Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-02-14
WINTER IN ALASKA.
EXTRACTS FROM A PRIVATE LETTER
FROM GOV. KNAPP.
SITKA, Jan. Il, 1896

SIrKA, Jan. Il, 1890.
About the time | received your last
letter was sick for few weeks, then
game a period OF pNessure in my work,
after which | spent several weeks in
cruise among the islands and settlements
of southeastern Alaska; since then social
matters have required more attention.
and you will pardon my delay in writing,
which. | assure YOU, does not mean that
| was Indifferent about hearing from you.
We all long for the old scenes and the
old companiOnShips, and the good old
New England ways, though western hos
pitality and cOrdiaity, and western free
and easy manners, are not to be despiSed
by any means. The East might profit in
many ways by an adoption of western
WAYS and customs. The strangeness of
things, however, does not so readily wear
Oft with me as with many people. And
however much we are told and however
accurate may be our information rs to
climate. soil, physical features, methods
aud conditions of country, or the
peculiarities of its people, think actual
observation brings many surprises. |
have not yet become SO accustomed to
the climate of this country that the mild.
beautiful winter weather does not i'm
press me in II wonderful manner. The
thermometer has only twice indicated 10
above zero, never lover than that. and
yet so steady hGs the weather been that
with three inches of snow. The extreme
| depth at this place, we have had the tin
est of coa.ring-l could say sleighing
only that we have no Sleigls-and con
/ tinuous Skating for full six weeks. 1t is
Il paradise fol coasters and skaters.
] 3 i al
| Last winter there was almost no snow or
ice. Another peculiar feature is the pres
cnce of so many birds during the winter
season. There are mvriads of sea birds
lowering over the waters of our tranquil
bay, making the air musical with their
peculiar call, while in their flight hther
and thither they seem like swarms of
lies on summer day, or like white,
fleecy cloud in condition Of seething
agitation. Then there are ducks and
wild geese, and brilliant-plumaged blue
Jays, and fine red-breast robins, and birds
somewhat resembling the sparrow, and
the dignified ravens who reside here in
great numbers and serve as scavengers
i'm our streets. As | write they are hold
ing IA convention upon the parade grOunC
in front of our house--perhaps ! shOulC
say the executive mahsiOn-l can coun
above fifty of them and presume ther,
may be hundred. Yesterday Mr.. Brad,
slaughtered his hogs in the rear Of hi
house Just across tine common, and the-
ravens-as we prefer to call them rathe
than crows, as they are so large ant
. tame and dignfied-scem TO I've discus
sing the subject of the slaughter. 1t i
; amusing, wher, one secures Il piece o
| meat, or fish is taken from sea-gull
t to witness the scramble and hear tn
= loud screaming and note the rOughnes
with which the robbers handle the for
! tuaate possessor of the treasure-trov
e until he is fain to drop his plunder to b
5 picked up and fought over, again an
again, until some one secures it who
: strong and plucky enough to keep an
devour it. During snOw-squall fe'
h days ago fourteen of them came an
@ perched in row upon the pickets of tn
b stockade near our window. There wa
no further movement for long time an
i silence reigned supreme. Soon as th
Il snow ceased to fall they, one by ont
= silently flew away.
70 The Russian population, some thre
~ hundred, and the natives belonging /
e the Russian church, observe the holiday
% beginning January ., which is Chris