Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-04-17

been observed from the time VI hotZeoue
up to the present moment.
But we have still more recent evidence
of the comparative mildness of the climate
upon the American side, even IN higher
latitude. At Point Parrow, in II degrees
north. where there is large Esquimaux
village. and where Her Majesty's ship Plo
yer wintered in 1923, her commander,
Lieut.. Pullen, reported that during the en-
tire winter tine fall Of snow did not exceed
one foot in depth, and that on the codest
day the thermometer only marked 43 degrees
below zero a degree of cold not much
greater than that which was experienced at
Quebec last winter, where. also, the entire
quantity Of snow which fell during that pc
riod was about fifteen times greater than
that reported as above to have fallen during
the winters nf 1892 > at Point Barrow, sit
uated 20 degrees further north.
OF the many large rivers winch flow
through Russian-America, none of them
have been explored to their sources; but
several Of them, such as the COlyllle, the
Stikine the Yuken or Kwichpack, and the
Kuk0kwin. are supposed to run a course of
upwards OF one thousand miles, and to be
pavigable for a considerable distance From
their breadth as we'll a. their length, and
the volume of water which they discharge
into the sea, they may certainly be Included
among rivers Of the first class. Ine Col
vile, which was discovered by Simpson and
Deese since the Convention Of 1923, Is two
; miles vide at Its mouth IN the ArtIc Sea
where Capt. Mcclure observed Its influence
/ twelve or fourteen miles out at sea, the wa
/ ter at that distance being of a dirty mud
color. and scarcely salt The Stikine enters
/ the Pacific AT 80 degrees 50 minutes north
Z L., ia - II ms
| at a distance OF 30 miles from the sea has a
width Of one mile; but its source is in Brit
ish Territory. OF the Yukcn, Or kwich-
pack, Sir John Richardson says: 1T rises
to the west of the Rocky mountains, not
| far from the Union of the Francis and Lew
| is, which forms the Pelly, flows first TO the
north, and after receiving u large trlbuta-
ry named the Porcupine, to the westward,
! falls into Behring Sea, and that In 6U
| degrees north latitude, and 1473 degrees
west longitude which is about one thou
sand miles from its mouth. 1t Is one
mile and quarter wide. These three mag
nificent rivers, falling into different seas,
| probably represent three distinct river sys-
tens of the northwest corner OF this CONT
uent, each being fed by numerous smaller,
yet considerable, streams, and the three to-
| gether draining an extent of cour try much
/
River, mentioned by Mr.. blister, of the
| Hudson Bay Company service in com
munication to the Royal Geographical So
cie'y, flows from Russian America through
! the Rocky mountains at tie first complete
break in the chain in 81 degrees north latl-
tude into the Mackenzie of the British ter
ritory, the latter having, according to Sll
| John Richardson, course of 3, 500 miles,
| 800 longer than the ST. Lawrence and
an unbroken navigation, fit for steamboats,,
| from its entrance in the Arctic Sea to the
! Portage of the Drowned, distance Of from
| twelve to thirteen hundred miles. In addl-
| ton to the Russian territory being every
where drained by the finest rivers, 1t con
tains many large lakes communicating with
| the former, and Is indented with numerous
| deep and spacious harbOrs, and also by sew
eral extensive arms of the sea. OF the lat
| ter, Cook inlet runs upwards Of two hun
| dred miles into the land, these lakes and driv-
ers, and, these inlets and harbors, may be
| viewed as very important features Of the
country. They not only assist to temper
| the climate the former by draining the land
which generally shapes towards the sea and
| towards the Mackenzie, aud the latter by
| the salt atmosphere, which their waters diff
fuse through the interior. but they tend to
enrich the soil upon the banks, by short
period Of overflow in the spring. and may
| be made to afford facilities for inter-commu-
nication, rendering accessible the most re-
tired and most sheltered valleys, and for the
| establishment and active prosecution Of an
| outward commerce.