Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-21
EXPLORATION.
Discoveries of Great Geographical In.
terest Made In Alaska by the
Times Party.
An Immense River Previously Unheard
OF Winch Threatens to Rival the
Mississippi in Volume.

NEW YORK, Sept. 20.--ln letter to the
Times, dated Sitka, Alaska, September 10,
Lieut. Schwatka says "The Tines
Alaskan expedition was left at Icy bay on
July II by the United States steamer
Plnta, and began survey Of that bay at
once, with preparations for explorations
in the st. Elias Alps, on and about
Mount st. Elias, which great mountain
afterwards was assembled to;a height above
snow level greater than was ever made
before above that line by Alpine climbers.
| Icy bay Is a mere indentation on the
Alaskan coast, some fifty miles west OF
Yakutsk bay, and would have no, exist
Fence were 1t not for an immense glacier
emanating from Mount St. Elias, and jut-
ting out on the Pacific far enough to
make western ride of the bay.
On July 10 the expedition for
the exploration of the mountains got
under way. The course at first lay up the
western shore to where the Indians said
a large river came in at the head of the
bay; thence up this river to where it came
from under the ice of the immense gla-
ciers, or as far as the Yakutsk Indians
ever go when hunting bears, mountain
goats and the like, and hence to the base
OF Mount st. Elias. At $3.50 O'Clock
the party struck small river, fifty or
seventy-tve yards wide, which had to be
forded, middle deep, Ia ice water from
the glacier. The next hours walk was
over a beautiful prairie with heavy grass
and wild peavines, interspersed with
strawberry patches loaded with fruit, and
many pretty clumps OF evergreen trees.
This march brought the party to great
river, which empties into the head of icy
bay, and which was struck six miles
from It's mouth. Its immense
size was great surprise, as 1t was not
supposed that such river existed In that
part OF Alaska. Where II was first struck
the stream Is from mile to mile and a
half wide. The bay Is covered at high
water, when the stream must be q second
Mississippi in appearance. Its western
bank is perpendicular wall of Ice, part
Of the same great glacier which forms the
western shore OF Icy bay. 1t was loaded
with glacier-mud from the Mount ST,
Elias Alps, and It is swift current
with waves about foot high and
, thought to be eight or ten
, miles an hour. 1t was surmised at the
time, and afterward corIoborated, that
| the great river was entirely too big in
. every way to be draining only the sea
ward slope OF the St. Elias Alps in the
J vicinity OF the mountains from whence Il
! comes. 1t must head far beyond the
/ range and break through the mountains
! at Riparian pass snd traverse the pine
, districts. II was named Jones river
after George Jones Of the New York
Times, and geographically was one of the
/ most important discoveries of the expe.
ditlon. In Is not thought to be rivaled
) by any Alaskan river emptying into the
Pacific.
r The real ascent of the mountain,
, st, Elias, was July 25 After several
days. climbing the barometer showed an
ascent, altogether above the sea level, OF
about 1900 feet, nearly all of which was
. above the snow level. This, II is be.
. lieved, records the highest climb above
, the snow level ever made; certainly the
! highest on an almost unknown mountain,
The party returned to Icy bay well salts.
! fied with their record. Its geographical
/ result was beyond its expectations. Three
immense peaks from 5000 TO 10000 feet
high named "Cleyeland peak" "Whit.
uey peak" and, after the com.
mander OF the Pinta, "Nlohols peak