The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-06

sstng Of Lieutenant Collins, l. MacRae, A. 3 Arnold
W W. Robinson, Alexander Harder and Johh DAVIS
fitted and sailed In the schooner Milton Badger
on the 2lst OF August small party was also detailed
10 ascend Mount Varstovoi for the purpose OF mak9g
baromercal observations and measurements ana reIui
nand Beschon left at stka to continue tho ooserva
tions commenced by Dr. Fisher
DEPARTURE yRon TTKA-ooKisAK ISLAND .
On the 22d OF August 1895, the steamer Georges
Wright took the bark Golden Gate IN tow and started lor
Fort q Michael sailing nor,hward from sitka no land
until The 2sth, when they found themselves on
0oknak Island lying in latitude so degrees north long
tude 1855 degrees 80 minutes west They remained IN
sight OF this island throughout the day. II Is low and
comparatively level at Its southern extremity, but win
high cliffs and bold rocky shores at ts northern point
rich green vegetation which gives II an appearance slm
lar the rolling lands Of Lower California The Russian
American Company have a small post the northeast
side OF the island but export from only the iur OF tho
ground rat, marmot called by them "Ivraska, with
which they stocked me island some years since INC
company also use this post as sort OF penal settlement
to which sent the most dssoutc females, half breeds
and natives from their various posts
On the Goth Of August they found themselves among
the Choumagim group OF islands discovered by Bchrng
during his second voyage And on the 30ih thoy an
chored small but wen protected harbor on the north
side OF Oonga Island The island IL occupied only S
small post OF the Russian American Company which s
established the southeastern side. The companys
vessels stop here for coal which, though OF rather poor
quality, abundant and accessible In the harbor An
entire day spont here In making soundngs ana eN-
poring the island No trees werr seen upon any portion
Of ii, though they must have been abundant Formerly,
entire stumps st standing and bearing plainly ho
| marks Of the axe or other sharp instruments such
traces Of race civilized than tho Indian tribes al
| present iounn are saln 70 DC frequent upoh "'
this group Tho soil OF the island is OF clayey chhrar-
| ter ana produces dense rank grass Tho clis and
peaks are sharp and barren Their sides composed OF CO
| m ned gravel and lava
Of IT, found quite extensive lake OF fresh water
while numerous small streams empty into the bay from
various directions Specimens OF milk and orange
coored onyx and agate found the pebbles on
the beach while In the OF the cin slaacttes,
quartz crystals ceobte and magniyng eldspar are nr
/ merous On the southern end of the island, near
Otsherdnski Bay the cliff OF clay mixed with oxide
Of lron from which the natives of the adjoining Islands,
by washing and burning manufacture various cgorcd
! ochrc for their domestic Copper and petroleum
were found by members Of the expedition; the Inter
| very abundant
rated from the mainland by CONFUSION oi nature,
| and various evidences Of volcanic action are plainly
snpe and evidence Of the existence OF any animals
the fox The waters OF the bay abound In goldfish
and founders, while In the small streams aud the lake
trout plentiful On the beach opposite 10 the
chorage stood small log house, within which, written
In chalk notice that the tenants had left for Ooki
max Not far from tho house was solitary grave, with
the inscription Here lies the body OF Ivan Barkonsk,
| KILLED on tho 2lst OF June, 1865 The result OF ,h.
soundinss and exploration shows hne haroor. which
will be very convenient place Of meeting or recruit
| ing for vessels In their northern Journeys
| A .rRistg nlKcoSTorv.
| Leaving tho following note, addressed To Prince Max
conto the expedition proceeded ON lis journey the 3ls'
To pmrcr MAmcosror,, Goy.rnor OF hussan America,-
q pan Socs Tgaps coany nd
NJ scammon, Chief Of Marine
wnshs arrived here Angus, % agd si August 81 1884 20
hSccilsney =. that place Al we on board both vessels
The Princess Makoon,on well on the ah of Augus
new sylo having given birth 10 daughter on July
| MousT sHnHALDNsn
Len the 4th, they saw for the first time Mount She
sbadins eight thousand seven hundred and any fee, in
height bearing northwest by north Surrounded by other
peaks of height II lifts s craggcd wcovernd
far above the most lofty Of them For two days they
uarp t.ptly IN Higbi af ma mt
watching it's hourly changing appearance Now they
what seemed TO be Gothic castle, with towers battle
sibe peak and again tho clouds would weaihe ihfm,
selves about in the most fantastic snaps TO which the
sun gave varying tnts and hues There can be no
andcr scenery among the snow-cappcd paks winch
dot the mainland Of Aaska and the adjacent Islands To
| the norhward OF Mount sheshaldnski was volcano,
from the summit of which cloud OF smoke, nov white
| and noecy, and now denasy black, constantly issued
added to the picturesque beauty Of the scenery.
| TIM ALkuTiks rI.Asns.
| During tho two days In which the battling winds pre-
vented their northward passage they were within Sigh,
| OF magnificent scenery The winds changing, however
the 9th Of September they passed through Ook max
strait between the island Of the and oona-
| Iaska The land each ade N comparatively ios,
though with bold shores the higher slope covered With
With the aid OF glass could sec that the soil
was coy~od with lava nj the distance of many miles
the only visible volcano Whether Mount sheshal-
dinsk N an active volcano II impossible 10 deter
mine. Authorities dier upon this point 0onalaska
and the other Alcutlan Islands have been but little ex
Tiorcd and described, and are only known 70 Russian
and American naygaiors In few landing placcs Though
fur trade among this group, yet neither they the
| Acutians know much 81 their agricultural or mineral
From the reports Of the few naialisis Who
have visited them they are supposed 10 be nch IN iron
and copper aud porhals precious metals LagDskin al
| explorer OF the Russian Anrn an Company, says that
aneihysts Of the most brilliant found Va the
creyoes Of the rocks and that specimens ~ ztcon are
| not ubfrcqucnt
nationality aud becoming civilized by intercourse and IN
termarrage with the Russians They are an Intelligent
and doce of people quirkiy aud easily adopting the
habits and customs of foreigners and quite superior
In every respect 10 the nations found further down upon
the eoast ~ America Large numbers of these people
have been added Greek Church and there are but
few relies of heatbensn To- be found among tbcm and
th-u. ony in form OF Larue suter. ions Tho tfudo
Of the Russian American Cofnrany hero Principally Ia
otter sesom rat and small fu Tho Ifobhov gtonp
of which = psns forms one contains. pslhap- The m -
valuable Of all the posts Of The HIeian America Com
pany All the for seal here obtained aud prepared
| for market.
| aNuvsL Al purr IT. srnau.
on tho l2th of September they entered Norton sound
| and on tho 18Th anchored on fort a Michael The
country on the northern aide of Norton round s com
paraiNcy low destitute Of tr-es AZ far a. seen but
| covered with hgh, fenss srakA Tho sumniis ~ the
| ospes and headIands do no, present Tho rough and
cr.gged app Of thore farther SOUTH though the
mountain range, seen IN the distance no. and hen
interpreted with snow covered peak The water
throughout the whole extent 81 the Sound quite shs
low, rarely exceeding fourteen fifteen lsinoms and
aycras ng probably no more than nine or ten Al iet
rnmeaslrably relieved on their arrival a. hLd Mr. Ken
niooit and other ts-sngers O the a~aing them
They had been much dsappontsd not having seen or
| heard anything of The steamer tlpoe August 81 They
found here however, all tho orders nooo.-ary for the
hbg OF the Krcbpas exploring Party and At once
| proceeded TO land men and stores ms hafbor 10 "a
poorly sheltered that the landing Of 40 large quantity
~ st0rea could not b. accomplished sbout much am
Guilty though frum the great ~ the officers chAcd
with this duty only slight dsmsre va done The sork
occupied only two day, all parties isbofing hsfmo
| nioasiy and unuringy
r1 rISsIr,s urnuso rIyrr
Tho party here landed under charge ~ MAJOR X Ken
nicott and c0nslstibg of Mesera. " n Ennis ftn~ G.
Denn,on, Jo.. r D,s'' And ,ss o,hsr. ,sre eh.ts.a
aud u hoped would 10 abb. " fern Junction 9th
the British Columbia party whbh left ran frhneisfo 10
May The party sdmirabiy eauipfsd, and tssil~s
large quantity a stores, furnished -lth small
! steamer, the Lime H0rnef
In addition W the party under MAJOR ksnnico hs'ys
Bcan and Bsnni-ter lsf ehArs u t1n atafss.
and we're comfortably domced With the hupsfinsn9 eht
of the P0st Mr. Htspsnor who seemed snilnas 70 Ases
| the erpsdltl0n n every to.slhie say