Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-24
River Scenery of Alaska.

lJobn Muir in San Francisco Bulletin
Alaska Is covered with net work of deep
COOL perennial streams, that flow on, ever fresh
ana sweet, through grassy plains and messy
boys and rock bound glacial canons telling
everywhere, all the way down to the sea, how
bOuntiful are the clouds that fill their annie
fountains. Some 80 or 40 rivers have been dis
covered In the territory, the number varying as
The smaller ones have been called rivers or
creeks. oy the map makers, but not one of them
ali, from the mighty Yukon, 1000 miles long, to
the shortest OF the mountain torrents falling
White from the glaciers, has thus far been ex-
plOfed. Dali kennicOtt and others have done
gtod WORK on the ukOn, and miners. trapperS
and traders have been over most of the retrion
in rambling way, and each have brought in
detached bits OF river knowledge. which, though
too often misty and uncertain have been nut
together IN maps that are better than nothing
The coast line in particular. with the mouths
and lower reaches OF the rivers has been fairly
drawn, but their upper courses are In a great
part invisible, like mountains with their heads
In cloud. Perhaps about 20 OF the Alaska
rivers are hundred miles or more in length.
Inc Yukon drains about as large an area as
tnat drained by all the other streams of the ter
rit0ry combined, flowing through British terri
tory Tor distance OF 600 or 200 miles in gene
raj northweSterly direction, then approaching
the Alaska boundary near Fort Yukon, it turns
abruptly TO the left, and purSleS Southwestern
ly course across the territory to the Behring
sea, in latitude about 62 deg. 80 min. 1t is a
oroad, majestic flood, scarce at all Interrupted
by rapids, nearly 20 miles wide I'm some place.
and nayigable for nghtdraft steamers about
1900 mileS-a noble companion Of the great Mac
kenZle, the two heading together In the smooth
ly sculptured Rocky mountain plateau.
The largest OF these rivers whose sources all
lie within the bounds Of Alaska, is the Kusko-
quinn, which flows into the bay OF that name In
Latitude GO deg, and is supposed to be about $40
or 600 miles In length.
The Stckine is perhaps better known than
any other river In Alaska, because of its being
the way back TO the Cassiar gold mines. 1t Is
about $50 or 400 miles long, and navigable for
steamers C1pnOra mill
nrst In general westerly direction through
grassy, undulatlnS plains, darkened here and
there WITH patches OF eyergreens, then curving
southwark, and receiving numerous trtbuta-
rieS from the north it enters the coast range
and sweeps across 1t to the sea through a YoSe-
mite valley more than hundred miles long
from 1000 TO 5000 feet deep. marvelously beau
tiful and inspiring from end to end. To the
appreclatlVe tourist sailing up the river through
e Ia mdSt OF IL all, the canon for distance
pictures. an unbroken series OF malectIc
mountains, glaciers, falls, cascades, forests
groves; foWery garden spots, grassy meadows
In endless variety OF form and composition
furniture enough for dozen YOsemites-
while back OF the walls, and thousands of
eet above them. 1nnumerable peaks and spires
and domeS OF Ice and snow tower grandly into
the sky. Sailing along the river the views
Change with magical rapidlty. Wondrous, too
are the changes dependent on the weather.
AyalancheS from the heights, booming and re-
sounding from side to side; storrn-winds from
the Arclic highlands, sweeping the canon like a
HOOD, and Killing The air with ice dust; rocks
glaciers and forests in Spotless white. In spring
The chanting OF cascades the gentle breathing
OF warm winds, the opening of leaves and
flowers, birds building their nests. hundred
acre fields OF wild roses coming into bloom. aad
taDgles OF bramble and buckle berry, swatas OF
birch and willow creeping up the lower slopes
or the walls after the melting snow, massive
cumui piled about the highest peaks, gray
rain clouds Wreathlng the outstanding bro.s
and battlementS OF the walls. Then the bre Ak
Ing forth Oh the sun on 1t all; the shining OF the
wet leaves, and the river, and the crystal
spires OF the glaciers; the looming of the white
domes In the azure, the serene cOlor-grandeur
morning and evening, changing in glorious har-
mony through all the seasons and years