Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-09-25
EXPLORATIONS.
The Alaskan Exploring Expedition Re-
port Progress.
Mt. st. Elias Assembled to n Height Be-
yond All Alpine Records.

NEw YORK, Sept 20-In letter to tbs
Lieutenant Schwatka says: r
''The Times Alaskan expedition was left al
Icy Bay on July H. by the U. S. steamer Pints
ana began survey of that bay at once, VIII
preparations for explorations in The ST. Ellai
Alps, on and about Mt st. Elias, which great
mountain was atterward ascended TO helgh'
apove the snow level, greater than was evei
made before above that line by Alpine
climbers. ley Bay is a mere indentation on
the Alaskan coast, some fifty 10 sixty miles
west OF lakutsk Bay, and would have no ex1
lstencc were il not for an immense glacier
emana,ing from Mt. st, Elias and jutting OUT
INTO the Pacific Ocean far enough to make the
western side of the bay. On Monday MORN
ing, July ~, the expedition for the explora-
1on of the mountains got under way,
The course mt first lay up the eastern shore or
tho bay to where the Indians said n large
river came in AT the head of the bay, thence
up this river to where 1t came from under
the ice OF immense glaciers, or as far as the
nakutsk Indians ever go,wben hunting bears,
mountain goats, and the like, and hence 10
Inc base OF Mount st. Elias. Ats:3O O'Clock
the party struck a small river, fifty Or seventy
nve yards wide, which had TO be forded md
die deep in ice water from the glacier The
next hours walk was over beautiful prairie,
with heavy grass and wild peavines, inter
spcrscd with strawberry patches loaded with
trees, This march brought the party to the
great river which empties into the head or
Icy Bay and which was struck about SIX 10
eight miles from its mouth. Its immense
size was great surprise. as it was not sup
posed that such river existed in that part or
Alaska where 1t was first struck. The stream
is from mile to a mile and a half WIDE eight
hundred to one thousand yards is water. the
remainder being low mud sand and gravel.
The bay Is covered at high water, when Inc
N
pcarance Its western bank is a perpendicu.
lar wall Of ice part of the same great glacier
which forms the western shore Of Icy Bay
II was loaded with glacier mud from the
Mount st. Elias Alps, and its swift current
with waves about q foot high, was thought &c
be eight or ten miles an hour. 1t was sur
missed at the time, and afterward partially
corroboratcd that the great river is entirely
TOO big in every way to be draining only tht
scaward slopes of the ST. Elias Alps
in the vicinity of the mountains from
which it comes. 1t must head fal
beyond the ranye, and break through then
AT Repartan Pass, and after draining the
1ravesse pine di,trcts Its muddy waters iron
The glaciers discOlored all the waters Of Icy
Bay and for many miles out TO the sea. j
was named Jones river after George Jones
of the New York Times. and geographically
was one of the most important discoveries
of the expedition, II IL not thought TO NJ
rlyaled by any Alaskan river emptylng into
the Pacific Ocean. The real ascent of Noun
St Elias began July %. After several day S
Climbing ,he barometer showed an ascent al
together above the sea level OF about '2W
feet nearly all of which was above the snow
lovcl1his gave to the Times party, it is bellev
cd,the Alpine record OF the higcst climb above
the snow level ever made, certainly the high
est upon an almost wholly unknown noun
tain. The party returned to ley bay wei
satisfied with It's record. Its geographca re
suits were beyond its expectations. Three
immense peaks, from H,0O to 5000 feet. wer'
named after the President, cleveland Peak,
the Secretary of the Navy, Whitney Peak,
and the commander of the Pinta, Nicholi
Peak Returning rom ley Bay TO iakutSl
Bay. a swamp was encountered and the partl
barely escaped At Nukutsk three separate
excursions were made, and many new
! geographical features mapped