The daily critic., 1890-10-20
AMID GLACIERS
WHAT THE GEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION
SAW I'm ALASKA.
MajestIc Mountains and Taperine Cuns
Of Ice Thousands of Feet High,
Blossoms amid the snow.

The expedition TO explore the region
about Mount st. Elias, in Alaska, has
completed Its labors and the members
Of the party have returned to this city.
Il was sent out under the joint auspices
Of the National Geographical Society
and he United States Geological sur
vey, and the party. which was organized
by Mr. Israel G. Rg>eeliY consisted Of
himself, Mark b Kerr. topographer T..
f. Hosmer and seven camp hands hired
at Seattle, Wash.
On the 18th Of June the expedition
sailed from Sitka on the steamer Queen,
one Of the excursion boats plying regu-
larly between Puget Sound and South
ern Alaska On arriving at Sitka the
members Of the expedition were trans.
fCred at once 10 the United States
steamer Pinta. The Pinta reached the
mouth Of Yakutat Bay ON June %. The
bay is broad, deep inlet extending
more than thirty miles inland, and il
was the plan Of the expedition to begin
work near its head on the west shore.
of his exploits Mr. Russell saws: 1--WE
found ourselves on wild shore, en-.
numbered by icebergs and at the imme-
diate base Of majestic mountain
range, trending southeast and north.
west Along the southern base Of the
mountains there is plateau some
thirty miles broad, divided by the
waters of Yakutat Bay. Our task was
to explore and map the country from
the bay to st. Elias and as far beyond
as practicable. Excursions were begun
at once TO the neighburlnE mountains
and glaciers, and up Yakutat Bay as far
as the floating ice would allow a canoe
to travel One Of these excursions took
us 10 an island near the head Of the
bay, which we named Graudview
Island.
From its summit, which rises boldly
a thousand feet above the water. a mag.
niiicent view was obtained Of vast
stretch Of snow clad mountains, from
which glaciers Of great magnitude
descended to the sea and ended in
cliffs Of ice several hundred feet
high. From these the iCebergs crowdlng
the bay were derived One of these gla.
ciers we named after Dalton, the pioneer
explorer of the region; another Of larger
size at the head Of the bay was named in
honor OF Gardner Hubbard, the president
Of the National Geographical Society.
A magnificent mountain peak rising
some 10, goo feet Immediately above the
Hubbard glacier received the same
name. Probably more than nine tenths
Of our journeyings which followed was
across glaciers and snow fields.
"On the let " August we were mid
way between Nakutat Bay and st.
Elias, but still at the base Of the
mountains. Our camp was in the last
and highest grove Of trees that Il was
practicable TO reach. The timber line
is there about 500 feet high, and all
trees disappear a few miles to the west.
An island Of rock surrounded by vast
glaciers, but clothed with beautiful
flowers, rank ferns and dense spruce
trees, furnished a delightful spot for
our base camp. We named this lovely
oasis In the desert Of fee Blossom Island.
From there our work in the high
mountains began. On following up
Marvin glacier which flows to the west
of Blossom Island for about fifteen
miles. We reached an elevation of 4 900
feet. and found an easy pass. although
filled with glacial ice, leading westward
across what from a distance seemed an
impossible mountain range. We named
this Pinnacle Pass on account of the
taperng spires overlooking II.
West Of Pinnacle Pass we descended
TO a glacier that has its source 10 the
north Of Mount Cook, and separates that
mountain from the st. Elias range. On
crossing the glacier and approaching
the mountain wall which rises 10 the
west Of II We again found a pass lead,
ing toward ST. Elias that afforded an
easy passage 10 the Conrad glacier, one
branch Of which rises on the northern
slope of the great mountain. Following
up this branch we at last, after twenty
days hard work above snow line,
found ourselves encamped at the base
of ST. Elias.
The weather had been clear for ten
days and we had every prospect Of a
good day climb on the morrow. Rising
al In the morning, we began what we
believed 10 be the final ascent, but after
a few hours storm clouds settled down
around us snow began TO fall aud an
landmarks We're lost TO view. The storm
continued for thirty hours without ees-
sation, and II was with difficulty that we
found our way through the binding
snow 10 a lower camp, where the neces-
saTy ratiOns were 10 be had.
A second attempt was made 10 Oreach
the summit two days later, but another
storm broke over the mountains as sud
denly as the FIRST. This time ! was
alone in the highest camp where / was
imprisoned for six days before being
able orejoin my party below while Alr
Kerr was similarly Isolated al The first
lf.rt.aF sAa NLhEH8 d eHarFaH
down there was six feet Of new snow
which refused 10 harden, and rendered
il impossible 10 do more work among
the high peaks.
Excursions were made far out on
The great Piedmont glacier, whica
forms a plateau about I 500 feet high,
stretching along the southern base Of
the ST. Elias range. This glacier is Of
continental type and has an area esti-
mated a about 600 square miles. To
is The largest glacier known in the
Northern Hemisphere with the eXcep-
tiun of the ice fields Of Greenland
Buried WIth PytfIan Honors.
The funeral of Mr.. ID T. Richie took
place yesterday from his late residence,
POS Massachusetts, avenue, and was AZ
tended by Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 5,
knights 81 Pytnias. aud the Grand
Lodge Of the same order The services
we're conducted by Rev j j Muir Of
the J. Street Baptist Church and inter
ment was made in GlenWood Cemetery
with Pythian h0n0rs. Ar Rilchie vas
from tine South and had been a resident
Of Washington for seventeen years. ut
tom ~ vrIfah Ia HaH Eaau am ~ .svra1 81
The Government Printing oHce.
Institute 81 Architects.
IT. .--..- a-.--.I. ---.----I 80 Il y.