Middletown transcript., 1869-07-03
Tbe GJrauellrr.
ALASKA.
AN ENGLISH TRAVELLERS REPORT

Mr.. Frederick Whympcr, young and
energetic English traveller, has published
Gin England1 book of Travel and Ad-
venture in the Territory of Alaska, of
which the Saturday Review has published
review, speaking in favorable terms of
try and perseverance of the author. From
this paper We extract Il few passages,
which are of the more interest to us owing
to the fact that any disinterested iuforma-
ton concerning our new possession from
American sources can hardly be expected
for the present:
By the cession of Alaska, Russia has
not only enriched her cxchequer to the
extent of seven million dollars, but has
rid herself of an isolated possession of
dubious valhe. On the other hand, up
ward of four hundred thousand square
miles Of territory have been added to the
already vast domain Of Uncle Sam. Much
hostile criticism was spent at first upon
this bold and independent speculation Of
Mr.. Seward. "Our new possession of
Walrussia" figured in many smart cpl
y,
however, the tide of popular opinion has
turned, now that Amrican enterprise has
fairly begun to develop the resources of
the country. Coal has been discovered
at Cooks Inlet, and an important find of
gold on the Tagus river has set the cur
rent of adventure violently in that direc-
ton. Many there are who see in this
purchase but the first move toward an
American occupation of the whole conti-
nent. Canada and all British North
America will, they think, sooner or later,
be merged in the United States. Some,
like our author, hold that such transfer
ence would be for the advantage of those
dependencies. However that may be,
there can be no doubt of Walrussia being
destined to cut figure in the history of
the New World. Already has the capital
Sitka, sprung from the proportions of Il
fishing-village to those of thriving city
of two thousand souls, where the loca-
tions, or plots of ground, command Cali
fornian prices For small Lighthouse
ten thousand dollars have been asked
This city, we are told, enjoys the unen-
viablc position of being about the rainiest
place in the world. 1t does not, however,
rain quite all the year round, or, like an
other country with which we have become
familiar nearer home, e whiles it snaws. :"
The climate is by no means severe
the thermometer seldom falling below
twenty degrees of Fahrenheit. The puffs
of the United States press concerning the
agricultural resources of their new acqui-
sition, Mr.. Whymper declares, are all
moonshine. A few potatoes and beans
and such like vegetables may be grown
there, but g there is not an acre of grain
in the country" Next to furs and min
eral wealth, the fisheries bid fair to be the
most productive branch of commerce.
Salmon so abound in the rivers as during
spring-time to impede the passage of boats.
They are driven to shore by the wind
in heaps. They often run in size to the
length of five feet. From one hundred
thousand to one hundred and fifty thou
sand of these fish are exported annually
to the Sandwich Islands and elsewhere.
Deer and game of many kinds may be
had for the asking, and the bears are in
Vulnerable. Owing to this abundance of
food, the natives are the LATEST of sava-
ges The Kalosh Indians, who inhabit
the coast between the Stekino and Chilcat
rivers, have bad reputation, and are by
no means a prepossessing people. They
are fond of painting themselves in red,
black, or blue stripes and patches. Their
huts or shauties are of the common Es-
quimaux type, with a passage under
ground from the main chamber to the
sleeping room. The smokehole being
most commonly closed by deerskin,
while men, women, children, dogs, dried
skins, fish, and ofal are heaped together
in indiscrimimate masses, the atmosphere
is hardly to be imagined. Their canoes,
of birch-bark, and their skin baidarkes"
(kyacks,) are not equal to those of Nor
ton Sound and the northern coast. Their
burials are peculiar Graves being hard
to dig in the frozen ground, most of the
tribes burn their dead. The ashes arc