Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-14
Interesting Le,ler rrom AIaskn.

A gentleman in this city has permitted
us to make the following extract from Q
letter received from friend of his so
iourning in Alaska, which is interesting
You ask my opinion of Alaska. II
would take hours 10 give clear and
comprehensive account Of the wonders
of our new white elephant Everything
is new and unique, but at the same time
many things are far from pleasant.
Once might do for cruising there, af-
fording novelty enough to recompense
one for the dangers and privations en-
countered, but / certainly think one pill
of that kind of medicine is dose.
Alaska may, and probably does, have
a political Importance, which may result
in our possessing eventually British Co
lumbia, really valuable possession.
This latter country is now almost en-
tirely surrounded by American posses
sions, and it seems like ripe pear ready
to drop into the lap of Uncle Sam. But
Alaska itself does not amount to hill
of beans. The climate is not very wet.
They have in Sitka, latitude SO 02 W.,
about thirty or forty clear days in year
The rest of the time it rains and blows a
perfect Cape Horn,
We all get wrong impressions of the
cold Of Alaska 1t is not as cold in Sitka
as it is in New York. | wintered in
Sitka, and the lowest we had the ther-
mometer was 250 above zero. But, hea-
vens! didn't it blow2 Four anchors
would sometimes drag.
The Indians of the main land of Alaska
are fair representation of the Indian
race generally. They lie, steal, cheat
and cut up all the genteel deviltry any
Indian can indulge in, with this differ
ence, however the Indians of Alaska are
kind to their women, performing much
of the drudgery of bringing wood and
water, etc, themselves. In this they
differ very materiallyfrom their brethren
of the plains.
] visited an Alaska Indian tent once,
and saw an Indian rocking, kissing and
fondling his babe, while bis squaw was
giving him Hail Columbia with her
tongue. | declarei it was SO Anglo-Saxon
and life-like it made me home-sick.
The Seal Islands Of st. Paul and st.
George are a source Of great and never
ending wonder; not in themselves, but
from the habits and manners of the mil
lions of seals visiting them yearly.
The animals are more than hnman in
their habits and instincts. / consider
myself fair navigator, but in dead
reckoning am perfectly willing to knock
under to the seal. They come in the
spring from, no one knows where, and
never miss their land fall; and after
spending the summer on the islands they
90, no one knows where, Their distri-
button Of themselves into families, their
attention TO their young, their police
regulations and manipulation Of affairs
generally. certainly make evident the
fact that instinct is superior TO reason
very ofteH.
On the vast chain of islands extend
ing a thousand miles. in crescent form,
toward Asia (Aleutian Islands,, are
found the most wonderful people / ever
saw. They are evidently Of Mongolian
origin, and we're undoubtedly brought
from Japan OF China. This seems the
most probable view Of the case, as the
great Japan current sweeps around
these islands, and junks from Japan
have been wrecked here in late years.
These Aleuts are pious, belong TO the
Greek Church, read and write Russian,
play chess, and are amiable, docile,
easily governed, and honest Money in
an Aleut village is as safe without lock
as with.