in the dazzling rays of the new-born light, -changing the verdant islands into a glory of color, and the whole view -to one of majestic loveliness, through which we glided as smoothly as -though in a gondola upon the Grand Canal at Venice. - -When approaching a landing or anchorage, a signal gun is fired from the -forecastle of the ship, creating a series of echoes deep, sonorous, and -startling, but especially remarkable for the number of times the sound -is repeated. One single gun becomes multiplied to a whole broadside. The -report is taken up again and again by other localities, and thus is -conveyed for miles away, finally sinking to a whisper, as it were, among -the foot-hills of the giant elevations. - -The most impressive scenes realized by the traveler are those of -moonlight and midnight. How a love of the stars and the sea grows upon -one, and life has so few moments of perfect contentment! What melody and -magic permeate the pure, placid atmosphere, bounded by the sapphire sea -and the azure sky! How tender and beautiful is the utter stillness of -the hour! Such scenes of gladness make the heart almost afraid,—afraid -lest there should be some keen sorrow lurking in ambush to awaken us -from pleasant dreams to the stern, disenchanting experiences of real -life. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - -The Alaskan’s Habit of Gambling.—Extraordinary Domestic Carvings.—Silver - Bracelets.—Prevailing Superstitions.—Disposal of the Dead.—The Native - “Potlatch.”—Cannibalism.—Ambitions of Preferment.—Human Sacrifices.— - The Tribes slowly decreasing in Numbers.—Influence of the Women.— - Witchcraft.—Fetich Worship.—The Native Canoes.—Eskimo Skin Boats. - - -The aborigines of Alaska are slow in their movements, and in this -respect resemble the Lapps of Scandinavia, having also a drawling manner -of speech entirely in consonance with their bodily movements. They are -as inveterate gamblers as the Chinese, often passing whole days and -nights absorbed in the occupation, the result of which is in no way -contingent upon intelligence or skill, until finally one of the party -walks off winner of all the stakes. Their principal gambling game is -played with a handful of small sticks of different colors, which are -called by various names, such as the crab, the whale, the duck, and so -on. The player shuffles all the sticks together, then counting out a -certain number he places them under cover of bunches of moss. The object -seems to be to guess in which pile is the whale, and in which the crab, -or the duck. Individuals often lose at this seemingly trifling game all -their worldly possessions. We were told of instances where, spurred on -by excitement, a native risks his wife and children, and if he loses, -they become the recognized property of the winner, nor would any one -think of interfering with such a settlement. These extreme cases, of -course, are rare. - -It is impossible to see the aborigines eagerly absorbed in the game -without recalling Dr. Johnson’s characteristic definition of gambling, -namely, “A mode of transferring property without producing any -intermediate good.” - -Inside of the rude native houses one finds many hideous carvings, -representing impossible animals and strange objects of all sorts, after -the style of the totem-poles, of which we shall have occasion to speak. -Many of their small domestic utensils are made from the horns of the -mountain goats, and are also curiously carved with nightmare objects, as -evil to look upon as African idols. Yet some of these articles show -considerable skill and infinite patience in execution. We have seen -specimens that it was difficult to believe were executed by the hand of -an uncultured savage. Before the Russians introduced iron and steel -knives, the aborigines seem to have carved only with copper and stone -implements, producing remarkable results under the circumstances. The -young women wear silver bracelets, pounded out of American dollar -pieces, some of which are an inch broad, and are covered elaborately -after civilized models, others bear native heraldic devices of birds, -beasts, and fishes, which are said to represent the arms of the wearer’s -family, it being customary for each tribe and person to adopt some -distinctive seal or crest. They much prefer silver ornaments to those of -gold or other material; though they are not slow to realize intrinsic -values, probably they choose the less expensive metal because it is -Alaska fashion. - -In spite of all the missionary effort which is made to enlighten these -natives, they are still slaves to the most debasing superstitions. -Scarcely a month passes in which the civil authorities are not called -upon to interfere with the people for cruelty. We were told of one -instance which lately occurred at Juneau. A native was seriously ill, -and the medicine-man, having failed to relieve him by his noisy -incantations, charged an old member of the tribe with having bewitched -the invalid. He was consequently seized, tied up, and whipped until -nearly insensible, being left for three days without food. By chance the -authorities heard of the case and released the old man. The two -principal natives who had been guilty of the maltreatment were tried and -fined twenty dollars each. The very next day the old man was missing, -and it was found that he had again been tied up and whipped. The two -culprits admitted repeating their cruelty, saying they had paid for the -right to whip out the witch from the old man, and it must be done before -the invalid would recover. These ignorant creatures entertained no -malice towards the old native; it was only a matter of duty, as they -thought, to exorcise the evil one which had possessed the invalid. This -is a fair sample of the superstition of the average Alaskans. - -When a member of the family dies, the body is not removed for final -disposal by the door which the living are accustomed to use, but a plank -is torn from the side or back of the dwelling, through which the corpse -is passed, after which the place is at once carefully made whole. This, -they say, is to prevent the spirit of the defunct from finding its way -back again, and thus bringing ill luck upon the living. A still more -superstitious and savage custom prevails among some of these ignorant -natives. - -If a person dies in a cabin, it is held that the place becomes sacred to -his spirit, and therefore is unfit for the living. To avoid this -difficulty the dying are passed out of the domicile through some -temporary hole into the open air to breathe their last, so that neither -the house nor the threshold may be sacrificed to the spirit of the dead. -Slaves, besides poor widows and orphans, when they die, are often -disposed of in the most summary and unfeeling manner, being exposed in -the woods, or cast into the sea as food for the fishes. In this -connection we remember that the highly civilized and rich Parsees of -Bombay do not hesitate to give the dead bodies of their cherished ones -to the vultures, in those terrible Towers of Silence on Malabar Hill. - -The ceremonies which follow all funerals among these aborigines are -peculiar affairs, and for the carrying out of which each person saves -more or less of his worldly effects to leave after death. As soon as the -body of the deceased is disposed of, then commences what is here called -a “potlatch,” signifying a “big feast,” conducted very much after the -style of the New Zealanders on a similar occasion. Everybody is invited -and a free spread or feast provided, the same being kept up for several -days and nights, so long, indeed, as the purchasing power lasts. Whiskey -is freely dispensed, when it can be had, but if not obtainable, as it is -a contraband article, then “hoochenoo,” made from flour and molasses -well fermented, takes its place, being equally intoxicating and -maddening. Dancing, wailing, singing, fighting, and grave indecencies -follow each other, until the means to keep up the potlatch left by the -deceased are exhausted, and his surviving family oftentimes -impoverished. - -Cremation is the Thlinkit’s favorite mode of disposing of his dead. The -bodies of slaves and “witches” are disposed of with great secrecy. They -are not considered worth burial, and are sometimes cast into the sea, -but water burial is infrequent. The bodies of chiefs lie in state -several days; the people observe certain rites; then the body is -cremated and the ashes are encased in the base of a totem erected to his -memory. Shamans (doctors) are never cremated. After lying in state four -days, one day in each corner of the cabin, the body is taken out of the -house through the smokestack, or some opening other than the door, and -conveyed some distance to a deadhouse built for this particular -occupant. There in its last resting-place the body is seated in an -upright position. The paraphernalia of his rank and office, some -blankets and household effects to add to his comfort in the spirit-land, -are entombed with the remains. - -Another occasion for indulging in the potlatch is when some one is -desirous of securing extraordinary influence in his tribe, generally a -chief seeking to establish superior position or popularity over some -rival. Natives have been known to save their means for years, augmenting -them by industry and self-denial, in order finally to give a grand and -unequaled feast of this character. When the time arrives not only are -all the host’s own tribe invited, but those of the next nearest tribes -not akin to his own. Such a festival often lasts for a whole week, until -the last blanket of the giver is sacrificed. These strange festivals, we -were told, are fast passing into disuse, at least among those tribes -brought most in contact with the whites, though on a smaller scale they -do still exist all over the southern region of Alaska. - -There is, perhaps, no positive evidence that cannibalism ever prevailed -among the Indians of this region, yet it is gravely hinted that it did -on the occasion of these funeral potlatches years ago. To sacrifice the -life of one or more of the slaves of the deceased we know was common, -and if their bodies were not barbecued and eaten, then these natives of -the North Pacific were entirely different in this respect from those who -lived in the South Pacific. The medicine-men, even to-day, devour -portions of corpses, believing that they acquire control of the spirit -of the deceased thereby, and gain influence over demon spirits in the -other sphere. Such practices are, however, rare, though Mr. Duncan of -Metla-katla tells us he has witnessed the repulsive performance. The -places near each hamlet where the dead are finally placed often number -many more graves, or square boxes containing the bodies, than there are -present inhabitants in the settlement. All this region was formerly many -times more populous than it is to-day. Here, as in Africa, New Zealand, -California, and Australia, where the white man appears permanently, the -black man slowly but surely vanishes. The progress of civilization, as -we call it, is fatal to native, savage races all over the world. Catlin, -who lived among and wrote so well about our Western Indians, summed up -the matter thus: “White man—whiskey—tomahawks—scalping-knives—guns, -powder and ball—smallpox, debauchery—extermination.” But it is not alone -gunpowder, rum, and lasciviousness which are the active agents to this -end; there is also a subtle influence which is not clearly understood, -and which it is difficult to define, but which is as potent, if not more -so, than the agencies above suggested. The destiny which heaven decrees -for a people will surely come to them. This has been clearly exemplified -in the instance of the North American Indians, as well as among the -South Sea Islanders in Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. Of an entire -and intelligent people, the aborigines who once occupied Tasmania, there -is not to-day a living representative! The land is solely possessed and -occupied by white Europeans, before whom the natives have steadily -vanished like dew before the sun. - -Mr. Frederick Whymper, who wrote about the Northwest some twenty years -ago, speaking upon this subject, refers to the experience of a Mr. -Sproat, a resident of the region near Puget Sound, who employed large -numbers of natives as well as whites in manufacturing lumber. Mr. Sproat -conducted his large business and the place where it was established on -temperance principles; no violence or oppression of any sort was -permitted towards the natives. They were in fact better fed, better -clothed, and better taught than they had ever been before. It was only -after a considerable time that any symptom of a change was observed -among the Indians. By and by a listlessness seemed to creep over them, -and they “brooded over silent thoughts.” At first they were surprised -and bewildered by the presence of the white men, and the machinery and -steam vessels which they brought with them. They seemed slowly to -acquire a distrust of themselves, and abandoned their old practices and -tribal habits, until at last it was discovered that a higher death-rate -was prevailing among them. “No one molested them,” says Mr. Sproat; -“they had ample sustenance and shelter for the support of life, yet the -people decayed. The steady brightness of civilized life seemed to dim -and extinguish the flickering light of savageism, as the rays of the sun -put out a common fire.” - -Upon the same subject and people, H. W. Elliott says: “These savages -were created for the wild surroundings of their existence; expressly -fitted for it, and they live happily in it; change the order of their -life, and at once they disappear, as do the indigenous herbs and game -before the cultivation of the soil and the domestication of animals.” We -shall not comment upon these remarks, though to us it is an extremely -interesting subject; the reader must draw his own inference. - -The men of these native tribes are strong and vigorous; the women are, -however, forced to perform most of the domestic labor, and all of the -drudgery, yet it was observed that they held the purse strings. That is -to say, a native buck always defers to his wife in any matter of trade -as to the price either to ask or to pay. The women of Alaska are -certainly in a better condition and are better treated than those -belonging to any of our Western Indian tribes, with whom we are -acquainted. Though they are called upon to do much menial work, they do -not seem to be actually abused. The male Alaskan performs a certain -liberal share of domestic duties, but not so with the Indian of our -Western reservations. The latter makes his wife a beast of burden. They -are generally clothed in the garments of civilization, though of coarse -material and of the cheapest manufacture. The ready-made clothing store -has reached even the islands of the North Pacific. Polygamy is common -among the aborigines, chastity is little heeded, and young girls are -sold by their mothers for a few blankets, she and not the father having -the acknowledged right of disposing of them. Dr. Sheldon Jackson writes -most feelingly as follows: “Despised by their fathers, sold by their -mothers, imposed upon by their brothers, and ill-treated by their -husbands, cast out in their widowhood, living lives of toil and low -sensual pleasure, untaught and uncared for, with no true enjoyment in -this world and no hope for the world to come, crushed by a cruel -heathenism, it is no wonder that many of them end their misery and -wretchedness by suicide.” - -It was found on inquiry that the ratio of births among the Alaskan shore -tribes was considerably greater than among civilized communities, but -the death-rate is, on the other hand, excessive. The wretched ignorance -of the mothers as to the observance of the simplest sanitary laws, as -well as the gross exposure of their infants, is the principal cause of -this needless mortality. - -The aborigines, where not brought in contact with the government schools -and missionaries, still retain their system of fetich worship, being -very much under control of their medicine-men, who pretend to influence -the demons of the spirit world, so feared by the average savage. Their -moral degradation is extreme, and their practices in too many instances -are terrible to relate. Slaves are sacrificed, as already stated, at the -owner’s death, that they may go before and prepare for his arrival in -the future state. Vile witchcraft is still believed in among most of the -tribes, and murderous consequences follow in many cases. All kinds of -barbarity are inflicted upon women, children, and slaves. We are told by -Dr. Sheldon Jackson that it was surprising to see how quickly these -savage practices yielded to the power of Christian teachings, and how -rapidly they faded away before the influence of association with a few -intelligent, conscientious white teachers. What these people need is -education and Christian influence, which will work a great and rapid -reform among them in a single generation. - -The canoes of the tribes about the Alexander Archipelago are dug out of -well-chosen cedar logs, and are given the really fine lines for which -they are remarkable by means of hot water and steam, together with the -use of cunningly devised braces and clamps. The wood being once -thoroughly dried in the desired shape, will retain it. Wondering how the -exquisite smoothness was produced in forming their boats without a -carpenter’s plane, it was found by inquiry that the natives dry the -coarse skin of the dogfish and use it as we do sandpaper. The time spent -upon the construction and ornamentation of these canoes is apparently of -no consideration to the native, and the market value of the best will -average one hundred dollars. It is the Alaskan’s most necessary and most -prized piece of property. Some which we saw were eighty feet in length, -and capable of holding one hundred men. It must be remembered that -almost the entire population live on the coast or river banks in a -country where there are no roads. These canoes have no seats in them; -the rower places himself on the bottom, and thus situated uses his -paddles with great dexterity. They are quite unmanageable by a white man -who is not accustomed to them, as much so at least as a birch canoe, -such as the Eastern Indians build on the coast of Maine. But the Alaskan -boat is far superior to the birch-bark canoe in every respect. We saw -one paddled by a boy at Pyramid Harbor, neat and new, which the lad, say -twelve years of age, had dug out of a spruce log with his own hands, -quite unaided. Its lines were admirable, and the finish was excellent. -When the sun beats down upon these boats, the owner splashes water upon -the sides about him to prevent their warping, and for this purpose -carries a thin wooden scoop. When not in use they are carefully covered -up to shelter them from the sun’s rays. Some tribes use a double paddle, -that is, an oar with a blade at each end, which they dip on one side and -the other alternately; other tribes use the single-bladed paddle. Each -one of the males among the natives has his canoe, for the water is his -only highway, and without his boat he would be as helpless as one of our -Western Indians on the plains without his pony. When the “dug-outs” are -drawn up upon the shore in scores, they present a curious appearance, -packed with grass and covered with matting to keep them from being -cracked and warped by the sun. The bows and stern of many of them are -elaborately carved totem-fashion, and also painted in strange designs -with a black pigment. The fore part of the boat rises with an upward -sheer, and is higher at the prow than at the stern. There is another -form of boat used by the Eskimos and natives of the outlying islands, -being a simple frame of wood, covered with sea-lion skin from which the -hair has been removed. These boats are covered over the tops as well as -the bottoms, being almost level with the sea, leaving only a hole for -the occupant to sit in, thus making them absolutely water-tight, a -life-boat, in fact, which will float in any water so long as they will -hold together. The waves may dash over them but cannot enter them. These -skin-covered boats, admirably adapted to their legitimate purpose, are -known on the coast as “bidarkas,” in the management of which the natives -evince great skill, making long journeys in them, and braving all sorts -of weather. Like the Madras surf-boats, no nails are used in their -construction, either in the skeleton frame or in putting on the -covering, the several parts being lashed and sewed together in the most -artistic fashion with sinews and leather thongs, which enables them to -bear a greater strain than if they were held together by any other -means. The thongs admit of a certain degree of flexibility when it is -required, an effect which cannot be got with nail fastenings. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - -Still sailing Northward.—Multitudes of Water-Fowls.—Native Graveyards.— - Curious Totem-Poles.—Tribal and Family Emblems.—Division of the - Tribes.—Whence the Race came.—A Clew to their Origin.—The Northern - Eskimos.—A Remarkable Museum of Aleutian Antiquities.—Jade Mountain.— - The Art of Carving.—Long Days.—Aborigines of the Yukon Valley.—Their - Customs. - - -Still sailing northward, large numbers of ebon-hued cormorants are seen -feeding on the low, kelp-covered rocks, contrasting with the snowy -whiteness of the gulls. Big flocks of snipe, ducks, and other aquatic -birds line the water’s edge, or rise in clouds from some sheltered nook -to settle again in our wake. Higher up in air a huge bald-headed eagle -is in sight nearly all the while, as we sail along the winding -watercourse. The eagles of Alaska, unlike those of other sections of the -globe, are not a solitary bird, but congregate in considerable numbers, -and residents told us they had seen a score of them roasting together on -the branches of the same tree, but we must confess to never having seen -even two together. Elsewhere the eagle is certainly a bird whose -solitary habits are one of its marked characteristics. We observe here -and there near native villages, more square boxes and totem-poles -indicating the resting-places of the dead. Some tribes continue to burn -their dead, and these boxes contain only the ashes, but the missionaries -and the whites generally have so opposed the idea of cremation that many -of the natives have abandoned it. The burial above-ground in the square -boxes referred to is a peculiar idea. These coffins, if they may be so -called, are about three feet and a half long by two and a half wide, and -are often elaborately carved and painted with grotesque figures. The -corpse is disjointed and doubled up in order to get it into this -compass, though why this is done when a longer box would so much -simplify matters, no one seems to know. We were told that some of the -Alaskan tribes used to place their dead in trees, or on the top of four -raised poles, a similar practice to that which once prevailed among -certain tribes of our Western Indians, but the mode just described is -that which most generally prevails. There seems to be some difference of -opinion as regards the real significance of the totem-poles. They appear -to be designed in part to commemorate certain deeds in the lives of the -departed, near whose grave they are reared, as well as to indicate the -family arms of those for whom they are erected. Thus, on seeing one -special totem-post surmounted by a wolf carved in wood, beneath which a -useless gun was lashed, inquiry was made as to its significance, -whereupon we were told that the deceased by whose grave it stood had -been killed while hunting wolves in the forest. This was certainly a -very literal way of recording the fate of the hunter. - -Some tribes adopt the crow, some the hawk, and some the bear or the -whale, as their distinctive tribal emblem. The poles are carved from -bottom to top, averaging thirty or forty feet in height,—though some are -nearly a hundred feet high,—and from three to four feet in diameter, the -height also signifying the importance of the individual, that is, his -social grade or standing in the tribe. Some of the carvings are -mythological, for these people have an oral mythology of the most -fabulous character, which has been handed down from father to son for -many centuries. The carvings on the coffin-boxes, though often -elaborate, to a white man’s eye are meaningless. As we have said, when a -chief dies, some valuable personal effects are always deposited with his -body in the coffin, and one would suppose that such objects were safe -from pilfering fingers of even strangers; yet these articles are -constantly offered for sale, and are eagerly purchased by curio-hunters -who come hither from various parts of this country. - -The aborigines of Alaska are divided into various sub-tribes, such as -Hooniahs, Tongas, Auks, Kasa-ans, Haidas, Sitkas, Chinooks, Chilcats, -and so on. - -Ivan Petroff, who was sent by the United States Government to Alaska in -1880, as special agent of the census, divides the native population of -the Territory as follows:— - -FIRST.—The Innuit or Eskimo race, which predominates in numbers and -covers the littoral margin of all Alaska from the British boundary on -the Arctic to Norton Sound, the Lower Yukon, and Kuskoquin, Bristol Bay, -the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, mixing in, also, at Prince William -Sound. - -SECOND.—The Indians proper spread over the vast interior in the north, -reaching down to the seaboard at Cook’s Inlet and the mouth of the -Copper River, and lining the coast from Mount St. Elias southward to the -boundary and peopling the Alexander Archipelago. - -THIRD.—The Aleutian race, extending from the Shumagin Islands westward -to Attoo,—the Ultima Thule of this country,—whom Petroff terms the -Christian inhabitants. These last certainly conform most fully to all -the outward practices of civilization and universally recognize the -Greek Church. - -Whence these people originally came is a question which is constantly -discussed, but which is still an unsolved problem. Some words in their -language seem to indicate a Japanese origin, and some seem clearly to be -derived from the Aztec tongue belonging to that peculiar people of the -south. Hon. James G. Swain of Port Townsend, who has given years of -study to the subject of ethnology as connected with the tribes of the -Northwest, states that he found among them a tradition of the Great -Spirit similar to that of the Aztecs, and that when he exhibited to -members of the Haida tribe sketches of Aztec carvings, they at once -recognized and understood them. Copper images and relics found in their -possession were identical with exhumed relics brought from Guatemala. -These are certainly very significant facts, if not convincing ones. The -Alaska natives have some Apache words in their language, which points to -a common origin with our North American Indian tribes, but these -suggestions are purely speculative. There are able students of ethnology -who insist upon the origin of these Alaskans being Asiatic for various -good and sufficient reasons, instancing not only their personal -appearance, but the similarity of their traditions and customs to those -of the people of Asia. To have come thence it is remembered that they -had only to cross a narrow piece of water forty miles wide. This passage -is frequently made in our times by open boats. At certain seasons of the -year, though in so northern a latitude, the strait is by no means rough. -Mr. Seward says: “I have mingled freely with the multifarious -population, the Tongas, the Stickeens, the Kakes, the Haidas, the -Sitkas, the Kontnoos, and the Chilcats. Climate and other circumstances -have indeed produced some differences of manners and customs between the -Aleuts, the Koloschians, and the interior continental tribes, but all of -them are manifestly of Mongol origin. Although they have preserved no -common traditions, all alike indulge in tastes, wear a physiognomy, and -are imbued with sentiments peculiarly noticed in China and Japan.” - -The Eskimos proper differ but little from the southern and inland tribes -of Alaska generally; few of them are ever seen south of Norton Sound or -the mouths of the Yukon. Their home is in the Arctic portion of the -Territory, bordering the Frozen Ocean and Behring Strait. It is obvious -that climatic influences create among them different manners and -customs, causing also a slightly different physical formation, but -otherwise they seem to be of the same race as the people of the Alaska -Peninsula, the Aleutian Islands, or indeed of any of the several groups -and of the mainland lying to the south. That these Eskimos resemble -physically the Norwegian Lapps, to be met with at about the same -latitude in the eastern hemisphere, is very obvious to one who has -carefully observed both races in their homes. This similarity extends in -rather a remarkable degree also to their dress as well as domestic -habits. - -In the region they occupy, near the source of the Kowak River, which -empties into Kotzebue Sound by several mouths after a course of two or -three hundred miles, is Jade Mountain, composed, as far as is known, of -a light green stone which gives it the name it bears. An exploring party -from the United States steamer Corwin brought away one or two hundred -pounds of the mineral in the summer of 1884. The hardness and tenacity -of these specimens are said to have been remarkable, as well as the -exquisite polish which they exhibited when treated by the lapidist. Jade -Mountain must be in latitude 68° north, between two and three hundred -miles south of the Yukon above the line of Behring Strait. Yet the -exploring party found the thermometer to register 90° Fah. in the shade, -while their greatest annoyance was caused by the mosquitoes. The Kowak -abounds in salmon, pike, and white-fish. “The ‘color’ of gold,” says the -printed report of the expedition, “was obtained almost everywhere.” -Nearly eighty species of birds were collected, though the party were -absent from the Corwin but about seven weeks. The white spruce was found -to be the largest and most abundant tree, and the inhabitants all -Eskimos. - -The remarkable museum of ancient arms, dresses, wooden and skin armor, -and domestic utensils exhibited in New York city in 1868 by Mr. Edward -G. Fast, and which was collected by him while in the employment of our -government among the people of the Northwest, revealed some very -important facts as to their history. The collection proved clearly that -two or three hundred years ago these natives of Alaska enjoyed a much -higher degree of civilization than is exhibited by their descendants -to-day. That they have deteriorated in industry, steadiness, and ability -generally is obvious. The art of forging must have been known to them in -the earlier times, as shown in this collection of admirable weapons, -clearly of native manufacture and of most excellent finish. The art of -carving was possessed by them in far greater perfection than they -exhibit in our day, while the skillfully made dresses of tanned leather -worn by the ancient Aleuts nearly equal those in which the warriors were -clad who accompanied Cortez and Pizarro when they landed on this -continent. Mr. Fast was singularly fortunate in securing whole suits of -armor, masks, and war implements for his unique museum of Alaskan -antiquities. In association with Russians and Americans for a century, -more or less, these aborigines have readily adopted the vices of -civilization, so to speak, and have sacrificed most of their own better -qualities. Indolence generally has taken the place of the warlike habits -and steadiness of purpose which must have characterized them as a people -to a large degree before the whites came with firearms and fire-water. -How forcibly is the law of mutability impressed upon us! From a state of -comparative power and importance, this people has dwindled to a -condition simply foreshadowing oblivion. - -Rev. W. W. Kirby, a missionary who reached the valley of the Yukon by -way of British Columbia, fully describes the Eskimos whom he mingled -with in the northwestern part of the Territory. He considers them to be -more intelligent than the average Alaska Indians, and far superior to -them in physical appearance, the women especially being much fairer and -more pleasing to look upon. They are more addicted to the use of tobacco -than are these southern tribes, often smoking to great excess, and in -the most peculiar manner, swallowing every swiff from their pipes, until -they become so poisoned as to fall senseless upon the ground, where they -remain in this condition for ten or fifteen minutes. They dress very -neatly with deerskins, wearing the hair on the outside. The men have -heavy beards, shave the crown of their heads, leaving the sides and back -growth to fall freely about the face and neck. Mr. Kirby is obliged to -censure the thievish propensities of this people, which was a source of -great trouble and considerable loss to him. Speaking of his high -northern latitude when among the Eskimos, he says: “As we advanced -farther northward, the sun did not leave us at all. Frequently did I see -him describe a complete circle in the heavens.” - -As far south as Pyramid Harbor, latitude 59° 11′ north, the sun does not -set in midsummer until about two o’clock in the morning, rising again -four hours later. Even during these four sunless hours fine print can be -read on the ship’s deck without the aid of any other than the natural -light. - -Mr. Kirby found the Indians of the Yukon valley to be rather a fierce -and turbulent people, more like our Western Indians than any other -tribes whom he met. Their country is in and about latitude 65° north, -and beginning at the Mackenzie River, in British Columbia, runs through -Alaska to Behring Strait. They were formerly very numerous, but have -frequently been at war with the Eskimos north of them, and have thus -been sadly reduced in numbers, though they are still a strong and -powerful people. - -There is a singular system of social division recognized among them, -termed respectively Chit-sa, Nate-sa, and Tanges-at-sa, faintly -representing the idea of aristocracy, the middle class, and the poorer -order of our civilization. There is another peculiarity in this -connection, it being the rule for a man not to marry in his own, but to -take a wife from either of the other classes. Thus a Chit-sa gentleman -will marry a Tanges-at-sa peasant without hesitation; the offspring in -every case belonging to the class to which the mother is related. This -arrangement has had a most beneficial effect in allaying the deadly -feuds formerly so frequent among neighboring tribes, and which have been -the cause of so reducing their memorial strength by sanguinary -conflicts. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - -Fort Wrangel.—Plenty of Wild Game.—Natives do not care for Soldiers, but - have a Wholesome Fear of Gunboats.—Mode of Trading.—Girls’ School and - Home.—A Deadly Tragedy.—Native Jewelry and Carving.—No Totem-Poles for - Sale.—Missionary Enterprises.—Progress in Educating Natives.—Various - Denominations Engaged in the Missionary Work. - - -We prefer to think it was to see the sun rise that we got up so early on -arriving at Fort Wrangel, and not because of the torturing fact that our -berth was too short at both ends, and kept us in a chronic state of -wakefulness and cramp. The distance passed over in coming hither from -Victoria was about eight hundred miles. The place, having about five -hundred inhabitants, is advantageously situated on an island at the -mouth of the Stickeen River, which rises in British Columbia and has a -length of nearly two hundred and fifty miles. There is here an excellent -and capacious harbor, surrounded by grand mountains, while lofty -snow-crowned summits more inland break the sky-line in nearly all -directions,—mountain towering above mountain, until the view is lost -among far-away peaks, blue and indistinct. This elevated district -contains wild goats, with now and then a grizzly bear, fiercest of his -tribe, while in its ravines and valleys the little mule-deer, the brown -bear, the fox, the land-otter, the mink, and various other animals -abound. As to the small streams and river courses which thread the -territory, they are, as all over this country, crowded with fish, the -salmon prevailing. The inland haunts within twenty leagues of the coast -are little disturbed by the natives. The abundance of halibut, cod, and -salmon at their very doors, as it were, is quite sufficient to satisfy -the demands of nature, and it is only when tempted by the white man’s -gold that the aborigines will leave the coast to go inland in search of -pelts and meat, in the form of venison, goat, or bear flesh. - -The town, consisting of a hundred houses and more, is spread along the -shore at the base of a thickly wooded hill, flanked on either side by a -long line of low, square, rough-hewn native cabins. A peep into the -interior of these was by no means reassuring. Dirt, degradation, and -abundance were combined. The few domestic utensils seen appeared never -to have been washed, being thick with grease, while the stench that -saluted the olfactories was sickening. There were no chairs, stools, or -benches, the men and women sitting upon their haunches, a position which -would be a severe trial to a white and afford no rest whatever, but -which is the universal mode of sitting adopted by savage races in all -parts of the world. The place was named after Baron Wrangel, governor of -Russian America at the time when it was first settled, in 1834, being -then merely a stockade post. After the United States came into -possession of the country it was for a short time occupied by our -soldiers, but ere long ceased to be held as a military post, the -soldiers being withdrawn altogether from the Territory. It was soon -discovered that the natives cared nothing for the soldiers; they could -always get away from them in any exigency by means of their canoes; but -they had, and still have, a wholesome fear of a revenue cutter or a -gunboat, which can destroy one of their villages, if necessary, in a few -minutes. - -A steamer can always move very rapidly from place to place among the -islands, making her presence felt without delay, when and where it is -most needed. At the outset of our taking possession of Alaska, an -example of decision and power was necessary to put the natives in proper -awe of the government, and it followed quickly upon an unprovoked -outrage committed by the aborigines. One of their villages, not far from -Sitka, was promptly shelled and destroyed in half an hour. Since then -there has been no trouble of consequence with any of the tribes, who -have profound respect for the strong arm, and to speak plainly, like -most savage races, for nothing else. - -Fort Wrangel has two or three large stores for the sale of goods to the -natives, and for the purchase of furs, Indian curiosities, and the like. -It is also the headquarters of the gold miners, who gather here when the -season is no longer fit for out-of-door work at the placers. - -Seeing the natives crowding the stores, it was natural to suppose the -traders were driving a good business, but a proprietor explained that -these people were slow buyers, making him many calls before purchasing. -They look an article over three or four different times before -concluding they want it; then its cost is to be considered. The native’s -squaw comes and approves or disapproves; the article is discussed with -the men’s neighbors, and, finally, his resolution having culminated, he -goes away to earn the money with which to make the purchase! “Such -customers are very trying to our patience,” remarked the trader, “but -after you once understand their peculiarities it is easy enough to get -along with them.” - -A truly charitable enterprise has been established here; we refer to the -Indian Girls’ School and Home, supported by the American Board of -Missions, where the pupils are taught industrial duties appertaining to -the domestic associations of their sex, as well as the ordinary branches -of a common school education. No effort, we were told, is made to -enforce any special tenets of faith, but these girls are taught -morality, which is practical religion. The example is much needed here, -both among these native people and the whites. - -To show what strict adherents these Alaskans are to tribal -conventionalities, we can do no better than relate a singular -occurrence, for the truth of which Dr. Jackson is our authority. - -“Near the Hoonah Mission, a short time ago, a deadly tragedy took place. -A stalwart native came into the village and imbibed too freely of -hoochinoo. Walking along the street he saw a young married girl with -whom he was greatly infatuated. The girl was afraid to meet him and -turning ran to her house. The man gave pursuit and gained entrance to -the house. All the inmates escaped in terror. The desperado boldly -continued his hunt for the woman, and the husband of the woman with a -few friends took refuge in his own house again. The ravishing fiend -returned, and demanding admittance battered in the door with an axe, and -as he entered was shot and instantly killed. The friends of the dead man -met in council, and according to their custom demanded a life for his -life. The husband and protector of his wife’s virtue gave himself into -the custody of his enemies and was unceremoniously killed!” - -The production of native jewelry is a specialty here, and some of the -silver ornaments of Indian manufacture are really very fine, exhibiting -great skill and originality, if not refined taste. Their carvings in -ivory are exceedingly curious, skillful, and attractive, especially upon -walrus teeth, whereon they will imitate precisely any pattern that is -given to them, with a patient fidelity equaling the Chinese. The native -designs are far the most desirable, however, being not only typical of -the people and locality, but original and fitting. The time devoted to a -piece of work seems to be of no consideration to a native, and forms no -criterion as regards the price demanded for it. From the sale of these -fancy articles the aborigines receive annually a considerable sum of -money. It is indeed surprising how they can get such results without -better tools. With some artistic instruction they would be capable of -producing designs and combinations of a choice character, and which -would command a market among the most fastidious purchasers. Their -present somewhat rude ornaments have attracted so much attention that -two or three stores in San Francisco keep a variety of them for sale. -But it is the charm of having purchased such souvenirs on the spot which -forms half their value. - -Speaking of these souvenirs, the author was shown some stone carvings at -Victoria, on the passage from Puget Sound northward, which were of -native manufacture, and thought to be idols. It was afterwards learned -that these were the works of the Haidas of Queen Charlotte Island, about -seventy or eighty miles north of Vancouver Island. There is here a -slate-stone, quite soft when first quarried, which is easily carved into -any design or fanciful figure, but which rapidly hardens on exposure to -the air. The stone is oiled when the carving is completed, and this -gives it the appearance of age, as well as makes it dark and smooth. The -natives of this northwest coast do not worship idols, therefore these -are not objects of that character, though they are curious and -interesting. It is among these Haidas that the practice of tattooing -most prevails, and they still cover their bodies with designs of birds, -fishes, and animals, some of which are most hideous caricatures. This -tribe is said to be the most addicted to gambling of any on the coast, -the demoralizing effect of which is to be seen in various forms among -them. - -Fort Wrangel has several demon-like totem-poles. There is a sort of -fascination attached to these awkward objects which leads one carefully -to examine and constantly to talk about them. Before some cabins there -are two of the weird things, covered with devices representing both the -male and female branches of the family which occupies the cabin. It was -found that much more importance was attached to these emblems here than -had been manifested farther south. An interested excursionist who came -up on our steamer, wishing to possess himself of a totem-pole, found one -at last of suitable size for transportation, and tried to purchase it, -but discovered that no possible sum which he could offer would be -considered as an equivalent for it. All of his subsequent efforts in -this line proved equally unsuccessful so far as totem-poles were -concerned, and yet we remember that they are to be found in many of our -public museums throughout the States, and we have seen large ones lying -upon the ground moss covered and neglected. It appeared to be only the -rich native who indulged in an individual totem-pole. The cost of one, -say forty or fifty feet long, carved after the orthodox fashion, with -the free feast given at all such raisings, is said to be over a thousand -dollars. The more lavish the expenditure on these occasions, the greater -the honor achieved by the host. - -There is a successful day-school established here besides the Indian -Girls’ Home, which is accomplishing much good in educating the rising -generation, and in introducing civilized manners and customs. The -children evince a fair degree of natural aptitude, learning easily to -read and write, but are a little dull, we were told, in arithmetic. -Adult, uneducated natives, however, are quick enough at making all -necessary calculations in their trades with the whites, either as -purchasers of domestic goods, or in selling their peltries. The -Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Moravians, Quakers, Baptists, -and Roman Catholics all have missionary stations in different parts of -the country. Schools have also been established for the general -instruction of whites and natives at Juneau, Sitka, Wrangel, Jackson, -and other localities under direction of our government officials, and -proper teachers have been supplied, the whole system being under the -supervision of a competent head. Mrs. J. G. Hyde, who teaches school at -Juneau, in her last year’s report, says: “Many of the scholars, who, -when the term began last September, could not speak a word of English, -can now not only speak, but read and write it. They can also spell -correctly and are beginning in the first principles of arithmetic. To -the casual observer perhaps nothing seems more absurd than the attempt -by any process to enlighten the clouded intellect of this benighted -people. Indeed, the most squalid street Arabs might be considered a -thousand times more desirable as pupils. But a few days’ work among and -for them convinces the teacher that she has not a boisterous, -uncontrollable lot of children, but as much the opposite as it is -possible to imagine. Children who habitually refrain from playing during -intermission that they may learn some lesson or how to do some fancy -work are not to be classed with the wild, wayward, or vicious. Boys who, -when their regular lessons are done, are continually designing and -drawing cannot be said to be entirely devoid of talent worthy of -cultivation. While the development must be slow in most cases, there are -a few who would compare favorably with white children. Their abnormal -development of the faculty of form gives them an inestimable advantage -over their more favored pale-face brothers in acquiring the art of -writing and drawing. Their mind acts very slowly, but they make up in -tenacity of purpose what they lack in aptness.” - -At Sitka there is an industrial school which is very successful training -native boys and girls in mechanical and domestic occupations, and of -which we will speak in detail in a further chapter. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - -Schools in Alaska.—Natives Ambitious to learn.—Wild Flowers.—Native - Grasses.—Boat Racing.—Avaricious Natives.—The Candle Fish.—Gold Mines - Inland.—Chinese Gold-Diggers.—A Ledge of Garnets.—Belief in Omens.— - More Schools required.—The Pestiferous Mosquito.—Mosquitoes and - Bears.—Alaskan Fjords.—The Patterson Glacier. - - -The general plan of this school at Wrangel struck us as being the most -promising means of improvement that could possibly be devised and -carried forward among the aborigines of Alaska. We were informed that -fourteen government day schools were in operation in the Territory, -under the able supervision of that true philanthropist, Dr. Sheldon -Jackson, United States General Agent for Education in the Territory. The -natives almost universally welcome and gladly improve the advantages -afforded them for instruction, especially as regards their children. -Many individual cases with which the author became acquainted were of -much more than ordinary interest; indeed, it was quite touching to -observe the eagerness of young natives to gain intellectual culture. -Surely such incentive is worthy of all encouragement. One could not but -contrast the earnestness of these untutored aborigines to make the most -of every opportunity for learning with the neglected opportunities of -eight tenths of our pampered children of civilization. Here is the true -field of missionary work, the work of education. - -In the neighborhood of Fort Wrangel plenty of sweet wild flowers were -observed in bloom, some especially of Alpine character were very -interesting,—“wee, modest, crimson-tipped flowers,”—while the tall -blueberry bushes were crowded with wholesome and appetizing fruit, with -here and there clusters of the luscious salmon-berry, yellow as gold, -and so ripe as to melt in the mouth. At the earliest advent of spring -the flowers burst forth in this latitude with surprising forwardness, a -phenomenon also observable in northern Sweden and Norway. Such white -clover heads are rarely seen anywhere else, large, well spread, and -fragrant as pinks. Among the ferns was an abundance of the tiny-leaved -maiden’s hair species, with delicate, chocolate stems. The soil also -abounds in well-developed grasses, timothy growing here to four feet and -over in height, and the nutritious, stocky blue grass even higher. -Vegetation during the brief summer season runs riot, and makes the most -of its opportunity. Although south of Sitka, Fort Wrangel is colder in -winter and warmer in summer, on account of its distance from the -influence of the thermal ocean current already described. - -Sometimes a purse is made up among the visitors here and offered as a -prize to the natives in boat-racing. A number of long canoes, each with -an Indian crew of from ten to sixteen, take part in the aquatic -struggle, which proves very amusing, not to say exciting. The native -boats are flat-bottomed, and glide over the surface of the water with -the least possible displacement. An Alaskan is seen at his best when -acting as a boatman; he takes instinctively to the paddle from his -earliest youth, and is never out of training for boat-service so long as -he lives and is able to wield an oar. No university crew could -successfully compete with these semi-civilized canoeists. Well-trained -naval boat-crews have often been distanced by them. - -The avariciousness of the natives is exhibited in their readiness to -sell almost anything they possess for money, even to parting with their -wives and daughters to the miners for base purposes; though, as we have -seen, they do draw the line at totem-poles. It should be understood that -these queerly carved posts are emblems mostly of the past; that is to -say, although the natives carefully preserve those which now exist, few -fresh ones are raised by them. Toy effigies representing these emblems -are carved and offered for sale to curio-hunters at nearly all of the -villages on the coast, and as a rule are readily disposed of. - -There is very little if any use in Alaska for artificial light during -the summer season, while nature’s grand luminary is so sleepless; but -when these aborigines do require a lamp for a special purpose, they have -the most inexpensive and ingenious substitute ever ready at hand. The -water supplies them with any quantity of the ulikon or candle-fish, -about the size of our largest New England smelts, and which are full of -oil. They are small in body, but over ten inches in length. They are -prepared by a drying process and are stored away for use, serving both -for food and for light. When a match is applied to one end of the dried -ulikon, it will burn until the whole is quite consumed, clear and bright -to the last, giving a light equal to three or four candles. So rich are -these fishes in oil that alcohol will not preserve them, a discovery -which was made in preparing specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. -When the Indians of the interior visit the coast, as many of them do -annually, they are sure to lay in a stock of candle-fish to take back -with them for use in the long Arctic night. This fish runs at certain -seasons of the year in great schools from the sea, invading the -fresh-water rivers near their mouths, when the natives rake them on -shore by the bushel and preserve them as described. When boiled they -produce an oil which hardens like butter, and which the Alaskans eat as -we do that article, with this important difference, that they prefer -their oil-butter to be quite rancid before they consider it at its best, -while civilized taste requires exactly the opposite condition, namely, -perfect freshness. Putrid animal matter would certainly poison a white -man, but the Alaskan Indians seem to thrive upon it. - -Some inland districts, which are most easily reached from this point, -are rich in gold-bearing quartz and placer mines, but especially in the -latter. We were credibly informed that over three million dollars’ worth -of gold was shipped from here in a period of five years, though no -really organized and persistent effort at mining had been made, or -rather we should say no modern facilities had been employed in bringing -about this result. The machinery for reducing gold-bearing quartz has -not yet been carried far inland because of the great difficulty of -transportation. Gold quartz ledges are numerous and quite undeveloped in -the neighborhood of Wrangel. The well-known Cassiar mines are situated -just over the Alaska boundary on the east side in British Columbia, but -the gold discoveries in Alaska proper are proving so much more -profitable that those of the Cassiar district have ceased to attract the -miners. There is a curious fact connected with these deposits of the -precious metal in the region approached by the way of Wrangel. In more -than one instance, as reported by Captain White of the United States -Revenue Service, placer gold, which is usually sought for in the dry -beds of river courses and in lowlands, is here found on the tops of -mountains a thousand feet high, where the largest nuggets of the -precious metal yet found in the Northwest have been obtained. Many of -the lumps of pure gold picked up in this region have weighed thirty -ounces and over. The idea of finding placer deposits on the tops of -mountains is a novelty in gold prospecting. - -The Stickeen River, which is the largest in the southern part of the -Territory, has its mouth in the harbor of Fort Wrangel, discoloring the -waters for a long distance with its chalk-like, frothy flow, a -characteristic of all Alaska streams into which the waters of the snowy -mountains and glaciers empty. The river is navigable for light-draft -stern-wheel steamers to Glenora, a hundred and fifty miles from its -mouth. After reaching this place, the way to the Cassiar mines is -overland for an equal distance by a difficult mountain trail, it being -necessary to transport all provisions and material on the backs of -natives, who have learned to demand good pay for this laborious service. -The interior upon this route is broken into a succession of -sharply-defined mountains, separated by narrow and deep valleys, similar -to the islands off the mainland. This is so decided a feature as to lead -Mr. George Davidson of the United States Coast Survey to remark: “The -topography of the Alexander Archipelago is a type of the interior. A -submergence of the mountain region of the mainland would give a similar -succession of islands, separated by deep narrow fjords.” The sandy bed -and banks of the Stickeen are heavily charged with particles of gold, -ten dollars per day each being frequently realized by gangs of men who -manipulate the sand only in the most primitive fashion. Numbers of -Chinamen availed themselves of this opportunity until they were expelled -by both the whites and the natives. The poor “Heathen Chinee” is -unwelcome everywhere outside of his own Celestial Empire, and yet close -observation shows, as we have already said, that these Asiatics have -more good qualities than the average foreigners who seek a home on our -shores. - -The scenery of the Stickeen River is pronounced by Professor Muir to be -superb and grand beyond description. Three hundred glaciers are known to -drain into its swift running waters, over one hundred of which are to be -seen between Fort Wrangel and Glenora. Near the mouth of the river is -the curious ledge of garnet crystals, which furnishes stones of -considerable beauty and brilliancy, though not sufficiently clear to be -used as gems. Choice pieces are secured by visitors as cabinet -specimens, however, and can be had, if desired, by the bushel, at a -trifling cost. They occur in a matrix of slate-like formation, some so -large as to weigh two or three ounces, and diminishing from that size -they are found as small as a pin-head. It requires three days of hard -steaming against the current to ascend the river as far as Glenora from -the mouth, whereas the same distance returning, down stream, has -frequently been made in eight or ten hours. So necessarily rapid is the -descent of the Stickeen as to make the downward trip quite hazardous, -except in charge of a careful pilot. In the neighborhood of Fort Wrangel -there are some very active boiling springs, which the natives utilize, -as do the New Zealanders at Ohinemutu, by cooking their food in them. - -In the crater of Goreloi, on Burned Island, is a vast boiling spring, or -rather a boiling lake, which has never been intelligently described, and -which is represented by those who have seen it to be unique. This -strange body of water is eighteen miles in circumference. The natives -are well supplied with legends relating to these remarkable natural -phenomena, including the extinct and active volcanoes. Genii and dreaded -spirits are supposed by them to dwell in the extinct volcanoes, and to -make their homes in the mountain caves. They believe that good spirits -will not harm them, and therefore do not address themselves to such, but -the evil ones must by some active means be propitiated, and to them -their sole attention is given, or, in other words, their religious -ceremonies when analyzed are simply devil worship. All of the tribes, if -we except the Aleuts, are held in abject fear by their conjurers or -medicine-men, who seemed to us to be the most arrant knaves conceivable, -not possessing one genuine quality to sustain their assumptions except -that of bold effrontery. This seems particularly strange, as the -aborigines of the Northwest are more than ordinarily intelligent, -compared with other half-civilized races, both in this and other lands. - -They are firm believers in signs and omens. When Rev. Mr. Willard and -wife first came to the Chilcat country the winter was one of deep snows -and stormy weather. The natives said that the weather-gods were angry at -the new ways of the missionaries. A child had been buried instead of -burned on the funeral pyre in accordance with their customs. The mother -of the child became alarmed and felt that her life was in jeopardy for -permitting her child to be buried, so she kindled a fire over the grave -in order to appease the gods and bring fair weather. At school the -children had played new games and mocked wild geese. So the girls of the -Sitka Training School brought on a very cold spell of weather by playing -a game called “cat’s-back,” and which caused a commotion at the native -village. A white man out with some natives picked up some large -clam-shells on the beach to bring home with him; the natives -remonstrated with him, saying that “a big storm may overtake us, our -canoe might capsize, and all be drowned the next time we go on the -water.” - -In tempestuous weather the native propitiates the spirit of the storm by -leaving a portion of tobacco in the rock-caves alongshore, but in calm -weather he smokes the weed himself. It was noticed, however, that the -aboriginal Alaskans were little given to the use of tobacco, less, -indeed, than any semi-civilized race whom the writer has ever visited. - -Governor Swineford, in his annual report to the department at -Washington, dated 1886, says: “I have no reason to change or modify the -estimate I had formed on very short acquaintance of the character of the -native Alaskans. They are a very superior race intellectually as -compared with the people generally known as North American Indians, and -are as a rule industrious and provident, being wholly self-sustaining. -They are shrewd and natural-born traders. Some are good carpenters, -others are skillful workers in wood and metals. Not a few among them -speak the English language, and some of the young men and women have -learned to read and write, and nearly all are anxious for the education -of their children.” - -Our government should act upon this hint and freely establish the means -of education among the Alaskans. True, it is systematically engaged in -promoting the cause in various ways, though not very energetically, -Congress having voted forty-five thousand dollars to be expended for the -purpose during the year 1889. “School-houses are the republican line of -fortifications,” said Horace Mann. “Among those best known,” says Dr. -Sheldon Jackson, speaking of the native tribes, “the highest ambition is -to build American homes, possess American furniture, dress in American -clothes, adopt the American style of living, and be American citizens. -They ask no special favors from the American government, no annuities or -help, but simply to be treated as other citizens, protected by the laws -and courts, and in common with all others furnished with schools for -their children.” It was made the duty of the Secretary of the Interior, -by the act providing a civil government for Alaska, to make needful and -proper provision for the education of all children of school age without -reference to race or color, and all true friends of progress and -humanity will urge the matter until a common school is established in -every native tribe and settlement having a sufficient number of -children. - -We were told that there is good hunting inland a short distance from -Fort Wrangel; winter, however, is the only season when this can be -successfully pursued near to the coast in the wild districts. The marshy -“tundra” is then frozen and covered with snow, making it possible to -cross. This is the period of the year also when the natives of the -interior prosecute their most successful trapping and hunting, coming -down to the coast by the river in the summer to sell their pelts and to -purchase stores of the white traders. The Russians have long since -taught the aborigines to depend much upon tea, but they care very little -for coffee. Rifles are greatly prized by them, and though they are -contraband nearly every Indian manages to possess one and knows how to -use it most effectually. They are very economical of ammunition, and -never throw away a shot by carelessness. - -The pestiferous and ubiquitous mosquito is not absent from these high -latitudes. They are very troublesome during the short summer season in -northern Alaska as well as among the islands of the Alexander -Archipelago. Strange that so frail an insect should have reached as far -north as man has penetrated. Even while climbing the frosty glaciers the -excursionist will find both hands required to prevent their biting his -face from forehead to chin. If they are a persistent pest in equatorial -latitudes, they are ten times more venomous and voracious in these -regions during certain seasons. The author has experienced this fact -also in Norway at even a much higher latitude than he visited in the -western hemisphere. The bites of these mosquitoes fortunately, like all -flesh wounds in this northern region, heal quickly, venomous as they -are, owing to the liberally ozonized condition of the atmosphere as well -as the absence of disease germs and organic dust. - -It is said that when the otter hunters or others among the aborigines -get wounded in any way, their treatment is simple and efficacious, and -however severe the wound may be, it is nearly always quickly healed. The -victim of the accident puts himself uncomplainingly on starvation diet, -living upon an astonishingly small amount of food for a couple of weeks, -and the cure follows rapidly. - -Frederick Schwatka, in his excellent book entitled “Along Alaska’s Great -River,” tells how the mosquitoes conquer and absolutely destroy the -bears, and it seems that the native dogs are sometimes overcome by them -in some exposed districts of the Yukon valley. The great brown bear, -having exhausted the roots and berries on one mountain side, cross the -valley to another range, or rather makes the attempt to do so, but is -not always successful. Covered by a heavy coat of hair on his body, his -eyes, nose, and ears are the only vulnerable points of attack for the -mosquitoes, and hereon they congregate, surrounding the bear’s head in -clouds. As he reaches a swampy spot they increase in vigor and numbers, -until the animal’s forepaws become so occupied in striving to keep them -off that he cannot walk. Then Bruin becomes enraged, and, bear-like, -rises on his hind legs to fight. It is a mere question of time after -this stage is reached until the bear’s eyes become so swollen from the -innumerable bites that he cannot see, and in a blind condition he -wanders helplessly about until he gets mired and starves to death. The -cinnamon and black bears are most common, the grizzly being less -frequently met with. The great white polar bears are not found south of -Behring Strait, though they are numerous on the borders of the Arctic -Ocean. - -At every landing made by the steamer on our meandering course among the -islands Indians come to the wharves to offer their curios or home-made -articles, only valuable as souvenirs of the visit. As they mass -themselves here and there, either on the shore or the ship’s deck, they -form picturesque groups, made up of bucks, squaws, and papooses, -presenting charming bits of color, while they amuse the stranger by -their peculiar physiognomy and manners. During the excursion season they -must reap quite a harvest by the sale of baskets and various domestic -trinkets. - -After leaving Fort Wrangel we are soon in the wild, picturesque, and -sinuous narrows which bear the same name. The water is shallow; here and -there are many dangerous rocks in the channels. Inlets or fjords are -often passed, so quiet and inviting in their appearance as to tempt the -traveler to diverge from the usual route. Some of these marine nooks are -deep enough to float the largest ship, yet far down through the clear -water one can see gardens of zoöphytes invaded by myriads of curiously -shaped fish, large and small. The bottom of these waters, like the land -and sea of Alaska, teems with animal life. A few hours’ dredging would -supply the most enthusiastic naturalist with ample material for a year’s -study. In the many stops of the steamer to take or deliver freight, -brief boat excursions can be enjoyed. On one of these occasions we saw -the first live octopus, or devil-fish, with two of its fatal arms -encircling a small fish, which, after squeezing out its life, the -octopus would devour. The one which was seen on this occasion was not -very large, the rounded body being, perhaps, eighteen or twenty inches -across, but its vicious looking tentacles, six in number, two of which -securely clasped its victim, were each three times that length. The -large eyes seemed out of proportion to the animal’s size, and were -placed on one side like those of the flounder. - -The Patterson glacier is the first of the many which come into view on -this part of the voyage, but they multiply rapidly as we steam -northward. It is vast in proportions, though partly hidden behind the -moraine which it has raised. Three or four miles back from its front -rises a wall of solid ice nearly a thousand feet in height. The whole -was rendered marvelously beautiful, lighted up as we saw it by bright -noonday sunshine, which brought out its frosty and opaline colors of -white, scarlet, and blue, in brilliant array. Little has been written -about the Patterson glacier, but it is one of the most remarkable in -size and other characteristics in all Alaska. Vessels from San Francisco -have taken whole cargoes of ice from these Alaskan glaciers and -transported the same for use in California. There seems to be no reason -why the gathering of such a supply should not be both possible and -profitable, though ice can now be so easily manufactured by artificial -means. - -The fact that these glaciers are slowly decreasing in size leads to the -conclusion that the extreme Arctic temperature in the north is slowly -growing to be less intense. Intelligent captains of whaleships have made -careful observations to a like effect. It was once tropical in the Yukon -valley,—of that there is evidence enough; who can say that it may not -again be so a few thousand years hence? - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - -Norwegian Scenery.—Lonely Navigation.—The Marvels of Takou Inlet.— - Hundreds of Icebergs.—Home of the Frost King.—More Gold Deposits.— - Snowstorm among the Peaks.—Juneau the Metropolis of Alaska.—Auk and - Takou Indians.—Manners and Customs.—Spartan Habits.—Disposal of - Widows.—Duels.—Sacrificing Slaves.—Hideous Customs still prevail. - - -Before reaching Juneau we explored Takou Inlet, where there are two -large glaciers, one with a moraine before its foot, the other reaching -the deep water with its face, so as to discharge icebergs constantly. -The bay was well filled with these, some of which were larger than our -steamer (the Corona), and all were of such intense blue, mingled with -dazzling white, as to recall the effect realized in the Blue Grotto of -Capri. This berg-producing glacier was corrugated upon its surface in a -remarkable manner, being utterly impassable to human feet. It was nearly -a mile in width and its length indefinite; we doubt if it has ever been -explored. A thousand ice and snow fed streams poured into the bay from -the surrounding mountains, which completely walled in the broad sheet of -water, so sprinkled with ice-sculpture in all manner of shapes. The -ceaseless music of falling water was the only noise which broke the -silence of the scene. A cavalcade of fleecy clouds, kindly forgetting to -precipitate themselves in form of rain, floated over our heads, -producing delicate lights and shades, with creeping shadows upon the -surrounding mountains. The steamer’s abrupt whistle was echoed with -mocking hoarseness from the surrounding cliffs, causing the myriads of -white-winged wild fowl to rise from the icebergs until the air was -filled with them like snowflakes. How wonderful it was! A broad clear -flood of sunshine enveloped the whole; everything seemed so serene, so -grand, the sky so blue, and the angels so near. It was all as -magnificent as a gorgeous dream, to the thoughtful observer a living -poem. Close in to the precipitous cliffs of the myrtle-green hills were -inky shadows, which formed the requisite contrast to the crystal -clearness of the surroundings. For thousands of years this glacial -action has been going on, the story of the earth is so old; but its -beauty is ever young, its loveliness eternal. - -On our way up Gastineau Channel—the tide-waters of which have a rise and -fall of sixteen feet—we have presented to us veritable Norwegian -scenery, under a pale amethyst sky fringed at the horizon with orange -and crimson; now gliding close to precipitous cliffs enlivened by -silvery streams leaping down their sides, and now passing the mouths of -inlets winding among abrupt mountains leading no one knows whither, for -there are no maps or charts of these lateral channels. The Indian canoes -may have occasionally penetrated them, but never the keel of the white -man. On the left stand the tall peaks of Douglas Island, and on the -right the jagged Alps of the mainland, both rising to a height of a -thousand feet or more, on the continent side backed by elevations still -more lofty. The Takou River flows into the sea and gives its name to the -neighborhood. Here the Hudson Bay Fur Company established and maintained -a trading-post for several years. All this region is famous for its -game, such as deer, bears, caribou, wolves, foxes, martens, and minks, -together with the abounding big-horn sheep. In place of wool these -latter have a coat somewhat like the red deer, and except in the size of -their horns they resemble our domestic sheep. We are told that this -district is also rich in gold placer mines, and according to Professor -Muir it must eventually yield extremely profitable results to -intelligent mining enterprise. In many localities the placers have paid -for years, though worked by the most simple means. The experience of -California will undoubtedly be repeated in Alaska; the great aggregate -of gold which was realized there will be duplicated here. After due -thought and personal observation relative to the subject, we are willing -to stand or fall upon the correctness of this prediction. The result may -not come in the next year, or that following, but it will come in the -near future. Mining north of 54° 40′ is only in its infancy; its growth -has been far more rapid, however, than it was at the south, both because -of the richness of the mines, and because the business of mining is, and -will continue to be, done more intelligently. - -Just before reaching Juneau a singular phenomenon attracted our -attention; it was a furious snowstorm among the mountain peaks, while -all about us was quite calm and pleasant. The thick clouds of snow were -driven hither and thither, from one pinnacle to another, writhing and -twisting like a cyclone or water-spout at sea. It was a curious -contrast, the storm raging in those far upper currents, while we enjoyed -a gracious wealth of sunshine in a temperature of 65° Fah. - -Juneau, located one hundred and fifty miles southeast of Sitka, and -about three hundred north of Fort Wrangel, is already a considerable -mining centre, with a population of about four thousand, situated not -far from Takou district, and is the depot for the rich quartz and placer -mines which are located in the region back of it. The site of the town -is picturesque, being at the base of an abrupt mountain cliff which is -decked with sparkling cascades. We were told that there is a rise and -fall of twenty-four feet in the tide at the wharf of Juneau, but think -perhaps eighteen feet would be nearer correct. The winter population is -swelled by the influx of miners when the placers are not worked owing to -snow and ice. Truth compels us to say that the residents here, of both -sexes, are far from being of a desirable class. The Indians of this -vicinity are of the Auk and Takou tribes; good traders and good hunters, -but enemies of each other, though not given to open hostility. The -native women, as if not content with the natural ugliness which has been -liberally bestowed upon them by Providence, besmear their faces with a -compound of seal-oil and lampblack, but for what possible reason, except -that it is aboriginal Alaska fashion, one cannot divine. It is said that -this is a sort of mourning for departed relations or friends; but the -hilarity of those thus marked was anything but an indication of sorrow. -We can well remember Yokohama wives, with blackened teeth and shaved -eyebrows, who looked, if possible, a degree worse than these Alaskan -women. In the latter case, however, the wives confessedly sought to make -themselves hideous to prevent jealousy on the part of their husbands; -but the native women here do not assign any plausible reason for -smooching themselves in this offensive manner. When their faces are -washed, a circumstance of rare occurrence, they are as white as the -average of white people who are exposed to an out-of-door life. It is -not the practice of the aborigines of either sex to wash themselves with -water. They are sometimes seen to besmear their faces and hands with -oil, which they carefully wipe off with a wisp of dry grass, or other -substitute for the towel of civilization. The effect is to make the -features shine like varnished mahogany; but as to cleanliness obtained -by such a process, that does not follow. - -If it were possible to discover a soap mine here there might be some -hopes of introducing among the natives that condition which common -acceptation places next to godliness. A traveling companion remarked -that although milk and honey could not be said to flow in this -neighborhood, oil does. - -Many of the women, like those of the South Sea and the Malacca Straits, -wear nose rings and glittering bracelets, while they go about with bare -legs and feet. The author has seen all sorts of rude decorations -employed by savage races, but never one which seemed quite so ridiculous -or so deforming as the plug which many of these women of Alaska wear -thrust through their under lips. The plug causes them to drool -incessantly through the artificial aperture, though it is partially -stopped by a piece of bone, ivory, or wood, formed like a large -cuff-button, with a flat-spread portion inside to keep it in position. -This practice is commenced in youth, the plug being increased in size as -the wearer advances in age, so that when she becomes aged her lower lip -is shockingly deformed. It is gratifying to be able to say that this -custom is becoming less and less in use among the rising generation, and -the same may be said as to tattooing the chin and cheeks. The hands and -feet of the women are so small as to be noticeable in that respect. - -The girls and boys endure great physical neglect in their youth, so that -only the strongest are able to survive their childhood. It was -surprising to see children of tender age of both sexes clothed only in a -single cotton shirt, reaching to their knees, bare-legged, bare-footed, -and bare-headed, yet apparently quite comfortable, while our woolen -clothes and waterproofs were to us indispensable. We were told that in -infancy these children are dipped every morning into the sea, without -regard to the temperature, or season of the year, commencing the -operation when they are four weeks old. This heroic, Spartan treatment -of the bath will probably harden, if it does not kill, but undoubtedly -the latter result is the more likely of the two. The adults of some of -the tribes break holes in the ice in midwinter, and bathe with marvelous -fortitude, not for purposes of cleanliness, but declaring that it makes -them “brave and strong, able to resist the cold, and to live long.” The -next hour, however, they may be found sitting on their hams as close to -the fire in the middle of their unventilated cabins as they can get, -closely wrapped in blankets, head and all. The prevalence among them of -rheumatism and consumption shows that Nature cannot be outraged with -impunity even by half-civilized Alaskans. - -The natives do not seem to know anything about medicine, but when -seriously ill they call in their shaman or medicine-man, and submit to -his wild and senseless incantations, a process which would drive a -civilized patient distracted. Fifty years ago an epidemic of small-pox -swept away one third of the population of this part of the North Pacific -coast, besides which, from various causes, the number in the several -tribes is steadily decreasing. Vaccination having been introduced, a -second visit of the dreaded disease just mentioned was accompanied with -a very much smaller fatality. A scourge known as black measles is a -frequent visitor among the youthful Alaskans, and is quite as fatal as -small-pox. - -Strong efforts are made by our government officials to keep intoxicating -liquors out of the Territory, and the law makes them strictly -contraband, but it is no more difficult or impossible to smuggle in -Alaska than it is in New York or Boston. There are plenty of -irresponsible whites ready to make money out of the aborigines. Rum is -the native’s bane, its effect upon him being singularly fatal; it -maddens him, even slight intoxication means to him delirium and all its -consequences, wild brutality and utter demoralization. Molasses is sold -freely to them, and the Indians have learned how to distill rum from it, -so that they secretly produce a vile and potent intoxicant, in spite of -all prohibition. - -When a native husband dies his brother’s or sister’s son, according to -their custom, must marry the widow, but if there is no male relative of -the husband’s living, the widow may then choose for herself. If the -individual who thus falls heir to a widow does not fancy the conditions, -he must buy himself off, or fight the widow’s nearest male relative. -Oftentimes, if the new alliance is particularly disagreeable, the victim -escapes by paying so much cash or so many blankets. There seems to be no -hurt to a native’s honor that pecuniary consideration will not promptly -heal. Corporal punishment is considered by these aborigines to be a -great disgrace, and is very seldom resorted to even with rebellious -children. Theft is not looked upon as a crime; but if discovered, the -thief must make ample restitution; and when his peculation is known he -promptly does so without question or murmur. They have the duel as a -decisive means of settling family feuds. When matters have come to the -last resort, there is no secret about the matter. The two combatants -fight publicly with knives, their friends looking on and singing songs -while the combat lasts. But these duels, the same as with many other -earlier savage practices, are now nearly obsolete. Like our Western -Indians, their method of war was the ambush and surprise, and like them -they scalped their prisoners and subjected them to savage cruelties. -This also is more of the past than the present, as no open conflicts -would now be permitted by the United States officials. The natives deck -themselves with paint,—yellow ochre,—and look very much like the Sioux -and Apache Indians in this respect. A century ago they were armed with -flint-capped lances, bows, and arrows, but association with the whites -has now supplied them with firearms. The old style of native weapons has -consequently disappeared, except the lance with which they hunt the -sea-otter. Firearms they do not use in this occupation, fearing to -frighten away the valuable game altogether. They still manufacture bows -and arrows for sale as curiosities to visiting strangers. They pride -themselves upon their accomplishments in singing and dancing, but which -to civilized ears and eyes are only the grossest caricatures. In these -notes of the natives we refer to no one tribe, but to the aborigines of -Alaska generally. The various tribes of course differ from each other. -Those most in contact with the whites, having abolished many of their -ancient habits, have adopted in a certain degree such customs as they -see the white people follow. The holding of slaves is still practiced -among them. Formerly, as we have said, one or two of these were -sacrificed when their owner died, if he was a chief, in order that he -might be well attended in the new sphere upon which he was entering; but -this practice also has passed away in most communities, with many other -cruelties which were once common. These slaves are generally descendants -of parents who were taken in battle during civil wars, though they are -also bought and sold for so many otter-skins, or so many blankets. Such -persons are always submissive, and accept the position in which they -find themselves as a matter of course. This enforced servitude will soon -be entirely abolished. - -Female infanticide has not been uncommon with some tribes, but it does -not prevail as has been represented by late writers. It is true that -there have been cases where mothers, dreading to bring up their girls to -such lives of hardship as they have themselves endured, have resorted to -this desperate alternative, but careful inquiry did not satisfy us that -such a practice now prevails if, indeed, it has not entirely ceased. In -common with nearly all semi-civilized and savage races, the native -Alaskans regard their women more in the light of slaves than as -help-mates, and nearly all the hard work, except hunting and fishing, -falls to their share. This is not a peculiarity of savage life, after -all; horses and mules are not harder worked than are women in Germany -and various parts of Europe. The writer has seen women carrying hods of -bricks and mortar up long ladders in Munich, while their husbands drank -huge “schooners” of beer and smoked tobacco in the nearest groggery. - -Here and there among the several tribes, strange, unnatural, hideous -customs are still extant, relative to wives about to become mothers, and -as to young girls arriving at the age of puberty. We realize, however, -that is not for us to look at this people through the lens of any small -circumscribed moral code, but with kindly, hopeful views, guided by a -due consideration of their normal condition. The conventionalities of -civilization do not apply; latitude and longitude make broad differences -as to what constitutes vice and virtue, reason or unreason. Modern -instances are inadequate as a criterion of comparison. One who has -traveled in many lands has learned to expand his horizon of judgment to -accord with his geographical experience. - -Notwithstanding the light in which the Alaskan regards his women, there -seems to be a universal concession made to them in all matters of trade, -wherein they undoubtedly hold the veto power, and in some other respects -their domestic authority is promptly acknowledged. Just where the line -is drawn does not seem to be clear to a stranger. After a native had -sold us some trifle, his wife in more than one instance came and -demanded it back again, carefully refunding the consideration which was -given for the same. To this interference the husband seemed forced to -submit in silence,—forced by the arbitrary custom of his tribe. We were -told that even among themselves an agreement amounted to nothing at all, -as they claim the right, and exercise it, of undoing any contract at -will, provided the consideration which passed is promptly refunded. Even -the white traders are obliged to yield to this singular idea to a -certain extent, for the sake of peace. - -The story so often told about polygamous wives, that is women with -husbands in the plural, cannot be absolutely denied, but is an -exaggeration of facts. Such relations we were told did exist, but to no -great extent, among the tribes of Alaska. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - -Aboriginal Dwellings.—Mastodons in Alaska.—Few Old People alive.— - Abundance of Rain.—The Wonderful Treadwell Gold Mine.—Largest Quartz - Crushing Mill in the World.—Inexhaustible Riches.—Other Gold Mines.— - The Great Davidson Glacier.—Pyramid Harbor.—Native Frauds.—The - Chilcats.—Mammoth Bear.—Salmon Canneries. - - -In some portions of the country the aboriginal dwellings are constructed -partly under ground; this is especially the case in the far north among -the Eskimos proper, on the coast of the Polar Sea. Such cabins are -entered by a tunnel ten feet long, so low and small as to compel the -occupants to creep upon their hands and knees in passing through it. The -tunnel-entrance, which always faces the most favorable point, is covered -with a rude shed to protect it from the snow and the severity of the -weather. The cabins are conical in form, covered with turf and mud, a -hole being left at the top to permit the smoke to escape. The fire is -built in the middle of the apartment on the ground. Around the space -left for this purpose is a platform of a few inches in height arranged -for living and sleeping upon. At night, in extreme cold weather, a flap -of skins is so arranged that it can be drawn over the opening in the -roof which serves as a chimney, and thus, the entrance being also -closed, the occupants become hermetically sealed, as it were, thoroughly -outraging all our modern ideas of ventilation. Twelve or fifteen persons -are often found together in such a cabin with its one room, where the -decencies of life are utterly ignored, and where the stench to civilized -nostrils is really something dreadful to encounter. - -This description refers to the winter homes of the people, where they -hibernate like some species of wild animals, but for the milder portion -of the year the Eskimos are nomadic, traveling hither and thither, -seeking the most favorable locations for hunting and fishing, while -living in rudely constructed camps. They use tents adapted for this -itinerant life, made from prepared walrus hides supported by a light -framework of wooden poles. The more thrifty supply themselves with -canvas tents bought of the whites, as being handier for use and -transportation. - -Speaking of the interior of the country, we have the authority of Mr. C. -F. Fowler, late agent of the Alaska Fur Company, and long resident in -the country, and of Ex-Governor Swineford, both of whom have carefully -investigated the subject, for stating that there exists a huge species -of animals, believed to be representatives of the supposed extinct -mammoth, found in herds not far from the headwaters of the Snake River, -on the interior plateaus of Alaska. The natives call them “big-teeth” -because of the size of their ivory tusks. Some of these, weighing over -two hundred pounds each, were from animals so lately killed as to still -have flesh upon them, and were purchased by Mr. Fowler, who brought them -to the coast. These mammoths are represented to average twenty feet in -height and over thirty feet in length, in many respects resembling -elephants, the body being covered with long, coarse, reddish hairs. The -eyes are larger, the ears smaller, and the trunk longer and more slender -than those of the average elephant. The two tusks which Mr. Fowler -brought away with him each measured fifteen feet in length. - -The author has almost universally found among savage races at least a -few very old people of both sexes, who were apparently revered and -carefully provided for by their descendants and associates, but here -among the aborigines aged persons are certainly not often to be seen. -Whether it is that, hardy and robust as they generally appear to be, -they do not, as a rule, live to advanced years, or that a summary method -is adopted to get rid of them after they have outlived their usefulness, -it is impossible to say. We were told that such is certainly the case -with some of the tribes farthest from the influence and supervision of -the whites, and that half a century ago the extremely old, being -considered useless, were frequently “disposed” of. It is clear enough -that there is nothing in the climate of this region in any way inimical -to health and longevity. - -The women of the Takou district are very expert and industrious. They -occupy a large portion of their time in weaving baskets of split cedar, -far exceeding any similar Indian work which we have chanced to see -elsewhere, both in the coloring and the very ingenious combination of -figures. Some of these baskets are so closely woven out of the dried -inner bark of the willow-tree that they will hold water without leaking; -the author also saw drinking-cups thus manufactured. Visitors rarely -fail to bring away interesting specimens of native work in this -particular line; the fine straw goods of Manila do not excel this in -delicacy and beauty. In addition to this attractive basket-work from the -hands of the women, the men of the tribe exhibit their natural skill by -carving silver bracelets (made from dollar and half dollar coins), -miniature totem-poles, horn and wooden spoons, baby rattles and canoes, -in a very curious and original manner. Once a fortnight, during the -summer season, on the arrival of an excursion party by steamer from the -south, the natives are, as a rule, completely cleared out of their -entire stock of these productions, and they do not fail to realize fair -prices, enabling them to live very comfortably. - -Though Sitka is the capital of the Territory, Juneau is the principal -settlement and headquarters of the mining interests, containing over -seven hundred white residents. We have seen no statistics of the annual -rainfall here, but can well believe it to be what a certain person told -us it was, namely, over nine feet. It seemed to us that the permanent -residents should be web-footed. The cause of this humidity is very -evident. There arises from the warm Japanese Current on the coast a -constant and profuse moisture. This the winds convey bodily against the -frosty sides of the neighboring mountains, and then it is precipitated -as rain; at certain seasons of the year it continues for weeks together. - -There is compensation even in the fact of this large annual rainfall, -which at first thought seems to be such an objection to this district. -The gold-bearing quartz which prevails here is treated, necessarily, by -what is known as the wet process, requiring at all times an ample supply -of water. One successful superintendent told the author that ore which -is here so profitable would be in a dry region, like that of some -portions of our Western States, worthless, or comparatively so, as it -would have to be transported in bulk to a more favorable locality. It -seems to require two rainy days to one pleasant one, which is about the -average proportion in the year, to provide sufficient water to work -these large deposits properly. The system of disintegrating, and of -reclaiming the precious metal from the flint-like combination in which -it is held is marvelous in detail, evincing the rapid progress which has -been made in mechanical and chemical processes in our day. - -It is found that June, July, and August are the favorable months for the -traveler to turn his face towards the shores of Alaska, this being the -season when the pleasant weather is most continuous. It is not extremes -of cold, but an over-abundance of moisture in the shape of rain, which -one must prepare for. An ample waterproof outside garment will be found -at times very serviceable. - -The Treadwell gold mine, just opposite Juneau, on Douglas Island, is -undoubtedly the largest in the world, running at the present time two -hundred and forty stamps, the mill and machinery having cost over half a -million dollars; and though the author has visited the mines of -Colorado, Montana, California, New Zealand, and Australia, he has -certainly never seen its superior in capacity and golden promise. It is -a true gold-bearing quartz visible at the surface, four hundred and -sixty-four feet in width. The company owns three thousand running feet -upon this deposit,—it can hardly be called a vein,—parts of which have -been tunneled and shafted simply to test its extent, showing it to be -practically inexhaustible, no bottom having been found to the -gold-bearing quartz, nor any diminution in the quality of the ore. The -mill is run upon this quartz the whole year, but as it is owned by a -private corporation, and there is no stock for sale, the exact output of -the mine is not known. The writer feels safe in saying, however, that no -such body of gold-bearing quartz is known to be in existence elsewhere. - -The laborers do not have to work in dark, underground channels; all is -above ground, and in the season when darkness comes it is dispelled by -electric lights. No timbering or shafting is required; it is simply an -open quarry. Captain John Codman, after visiting the mine, writes: “We -walked through the golden streets of this New Jerusalem, with golden -walls on either side, and wondered what men could do with so much -money.” It is not a little confusing to a stranger, when he first enters -the great Treadwell Mill, to be greeted by the deafening cannonade of -two hundred and forty stamps. Each stamp weighs nine hundred pounds, and -the crushing capacity of the whole mill is seven hundred and twenty tons -per day. The gold is shipped to the mint in San Francisco in the form of -bricks worth from fifteen to eighteen thousand dollars each. - -Douglas Island was named by Vancouver in honor of his friend the Bishop -of Salisbury, and is eighteen miles long by about ten in width. This -remarkable quartz vein is believed to run the whole length, though it is -not always visible at the surface. Governor Swineford, in one of his -annual reports, expresses his belief that ere long the gold produced in -this section alone will exceed annually the amount which was paid to -Russia for the whole of Alaska. This island, like Baranoff upon which -Sitka is situated, is absolutely seamed with gold-bearing quartz, and -has been carefully prospected and recorded by people interested in -mining. Three hundred laborers are regularly employed at the Treadwell -Mill, whose seven owners are opulent citizens of San Francisco. The work -is prosecuted with great system and intelligence. The quartz of this -mine is not so rich as that of many others, yielding on an average less -than ten dollars to the ton, but it is so immense in quantity, and is so -easily worked, that the aggregate yield of the precious metal is indeed -remarkable. The mill turned out in the first twelve months after it was -started seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in bullion, and is -probably producing at this writing three times that amount yearly. - -The mine is admirably situated for the purpose of receiving or shipping -freight, as vessels drawing twenty feet of water can lie alongside of -the rocks which form the natural shore less than one hundred yards from -the quartz mill. We were informed that sixteen million dollars have been -offered and refused for this property. The would-be purchasers were -members of a French syndicate. The agent says that the owners have but -one price, namely, twenty-five million dollars, and they are in no haste -to part with their property even at that sum. On the mainland, just -across the channel from Douglas Island, three or four miles back of -Juneau, is Silver Bow Basin, where there are gold deposits of vast -extent and richness. Here quite a population is engaged in placer and -quartz mining. The miners present a motley crowd with their picks, -shovels, and red shirts, many with a stump tobacco pipe between their -lips, and all with eager faces. - -A spacious and thoroughly equipped quartz mill is being erected by a -Boston company of capitalists for the purpose of developing a large -property which it is thought will nearly equal the Treadwell in its -output of the precious metal. This is known as the Nowell mine, and it -is said that the quartz assays one hundred dollars and over to the ton. -Silver Bow Basin is a small round valley lying in the lap of the -mountains, accessible through a deep gulch behind the town. It is -surrounded by noisy waterfalls, which supply just the needed power for -manipulating the gold quartz. Across the range is another rich mineral -locality, known as Dix Bow Basin. - -On Admiralty Island, near the northwest end of Douglas Island, opposite -Takou Inlet, there has lately been discovered several gold deposits -which are owned by a Boston company. The prospectings upon some of this -well-defined vein have developed a percentage of gold to the ton so -large that we hesitate to specify it. “Thirty years ago,” said Mr. -Thomas S. Nowell to us, “the mines of Alaska would have proved -comparatively valueless; the machinery and process that are now so -successfully applied to reducing the ores were then unknown. The great -economy and consequent profit is derived from late discoveries which are -now perfected, producing machinery which works as though it had the -power of thought.” - -The names of several other profitable mining enterprises in this -vicinity might be given, but we have said enough to indicate the great -mineral wealth of this portion of the Territory, and to justify our -title of THE NEW ELDORADO. There are abundant gold indications all along -the coast, as well as upon the islands. In the sands of any considerable -stream between Cape Fox and Cook’s Inlet the “color” of gold can be -obtained by the simple process of panning. The question is not where -gold can be found in Alaska, for it seems to be wonderfully and -abundantly distributed, but as to what localities will best pay to -expend capital in developing. A number of abandoned claims show that the -failure to realize a satisfactory profit in gold mining by eager, -impatient, and unreasonable individual seekers without proper machinery -is as frequent as in any other business enterprise awkwardly planned. -This is as apparent in Africa, Australia, and California as it is in -this region. The Treadwell mine on Douglas Island is in latitude 58° 16′ -north, just about on a line with Edinburgh, Scotland. - -We quote once more Mr. Nowell’s own words: “The mountains of Alaska -abound in gold-bearing quartz, the extent of their deposits exceeding -any similar discoveries in the world. There is without doubt more -gold-bearing quartz on Douglas Island alone, which can be worked at a -handsome profit, than ten thousand stamps could crush in a century; a -well-defined vein from two to six hundred feet wide traversing the -island for at least from six to eight miles.” - -There is a missionary family, supported by the Quaker persuasion, -located at Douglas Island, whose earnest effort in civilizing and -teaching the natives has been crowned with considerable success. The -self-abnegation and conscientious labor of these people are truly worthy -of all commendation. - -Soon after leaving Juneau, when near the head of Lynn Channel, the grand -Davidson glacier comes into view, filling the space between two lofty -mountains. It measures twelve hundred feet high by some three miles in -breadth, being as wide as a frozen sea and as deep as the ocean. While -looking upon it one is overawed by a sense of its immensity and -grandeur, as it seems hanging, poised, ready to drop into the fathomless -sea. Where we pass it there intervenes a terminal moraine overgrown with -trees and green foliage, which contrasts vividly with the icy background -formed by the glacier. The glaciers of Europe are mere pygmies in -comparison with this marvel, which is named after Professor Davidson, -who has carefully explored and described it. Both the Muir and Davidson -glaciers are spars of the same great ice-field, which has an unbroken -expanse large enough to lie over the whole republic of Switzerland. The -Muir glacier will be reached presently in Glacier Bay. - -Soon after leaving the Davidson glacier we are in Pyramid Harbor. This -is the region of the Chilcats, who were formerly one of the most warlike -tribes in the Territory, but who seem to have outlived their belligerent -propensities. Their rude, but picturesque cabins dot the neighboring -shore. The little settlement here consists mostly of bark huts and a -substantial trader’s store, together with an extensive and successful -fish-cannery. The product of the latter is over a million pounds of fish -per annum, the whole being engaged for 1889 to a Liverpool firm. This -amount is shipped in seventy thousand cases of about fifty pounds each; -the fish are packed in tins holding a pound each. This is an average -amount as regards various factories on the coast, though some very much -exceed it. The Indians now cheerfully accept employment from the whites, -and gladly receive the regular wages which may be agreed upon. They -appear to be the best carvers on the coast, and have an abundance of -their handiwork to sell to the interested white visitors. These articles -consist of carvings in ivory (walrus’ teeth), decorated sheep-horns, -copper and silver bracelets, bows, arrows, and spearheads. As engravers -on copper and silver the Chilcats excel all other people of the -Northwest. Some of their women wear a dozen narrow bracelets on each -arm, all of home manufacture. They are also skillful in making -ear-rings, and ornamental combs out of ivory and sheep’s horn. As -successful imitators they are remarkable, and will almost exactly -reproduce any design which is given to them as a pattern. It seems -strange that so aggressive and warlike a tribe should be skilled in -carving and many mechanical productions. - -Certain people have bestowed much honest but needless sympathy upon -these “poor abused Indians.” Such persons may be assured that they are -amply able to look out for themselves and their own interests, as -regards all material matters. No white man can get any advantage over an -Alaskan native in the way of trade; they are sharpness itself in such -things. For instance, these Chilcats a few years since observed that the -white traders were particularly desirous of obtaining black fox skins, -and that for such pelts they would willingly pay a handsome advance over -skins of other colors; a fine skin of this sort bringing as high as -thirty dollars, while the common red ones were not worth quarter of that -sum. The innocent natives soon began to produce the black skins in large -quantities and received their pay accordingly. Surprise being at last -excited by the remarkable abundance of the black pelts, an explanation -of the cause was sought, when it was finally discovered that by a secret -process of dyeing the natives had made the red fox skins temporarily -into black. This was done so cunningly that nothing but a careful -examination would detect the outrageous cheat, and not anticipating -anything of the kind the traders were not on their guard. Of course no -dyeing process which they possessed was of a permanent nature as applied -to pelts, and these black furs when they came to be prepared for market -rapidly resumed their natural color. When charged with this gross -deception, the Chilcats assumed the most innocent expression and denied -any knowledge whatever in the premises, only saying: “Fox, him get black -before him caught,” thus lying concerning their trickery as volubly as -any white rogue might have done. - -We are told of several of these tricks played off by the “poor abused -Indians,” one instance of which we remember as having occurred at Fort -Wrangel, illustrating the “aptitude” of the aborigines, not to give it -any harder name. It seems that a kindly disposed missionary, by -exercising great patience, had taught some Indians to read and write, -and in the consciousness of his own intentions felt amply paid by the -goodly progress of his pupils. One of these young men, not over twenty -years of age, was especially curious about arithmetic, and made -considerable progress in figures in a very short time. He was soon after -hired by the superintendent of a fish-canning establishment as a special -assistant, with good wages. Being given a note or due-bill of -twenty-five dollars by his employer, he quickly saw his chance, and -adroitly _raised_ the figures to two hundred and fifty dollars, got the -bill cashed at one of the neighboring trading establishments, and -suddenly disappeared with the proceeds thereof. He has not since been -seen. - -The Chilcats have, until within a few years, forcibly kept the natives -of the interior away from the coast and the white men, thus monopolizing -the land fur-trade by acting as middle-men, so to speak, but this -embargo is now entirely removed. By this and some other means, being -naturally thrifty and saving, they have come to be the richest and most -independent tribe of Indians in the Northwest. Their women manufacture -the famous and really very fine Chilcat blankets, which are slowly woven -by hand on a primitive loom. The base of these blankets is the long -fleece of the mountain goats, which is tastefully manufactured and -ornamented, reminding one of the domestic Oriental work offered for sale -in the Turkish bazaars of Cairo. The Chilcat blankets readily bring -forty dollars apiece, and the best of them are sold for double that sum. -They are ordinarily about six feet long by four broad, having in -addition a long, ornamental fringe at each end. The colors are black, -white, yellow, and a dull blue, the coloring matter being also of native -manufacture. These blankets used to be heirlooms in the aboriginal -families before the cheap woolens of commerce were introduced among -them, since when they have become annually more and more scarce, and are -now purchased only by visitors to carry away as curiosities. Even at the -highest price realized for them, if the maker’s time were to be reckoned -of any account, the sum is a sorry pittance for one of these blankets, -which to properly finish will employ six months of a woman’s time. - -Pyramid Harbor, in latitude 59° 11′ north, is the most northerly point -reached by the excursion steamers on this part of the coast. The place -takes its name from a prominent conical formation upon an island within -its borders. The cluster of houses, cabins, and the canning factory -which make up what is known as Pyramid Harbor are situated upon a broad -plateau on a sandy beach, at the foot of a mountain which towers three -thousand feet heavenward, covered with trees to its summit and -beautified by a bright, dashing waterfall visible from near the apex to -the bottom. This affords both a healthful water supply for domestic use -and a motor for the factory. The broad plateau, three or four miles in -length and one wide, grass-grown, and covered with low shrubbery, is -beautified by a floral display of great variety, including wild roses, -sweet peas, columbines, white clover, and other varieties, having also -an unlimited amount of berries. The wide mouth of the Chilcat River, -which makes into the bay a mile from this settlement, is a swarming -place for the salmon. The river is very shallow and not navigable for -anything but native canoes. Twenty miles inland on its bank is a large, -independent settlement of the Chilcat tribe. - -On the mountain side, nearly half way up, just back of the steamboat -landing at Pyramid Harbor, there is a small plateau not more than ten or -fifteen feet square, entirely bare of timber, but closely surrounded by -dense woods. This spot is quite inaccessible to human feet. A large -cinnamon bear shows himself here often during the daytime. A clear, -sparkling stream of water comes from far above this place, rushing by -one corner of it, and hither comes Bruin to slake his thirst. He knows -very well that he is out of the hunter’s reach, and he is actually -beyond rifle range. He looks at that distance skyward no bigger than a -good-sized Newfoundland dog, but to appear of such proportions to us so -far below he must be a very monster. Several attempts have been made by -the whites to get near enough to shoot him, but without success. The -bear sat upon his haunches when we saw him and peered down upon us as we -stood on the deck of the Corona with a cool insolence which must have -been born of a consciousness of entire safety. By using a good glass his -mammoth size became more apparent, showing that even when upon his -haunches with his body erect he must have measured about six feet in -height. - -A settlement opposite to Pyramid Harbor is known as Chilcat, where two -large fish-canning establishments afford profitable occupation for quite -a number of the residents, both natives and whites. New canning -factories are being located in several places between Dixon Entrance and -this point, the supply of salmon being absolutely unlimited; the demand -only is to be considered. The quantity shipped from here annually to San -Francisco for distribution is enormous, almost beyond belief, and is -steadily increasing. In addition to this profitable and important -industry twelve thousand barrels of salted salmon were exported last -year from Alaska to southern Pacific ports. The scenery about Pyramid -Harbor is arctic: the precipitous cliffs are covered with snow on their -tops, and range upon range of snowy mountains frame in the bay. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - -Glacier Bay.—More Ice Bays.—Majestic Front of the Muir Glacier.—The - Bombardment of the Glacier.—One of the Grandest Sights in the World.—A - Moving River of Ice.—The Natives.—Abundance of Fish.—Native Cooking.— - Wild Berries.—Hooniah Tribe.—Copper Mines.—An Iron Mountain.—Coal - Mines. - - -From Pyramid Harbor we turn southward for a short distance, and then -again towards the north, soon reaching the ice-strewn waters of Glacier -Bay, an open expanse of ocean fully thirty miles long by from ten to -twelve in width. This locality is thus named because of the number of -glaciers which descend into it from the southern verge of the frozen -region. The still surface of the water reflects the Alpine scenery like -burnished silver, only ruffled now and again by the icebergs launched -from the majestic front of the Muir glacier, which fall with an -explosion like the blasting of rocks in a stone quarry. It is curious to -watch these enormous masses of ice rise to the surface after their first -deep plunge, see them settle and rise again until their equilibrium -becomes fixed, and then slowly float away with their imperial colors -displayed, to join the fleet gone before. They seem to exhibit in their -vivid colors a radiant joy at release from long imprisonment. It was a -gloriously bright day on which we approached the Muir glacier, the sun -pouring down its wealth of light and warmth to temper the crisp morning -air. A side-wheel steamer could not have made headway among the hundreds -of floating icebergs; but the Corona wound in and out among them in -safety, piloted by Captain Carroll’s skillful direction, occasionally -leaving the color of her painted hull along their sides by chafing them. - -The ship was brought within fifty rods of the glacier’s threatening -front, which was about three hundred feet in height above the water, -standing like a frozen Niagara, and the lead showed it to extend four -hundred feet below the surface, making an aggregate of seven hundred -feet from top to bottom. What a mighty power was hidden behind the -dazzling drapery of its iridescent façade! - -Standing upon its surface a short way inland, one could hear from its -depths what seemed like shrieks and groans of maddened spirits torturing -each other, as the huge mass was crowded more and more compactly between -the two abutting mountains of rock through which it found its outlet. -The roar of artillery upon a battlefield could hardly be more deafening -or incessant than were the thrilling reports caused by the falling of -vast masses of ice from the glacier’s front. Nothing could be grander or -more impressive than this steady bombardment from the ice mountain in -its resistless progress towards the sea. Neither Norway nor Switzerland -have any glacial or arctic scenery that can approach this bay in its -frigid splendor. No natives are to be seen; not a sound falls upon the -ear save the hoarse cannonading of the glacier. The white, ghostly hue -of the surroundings are startling; even the daylight assumes a certain -weird, bluish tint, heightened by shimmering reflections from the -ice-chasms and crevices. - -The author, in a varied experience of many parts of the world, recalls -but two other occasions which affected him so powerfully as this first -visit to Glacier Bay in Alaska, namely: witnessing the sun rise over the -vast Himalayan range, the roof-tree of the globe, at Darjeeling, in -northern India, and the view of the midnight sun from the North Cape in -Norway, as it hung over the Polar Sea. Our power of appreciation is -limitless, though that of description is circumscribed. Here both are -challenged to their utmost capacity. Words are insufficient; pen and -pencil inadequate to convey the grandeur and fascination of the scene. - -Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka tells us that a veteran traveler said to -him as they stood together on the ship’s deck regarding the scenery in -this remarkable bay: “You can take just what you see here and put it -down on Switzerland, and it will hide all there is of mountain scenery -in Europe. I have been all over the world, but you are now looking at a -scene that has not its parallel elsewhere on the globe.” The estimate -has been made by experienced persons that five thousand living glaciers, -of greater or less dimensions, are now steadily traveling down towards -the sea in this vast Territory of Alaska. - -Glacier Bay is always full of vagrant icebergs which are of blinding -whiteness when under the glare of the midday sun. The variety of colors -emitted by the bergs is charming to the eye, the prevailing hues being -crystal-white mingled with azure blue, a faint touch of pink appearing -here and there, together with dainty gleams of orange-yellow. Where a -large smooth surface is presented, the prismatic shimmering is like that -of starlight upon the water. The variety in the shape of the bergs is -infinite. Some of them exhibit singularly correct architectural lines, -some resemble ruins of ancient castles on the Rhine, others, with a -little help of the imagination, represent wild animals in various -attitudes, or hideous Chinese idols with open mouths and lolling -tongues. Sea birds hover over and light in large numbers upon the -opalescent masses. Ranging alongside of a tall berg, a fall and tackle -was rigged out from the yard-arm of our steamer, while men were sent to -cut large blocks of ice from the hill of frozen water. Two weighing -nearly a ton each were hoisted on board to keep our larder cool and fill -the ship’s ice-chest. The ice was pure as crystal, and fresh as a -mountain stream. - -“Why don’t you go nearer to the glacier?” asked one of the passengers of -the captain. - -“Because I think we are quite near enough,” was the quiet reply. - -“Those avalanches don’t reach more than thirty or forty feet from the -face of the ice cliff,” continued the passenger. - -“True,” was the reply, “but they do not constitute the only discharges -from the glacier.” - -“Why, where else can they occur but from the face,” asked the inquirer. - -“Shall I tell you a certain experience which I had near this very spot?” -asked the captain. - -“What was it?” inquired a dozen eager voices. - -And then the captain told the group of listeners that when the Corona -was here last season, laying just off the Muir glacier, those on board -were startled by the sudden appearance of a huge mass of dark crystal, -as large as the steamer itself, which shot up from the depths and tossed -the ship as though it had been an egg-shell. Passengers were thrown -hither and thither, and some were severely bruised. It was a berg broken -off from the bottom of the ice mountain, four hundred feet below the -surface of the water. Had it struck the ship in its upward passage, -immediate destruction must have followed, and the steamer would have -sunk as quickly as though she had been blown up with gunpowder. - -Mount Crillon, Mount La Perouse, and Mount Fairweather are all visible -from Glacier Bay, the latter rising in the northwest so high above the -intervening hills that all its snowy pinnacles are clearly defined. - -The great glacier which forms the prominent feature of this bay was -named after Professor Muir, state geologist of California. It has a -front three miles wide, and has been explored to a distance of forty -miles inland. The top surface is tossed and broken by broad fissures so -as to be impassable, unless one goes back at least a mile from its -toppling and dangerous front. This glacier exceeds anything of the sort -this side of the polar zone, and is fed by fifteen other glaciers, so -far as it has been explored, towards its source among the lofty -snow-fields. In walking upon its surface great care should be observed. -A thin crust of snow and half-melted ice is often formed over fissures -into which one may easily be precipitated. One of the party from the -Corona, a lady, was thus engulfed for a moment, escaping, however, with -a thorough wetting and some slight bruises, together with a very large -measure of fright. This lady was temporarily in charge of the pilot of -the steamer, hence it was very generally remarked that he was doubtless -a good ship’s pilot, but a poor one for navigating glaciers. - -From carefully conducted measurements it is known that this immense -body—frost-bound, transparent, and resistless—is moving into the sea, -during the summer months, at the rate of forty feet in every twenty-four -hours, and discharging in that time one hundred and forty million cubic -feet of ice into the bay. It is not necessary for us to discuss the -cause of this regular, uniform movement of the enormous mass; it may be -brought about by either dilation or gravitation, both of which are most -likely active agents to this end, but certain it is that the glacier -moves forward as described. - -One could have passed days in studying the grandeur and beauty of the -Muir glacier, in watching its slow but steady advance, its tremendous -avalanches, its rolling, thunder-like discharges, its irregular, -translucent front decked with amethyst and opal hues by the afternoon -sunlight, but time was to be considered, the day was closing, and we -finally steamed reluctantly away. Even after we had lost sight of the -great frozen river, we heard its evening guns echoing among the -mountains, faint and fitful from the growing distance. - -We pause for a moment, thoughtfully, to recall the brief hours passed in -that boreal atmosphere, crowded to repletion with wonderful experiences, -where the ice deposited during the glacial period is slowly wasting and -wearing away, exposing giant cedars which have been buried for ages upon -ages, a revelation and a process which we may nowhere else behold. There -is no touch of civilization here; the quiet and solitude is unbroken, -save by the thunder of the bergs breaking their long imprisonment. -Somehow one feels older, grayer, sadder, after witnessing these great -and startling throes of Nature, phenomena which have been in operation -thousands of years. It reminds the observer only too forcibly how -infinitesimal is the space he occupies upon this planet, and how utterly -insignificant is his personality in the vast scheme of the universe. -Travel, while teaching us numberless grand and beautiful truths, solving -many mysteries and vastly enlarging our mental grasp, does not fail also -to impress upon the most conceited the important and priceless lesson of -humility. But let us banish brooding thoughts, and be glad for a little -space; to-morrow the night cometh! - -Among the evidences of the slow but steady receding of the glacier we -have Vancouver’s record that he was unable to enter this bay in 1793, -which is now navigable for over twelve miles inland. Once the ice field -was level with the mountain tops, now it has melted until the peaks are -far above its surface. Professor Muir tells us that in the earlier days -of the ice-age this glacier stood at a height of from three to four -thousand feet above its present level! Centuries hence the place of the -glacier will doubtless be occupied by a flowing river, and the land will -have entirely thrown aside its mantle of ice and snow. What a revelation -this bay would have been to Agassiz! After an arduous half day’s climb, -from the summit of the Muir glacier nearly thirty others are to be seen -in various directions, all steadily forcing their resistless way towards -the sea, slowly consummating the purpose of their existence. How far -glacial action has been concerned in determining the topographical -conditions of the globe will long be, as it has long been, a subject for -deep scientific study. - -At first thought it seems impossible that a substance like ice, often -brittle as glass and as inelastic as granite, can move as though it were -fluid. The motion of the giant mass is doubtless facilitated by -subglacial streams issuing from its bottom into the bay. The water -flowing from two sources of this character manifests itself at the -surface on each corner of the ice-front, where it comes bubbling up with -great force from the bottom, a distance of from sixty to eighty fathoms. -As we lay in front of the grand façade what a revelry of color was -spread before us! The immense and towering wall of ice seemed to throb -with the softening rays of the sun, penetrating each broad fissure and -narrow rift, all luminous with blue and gold. - -Scidmore Island was pointed out to us, a green hilly land, near the -mouth of the bay, named after Mrs. E. R. Scidmore, who has written so -admirably about Alaska. Another island was designated whereon a silver -mine of great promise has lately been successfully located and tested, -yielding results surpassing the most sanguine anticipations of the -owners. - -All through this region one is constantly impressed with a sense of -vastness, everything seems so stupendous; Nature is cast in a larger -mould than she is in other sections of the world. The islands strike one -as continental in dimensions, the rivers are among the largest on the -globe, the ocean channels are the deepest, the primeval forests are made -up of giant trees and cover thousands of square miles, the mountains are -colossal, and the glaciers are elsewhere unequaled. It is a land of -wonders, strange, fascinating, and beautiful. - -The natives of this latitude are robust and hearty in appearance, their -regular food supply being such as to sustain them in a good physical -condition. Seal and fish oil are cheap and abundant, and enter into all -of their cooking combinations. During the ripening season the wild -berries, which are remarkably abundant, are gathered by the bushel, -giving employment to the youthful portion of the community. Large -quantities are dried for winter use, but during the bearing season the -people almost live upon them, always adding a portion of oil as a -condiment. Game, such as deer, bears, mountain goats, and wild geese, is -very plenty a little way inland. These are hunted and supplied to the -whites by the aborigines, but they do not themselves seem to care -particularly for meat of any sort so long as they can obtain plenty of -fish and oil. At Sitka and Fort Wrangel fine large codfish are retailed -at five cents each, a twenty pound salmon costs in the season ten to -fifteen cents, and halibut sell at about the same rate according to -size. These latter average from eighty to a hundred pounds in weight on -this coast, and in some parts of the waters bordering western Alaska -they are twice that size. Ducks are to be had at ten and fifteen cents -per pair, wild geese at fifteen cents each, and so on. The natives are -preëminently fish-eaters, and are as a rule well developed about the -chest and shoulders, though the lower parts of their bodies are -diminutive owing to their exercise being taken almost altogether at the -paddle while sitting in their boats. The physical contrast between them -and our Western Indians, who are meat-eaters, is very decided. The one -lives in a canoe a large portion of his time, the other upon horseback -or engaged upon long foot-marches; the one is lithe and sinewy, the -other is greasy and flabby. Though the physical condition of our Western -Indians is unquestionably much superior to that of the native Alaskans, -yet the latter are the most intelligent. - -The halibut, to which reference has just been made, is found in great -abundance upon the coast at nearly all seasons of the year, and forms a -large portion of the food supply of the native population, both for -summer and winter. They prefer to catch these fish by means of their own -awkward wooden hooks, rather than to use the steel barbed instrument of -the whites. They go out for the purpose in their boats, exposing -themselves in nearly all sorts of weather, anchoring upon well-known -fishing grounds by making use of a stone fastened to a cedar-bark rope -of their own manufacture. Having filled their canoe, which they can do -in a very short time, they leisurely return to the shore, where the fish -are turned over to the care of the women, who soon clean them, also -removing the large bones, head, fins, and tails, after which they cut -the bodies into broad thin slices, and doing so much of this business -they become very expert. These slices of the halibut are hung on wooden -frames, where they rapidly dry in the wind and sun, no salt being used -in the process; indeed, the natives seem to have no use for salt so far -as their own food is concerned, and do not eat it as a seasoning. After -the halibut is thus cured, the pieces are packed away in the large cedar -box which forms each family’s storehouse for such food, and when wanted -it is always ready, requiring but little further treatment to make it -palatable to native Alaskan taste. As thus preserved the fish will now -and again become putrid. This, however, is not considered by the people -to detract in any degree from its excellence and usefulness, but rather -to add zest to the flavor, just as a highly civilized gourmand requires -his birds to be kept until they become a little “gamey” before he -considers them fit to serve to himself or his guests. At certain seasons -of the year the salmon are eagerly sought and eaten, both fresh and -dried, but as intimated the halibut is a fish which can be caught at -nearly any time, and is therefore perhaps more used than any other. -There are periods when these fish also leave the coast for a short -season, and against this absence the native provides as we have -described. The kind of salmon which is mostly canned and prepared for -export in barrels from Alaska is of a pink species, which is chosen, not -because it possesses any peculiar excellence of flavor, but because the -color is generally thought to be more desirable. They are not considered -here, either by the whites or the natives, to be of quite so good -quality as some others which abound in this region, but it is the pink -salmon which the fanciful public demand, and pink salmon which they get. - -All the cooking these natives seem to know anything about is to boil or -stew such food as they do not consume nearly raw. Iron kettles have been -in their possession for many generations, and were originally procured -from the Russians. The condiment which they most affect has already been -referred to, being nothing more nor less than rancid fish or seal oil, -cooled and hardened into a sort of oleomargarine, the bare smell of -which is sickening to the nostrils of a white person. This grease is -spread liberally upon all their food and eaten with manifest relish. The -inner bark of the spruce and hemlock trees is collected by the women in -considerable quantities at certain seasons of the year, and is eaten by -them, both in the green and dried state, after being dipped in this -grease as described. The Sitka Indians make a most atrocious salad of -sea-weed mixed with seal-oil, sometimes adding the roe of herring, of -which peculiar mixture they partake with ravenous appetites, the roe -having been purposely kept until it is nearly or quite putrid. The -salmon-berry, while it is in season, is a most welcome and wholesome -addition to their rather circumscribed larder. This berry is a sort of -cross between a strawberry and a blackberry, though it is larger than -the average of these delicious berries as they grow in the woods of New -England. Hundreds of barrels of the native cranberry are gathered by the -aborigines and shipped annually from here to San Francisco; they are -smaller than the cultivated berry bearing the same name, which is grown -in our Eastern States. The wild strawberries found among these islands -and on the mainland excel in flavor the highly cultivated berry of our -thickly-settled States, and may be found growing in abundance in the -very shadow of the glaciers. - -The natives hereabouts have no domestic animals except a multitude of -dogs of a mongrel breed; wolfish-looking creatures; which are of no -possible use, dozing all day and howling all night. At the north the -regularly bred Eskimo dog is a very different animal, quite -indispensable to his master, and invaluable in connection with sledge -traveling. - -The tribe occupying the region near to Glacier Bay is known as the -Hooniahs, an ingenious and industrious people, who manufacture -bracelets, spoons, and various ornaments out of silver and copper. Some -of the men of this tribe wear a ring in their noses, like the women, but -this seems to be going slowly out of fashion. We were told that the men -have as many wives as they choose to take, and that they are not always -careful to properly discriminate between other men’s and their own, an -act of dereliction from propriety which is, however, by no means -confined to savage life. A great laxity in morals is also said to -prevail among most of the tribes from Behring Strait southward to the -Aleutian group of islands. Let us not, however, be too censorious in -judging them; if their virtues are found to be in the minority, is not -this also the case with most communities which boast the elevating -advantages of culture and civilization? - -It has been known for a century more or less that masses of pure copper -were found by the aborigines along the course of Copper River, which -flows into the Pacific Ocean midway between Mount St. Elias and the -peninsula of Kenai. The natives exhibited one mass of pure copper, as -naturally deposited, weighing over sixty pounds. The character of this -mineral closely resembles that of our Lake Superior district, and there -is every indication of its abundance in this region, not alone on Copper -River, but in several districts and islands. The natives have utilized -the article for many generations in the manufacture of personal -ornaments, and for making various useful household utensils, such as -stewpans and small kettles. Any permanent rise in the market value of -copper would stimulate the development of the copper mines of Alaska to -compete with other portions of our country. Petroleum is also found on -Copper River, forcing itself to the surface from some underground -reservoir, and again near the Bay of Katmai. This product was largely -used by the Russians for lubricating purposes. - -Professor Davidson discovered in this vicinity an iron mountain some two -thousand feet high, which was so full of magnetic ore as to seriously -affect his calculations and derange his compass. Mr. Seward said of the -same vicinity: “I found there not a single iron mountain, but a whole -range of hills the very dust of which adhered to the magnet.” There is -plenty of coal also, and with these two articles in juxtaposition a -great industry may ultimately be the outgrowth. Viewed as a sure -foundation of commercial and manufacturing prosperity, coal and iron -will prove, in the long run, to be worth nearly as much to Alaska as her -abundant and inexhaustible gold supply. - -Captain J. W. White of the United States revenue marine says: “I have -seen coal veins over an area of forty or fifty square miles so thick -that it seemed to me to be one vast bed. It is of an excellent -steam-producing quality, having a clear white ash. The quantity seemed -to be unlimited. This bed lies northwest of Sitka, up Cook’s Inlet which -broadens into a sea in some places.” Nature has provided fuel in -limitless quantities for this great Territory, both in the form of coal -and of wood, each of which is of the most available character, both as -regards the quality and the convenience of location. - -In speaking of the rich and varied prospects of the country, let us not -forget to mention the abundance of pure white, statuary marble, which -exists here in immense quarries, near the site of which there are -numerous safe and commodious harbors, with great depth of water, -inviting the commerce of the world. We need not send to Italy for a fine -article in this line; the choicest product for statuary purposes is here -upon our own soil. While these sheets are going through the press, the -fact that a valuable quicksilver mine, which was discovered at Kuskoquin -some years ago, now proves to be of high grade and purity, is published -to the world at large. If so, this is extremely providential, as there -is now a constant demand for mercury in the treatment of the -gold-bearing quartz of the numerous mines hereabouts. - -The studied effort of certain writers to depreciate the value of the -Territory of Alaska in nearly every possible respect seems very singular -to us, and is altogether too obvious to carry conviction with it. The -great amount of gold now being realized every month of the year, the -millions of cured salmon and cod annually exported to other sections, -together with the rich furs regularly shipped from the Territory, -counted by hundreds of thousands, must cause such people a degree of -mortification. One of these writers put himself on record by saying not -long since that gold did not exist in the Territory in paying -quantities. Yet there is a standing offer of sixteen million dollars for -the Treadwell gold mine on Douglas Island, while within eight or ten -miles of it, at Silver Bow Basin, on the mainland, is another gold mine, -as has been shown, owned and worked by a Boston company, nearly as -valuable. - -Referring to this auriferous deposit on Douglas Island, Governor -Swineford says, in his official report to the government for the year -1887: “It is without doubt the largest body of gold-bearing quartz ever -developed in this or any other country.” - -At last we prepare to turn our backs upon the home of the glaciers and -the locality of the most remarkable gold deposits of the Northwest, -surfeited with wonders, and actually longing for the sight of something -intensely common, satisfied that the tourist who makes the voyage from -Tacoma to Glacier Bay through the inland sea has the opportunity of -beholding some of the grandest scenery and natural phenomena on the -globe. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - -Sailing Southward.—Sitka, Capital of Alaska.—Transfer of the Territory - from Russia to America.—Site of the City.—The Old Castle.—Russian - habits.—A Haunted Chamber.—Russian Elegance and Hospitality.—The Old - Greek Church.—Rainfall at Sitka.—The Japanese Current.—Abundance of - Food.—Plenty of Vegetables.—A Fine Harbor. - - -From Glacier Bay our serpentine course lies southward through the -countless sounds, gulfs, and islands of various shapes and sizes to -Sitka, the New Archangel of the Russians, Sitka being the aboriginal -name of the bay on which the town is situated. This is the most -northerly commercial port on the Pacific coast, and lies at the base of -Mount Vestova on the west side of Baranoff Island. The island is -eighty-five miles long by twenty broad, situated thirteen hundred miles -north of San Francisco. - -On the 18th of October, in the year 1867, three United States men-of-war -lay in the harbor, namely, the Ossipee, the Jamestown, and the Resaca. -It was a memorable occasion, for on that day the Muscovite flag was -formally hauled down and the Stars and Stripes were run up on the -flagstaff of the castle amid a salvo of guns from the ships of both -nations, thus completing the official transfer of the great Territory of -Alaska from Russian to American possession. Up to this time the -government of the country had been virtually under the control of the -rich fur company chartered by the Tzar. Any policy at variance with its -purposes was treason; immigration, except for its employees, was -rigorously discouraged; the imperial governor was actually salaried by -this great monopoly, while his public acts were subject to its approval -or otherwise. With the date above given this condition of affairs ceased -and a new régime began. Though no radical change immediately took place, -still the atmosphere of our Union gradually permeated these regions, our -flag freely floated everywhere, and our few officials assumed their -responsibilities, administering the laws of the Republic mercifully as -regarded the natives, but still with that degree of firmness which is -imperative in dealing with a half-civilized race. - -One cannot but conjecture what must have been the secret thoughts of the -thousands of aborigines on this occasion, as they witnessed the ceremony -of transferring Alaska from their former to their new masters. It was an -event of immense interest, of most vital import to them, but yet one in -which they were entirely ignored. They knew the significance of that -change of flags, of that roar of artillery, emphasized by other naval -and military movements, but they had no voice whatever in the agreement -by which they were virtually bought and sold like so many head of -cattle, and their native land bartered for gold. We leave the reader to -moralize over this aspect of the matter, a fruitful theme for the -political economist. With this change of government came a new people; -the majority of the Russians promptly left the country, and their places -were taken by Americans. - -Sitka, the capital of the Territory, is sheltered by a snow-crowned -mountain range on one side, and protected from the broad expanse of the -Pacific on the other by a group of many thickly wooded islands. The -waters of the harbor are as clear as a mountain stream, so that, as in -sailing over the Bahama Banks, one can see the bottom many fathoms down -with perfect distinctness, where the myriad curiosities of submarine -life attract the eye by their novel and varied display. Among other -tropical growth, sponges, coral branches, and long rope-like algæ are -seen, planted here doubtless by the equatorial current which so -constantly laves these shores. The town lies clustered near the shore, -forming a pleasing picture as one approaches from the sea. The most -prominent feature is the castle, not a battlemented, ivy-covered, -mediæval structure, but a severely plain, weather-beaten, moss-grown, -dilapidated affair, which crowns a rocky elevation of the town. It is a -hundred and forty feet long by seventy deep, constructed of huge cedar -logs which are securely riveted to the rock by numerous clamps and -bolts. This was for many years the grand residence of the Russian -governors,—after the capital was removed from St. Paul, on the island of -Kodiak,—several of whom were of the Muscovite nobility and brought -hither their wives and daughters to live with them in this isolated -spot. One can hardly conceive of a greater social contrast than -naturally existed between St. Petersburg and this half savage hamlet of -Baranoff Island. For delicate and refined ladies, such a change from -court life must have been little less of a hardship than actual -banishment to dreaded Siberia. - -It is not surprising that resort was had to rather desperate means -whereby to beguile the weary hours. Many fell victims to gambling and -strong drink. The Russians, under nearly any circumstances, fail to be -good examples of temperance, and here cognac and vodhka flowed free as -water. To some of their official feasts and celebrations the native -chiefs were invited, and terribly demoralized by the potency of the -viands to which they were totally unaccustomed. Nor can it be wondered -at that, being occasionally supplied with this fire-water, the natives -now and again broke out in open revolt, which ended more or less -seriously both to the Russians and themselves. It will be remembered -that once during the early times the natives rose in a body and -massacred or drove every foreigner off the island, an act of savage -patriotism which cost them dearly. - -Every “castle” must have at least one haunted chamber, and we are told -that this of Sitka was no exception to the general rule. The story -concerning the same is variously told by different persons, but we will -give only the version we heard. It seems that half a century and more -since, the Russian governor’s family included a beautiful and -accomplished daughter named Eruzoff, who was, at the time the event -occurred which we are about to relate, but twenty years of age. There -were on her father’s official staff two young noblemen of St. -Petersburg, Nicholas and Michael Burdoff, about twenty-five years of age -respectively. They were cousins, and had been ardent and intimate -friends from childhood. Both of the cousins fell deeply in love with the -governor’s daughter, who, in her delicacy, showed no preference between -them. The young men grew desperate in their feelings. Never before had -they disagreed about the simplest matter; it was their delight to yield -to each other; but now their love for the beautiful Eruzoff made them -open rivals. One day they went into the neighboring forest together, as -they said, to hunt, and were absent for two days. On the evening of the -second day Michael returned unaccompanied by his cousin, whom he said he -had lost in the forest. He retired at once to his own room in the -castle, where he was found dead in bed on the following morning, without -a wound or any sign to explain the cause, though the post surgeon -pronounced it to be a case of heart disease. A few days afterwards, by -means of his favorite dog, the body of Nicholas was discovered in the -forest with a bullet through his brain. The actual truth regarding the -death of the cousins cannot be known on earth, but the chamber where -Michael Burdoff breathed his last is said to be often disturbed by a -ghostly visitor at midnight. Eruzoff was forced by her father to marry -an official of his choice, though she was broken-hearted at the loss of -Michael Burdoff, who proved to have been the one whom she loved best. -She died in her bridal year. - -Interesting stories are told of the grand hospitality—characteristic of -the Russians—which was so liberally dispensed within this castle, in -entertaining celebrated voyagers of various countries, and especially -those of the United States. It has always been the policy of the Tzars -to cultivate kindly feelings with our government, and Russia is still -our constant friend. The upper part of the old castle was arranged for -theatrical representations, while in the other apartments the nights -were rendered merry with cards, dancing, and music. Rich furniture, -valuable paintings, and costly plate had been brought all the way from -Russia to equip this grand household among a savage race. The toilets of -the ladies were perhaps a twelvemonth behind those of St. Petersburg, -but their diamonds and laces were never out of fashion. Elegant -chandeliers were left by these former masters of the castle, which show -what the rest of the furniture must have been to have harmonized with -such gorgeous ornaments. The visitor is shown the apartment occupied by -the venerable Lady Franklin at eighty years of age, who came hither in -search for her lost husband, the Arctic explorer. - -The quaint old Greek Church with the sharp peak of Vestova as a -background is a prominent and interesting edifice. Its emerald-green -dome and Byzantine spire, after the home fashion of the Russians, -together with its elaborately embellished interior and its ancient chime -of bells, strongly individualize the structure. Some pictures of more -than ordinary merit are to be seen within its walls. One representing -the Madonna and Child is pronounced to be very valuable. It is kept in -perfect condition by the government of St. Petersburg, which is the sole -owner of all the churches of the empire, at home and abroad. The Tzar -expends more money for church and missionary purposes in Alaska to-day -than all the Christian sects of our country combined. For the three -churches in Sitka, Kodiak, and Unalaska the sum of fifty thousand -dollars annually is set aside and appropriated. Nevertheless, we believe -the Training School at Sitka exercises a much higher civilizing -influence, where the simplest Christian principles are taught, combined -with common school studies, and where instruction is given in the daily -industries of life. All concede that education and general intelligence -are the mainsprings of our system of government, and that the perpetuity -of its institutions depends thereon. In view of these indisputable facts -let our rulers at Washington bestow liberally from out the plethoric -national treasury for educational purposes in Alaska. - -Most of the houses of Sitka are heavy log dwellings, some of which are -clapboarded outside and smoothly finished within. In the winter season -about a thousand Indians live here, the white population being composed -of the usual government officials and agents, with a few storekeepers -engaged in the fur traffic and general trade with the aborigines. Four -or five hundred miners and prospectors gather here also in the winter, -when it becomes too cold to prosecute their calling far inland, where -the thermometer often falls to 20° below zero. Even this occasional -extreme could be easily endured, and the work be little retarded, were -suitable quarters provided. In midwinter daylight continues at Sitka for -only six hours in the twenty-four, though by the first of June there is -virtually no night at all; the stars take a vacation, while the evening -and the morning twilight merge into day. - -The author had thought, heretofore, that the rainfall at Bergen, on the -coast of Norway, exceeded that of any other spot he had visited, but -here at Sitka “the rain, it raineth every day.” We have seen it rain -harder in the tropics, but not often. The brief downpour, however, is so -quickly followed by a flood of delicious sunshine that the contrast is a -charming revelation. Still another effect is observable that, as rainy -as it is, at certain seasons the atmosphere is still peculiarly dry. The -writer was told that clothes would quickly dry under a shed during the -heaviest rains. The fair weather is most likely to occur during the -excursion season, so that the stranger is not apt to meet much annoyance -in this respect while at the capital. The annual rainfall is recorded as -being ninety inches upon this island, a degree of humidity which is -attributed to the heated waters of the equatorial regions, which warm -the whole coast-line of southern Alaska, insuring the mild winters it -enjoys. - -Scientists tell us that the effect of this warm current is equivalent to -twenty degrees of latitude, that is to say, the same products which are -found in latitude 40° north on the Atlantic coast thrive in this region -at 60° north, which is a little higher than the latitude of Sitka. This -beneficent stream, arising off the coast of southern California, crosses -the Pacific south of the Sandwich Islands, and on the coast of Asia -turns northward in a grand sweep, striking the shores of America, and -returning finally to its starting-point. “It is this,” says H. H. -Bancroft, in his “History of the Pacific States,” “that clothes -temperate isles in tropical verdure, makes the silkworm flourish far -north of its rightful home, and sends joy to the heart of the -hyperborean, even to him upon the Strait of Behring, and almost to the -Arctic Sea.” - -The abundant moisture causes all vegetation to grow most luxuriantly. -“The enemies of this region, some of whom,” said an official to us, -“have been paid for sinister purposes to write it down, declare that it -cannot be made to support a population, as vegetables will not grow -here, but vegetables have been successfully grown all about us for more -than fifty years.” There are a plenty of domestic cattle at Sitka, where -we partook of as sweet and rich milk as can be produced on our choice -dairy farms at the East. The southern portions of the Territory, both -the islands and the mainland, are better adapted to support a civilized -white population than are the larger portions of Norway and Sweden. It -may be doubted if there is anything finer in color than the June -greenery of Sitka. Our first day at this unique capital had been varied -by alternate rain and sunshine, but the closing hours of the day were -clear and beautiful, emphasized by such a grand and brilliant sunset as -is rarely excelled, the afterglow and mellow twilight lasting until -nearly midnight, causing the turban of snow upon the head of Mount -Edgecombe to look like Etruscan gold. - -John G. Brady, United States commissioner at Sitka, writes from there as -follows: “Though Alaska is no agricultural country, yet there is plenty -of land for growing vegetables for a vast population which can be easily -cleared and cultivated. The food of this coast is assured unless the -Pacific current changes and rain ceases. Perhaps there is not another -spot on the globe where the same number of people do so little manual -labor and are so well fed as in Sitka.” The capacity of the island to -produce a large variety of garden vegetables, and of good quality, is -abundantly demonstrated by a resident who gains a successful livelihood -through the use of these products grown on his own land. - -The bay is very lovely and naturally recalls that of Naples, with its -neighboring Vestova and its beautiful islands. Though Mount Edgecombe -with its great truncated cone, situated fifteen miles away upon Kruzoff -Island, is not now in active condition, a century ago, more or less, it -poured forth lava, fire, and smoke enough to rival the Italian volcano -which buried Pompeii in its fatal débris nearly two thousand years ago. -We were told that smoke and sulphurous vapor occasionally issue from the -old crater of Edgecombe, but saw no distinct evidence of the fact. As we -looked at the sleeping giant we wondered if it will one day awake in its -Plutonic power. The bay is said to contain over one hundred islands, -which are mostly covered with a noble growth of trees, rendered -picturesque and lovely by green sloping banks and shores fringed with -golden-russet sea-weed, bearing long, banana-like leaves. Many of these -islands are occupied, some by whites, some by Indians. Japan Island, -so-called, is the largest in the bay, and is situated just opposite the -town. It was once improved by the Russians as an observatory, and now -contains some fine gardens cultivated both by whites and natives, from -whence the citizens obtain their supply of fresh vegetables. Baranoff -Island itself is mountainous and thickly wooded, though there are large -arable spots distributed here and there near to Sitka, dotted with wild -flowers in white and gold,—Flora’s favorite colors in this latitude. -Never, save in equatorial regions, has the author seen vegetation more -luxuriant than it is in its native condition in these islands of -southern Alaska. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - -Contrast between American and Russian Sitka.—A Practical Missionary.—The - Sitka Industrial School.—Gold Mines on the Island.—Environs of the - Town.—Future Prosperity of the Country.—Hot Springs.—Native Religious - Ideas.—A Natural Taste for Music.—A Native Brass Band.—Final View of - the Capital. - - -The Sitka of to-day contains about two thousand inhabitants, but is a -very different place from that which the Russians made of it. The -subjects of the Tzar carried on shipbuilding, manufactured wooden and -iron ware, erected an iron furnace and smelted native ore, made steel -knives and agricultural tools, axes, hatches, and carpenters’ tools -generally. They established a bell foundry here at which many bells and -chimes were cast, and shipped the products all along the Pacific coast, -especially to Mexico. The Greek Church was kept up to the highest -standard as regarded the national forms, and employed nearly a score of -priests, which, together with some forty or fifty civil officers -attached to the governor’s household staff, made a considerable -community of white citizens, which was a constant scene of business -activity. The capital has, in some respects at least, been greatly -improved since it came into our possession, but it bears unmistakable -evidences of antiquity. It has been made neat and clean, which was -certainly not a characteristic under its former management, the streets -have been regularly laid out, and good sidewalks have taken the place of -muddy pathways, while some well-constructed roads leading through the -neighborhood have been perfected. Though there is not seemingly so much -of local business going on as there used to be, still it is a far more -wholesome and pleasant place to live in than it was in the days of -Muscovite possession. In Mrs. E. S. Willard’s published letters from -Alaska we learn how an officer of our navy, namely, Captain Henry Glass -of the United States steamer Jamestown, in 1881, proved to be the right -sort of missionary to send on special duty to Sitka. - -“His first move,” says this lady, “was to abolish hoochinoo. He made it -a crime to sell, buy, or drink it, or any intoxicating drinks. He -prevailed upon the traders to sell no molasses to the Indians in -quantities, so that they could not make this drink. He issued orders in -regard to clearing up the native ranches, which were filthy in the -extreme, and had been the scene of nightly horrors of almost every -description. He appointed a police force from the Indians themselves, -dressed them in navy cloth with ‘Jamestown’ in gilt letters on their -caps, and a silver star on their breasts. He made education compulsory. -The houses were all numbered and the children of each house, each child -being given a little round tin plate on which was marked his number and -the number of his house. These plates were worn on a string about the -neck. As the children arrived in school they were registered. Whoever -failed to send their children were fined one blanket. As soon as they -discovered that the captain was in earnest they submitted, and I believe -no blanket was forfeited after the first week. The ranches have been -cleaned, whitewashed, and drained, and all is peaceful and quiet where a -few months ago it was a place of strife.” - -The Sitka Industrial School—or as it is better known here, the Jackson -Institution—is the most interesting feature of the town, because one -cannot fail to realize how much good it is accomplishing in the way of -practical civilization and real education among the natives. At this -writing there are nearly one hundred boys, and about sixty girls and -young women, who are under the parental care of the Institution. The -teaching force consists of a dozen earnest workers, mostly ladies from -the Eastern States. Besides the ordinary English branches taught in the -school, the girls are trained to cook, wash, iron, sew, knit, and to -make their own clothes. The boys are taught carpentry, house-building, -cabinet-making, blacksmithing, boat-building, shoemaking, and other -industries. The work of the school is so arranged that each boy and girl -attends school half a day, and works half a day. The results thus -brought about are admirable. The “Mission,” as the cluster of buildings -forming the school, the hospital, the residence for teachers, cottages, -and workshops is called, is situated beside the road leading to Indian -River, overlooking the bay, the islands, and the sea, with grand -mountain views on three sides. Fifteen different tribes are represented -in this Sitka Industrial School. English-speaking young natives who have -been trained here readily obtain good wages at the mines, in the -fish-canneries, and wherever they apply for employment among the white -residents of the Territory, while their influence with their tribes is -very great. That the Alaskans are teachable and capable of attaining a -higher and better plane of life has been abundantly proven by the -successful mission of this school during the few years of its existence. - -There is a small monthly newspaper published at Sitka in the interest of -the Training School called “The North Star.” It is inexpensively -produced, and is calculated to disseminate information in behalf of the -excellent mission, as well as to add interest to its local affairs. The -type-setting and all the work on this little paper is done by native -boys. In his last published report Dr. Sheldon Jackson says in relation -to the Alaskan natives: “Christianize them, give them a fair school -education and the means of earning a living, and they are safe; but -without this the race is doomed. We believe in the gospel of habitual -industry for the adults, and of industrial training for the children. By -these means they can be reclaimed from improvident habits, and -transformed into ambitious and self-helpful citizens.” - -The Industrial Training School at Sitka was established as a day school -by the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions in 1880, with Miss Olinda A. -Austin as teacher. The following fall circumstances led to the opening -of a boarding department. Since then the institution has grown until -there are connected with it two large buildings (one for boys and the -other for girls), an industrial building sheltering the carpenter and -boot and shoe shops, the printing-office and boat house, a small -blacksmith shop, a steam laundry, a bakery, a hospital, and six small -model cottages. Every building has been constructed by the pupils -themselves under the direction of the one carpenter, who acted as their -instructor. Even the domestic furniture, such as beds, chairs, bureaus, -and the like, is the handiwork of these native boys. We can testify from -personal observation that all is wonderfully well done, and of excellent -patterns. - -There is a valuable gold mine situated six or eight miles southeast of -Sitka, eight hundred feet above the sea level and about a mile from deep -water, on Silver Bay, where the largest ships may lie beside the shore, -the wharfage having been prepared by Nature’s own hand. The quartz rock -is here represented to be of excellent quality, showing thirty dollars -to the average ton, and there is never-failing water near at hand -sufficient for running a hundred stamp-mill. Gold has been mined at -Silver Bay in a primitive way for several years. Numerous other mines -have been located and opened on Baranoff Island which give great -promise, but this just mentioned has accomplished thus far the best -results. We took notes of eleven mines upon which much work had been -done, shafts sunken, and tunnels run. “The island is besprinkled with -these gold-quartz veins,” said an intelligent citizen to us. -“Prospectors and miners have been attracted elsewhere in the Territory -by still more promising gold deposits. This, together with the want of -capital, is the reason the mines have not been opened and worked on an -extensive scale. This will follow, however, in due time, for miners can -work here all the year round, with comfort as regards the weather, and -at the minimum cost of living.” - -The arrival of an excursion steamer at Sitka is made the occasion of a -regular holiday, which is very natural with a people who live in so -isolated a place. As the steamer enters the several harbors of the -inland passage northward, her presence is announced by a report from the -cannon on the forecastle, which awakens a score of sonorous echoes from -the rocky cliffs and nearest mountains, also serving to arouse the -sleepy natives and put the dealers in curios on the _qui vive_. The few -cafés do a thriving business; the nights, never very dark in summer, are -turned into day, and hours of revelry prevail. The aboriginal women -drive a lively business with their home-made curios, and indiscreet -native girls promenade freely with strangers. Peccadilloes are -overlooked; no one seems to be held strictly to account. The officials -are unusually lenient on such occasions, just as they are in Boston or -New York on the Fourth of July. - -The immediate environs of Sitka present many rural beauties, including -river, forest, and wild flowers, with here and there a rapid, musical -cascade. The same species of highly-developed white clover as was seen -at Fort Wrangel is a charming feature here, fragrant and lovely,— -“Beautiful objects of the wild bees’ love.” Buttercups and dandelions -are twice the size of those which we have in New England. Ferns are in -great variety, and the mosses are exquisite in their velvety texture, -while tenderly shrouding the fallen and decaying trees they present an -endless variety of shades in green. There are over three hundred -varieties of wild flowers found on Baranoff Island, and wild berries -abound here as among all the islands and on the mainland. The wild -raspberry, salmon-berry, and thimbleberry are especially luxuriant and -fine in size and flavor. The woods are full of song-birds and of others -more gaudy of feather. These are only summer visitors, to be sure, among -which the rainbow-tinted humming-bird made his presence obvious. A -pleasant walk is finely laid out along the banks of the sparkling Indian -River, a swift mountain stream, hedged with thrifty and graceful alders, -by which means the citizens have created for themselves a charming and -favorite promenade. Along the left bank of this beautiful watercourse -are woodland scenes of exquisite rural beauty. - -It would be foolish to suggest the idea that Alaska promises to become -eventually a great agricultural country; but it is equally incorrect to -say, as did a certain popular writer not long since, that “there is not -an acre of farming land in the Territory.” There are considerable areas -of good arable land now under profitable cultivation in the Sitka -district, and large farms, rich in virgin soil, could be had for a mere -song, as the saying goes, in desirable localities, by clearing away the -timber and draining the land. Some twenty-five milk cows are kept at -Sitka; milk is sold at ten cents per quart. Fresh venison is cheap and -abundant, and fish of various kinds cost nearly nothing. In the -immediate vicinity there are three thousand acres of arable land, much -of which is well grassed and covered with white clover. On the -foot-hills there is plenty of grass for the sustenance of sheep and -goats. Experienced residents told us that wool-growing might be -profitably pursued as a business here, and that there was not a month in -the year when the animals would absolutely require to be housed. Hay is -easily made, and is in abundance at cheap rates. “I have never seen -finer potatoes, turnips, cabbages, and garden produce generally, than -those grown here,” says Governor Swineford in his annual report to the -Department at Washington. - -There is a great abundance of natural and nutritious grasses in most -parts of the country, but especially in the southern islands and the -Kodiak group. The great prosperity of Alaska, however, to be looked for -in the near future, lies in the energetic development of her coal trade, -her fisheries, and her extraordinary mineral wealth. The immense supply -of timber, some of which is unsurpassed in its merchantable value, will -come into use one or two generations later. The fur-trade, already of -gigantic proportions, cannot be judiciously developed beyond its present -volume, otherwise the source of supply will gradually become exhausted. -It might be quadrupled for a few years, but this would be killing the -goose that lays the golden egg. If protected, as our government is -striving to do for it to-day, it will continue indefinitely to meet the -market demand without glutting or overstocking it. In this connection, -and after some inquiry, we cannot refrain from expressing the fear that -the legal limit as regards the slaughter of the seals is greatly -exceeded. Over three million dollars’ worth of canned salmon were -exported from Alaska last year. “This Territory can supply the world -with salmon, herring, and halibut of the best quality,” says Dr. Sheldon -Jackson. - -Twenty miles south of Sitka, on the same island, there are a number of -hot springs, strongly impregnated with iron and sulphur, the sanitary -nature of which has been known to the Indians for centuries, and hither -they have been in the habit of resorting for the cure of certain -physical ills, especially rheumatism, to which they are so liable. -Vegetation in the neighborhood of these springs is tropical. The -temperature of the water is said to be 155° Fah. At the time of the -Russian possession the whites built bath-houses on the spot, and much -was made of this sanitarium. But all is now neglected, except that the -natives still occasionally resort to the place to enjoy the tonic and -recuperating effect of the waters. Anything which will promote -cleanliness among the Alaskan tribes must be unquestionably of benefit -to them. There are plenty of hot mineral springs all over the various -island groups of the Territory, and especially that portion which makes -out from the Alaska Peninsula westward towards Asia. The most fatal -diseases prevailing among the aborigines after consumption are -scrofulous affections; the latter is thought to be aggravated, if not -induced, by their almost exclusive fish diet, supplemented by their -gross uncleanliness. The Aleuts of the south, the Eskimos of the north, -and the natives generally of the coast and the interior sleep and live -in such dark, dirty, unventilated quarters, reeking with vile odors, -that they cannot fail to poison their blood and thus induce a myriad of -ills. As we have said, none of these natives seem to have any -intelligent idea of medicine, and they do not possess any herbs, so far -as we could learn, which are used for medicinal purposes. If a native is -furnished with a prescription after the manner of the whites, he -requires at least twice the amount of medicine which it is customary to -give to a white man, otherwise the dose will have no apparent effect -upon his system. This is a never varying experience which medical men -have found repeated among all savage races. - -As far as one is able to comprehend the religious convictions of the -native Sitkans, other than the few who have gone through the form of -professing Christianity, they seem to entertain a sort of animal -worship, a reverence for special birds and beasts. Like the Japanese -they hold certain animals sacred and will not injure them. It is thus -that they have some mystical idea about the bear, which prevents them -from willingly hunting that animal. Ravens are nearly as numerous in -Sitka as they are in Ceylon, and no one will injure then. They believe -that the spirits of the departed occupy the bodies of ravens, hawks, and -the like. One is reminded that in the temples of Canton the Chinese keep -sacred hogs; the Parsees of Bombay worship fire; the Japanese bow before -snakes and foxes, as divine symbols; the pious Hindoo deifies cows and -monkeys; so there is abundant precedent to countenance these simple -natives of Alaska in their crude worship and superstitions. - -Their aboriginal belief is called Shamanism, or the propitiating of evil -spirits by acceptable offerings. It is significant that the same faith -is participated in by the Siberians, on the other side of Behring -Strait. This is no new or original form of religion; it was the faith of -the Tartar race before they became disciples of Buddhism. - -These aborigines seem to anticipate a state of future happiness, but not -one of rewards and punishments. All blessedness in this anticipated -eternity is for man; woman, it seems, has no real inheritance in this -world or the next! Slavery, vice, and misery would thus appear to be her -portion in life, and she expects nothing beyond. This picture is not -overdrawn. These natives are now as much a part of our population as are -the people who live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, and our manifest -duty is to educate them. The light of reason will soon follow, and like -the rising sun will burn away this mist of ignorance and superstition. -Schools are the most potent missionaries that can be established among -any savage race; reasonable religious convictions will follow as a -natural result. - -“When the missionary,” says W. H. Dall, “will leave the trading-post, -strike out into the wilderness, live in the wilderness, live with the -Indians, teach them cleanliness first, morality next, and by slow and -simple teaching raise their minds above the hunt and the camp,—then, and -not until then, they will be able to comprehend the simplest principles -of right and wrong.” Though these Indians at the populous centres often -pretend to yield to the religious teachings of the professional -missionaries, still, like the Chinese religious converts, they are -pretty sure to return to their idols and superstitions. When the Roman -Catholic Bishop from San Francisco came among the natives of Alaska, and -offered to baptize their children, the Indians told him that he might -baptize them if he would pay them for it! - -H. H. Bancroft, in his work upon the native races of the North Pacific, -says: “Thick, black clouds, portentous of evil, hang threateningly over -the savage during his entire life. Genii murmur in the flowing river, in -the rustling branches of the trees are heard the breathings of the gods, -goblins dance in the vapory twilight, and demons howl in the darkness. -All these things are hostile to man, and must be propitiated by gifts, -prayers, and sacrifices; while the religious worship of some of the -tribes includes practices frightful in their atrocity.” - -The Sitkans, like many other tribes, used to burn their dead before the -missionaries partially dissuaded them from doing so, but some still -adopt cremation as a final and most desirable resort. To one who has -seen its universal application in India, there are many strong reasons -in its favor. The Alaskan native idea of a hell in another world -constituted of ice, it is said, causes them to reason that those buried -in the earth may be cold forever after, while those whose bodies are -burned will be forever warm and comfortable in the next sphere. After -the funeral these aborigines, as we have shown, engage in a genuine -“wake,” recklessly feasting and drinking to emphasize the importance of -the occasion, and to demonstrate their unbounded grief. - -The native women occasionally show some taste for music and ability in -playing upon the accordion, almost the only instrument found in their -possession. A young Indian girl was seen quite alone among the wild -flowers just outside the town (Sitka) who had been taught a few pleasing -airs, and who surprised us with a well-played strain from a familiar -opera. She was a pretty, gypsy-like child of nature, evidently having -white blood in her veins, and was not over sixteen years of age. The -coarse, scanty clothing could not disguise her handsome form, bright, -intelligent face, or hide the depth and splendor of her jet-black -luminous eyes. When she discovered us the accordion was quickly thrust -behind her, while her downcast eyes expressed mortification at being -found alone by the white strangers, playing to the flowers beside the -Indian River. She understood English and spoke it fairly well, but -hesitated to receive the bright bit of silver offered to her. When we -told her that in the East it was the custom to pay those who played to -us upon musical instruments out-of-doors, and described the itinerant -hand-organist with his monkey, and the brass bands which perambulate -city streets, she laughed heartily, thrust the shining silver in her -bosom, and held out her hand to greet us cordially. As we turned our -steps back towards the town the innocent, winning face of the young girl -haunted us with thoughts of hidden possibilities never to be fulfilled. - -On the evening before we left Sitka a brass band consisting of -twenty-one performers marched down to the wharf from the mission school, -in good military order, headed by their teacher as band-master, and -serenaded the passengers. The band was composed entirely of native boys, -the oldest not over eighteen, not one of whom had ever seen a brass -musical instrument two years ago. They performed eight or ten elaborate -pieces of composition, not passably well, but admirably, in perfect -time, and with real feeling for the music they expressed. It was a -surprise to every one on board the Corona to hear such a performance by -natives in this isolated spot in the far north. A liberal purse was -handed to the teacher to be divided among them. - -“Do you know what they will do with this money?” he asked, gratefully. - -“Purchase some trifle, each one after his own fancy,” we replied. - -“No, sir,” said the teacher, “they will tell me, every one of them, to -purchase some new music with the money, which they can practice and -learn to play together.” - -Their means are of course quite circumscribed, and they have had but -little variety afforded them, either in school-books or music. They look -upon their musical tuition as a reward for good behavior, and the -severest punishment to them is to be deprived of any favorite branch of -instruction. - -At our final view of Sitka, the quaint capital of Alaska was lying quiet -and peacefully at the feet of Vestova, while enshrouded in a voluptuous -sheen of afternoon sunlight. A rose-glow rested on everything, -beautifying the simplest objects. Lofty, thickly-wooded hills formed the -background, while the Greek church and the old castle dominated all the -humbler buildings. The waters of the island-dotted bay were as still as -an inland lake, and flooded with golden reflections. Now and again an -eagle sailed gracefully from one wooded height to another, and the -hoarse croak of many ravens, held sacred by the Indians, greeted the -ear. A few United States soldiers lounged about their barracks, and a -few cannon were arranged upon the broad common. These were light -fieldpieces, more for show than for use. Groups of natives clad in -bright-colored blankets were seen here and there before their simple -dwellings which line the beach. A broad, intensely green plateau forms -the centre of the settlement, about which the better houses of the -whites are situated. A little to the left, nearer to the hills, is the -curiously arranged burial-ground of the aborigines, with a few -totem-poles, and many boxes reared above ground in which are deposited -the remains of former chiefs. On a slight rise of ground stands the -ancient blockhouse, built of logs, from which the Russians once made a -desperate fight with the natives. Behind us Mount Edgecombe loomed far -up among the clouds, where its apex was half hidden, and in the same -direction, not far away, was the open Pacific. It was nearly ten o’clock -P. M. before the sun set behind the distant western hills in a blaze of -scarlet, yellow, and purple, reflected by soft, butterfly clouds and -mountain tops in the east. After that came the luminous moonlight, -making a regal glory of the darkness, and flashing in opal gleams from -the sea. - -While watching the rippling lustre of the water, tremulous with -starlight and the languid breath of the night air, one was fain to ask -if it was all quite real, if this was not a fancy picture from the land -of dreams. Could these be the far-away shores of Alaska? The pathos and -tenderness of the scene, the glow, and fire, and throbbing loveliness, -were indescribable. Even the few fleecy clouds which sailed between us -and the planets seemed as if they came to waft our hymn of praise to -Heaven. Is not such surpassing beauty of nature an image of the Infinite -One? - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - -The Return Voyage.—Prince of Wales Island.—Peculiar Effects.—Island and - Ocean Voyages contrasted.—Labyrinth of Verdant Islands.—Flora of the - North.—Political Condition of Alaska.—Return to Victoria.—What - Clothing to wear on the Journey North.—City of Vancouver.—Scenes in - British Columbia.—Through the Mountain Ranges. - - -The return voyage from Sitka by the inland course takes us first through -Peril Straits, so named on account of its many submerged rocks and -reefs. It is, however, a wonderfully picturesque passage between the two -lofty islands of Chichagoff and Baranoff, strewn as it is with -impediments to navigation. We pass the Indian village of Kootznahoo, -occupied by a tribe of the same name, people who have always proved to -be restless and aggressive, requiring a strong hand to control them. -They are peaceable enough now, having been taught some severe lessons by -way of discipline. This tribe as a body still adheres to many of the -revolting practices of their ancestors, which other Alaskans, who are -brought into more intimate relations with the whites, have discarded. -They are also said to be more under the influence of their medicine-men, -who foster all sorts of vile rites and superstitions, without the -prevalence of which their occupation and importance would vanish. - -We make our way through the winding channels of the Alexander -Archipelago, of which the Prince of Wales Island is one of the largest -and most mountainous. It is about a hundred and seventy-five miles long -by fifty miles in width; that is to say, it is as large as the State of -New Jersey, and in fact contains more square miles. It is mostly covered -with dense forests of Alaska cedar, the best of ship-timber. The shores -are indented on all sides by fjords extending a considerable distance -into the land. Salmon abound in and about this island, which has led to -the establishment of several large fish-canning factories, two new ones -being added during the past season. The principal native tribe upon the -island is known as the Haidas, whose villages are scattered along the -coast. The interior of the island is not only uninhabited, but it is -unexplored. The shore hamlets are called “rancheries.” Each sub-tribe -has a special one representing its capital, where the head chiefs live. -Their laws seem to be simply a series of conventionalities. The houses -of these Haidas are better structures than those of most natives of the -Territory, and they surround themselves, as a rule, with more domestic -comforts. Woolen blankets appear to be the investment in which all the -spare means of the members of this, as well as most other tribes, are -placed, and by the number they possess they estimate their wealth. -Woolen blankets, in fact, averaging in value from two dollars and a half -to three and a half, are the native currency or circulating medium, -being received as such when in good condition; and also given out at the -trading stations as payment to natives for furs or for any service, -unless specie is preferred. - -The meandering course of the steamer brings us now before one Indian -hamlet and island, and now another; but these villages are very few in -number, hours, and even a whole day, being sometimes passed, while on -our course, without meeting a solitary canoe or seeing a human being -outside the vessel’s bulwarks. These islands, as a rule, have no -gravelly or sandy beach, but spring abruptly from out the almost -bottomless sea, in their proportions ranging from an acre to the size of -a European principality. - -Now and again we come upon a reach of the shore where it is shelving, -and for a mile or more it is bastioned by a course of stones, of such -uniform height and even surface as to seem like the work of clever -stone-masons. Skilled workers with plummet and line could produce -nothing more regular. - -In some places, as we quietly glide close in to the shadow of the land, -shut in by the morning fog and mist wreaths, the effects are very -curious and even startling. It not being possible to see very far up the -shrouded cliffs, down whose sides there rush narrow, silvery cascades, -with a merry, laughing sound, they often have the appearance of coming -directly out of the sky. It seems as though some peak had punctured one -of the over-charged clouds, and it was pouring out its liquid contents -through the big aperture. - -The contrast between a voyage across the open ocean and a sail of two -weeks in this inland sea is notable. In the former instance the voyagers -find fruitful themes in the vast expanse and fabulous depth of the -ocean, the huge monsters and tiny creatures occupying it, the record of -the ship’s progress, her exact tonnage, and the trade in which she has -been engaged since she was launched. Few persons have in themselves -sufficient intellectual resources not to become oppressed with _ennui_ -under the circumstances. Between Puget Sound and Glacier Bay how -different is the experience! There is no monotony here; every moment is -replete with curious sights, every succeeding hour full of fresh -discoveries. The panoramic view is crowded all day long with -sky-reaching mountains, scarred by wild convulsions; verdant islands -embowered in giant trees; rocky peaks rising from the bottom of the sea -to a thousand feet and more above our topmast head; cascades tumbling -down precipitous cliffs; Indian hamlets dotted by totem-poles; canoes -gliding over the silent surface of the deep channels; inlets crowded -with schools of salmon; mammoth glaciers emptying themselves into the -sea and forming opaline icebergs sharply reflecting the sun’s dazzling -rays. There is no time for _ennui_ among such scenes as these; the eyes -are captivated by the beauty and the variety, while the imagination is -constantly stimulated to its utmost capacity. - -The flora of this far northern country does not exhibit the wonderful -luxuriance and productiveness which captivates us in the tropics, though -one gathers some extremely attractive specimens. Neither the flowers, -the insects, nor the birds are marked with the brilliancy of color which -distinguish those bathed continually in waves of equatorial sunlight. -Here, grandeur prevails over beauty; the trees, if not so verdant, excel -in size and majesty; the mountains, in height; the rivers, in volume and -length; while the glaciers are without comparison in magnitude and -power. Here, is simplicity, vastness, magnificence; there, fertility, -fragrance, loveliness. Neither in the north nor in the south is there -the least infringement upon the great harmonies of Nature; admirable -consistency and order exist everywhere, typifying a great, overruling, -supreme Intelligence. - -We pause for a moment amid the silent tranquillity to sum up our -experience while gliding along this beautiful and peaceful inland sea on -the return voyage. The author does not hesitate to pronounce Alaska to -be one of the most attractive regions in the world for summer tourists. -From early June to September the temperature prevailing upon the entire -route is equable, the thermometer ranging all the while between sixty -and seventy degrees Fah. The progress of the steamer always creates a -gentle and agreeable breeze, which renders warm clothing desirable, -especially at early morning and in the evening, though these are periods -not so distinctly defined as with us in New England. An overcoat is -rarely rendered necessary or desirable. If the mosquitoes are -troublesome at certain places on shore, in marshy regions, they are -never so on the water, as the breeze inevitably drives such insects -away. Let us say especially there is no other such inviting resort for -pleasure yachts as this inland, island-dotted sea of Alaska. If the fogs -put in an appearance sometimes in the morning, they are after a while -burned away by the warmth of the sun. Local rains on shore are to be -occasionally endured, but they are no great drawback to observation and -brief excursions. At Sitka, Wrangel, and Juneau several showers may -occur during the day, with intervals of bright and cloudless skies -between. We have witnessed seven copious, well-sustained showers of rain -on a May forenoon in Chicago, the intervals sandwiched with sunshine of -gorgeous clearness and warmth. Why pretend that Alaska is exceptional in -this respect? The weather is not perfect, according to our estimate, -anywhere. Finally the extended trip upon the boat was found to cover a -little over two thousand miles in all, and was with us one of continuous -pleasure, enlivened by as bright and cheerful weather as one experiences -on an average elsewhere, winding among an immense archipelago of -mountains, emerald islands, and land-locked bays, through narrow -channels dominated by precipitous cliffs, and crossing broad, lake-like -expanses as placid as the serene blue overhanging all. - -No other government on the globe, in this nineteenth century, would -permit so large and important a portion of its territory to remain -unexplored. Congress should send at once a thoroughly equipped -scientific expedition, competent to report minutely upon the geology, -fauna, flora, and geography of this immense division of the country. It -is more than an oversight, it is a gross blunder, not to do this without -further delay. If our own pen-pictures of this neglected Territory shall -incite to the fulfillment of such an act of official duty, these pages -will have served at least one important purpose. - -“With a comparatively mild climate,” says C. E. S. Wood, in an account -of a visit to Alaska, printed in the “Century Magazine,” “with most -valuable shipbuilding timber covering the islands, with splendid -harbors, with inexhaustible fisheries, with an abundance of coal, with -copper, lead, silver, and gold awaiting the prospector, it is surprising -that an industrious, shipbuilding, fishing colony from New England or -other States has not established itself in Alaska.” - -The political condition of Alaska is anything but creditable to our -country. It has little more than the shadow of a civil government, and -is entirely without any land laws by which a resident can secure a title -to the soil upon which he builds his house. The act of Congress dated -May 7, 1884, providing an apology for a civil government, was not passed -until twenty years after the Territory had been acquired. As a -consequence the material progress of the country and its inviting -possibilities remain undeveloped. With the extension of the United -States local laws to this section, immigration would be at once promoted -and various industries established. “Why we are so neglected is -incomprehensible,” said a resident of Sitka. “All we ask is the same -advantages enjoyed by the citizens of the other Territories of the -United States.” It is certainly to be hoped that Congress will give -early attention to this important matter, for Alaska is destined to -become one of our most valuable possessions. We shall be excused for -making use of so strong an expression, but it is only too true that her -interests have been persistently and shamefully neglected by the -law-makers at Washington. - -“Like the dog in the manger,” says Miss Kate Field, “Congress will do -nothing for Alaska, nor will it permit Alaska to do anything for herself -locally, or at Washington through a delegate. Yet, in 1890, two islands -of this despised and neglected province will have paid into the United -States Treasury $6,340,000,—within one million of Alaska’s entire -purchase!” - -The present comparative isolation of Alaska will not be of long -duration; not only are the facilities for reaching the Territory being -annually increased from the east, but it is being also rapidly -approached in this respect from the west. The Russian government is -building a railroad in almost a straight line from Moscow to Behring -Sea, which it is confidently believed will be completed within five -years. Direct communication will thus be established between St. -Petersburg and the Russian Pacific ports, through Siberia, whose most -easterly point is less than forty miles from the soil of Alaska. - -After sailing four or five days southward, bearing always slightly to -the east, through a wilderness of islands and along the mountain-fringed -coast of the mainland, the ship comes upon the open sea, and the -passengers realize for a short time the effect of the Pacific Ocean -swell. The sensitiveness of some people to its influence is as -remarkable as the stolid indifference of others. Here, where the -Japanese Current meets the cold air from off the coast, fogs are very -liable to prevail, though it was not so in the writer’s case. We are now -in comparatively open navigation and can lay our course without fear. -Soon Queen Charlotte’s Sound is entered, and for a day and a half the -steamer again skirts the picturesque shore of Vancouver, whose features -are reproduced in the deep, quiet waters with marvelous distinctness, -until finally we are once more landed at Victoria, the capital of -British Columbia. - -We are frequently asked since our return what clothing and other -articles one should take, with which to make the inland voyage through -Alaskan waters. This is easily answered. - -As the rainfall is frequent be sure to have a good stout umbrella. -Ladies would do well to take a gossamer waterproof and gentlemen a -mackintosh. Heavy shoes, that is with double soles, and a light overcoat -should be provided. There is no occasion for full dress,—court dress, on -this route, swallow-tails are so much needless baggage. Ladies’ skirts -should be short so they will not draggle on the wet deck of the steamer, -or in walking through the damp grass, or over the surface of a glacier. -In the latter instance gentlemen generally carry portable spikes that -can be screwed on to the bottom of the shoes, and a staff cane with a -stout ferule. When a party is formed to ascend a glacier a small hatchet -and small rope should always be taken by some one of their number. In -case of an accident these often become of great importance. There need -not be any accident, however, if ordinary prudence is observed. - -A large and well-appointed steamer named the Islander, which plies -regularly on this route, takes one across the island-sprinkled Gulf of -Georgia in six or seven hours from Victoria to Vancouver on the -mainland. This is the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, situated -a short distance from the mouth of the Fraser River. From here the -homeward course is almost due east through British Columbia, Alberta, -Assiniboia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec to Montreal, thence southeast -to Boston. - -So late as 1886 the present site of Vancouver was covered with a dense -forest of Douglass pines, cedar and spruce trees. The Canadian Pacific -Railway was completed to Vancouver in May, 1887, when the first through -train arrived from Montreal. The youthful city is well situated for -commercial purposes on what is called Burrard Inlet. It has extensive -wharves, substantial warehouses, and very good hotel accommodations. -Well-arranged public water-works bring the needful domestic supply in -pure and healthful condition from the neighboring hills. The surrounding -scenery is strikingly bold, embracing the Cascade Range in the north, -the mountains of Vancouver Island across the water in the west, and the -Olympian Range in the south, while the great snowy head of Mount Baker -rears itself skyward as the main feature in the southeast. The steamer -which brings us here from Victoria passes through a beautiful -archipelago of peaceful islands, verdant and wooded to the very brink. -The busy population of this infant city number between thirteen and -fourteen thousand, and the place is growing rapidly. It is lighted by -both gas and electricity. Forty substantial edifices for business and -dwelling purposes are in course of erection at this writing. There are -steamers which sail regularly from here for Japan, China, and San -Francisco. As it is in the midst of what may be called a wild country, -there is excellent hunting near at hand and large game is abundant. Many -sportsmen, especially from England, make their headquarters here while -devoting themselves to hunting for a large part of the summer season. -Four large English sloops of war were observed in the harbor at the time -of the writer’s visit, together with a couple of torpedo boats bearing -the same flag, destined for Behring Sea, to “emphasize” the British side -of the Alaska fishery question as between our government and that of -Great Britain. - -As one stands on the shore the harbor presents a picture of great -variety and interest, comprising men-of-war boats pulled by disciplined -crews; canoes, paddled by Indian squaws wrapped in high-colored -blankets; boats loaded with valuable furs and propelled by aboriginal -hunters; here a raft of timber, and there a steam ferry-boat. Just in -shore there is passing as we watch the scene a native canoe carrying a -sail made of bark-matting, brown and dingy, steered with a paddle by an -aged, withered, white-haired Indian, while in the prow is a four or five -year old native boy, trailing his hands idly in the water over the side -of the tiny craft. A striking picture of the voyage of life: -thoughtless, happy, vigorous youth at the prow, with weary age and -experience awaiting the end at the stern. A couple of large steamers -close at hand are getting under way loaded with preserved fish, put up -at the canneries near by; one is bound for Australia, the other for -England, by way of Cape Horn. - -Vancouver has many edifices of brick and stone, with good churches and -several schools; some of the private residences being remarkable for -their complete architectural character in so new a city as this which -forms the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway. - -The principal part of the city occupies a peninsula, bounded north by -the waters of Burrard Inlet, south by a small indentation called False -Creek, and west by English Bay. The city is fast extending beyond these -limits, both east and south. The peninsula rises gradually to an -altitude of two hundred feet, more or less, affording the means of -perfect drainage for the new city, which is laid out on a grand scale. A -tramway, embracing the several suburbs, is in course of construction, -the motor for which will be electricity. - -We take the cars at Vancouver for our long journey homeward over the -Canadian Pacific Railway, through the British Dominion to the Atlantic -coast, indulging in a last admiring view of the grand elevation known as -Mount Baker, which in these closing days of July is a mass of snow two -thousand feet from its summit. Upon starting our attention is first -drawn to the gigantic trees, big sawmills, immense piles of lumber, and -extensive brick-yards in the environs of the city. Small villages are -passed, straggling farms, Indian camps, mining lodges, and Chinese -“hives,” where these people congregate after working all day at placer -mining, and gamble half the night, sacrificing their laboriously -acquired means. The grand winding valley of the Fraser River—a -watercourse as large as the Ohio—is followed for over two hundred miles -in a northeasterly direction, affording glimpses of most charming and -vivid scenery, leading through cañons fully equaling in grandeur of form -and beauty of detail anything of the sort in Colorado. - -Now and again groups of Indians are seen preparing the salmon they have -caught for winter use. The fish are split and stretched flat by wooden -braces, then hung in long pink lines upon low frames of wood. They use -no salt in this curing process, but simply dry the fish by atmospheric -exposure, and succeed very well in thus preserving it. Dried salmon -forms the principal staple of food for this people in the long Canadian -winters. These natives, as in our own instance, are subsidized by the -Dominion; that is, they are placed upon reservations and receive a -certain amount of money and rations annually from the government. Light -green patches of raspberries are passed here and there, where children -are gathering the ripe fruit in abundance, the bright color about their -mouths betraying how abundantly they have feasted while thus engaged. It -was a pleasant picture to gaze upon under the pearly blue sky, where we -were surrounded with the fragrant odor of pine and spruce, and the -ceaseless music of hurrying waters. - -At times the river rushes through deep rocky ravines, and at others -expands into broad shallows with glittering sand bars, on which eager -groups of miners are seen washing for gold. We cross a deep, cavernous -gorge of the river on a graceful steel bridge, which, though doubtless -of ample strength, yet seems of spider-web proportions, then plunge into -a dark tunnel to emerge directly amid scenery of the wildest nature, set -with huge bowlders and noisy with boiling flumes and roaring cascades, -where color, splendor, and inspiration greet us at each turn, while -every object is softened by the pale afternoon sunlight. - -By and by we pass up the valley of the Thomson River, a tributary of the -Fraser, finding ourselves presently in what is called the Gold, or -Columbian, range of mountains, a grand snow-clad series of hills. Our -route through them for nearly fifty miles is in the form of a deep, -narrow pass between vertical cliffs, forming land channels similar to -the water-ways which we have lately left behind us in the Alexander -Archipelago. - -At the small stations boys and girls board the cars with tiny baskets of -luscious blackberries and ripe raspberries for sale, soon disposing of -them to the passengers. These are picked within a dozen rods of the -railway track, where they are seen in great abundance. Wild flowers -beautify the roadway, among which the most attractive are the -golden-rod, the bright pink fire-weed, the towering and graceful spirea, -the wild musk with its large bell-shaped scarlet flower, the fragrant -tansy, with snow-ball clusters of white, and big patches of the tiny -wild sunflower, its petals in deepest yellow, while among the lily-pads -dotting the pools of water, orange-hued lilies are in full and gorgeous -bloom. - -The scenery is strictly Alpine, but constantly varies as our point of -view changes, and we thread miles upon miles of snow-sheds. Heavy veils -of mist fringe the mountain-tops, and the tall peaks are wrapped in -winding-sheets of perpetual snow. The rugged scenery is fine, but finer -is yet to come. Still climbing upwards, we are presently in the -Selkirks, threading tunnels, dark gorges, sombre cañons, and narrow -passes to the summit of this remarkable range, forced onward by two -powerful engines, one in the rear the other in front of the train. - -At a point known as Albert Cañon the railway runs along the brink of -several dark fissures in the solid rock, three hundred feet deep, -through which rushes the turbulent waters of the Illicilliwaet River -(“Raging Waters”). Here the cars are stopped for a few moments that the -passengers may the better observe the boiling flumes of angry waters, -flecked with patches of foam, and compressed within granite walls -scarcely twenty feet apart. - -In approaching Glacier House station, at a certain point the train -ascends six hundred feet in a distance of two miles. This is -accomplished by a zigzag course, utilizing two ravines which are -favorably situated for the purpose; the consummation is a grand triumph -of engineering skill. While passing through this winding course we are -serenaded by a chorus of dancing rapids, foaming cataracts, and rushing -cascades. Here the torrents and waterfalls are innumerable, first on one -side then on the other of our slowly-climbing train, and finally on both -the right and the left, gleaming with bright prismatic rays while moving -with tremendous impetus. Sir Donald, the highest peak of the Selkirk -Range, shaped like an acute pyramid, now comes into view, rising to -eleven thousand feet above the level of the sea, and piercing the blue -zenith with its inaccessible summit. It is named after one of the most -active promoters of this transcontinental railway. Sir Donald sends down -from its immense snowfields a ponderous glacier half a mile wide and -eight miles long, presenting most of the characteristics of such frozen -rivers, though lacking the grand effect of those so lately seen in -Alaska, where they join the ocean in partially congealed form, thus -producing thousands of icebergs. This Donald glacier is nevertheless -equal to the average of European ones. The mountain has never yet been -ascended. We were told that a thousand dollars and a free pass over the -railway for life await the successful mountain-climber who reaches the -summit. - -In making our way through Beaver Cañon and Stony Creek Cañon, the -highest timber railway bridge ever constructed is passed, three hundred -feet high and four hundred and fifty long, supported by direct uprights. -Safe enough, perhaps, but one breathes freer and deeper when it is -passed. - -It would seem as though mosquitoes could hardly thrive at such an -altitude, but their number here is myriad, and their vicious activity at -Glacier House station beggars description. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - -In the Heart of the Rocky Mountains.—Struggle in a Thunder-Storm.—Grand - Scenery.—Snow-Capped Mountains and Glaciers.—Banff Hot Springs.—The - Canadian Park.—Eastern Gate of the Rockies.—Calgary.—Natural Gas.—Cree - and Blackfeet Indians.—Regina.—Farming on a Big Scale.—Port Arthur.— - North Side of Lake Superior.—A Midsummer Night’s Dream. - - -Rogers’ Pass, at an altitude of four thousand two hundred and -seventy-five feet above the sea, is situated between two ranges of -snow-clad peaks, whence a dozen glaciers may be seen in various -directions, frigid and ponderous. - -As we came through this remarkable pass, in the afternoon, dark clouds -rapidly spread themselves over the sky, reinforced by others more dense -and threatening, engulfing us suddenly in darkness. Then the artillery -of the heavens rang out in such deafening reports as to stifle all -attempts at speech. The discharges and echoes among the gloomy gulches -and tall peaks mingled so rapidly that it was impossible to separate -cause and effect. The rain was like a cloud-burst. The sharp flashes of -lightning were so incessant and blinding that one sat with closed eyes -and bated breath. The great locomotive could barely make way on the -steep up-grade, the wheels having so much less hold upon the track when -thus submerged. Passengers looked into each other’s pale faces in fear -and amazement. Still the slow, regular _throb_, _throb_, of the iron -horse was heard through the din of the thunder and the roar of rushing -waters. We did move forward,—barely moved. To stop would be destruction; -backward impetus would instantly follow, and no brakes are powerful -enough to stop the train from a dash downward towards the plain if once -it started in that direction. But stay. Soon there came a faint glimmer -of light from out of the sky, gradually this increased, the dark pall of -the heavens was slowly removed, and the afternoon sun burst forth with -soft, ineffable beauty. The thunder sounded farther and farther away, -the echoes ceased, and the _throb_, _throb_ of the ponderous engine -steadily held the long train and forced the great load onward. - -At Field station, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, we begin an -ascent of twelve hundred and fifty feet with two powerful engines, where -the roadway is cut out of the sides of nearly perpendicular cliffs to -which it seems to cling with iron grasp, overhanging the roaring torrent -of the Kicking Horse River, which flows at a fabulous depth below. Here -we cross now and again trestle bridges, three hundred feet above some -frightful gorge, or pass over a viaduct of great span. The highest point -of the road is reached at fifty-three hundred feet above the level of -the sea, or say just one vertical mile. This extreme elevation is about -five hundred miles from Vancouver. - -The scenery at this point is grand beyond description, thrilling the -whole nervous system while we gaze at it and vainly strive to comprehend -its vastness. The very excess of emotion makes one dumb. The most -experienced traveler watches the changing scene with a vivid interest. -So wild, so comprehensive, and so startling a natural panorama is rarely -met with in any land. A longing comes over the observer to divide the -ecstasy of the moment with the loved ones left behind. No joy is -complete which is not shared; it is no hermit quality, but was born a -twin. Mountains, valleys, glacier-bound peaks, domes, spires, and -snow-capped pyramids are seen in all directions, brought out in minute -detail by the singular clearness of the atmosphere. Tall forests are -spread out far, far below our feet, the mammoth trees looking no larger -than pen handles, while the river winds like a broad silver belt through -the green sward of the valley. Thus the Canadian Pacific Railway passes -for hundreds of miles along glacial streams in full sight of the frozen -rivers which feed them. - -By and by we come in view of Castle Mountain, five thousand feet in -height, which, with a little help of the imagination, becomes a giant’s -keep, turreted, bastioned, and battlemented. At another point of view it -presents a remarkable resemblance to the grand Indian Temple of Tanjore. -A short distance farther and we reach Banff, where a couple of days were -most agreeably passed by the author. The railway station here is in the -midst of sky-piercing heights, whose first impression upon the traveler -is both solemn and lonely. To the northward stands Cascade Mountain, -nearly ten thousand feet in height; eastward is Mount Inglismaldie, -beyond which looms up the sharp cone of Mount Peechee, reaching more -than ten thousand feet into the blue ether. Close at hand rises the -thickly wooded ridge of Squaw Mountain, in whose shadow lie the -beautiful Vermilion Lakes, the home of myriads of wild geese and ducks. -Other mountains are in view, but in the memorable tableau which we -recall the grand peaks we have mentioned are the most prominent. - -This is the station for the Rocky Mountain Park, the altitude being -forty-five hundred feet above the sea. At this point the Canadian -government has established a national reservation after the plan of our -Yellowstone Park, between which and this place lies five hundred miles -of the wildest sort of country. There is no comparison between the two -parks, either in size, importance, or natural wonders. This reservation -is twenty-six miles long by ten in width, embracing portions of three -rivers, with two considerable lakes, cascades, and waterfalls. The -scenery could not be otherwise than bold, being in the midst of such a -mountain range and surrounded by such monarch elevations. Money is to be -freely expended in making good paths, together with convenient avenues -and bridges. - -The Pacific Railway Hotel at Banff is a large, admirably situated, and -picturesque establishment, designed to accommodate from two to three -hundred guests at a time, and is especially patronized by Canadian -bridal parties. The view from it is superb, commanding the winding -course of the Bow River and valley for miles, with the many adjacent -mountains. The river pours swiftly down from its sources among the snow -fields, and plunges seventy feet over rock and precipice close beside -the hotel, passing almost beneath our feet as we stand upon the broad -piazza, gazing in admiration at the grand scenic carnival, and listening -to the thrilling anthem of the rushing waters, while breathing the soft -aroma of the Douglas pine and cedar forests which cover the surrounding -slopes. The region in proximity to the hotel will give the lover of -fishing ample sport. Trout of large size abound in Devil’s Lake near at -hand. A guest brought in forty pounds of this gamey fish, caught in two -hours’ time in the lake, while the author was at Banff. Wild sheep and -mountain goats abound in the neighboring hills, while bears are more -numerous than is desirable. Wildcats, mountain lions, deer, and caribou -are also frequently shot by the hunters. The restriction as to use of -firearms which is established in the Yellowstone Park does not apply in -this region. Sportsmen roam where they please and freely hunt the wild -animals which roam in this section of the country. Good roads and bridle -paths take one in all directions among some of the finest scenery of the -Rocky Mountains, where we watch the morning sun dispel the mist which -floats upward and away, disclosing the snow-decked peaks in their virgin -whiteness blushing roseate tints at the ardor of the sun. - -This is called the eastern gateway to the Rocky Mountains, through which -the grand Bow River flows on its diversified journey of fifteen hundred -miles to Hudson Bay. - -There are extensive hot springs on the eastern slope of what is known as -the Sulphur Range, some six thousand feet above the sea level. They are -at different elevations, and have good bathing-houses erected over them, -in charge of courteous attendants. One of the springs is inside of a -dome-roofed cave, which is a favorite resort of visitors to Banff. The -medicinal character of these springs is considered so important that an -iron pipe two miles in length conducts their heated waters for use at -the hotel, the normal temperature being sustained by metallic coils of -superheated steam. It rains much and often in this region. The weeping -clouds make one feel rather gloomy, purely out of sympathy for their -ceaseless tears, but when the sun finally asserts his power and lifts -the misty veil, then come forth in hold contrast silvery, sparkling, -sky-reaching mountains, covered with their frosty mantles, together with -richly wooded valleys and river-threaded cañons, opening views of -unrivaled sublimity and grandeur. - -At Anthracite, five hundred and seventy miles from Vancouver, we are -forty-three hundred and fifty feet above the sea. Here are the -remarkable coal mines located in the Fairholme Range, a true anthracite -of excellent quality and of great importance to the railway. The pass -through which the road takes us is four miles wide, great masses of -serrated rocks rising on either side, back of which mountains tower -above each other as far as the eye can reach, forming long vistas of -lofty elevations so numerous as not to bear individual names. - -At Calgary, about a hundred miles farther eastward, we are still -thirty-four hundred feet above the sea. This is a particularly handsome -and thriving young town, scarcely four years old, but containing three -thousand inhabitants. It is pleasantly situated on a hill-girt plateau, -in full view of the jagged peaks of the Rockies, thirty or forty miles -away, and which, as we look back upon them, form a vast blue and white -crescent extending around the western horizon. Two placid rivers, the -Bow and Elbow, wind through the broad green valley, adding a charming -feature as they mingle with the tall waving grass. Here cattle and sheep -ranches abound, extending westward to the very foot-hills of the great -mountain range, and stretching far away to the southward a hundred and -fifty miles to the United States boundary line. We were told that the -cattle and horses ranging over this space would aggregate two hundred -thousand head. - -As we passed through the Province of Alberta at night, occasionally jets -of flaming natural gas, which finds vent through the soil from -reservoirs located at unknown depths, were burning brightly to light us -on the way. This gas, so liberally supplied by nature free of cost, is -utilized to create a motive power at Langevin, where it pumps water for -the use of the railway. Representatives of the aboriginal Cree and -Blackfeet tribes form picturesque groups along the railway line, -composed of barbarous, uncleanly looking squaws and bucks, the latter -only kept from the warpath by the presence of the efficient mounted -police. - -The contrast presented in emerging from the mountain ranges on to the -level country is very remarkable. For hundreds of miles we pass through -an almost uninhabited, treeless country, a long, long reach of prairie -as boundless as the sea, and where no more of human life is seen than on -the ocean. There are no hills, scarcely any undulations; the sun rises -apparently out of the ground in the early gray of the morning, and sets -in the endless level of the prairie at night. Small stations, twenty or -thirty miles apart, have been built by the Canadian Pacific Railway -Company, consisting of a dwelling-house and a water-tank for the -necessary supply of its engines, but the line is thus characterized -through a thousand miles, where there is no way travel, and no local -business, outside of its own necessities. The inference is plain that it -crosses this distance at extraordinary expense, which must be supported -by the terminal business on the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the road. - -The Cree and Blackfeet tribes are said to have no religion and few -superstitions, being a restless, dangerous race, ranking very low in -point of intelligence, even as savages. The efforts of the missionaries, -we were told, have entirely failed to civilize or even permanently to -improve the condition of the two tribes we have named. The women are -hideously ugly, smeared with vermilion, and weighed down with cheap -brass rings and bracelets of the same metal. The one article of sale -offered to the traveler by these tribes is the polished horns of the -buffalo, picked up upon the vast prairies of this region where they have -been bleaching for many years. These are colored black by some process, -and when highly polished are mounted in pairs, as they are placed by -nature on the animal’s head. - -At Regina, eleven hundred miles from Vancouver, we are still two -thousand feet above the sea. This is the capital of the Province of -Assiniboia, situated in the centre of an almost boundless plain. Here -are the headquarters of the Northwestern Mounted Police, a very -necessary military organization of a thousand men, distributed over this -region to look after the Indians, who are ever ready to commit -depredations when they feel they can do so with impunity, and also to -preserve good order generally among the several frontier communities. It -was at Regina that Louis Riel, the principal promoter of the late -rebellion against the Dominion government, was tried and hanged not long -since. It is called here the “half-breed rebellion.” Over the -far-reaching, trackless, arid prairies, as lonely as an Egyptian desert, -the cloud effects towards the day’s close are noticeably very fine, -while the twilight lingers to the very verge of night. At times we pass -through a broad tract of land ten miles or more square, from which a -whole forest has been swept by conflagration, probably started by an -unfortunate spark from a passing locomotive, or, quite as likely, by the -carelessness of some camping party of sportsmen. These large spaces, -which would otherwise be intensely dreary, are already carpeted with a -fresh green undergrowth, with which nature always hastens to obliterate -the devastation caused by the ruthless flames. - -As our train stopped briefly at Regina a group of mounted Blackfeet -Indians dashed across the prairie and drew up near the station. A wild, -weird score of semi-savages, very picturesque in their garments of many -colors and their decorations of quills, beads, and feathers, with a -scalp hanging from the waist here and there among them. Their long, -unkempt black hair flowed all about their necks and features, which were -more or less besmeared with vermilion. Their leggings of deer-hide were -fringed on the outer side, and their leather moccasins were lashed with -deerskin thongs up the ankles. Some had stirrups, but most of them had -none, their limbs hanging free and a blanket serving for a saddle. Their -little wiry ponies were under complete control, and the riders were good -horsemen. It seemed to be some gala occasion with these Blackfeet, but -of what purport it was impossible to discover. They were evidently under -a certain degree of discipline, for at a sharp, sudden command from one -of their number they all dismounted together and stood with one arm over -their horses’ necks like so many stone statues. At that moment a lady -passenger in our car aimed her “kodak” at them, and, presto! they were -photographed in the twinkling of an eye, which, considering their -aversion to the process, was quite an achievement on the lady’s part. -These Indians are now peaceable enough, and no one fears to go among -them, but we are inclined to think, with “Buffalo Bill,” that they will -make one more desperate fight, in both Canada and the States, before -they finally give up the struggle with the white man. - -Forty miles eastward from Regina we come to Indian Head, which is about -three hundred miles west of Winnipeg, where the road passes through the -famous Bell Farm, an extremely interesting and successful agricultural -enterprise. It is managed by Major Bell, an ex-army officer of marked -executive ability, and covers an area measuring one hundred square -miles, being probably the largest arable farm in the world. Major Bell -carries on the business for an incorporated company, and devotes the -rich prairie loam, of which the soil is composed, mostly to the raising -of wheat, employing in the various departments over two hundred men. The -announced object of the company is first to bring the whole of the land -under good cultivation, at the rate of five thousand acres or more -annually, and when this is accomplished to divide the whole into two -hundred and fifty farms to be sold to the employees, each provided with -suitable dwelling-houses and buildings, all to be paid for by the -purchasers in easy annual installments; a most beneficial purpose, and -if it is fairly and honorably carried out it will be one which is -deserving of all praise. It must inevitably build up a responsible and -self-respecting community, by uniting proprietorship and domestic -relations of the most desirable character, connected with steady and -remunerative occupation. - -The country lying between Indian Head and Winnipeg is mostly of a -prairie character, rich in agricultural resources but of no special -interest otherwise. Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, is very nearly -midway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It has some twenty-three -thousand inhabitants, who live upon a site which was fifteen years ago -known as Fort Garry, only a fur-trading station, said to be hundreds of -miles from anywhere. To-day it has long, broad streets of public -buildings, fine dwelling-houses, hotels, stores, banks, and theatres, -besides large manufactories in various branches of trade. It is the -Chicago of Canada. Situated where the forests end and the prairies -begin, with river navigation in all directions, and with railways -radiating from it towards all points of the compass, everything tends to -make Winnipeg the commercial metropolis of the British possessions in -the Northwest. Main Street, Winnipeg, is a fine boulevard one hundred -feet wide and two miles long, lined from end to end with attractive -buildings. One practice observed here recalled the native city of -Jeypoor, India, namely, the driving of single oxen to harness between -the shafts of light carts, the animal being guided by rope reins -attached to the horns. - -From Winnipeg to Port Arthur, which is beautifully situated on the north -side of Lake Superior, the route is through a country characterized by a -maze of forests, lakes, and rivers; a region more than half wilderness. -Few evidences of civilization are found hereabouts; the primeval forest -is full of game, the streams abound in fish, and the ponds are covered -with wild fowl. Occasionally a group of Indian wigwams is seen, or a -lone native Chippeway paddling his birch canoe. Now and again a hunter’s -camp is passed, whose occupants come down to the railway to see the -passing train, and who eagerly seize upon any current newspaper which -thoughtful passengers toss to them from the car windows, a courtesy they -gratefully acknowledge cap in hand. - -Port Arthur, just one thousand miles from Montreal, is admirably -situated on Thunder Bay, where the view is striking and beautiful, -overlooked by the bold headland known as Thunder Cape, which rises -fourteen hundred feet above the surface of the lake. Just upon the edge -of the horizon is seen Silver Islet, which has heretofore proven to be -one of the richest silver mines known to our times; but the mine is now -hopelessly submerged, its tunnels and shafts flooded beyond relief by -the waters of Lake Superior. These broad waters are dotted with white -sails, and streaked with the long black lines of smoke trailing after -huge steamers. - -From here, for more than one hundred miles, the sharp curves of the -great lake on its northern shore are closely followed by the Canadian -Pacific Railway, and here the engineer’s skill has been wonderfully -displayed in surmounting apparent impossibilities. We were told that it -cost more per mile to build this portion of the road than it did to lay -the rails through an equal distance in the difficult passes of the Rocky -Mountains. The roadway is sometimes cut through solid rock, and -sometimes an abrupt cliff is tunneled, from whence we emerge to leap -across a deep ravine upon a wooden trestle of frightful curve and great -elevation. And so we rush onward through unbroken forests and scenery of -wildest aspect among barren rocks, scorched trees, and dense thickets of -scrub on our homeward way. - -Having thus brought the patient reader so nearly back to the -starting-point, and among scenes so familiar, we leave him to finish the -journey to Boston by way of Ottawa and Montreal. - -The distance traveled in making this round trip to Alaska and back, over -the course pursued by the author, is something over ten thousand miles, -but when successfully consummated it is difficult to realize that such a -long route has been passed over. Great are the modern facilities for -travel, and great are the inducements. It is the only royal road to -learning, the kindergarten of ripened intelligence, so to speak. We -recall nothing of the fatigue or the inevitable mishaps of the journey. -It is the charming experiences alone which become indelible. We behold -again the many populous cities through which the route has taken us, and -see once more in imagination the active villages, peculiar races of -people, grazing herds, rushing cascades, sombre gorges, mysterious -geysers, snowy mountain ranges, uncouth totem-poles, myriads of -icebergs, and mammoth glaciers. To look back upon the experiences of the -journey as a whole is like recalling a midsummer night’s dream, replete -with delightful scenery and crowded with wonderful phenomena. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - BOOKS OF TRAVEL. - - PUBLISHED BY - - MESSRS. HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO. - - BOSTON AND NEW YORK. - - -Africa. - - The Far Interior. From the Cape of Good Hope to the Lake Regions of - Central Africa. By Walter Montagu Kerr. With Map and Illustrations. - 2 vols. 8vo, $9.00. - - My Winter on the Nile. By Charles Dudley Warner. New Edition, - revised. 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