Smyrna times., 1888-09-19

covered with snow, and tinged by the
rays of the sun. 1t is enough to enthuse
a stole. At 10 p. NJ, we arrived at |
Fort Wrangle where we will stay until |
tomorrow morning. 1t has pOpula-
ton of about twenty-five whites and |
three hundred Indians. Here we meet |
the Idaho which is returning from a
trip to Alaska. At 1920 we saw for
about two minutes the eclipse of the
moon, which was followed by partial
aurora. For the fourth time since
started l am obliged to set my watch
back an hour. l always thought that
Sitka was on about the same meridian
as San Francisco, but here at Fort
Wrangle we are about four hundred
miles west of San Francisco.
July 23.-6P. NJ. This morning be-
fore breakfast l walked through the
town, and saw all that was worth see
ing. They have postoffice and fort,
besides five or six stores. The most
curious things were the totem poles,
some of which were as high as forty
feet. They are trunks of trees carved
into all sorts of images, and set up be-
fore the house of the owner; and some
of them are valued as high as thou
sand dollars.
The Indians, taken all the way
through, have very comfortable houses.
There is a difference of thirty feet here
between the tides. The natives have
| hundreds ofcrystal garnets, which they
sell ten for quarter, or as they say up
here, two bits.
! At 1920 A. NJ, we pulled out for
Juneau which is the next stopping
place and distant one hundred and
fiftv miles. This section of the country
abOunds in game. Hundreds upon
hundreds of ducks are flying in every
direction, and the waters fairly alive
with salmon. Early this afternoon we
saw our first glacier, and it was beauti
full beyond description. About {
quarter of an hour later the pilot rar
US within forty feet of a floating ice
berg. Although it was a small one o
probably five hundred tons, it present
ed a very pretty appearance, being tn
very faintest shade of green. Half al
hour later, we were very fortunate il
f being able to see the DEVILS Thumb
mountain, which the captain says
on account of fogs, he has Onl.
seen five times in five years c
travel in these waters. Detached poT
tions of icebergs are floating around il
every direction, and we are obliged t.
| bring out cur OvercOats. This aftel
! noon we saw large school of whale
= which extended mile. The Capt. say
. we will arrive at Juneau about twelV
tonight.
q July 24.-Arrived at Juneau la:
night at one o'clock and this mOrnin
5, after breakfast l went on shore an
/ without any trouble found the A. n
It & p. Co.'S, store. / was fortunate
d finding cousin Will, for he was prepa
e ing to leave for the cannery, which
l. distant one hundred miles. ga
you description of the town in n
re letter and can say nothing further
Of regard to it. The steamer left at moo
1t and in regard to the trip between he
st and Sitka l hope to be able to infor
al you at some future day. There a
re two men here who have been
Of Smyrna. Big as this world is
~ splurge in, it is very small when o
1e comes to hide. Think of my comi
as forty two hundred miles to find th
8. two of the seven hundred white peOI
ur in Juneau are familiar with Smyr
be and its citiZens-I mean two besiC
is cousin Will VanGasken.
es The inland passage through viii
lg we came is the most wonderful sire;
go in the country, because it couldn't p
ed sibly be any finer if we were able
ne change or produce things at our W
N. 1t resembles at all times some pla
to and picturesque mountain lake.
on varies in width from one to twenty-f
miles with probable average of
EN- teen. Precipitous mountains wall
rk. each side almost the whole way,
out that anything more picturesque co
Ow hardly be conceived. There is
is average difference between the tides
nd probably twenty feet, and in SO
lel- places the waters are practically B
got tomless. The trip is one that l
,he pretty sure can not be beaten in
IN world. Ever yours,
HARRY