Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-30
ALASKAN WATERS.
INSPIRING soREERY OF TIE INSIDE
PASSAGE.
snow-capped Mountains Whose Lofty Cas-
oades Fall in Spray into the
Gulfof GEORGIA,

osdss Fall in Spray into the
Gulfef GEORGIA.
A Sitka (Alaska) letter says: Not
withstanding that the transfer OF Alaska
from Russian ownership 10 the United
States took place about twenty-one years
ago, and much has been published to
give a somevhst clear conception Of the
country and its possibilities aud re-
sources. the truth has reached compara-
lively few persons. There is gene
raj idea that it is country
where seals are caught under some
kind of an arrangement with the
Government at Washington. whore
some partly.developed gOld-mines exist,
and where an attempt las been made to
utilize the great salmon and herring sup
ply OF the northwest coast by the estab-
/ lishment OF canning and packing facto-
RIGS. 1t will be impossible 10 embrace
all that may be said Of the country IN
single letter, aud even in number OF
them; only meigre sketch or
study can be given and not II complete
picture The Territory must be actu-
ally seen to be understood and appre-
ciated.
may DO pardoned il ] cay something
about the manner Of getting to Alaska
that is, OF the voyage hither, for II Is
wholly unlike anything | have ever seen
or heard of. Looking at good map Of
the Pacific coast from tue Straits OF Fuca,
which separate tue northwestern limits
Of Washington Territory from Faueou-
yers Island. the student of geography
will see that the entire Pacific coast, or
| the mainland Of British Columbia and
/ Southeastern Alaska, Is hanked by a Sc
ries Of islands. IL begins with NancOu-
ver's, several hundred miles in length, and
extends north aud south, continuing seye-
| raj thousand miles to thenorth and north
| west. This gives what is known rs the
"inside passage, or an inland sat water
| channel deep enough for navigation by
| the largest seagoiBg vessels AMI almost
perfectly sheltered from ocean storms.
/ The high mountains which come down
| to the shores OF these straits and iniets
make the sailing as smoOta AMI SAFE as
on the Hudson river from New FORK to
Albany. Diminishing the elegant homes
and villas, the towns and villages Of
/ the Hudson, there Is much TO r.
mind one OF that great stream II pas
| sage Oh q big ocean steamship through
/ the Alexandrian peninsula. } hose who
/ have described this voyage have SIM
ply dwet upon the fact that one IS
never out If sight OF great coast forests,
but have still left the impression that
| they are such forests as one observes IN
| crossing the country from the Atlantic
seaboard that the variety Of the vcrdure
/ is the same. but that the scene is slightly
more varied. From the time the vessel
| leaves Victoria. the principal town and
! capital Of british Columbia, until ITS ar
rival at Sitka, the tourist Is never out Of
sight Of great stretches OF pine, fir, and
cedar forests. Though there are other
! species OF trees on the mOuntaln sides OF
| the coast they are 50 few IN number
when compared with the great masses Of
! fir and pine thot they cut DO figure IN
/ the landscape. The Gulf OF Georgia,
which separates Vancouver Island from
| the mainland, Is q grand body Of water
several hundred miles long, studded with
/ innumcrable small. green, tree-coyeret
| islands and islets, and not 80 wide IN any
part but one Is ever in sight Of the two
btnpcndous ranges Of mountains on
/ either side Of the magnificent channel
The gIandest Of these mountain chains
| is the Oiympian, which begins lar down
! in Washington Territory, and running
| thence almost parallel with the coast,
| forms a lofty barrier from the west en-
tirely across British Columbia, and COM
| prises the greater part Of our Southeast
EN- Alaska. At hundreds OF points as
/ ito steamer passes mp the channel and
makes its way through devious and in
/ tficate courses between the channel
islands, lofty peaks are plainly IN
sight which are perpetually Gov
cred with snow for thousands Of
feet TO their tops. Prom volcanic
action, geological ages ago, these peaks
| have been thrown into enormous domos,
pyramids, end sharp and truncateI
| cones, and, being covered with snow and
| ice in the hottest summcr months, sug-
gcst great elittering marble monuments
| Of more than cyciOpean origin. The
| tide rises among these Islands OF the
Archipelago TO twenty and thirty fett,
and where the ship-p0ssage narrows 20 q
mile, as it docs in many places, with the
water a hundred iathOms deeD. the Hood
rushes between with the current OF a
very rapid river, requiring on account Of
sunken rocks the most cautious seamon-
ship. There are very few places 10
the two thousand and more nautical
miles to reach 5itke where the shore line
is shelving aud sinks gradually mo
the water. IN all tnat distance there
are not more than scOre Of landings or
stopping places where any traffic Is car
red on. Even at these thirty feet OF
water is reached by WOO len wharfage 1t
no place more than 800 feet from shore.
For ten or fifteen miles at stretch
mountains 5000 feet in height rise from
the very verge OF the water, and ere 50
steep that mountain goat could scarcely
find a footing even the forests Of mrs
and cedArs are barely able to cling to
their sides. At intervals OF four or tive
miles nature has broken down THIS giant
wall, leaving deep nOtches, With Gifts
almost as steep as those on the water
frontage. Here q moraine deposit Of
departed glaciers extends onward into
the strait q few hundred and in
some cases few thousand feet, aud a.
fords about the only foothold for the lit
tie native villages which exist here and
there, the only possible vantage ground
Tor the mining. fishing. and canning
stations on the coast Gold prospectors,
who have ventured into the Interior amid
inconceiyable hardshlps, describe the en-
tire country back from the coast AS one
unbroken succession OF lofty mountains,
with here and there q deep calon afford
ing a passage between. Where small
areas Of level ground exist among
these high ridges they are so densely
covered with thickets OF fir, laurel,
aud cedar that they are almost impene-
trable to any except wild beasts and the
natives whose endurance in that respect
scarcely anything can equal In many
places away from the coast deep, dark
lakes lie at the loot of the high noun
4 Ia. ne