New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-15

SIN: gl.nee at the numerous newspaper cOli
r0spta On the addition Of this territory TO tho
Tinted States shows many absurd and gross mis-
ttos and suc total ignorance Of the real character
Of tho country that must ask your permission to
clear away some Of this nonsense by fair statement
Of facts which have come under my observation
while travelling through this part OF North America
As have crossed Russian America in Its widest
mart from the sea TO within few miles OF Its east
ern boundary, and have visited Sitka ana o'hcI
points of interest, my word is perhaps not wltou'
some weieht-moreover as an one OF the only lo'r
white men, and the only american citizen WHO nus
done So
As TO the following statements and the speiiins u
TIE names especially viii answer Tor tneir 0oAi'''
ness (if correctly printed.
In no printed article yet have l seen name CUT
rsotly spelled. and very seldom twice alke'
suKA.
Tbe town of Sitka OF more properly. New-Archan-
eel ia situated in BaronoG Island in Stka Bay Al
Ia composed of some fifty log houses. wei hmSheu
.ca comfortable. ipclosed by stockade. Outside
tbi toclads is large village of the Kalosh tribe OF
indians They are treacherous, bold. and the most
Objectionable Indians in the Territory. The town.
built on and around an elevated rock and Is wen de-
Tended by a heavy battery OF old fashioned guns
The climate is warm end moist. The harbor is one OF
the best on the Pacific coast; entirely Enclosed by
Islands; is never frozen INSTRUCTED by ice. The
hills or low mountains Just back of the town are
covered with q dense growth of timber OF large
size and so thick aud luxdriant aS to be almost I'M
penetrable The only drawback on the beauty OF
the place is tho literally constant rain One
day in q week fair and clear is q rarity,
Complaints com aud bronchial diseases, and also
with the well-known scOurge OF savage trI0es Wnen
brought into contact with whites Saln&n ci de no
quality abound in profusi0n, as also otler rsh; oeeI
may easily DO obtained with n niue Uoheej anu u
game birds eau be shot hundred yards mop , 5e
stockade. Potatoes Of medium sze barley anu ni9st
Summer vegetables, can be grown here, but snher
for sunlight and with the excess OF ram.
TIE ALEUTIAS ISLANDS
ara many of them barren, volcanic islands, but
among them alO some fertile, and possessing eo0d
harbors. Tie most Important Of these Is VL INA
lashka where there is Russian post, a tTst rate
harbor and good soil Cattle have been kept EeIe'
and potatoes and other vegetables grown
TIE ISLAND or SAINT PAUL. ,
IN Pehring Sea. a barren rock frequented only by
sea-brds and seal has for years past been 81 more
value TO the Rrssan-Amerean lIuT COMPANY r man
ali the lest of its urproducing couptry AZ certain
seasons tile fur-seal resorts 70 IL iof DIee1e' anu
The valuable skins obtained here are numbered ny
the hundred thousand. Previously ihOiscrinlhal9
slanrhter Of these animals nearly eXternllnateu
them but. by the wise policy OF The K9SSlip Ieil-
besn Killed and their numbers have wonderfully
augmented. II Government allows free-traQerS, lh-
Unfortunately to kill these valuable animals, they
will Soon as in the past, become SO rare as TO destroy
Russian post is situated on this island and issup-
piled with provisions annually and with wafer by
catching tbe rain The other small islands are an
nnally Visited except St Lawrence Island, the larg
est in Behring sea, where INC natives pave "a 'hA
felsely obtained reputation for treacheEy and even
THE PENINSULA OF ALASKA
Ihave not visited and is little known, but from oh
serYations made while cOasting along IT'S shores l
believe it to be barren and principally composed OF
finest Of Which, Mount SheshadinsEy near the Ou-
max PesS, is visible on passing by tue usual course
from the Pacific to the Behrns sea. IL is gu active
nit to base, presents the blackneSs OF desoation and
Is extinct.
and principal territory of Russian America; extends
from Norton sound TO tie Hudson's Bay Territory,
0d ssd S PG %p ca 70 BeRns Strait
1t is enormously and absurdy referred TO- ny
almost every writer have seen as a trGeess stepRe
On the contrary, il is we'll watered well wooded
rolling country cast of Norton Sound. crowded with
OTeat paTf are covered thicLy with spruce birch
and poplar nearly to the top Is drained 6y three
river systems. one flowing into the Polar Sea- one
into Norton Sound, aud the last and greatest into
Behring Sea, south Of Norton sound
The northern watershed is frozen for eight months
insignificant. That into Norton Sound of still less
Importance A tract Of m9untainous country seIaIt.
Russian America This tract is about 200 miles In
breadth and generally wooded.
THE RIVER YOUKON
takes its rise near the boundaries Of British Colum
6a and rms through about 200 miles Of British ter
Titory before entering Nu55l3n america; W. re,
within hu dred miles of the boundary line, nc IS
met by the POIeupine Tor Rat River from the north
east and, taking southwest course FOR 20 miles u
passes through low, level PLAIN. bounded by low
bills so miles away but gradually rising IN hight
and coming together finally the river, previously
from FIVE to eight miles wide and full Of islands hero
IA confined TO a narrow channel scarcely half mile
wide in many places. There arc loo miles OF these
mountains close to the river and they are known 10
the English traders as the RamparS. Near the end
of the Rampdrts i3 the rapid of the Lower I0ukon.
1t has however, good channel, free from rocks:
Just below this Is the point OF neutral ground called
by the Indians NEklukahyet where all the tribes
assemble to trade and enjoy their festivals IL the
Spring The point Is formed by the Iananah laver
coming in from the southeast. IL IS very large,
rapid river, with mauy rocks and some falls. 1t is
known TO the English traders as the "Gensdesbuites'
River, but the Indian name, meaning the same
thing is much mere eupL0nlOus. From TINS
point the southeast bank of the YOukOn is
generally low. with mountains in the distance, and
the northwest, right bank is high, and often
mountainous. The river widenS and continues for
nearly 800 miles III a southwest direction
Here the KoyOuknk River comes in and the YOukOn
takes sudden turn southwark, (which course II fol-
lows about 400 miles then takes west by nOrtherly
course for 200 hundred more. and enptes by dozen
mouths into the the last 200 miles the rver is
very wide and the country generally low, but not
without hills and mountains occasionally. While
running southwark it receives two rivers OF some
sze one the Takeitsky River from the east, and the
other the Anyik River from the west, distance
below the first There are also number OF small
rivers not worth enumerating here, which enter the
YoukOn between Fort YOukOn and the sea.
The principal mouths OF the YoukOn are the Koo-
syak and the Kwfchpak. In the last the Chi
pronounced in the German word "Wstcier;' not IS
In English. The Russians, ascending by the latter
mouth, naturally gave tho nanlo to the whole nyer,
but the true of the river called by SIX tribes
who inhabit it for 1000 miles is the YOukOn Great
Rver) and the Indians its banks call themselves
Iouk6a-k GtGRG, linen of tho YOukOn." The Esqui-
maux so called, who inhabt the sea coast only, gave
the other uncouth name to the principal mouth. The