National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-10-16
ALASKA SCENERY.
Some of IL the Most Beautiful in the
World.

hOflus
The Boscobel Dial publishes private let
ter written by Lieut.. George Barnett, of
this state, who accompanied the Schwatka
expedition that recently visited Mt. st, ELIAS,
in Alaska. In IL he writes OF the Alaskan
scenery as follows: "When we arose on the
morning Of July II the sun was well up and
the sky was perfectly clear, and | think |
can safely say we were then near the msot
beautiful scenery In the world. We were
only few miles from shore (about twenty
miles), and as far as the eye could reach we
could see nothing but q most beautiful
chain Of mountains shooting up from the
waters edge TO q height OF from $4,000
to 10000 feet. They were covered with
snow and In the bright sunlight looked asif
they had whitened with old age. Between
the mountains great fee fields or glaciers
would be seen--thirteen large ones being
in sight OF one time. We were then 10 sight
Of Mt. Fairwcatber, Mt. Crillon, Mt. Stui
and Mt. La Peruse, and In short time saw
Mt st. Elias, Mt. Cook and Mt. Vancouver,
which are In the same chain and complete
what are called the st. Elias Alps.
"From all can learn these mountains
far surpass all others in the world Tor
beauty, and certainly they are grand beyond
description. " course other mountains
are much higher, but in appearance think
these are more striking, for in most cases
mountain peaks rise from elevated plateaus
sometimes thousands OF feet In height, thus
making them appear like lower mountains
from where they are observed. Now, these
mountains shoot right up from the water
as though they had been thrown up by
volcanic action and so appear much higher
"At the baee Of the highest mountain, Mt.
st. Elias, there are Hat sand plains on
% h. 80
berries are found. We oil went ashore to-
day and picked a great many Of as fine
berries as have ever tasted, and you can't
imagine the peculiar sensation OF picking
strawberries In 60o north latitude, a thou
Sand miles from any place aud in sight OF
dozens Of glaciers and hundreds Of snow
capped mountains where no vegetation can
exist aud animal life is un kuown-but
such is the varied life OF naval officer, and
must say there is q great fascination about
such an existence
OF the BAY at the base OF Mt. st. Elias, he
writes; Throughout its whole extent OF
coast there is nothing but ice which forms
part OF the ST. Elias glacier, the largest one
in the world. 1t is from fifty to sixty miles
In breadth, where It reaches the ocean,; the
face 10 about 600 or 800 feet high, and from
this face great icebergs break off and plunge
hundreds OF feet into the sea, the sound re-
eembliDg the report OF heavy artillery.
From sea, one sees o solid wall OF ice from
800 TO 800 feet high, and from fifty to sixty
miles in length. Above the face the leo eX-
tends upwards until It ia lost among the
clouds formed by the moist and warm sea
air coming In contact with this field OF ice.
Two large rivers come from this glacier,
but they look more like rivers OF milk than
Of water, for they are filled with glacier
rock, that is, finely-powdered rock formed
by the grating OF the glacier over the great
quantities Of rock on the mountain sides,
for all the glaciers have q motion toward
the sea, although It cannot be noticed ex-
cept by observations carried on through q
series Of years. Nothing can live in these
rivers, and the water cannot be used until
1t has been filtered; II colors the sea water
for miles, thus showing what vast quantities
OF earth and rock are ground up.n