The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-17
RUSSIAN AMERICA.

& when first visited st. petersburg, emDraceu
every opportunity to become acquainted with
Rnssian officers md parties high in authority who
were competent to- enlighten me on the su2]ect,
and studied all the maps and books that could pc
found relating to it.: $500 ..5Ts ;,
ST. Rear, Admiral Erulgh helm, now Governor or the
Anoor country, and who held the Office OF Governor
~. Russian America for FIVE years, has also given
me much valuable information. have also had
freSuent conferences with the Governor and d.
rectors Of the Russian American Company, rom
/. and general outline have been so frequently and
fully given, thai nothing need be said further as
to the location Of Russian America.
~ Commencing at 81 degrees 40 minutes north at-
tude, ON tha Pacific, the main land 1s marked oy
snccession of Islands to tho AiaRka 80 that open
boats:or small river steamers can navigate sately
between the islands and the main land. Many OF
these islands arc covered with splendid timber,
and the waters abound in fish. The coast OF the
main land is deiseIy timbered which fact was one
of the, causes winch induced the location OF the
Russian American Telegraph to be made inland,
east of the mountains.
The first river of any Importance that enters the
sea in Russian America is the Steeken, OF st.
Francis, IN about SIS degrees Of north latitude
This riyeis has been followed by our exploring
TO the cascades, where. breaks through
,fhescoast range OF mountains d1yldlng BRUSH
Columbia from Russian America. This river IS
ing the cascades it again becomes naylgabe tor
some distance toward the Rocky Mountains;
Came and Bsh are ebEndant timber good, and
gold mining has already been commenced Dy
during the fishing season. but are reported friendly,
and ANXIOUS tograde furs, ETC., for merchandise.
said that the prospect for gold on this river ls
ssquaIt the old 1849 days of California.
There are many small rivers as You ascend along
the coast, and pass over the mountains into the
Britiah possessions, and parties Of natives trade
with the interior tribes more to the east and north
Nv ioNowing the source OF these streams, and thus
arrive in the valley between the coast range aud
liver or any ny im aaa
in view of Mount sSts Elias, in about 60 degrees
north latitude, and IA degrees west longitude.
=f4Yis river is Of Importance in consequence OF It's
location and tho access it gives to the interior, as
r. unites By o lakethe waters OF the Yukon Within
1syeation rom the coast on the Pacific BY. way OF
fhaE Yukon and lKnitchpek, to Behring's Sea, thus
giving easy access through large part OF the
southwest limb Of this country. Next comes Cooks
Inlet and river entering into it, which the Rus
sians sAmerican Company use in connection with the
Kooskovine, to reach the Knitchpek and Fort st.
After passing the Peninsula of Alaska, we find
q consid derable stream entering into Bristol Bay
This stream, by system OF lakes, ls said to con-
nact with Cook inlet Next in order comes the
iK0oskoYines, q river Of considerable magnitude,
and Of importance to the country in giving access
tofhe Interior. This section Of the country gives
considerable trlde to the Russian American COM
,pany5and in which they have trading stations.
Tha largest, most important, and the chief and
queen of ali the rivers west Of the Rocky Noun
tains, and north of 46 degrees north latitude, is
The great Knitchpek, which enters into Behring's
Sea between 64 and IS degrees north latitude, by
several months and on the parallel Of 165 degrees
west longitude This great river has an easterly
course FOR some FIVE degrees, then bends abruptly
TO the north scme four degrees, thence nearly east
to point not ar distant from the British frontier,
where it receives the Porcupine or Rat River from
tha innction Of these two rivers form Ithe Knitch
nek Fl r. nayieable to the sea, distance Of 1000
miles for steamboats, This river had never been
soan Rv Iyhita men In its whole course previous to
eTnIorstions for the construction of the Russian
American telegraph in fact, on many maps the
iYnlnn was traced as an affiuent OF ON ina inary
.;uar amntv;nsr into the Arctic Ocean, but the eX-
,Iorations iaYs determined great geographical
fact which places the Knitchpek at the head of all
1vers On The northwest coast, and giving Russian
Amarica the largest river north of 40 degrees.
17As We proceed north through Behring's Strait,
and enter. the, Arctic Ocean, we find kotzebue
Sound which is fed BY considerable river, On
which ia large population: here is found like on
the coast OF the Arctic Siberia, extensive deposits
of animal renains where fossil ivory NAV become,
as in Siberia an article of valuable commerce
and beyond Point Barrow thc ColyilIe River enters
Garrison Bay. This river has it's main course to
the south, and the natives report it navigabe and
inhabited from point not far from the northern
bend Of the Knitchpek to the sea.
Fort Yukon the head station Of the Hudson Bay
Company, west Of the Rocky Mountains, is OF
Rnssian TERRITORY. This fact has not been estab-
lished by Government survey, vet It is well known
to both Russia and England No difficulty has