The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-31
THE WONDERS OF ALASKA.
Something About The Scenery and C0lOriHg Of
That Country.

Besides the tranquil landscapes, the
archipe lagO, with its countless and multi
form Islands, the gray crsg- bOrdered flords,
the Pacific expanseS and conlferOus forests,
the snow-capped fifteen thousand feet
mountains, with glaciers broad enough and
long enough to cover national territory, be-
sides the icebergs, there is another arvel in
Alaska. 1t Is cOlOr-cOlOr such as the artist
can never find on his palette in which to
dabble his impOtent brush. Nature here is
the ail-pOwerful cOlorist, and she ravishes
the behOlder. The greens, the blues, the
browns of Alaskan waters-who can de-
scribe them, or the shades of colorings in
these same forests, grays and green's in null
titudinous varieties? A walk through
one of these forests vanished with
dew reveals a tangle of green's with
bushes adorned with vivid coral ber-
ries strung In rosaries or massed 10
punches. No tropical forest could exceed
the cOlOring here shown. Every gray that
eve could see or the Imagination conceive is
displayed in the beetling cTags and cliffs,
and these dusky cOloTs change from moment
to moment, and when the sun casts its last
or its earliest rays upon them, enVeloping
them Ill rOseate hue, you think miracle
has been wrought, and you are translXed
by the transformation which has taken place.
The sky-the Alaskan sky-is reVela-
tfon of color. Let il be Sullen with foggy
grays, let 1t be clear with sapphire calmness
so clear that mountain miles and miles
away looks so near that it would seem that
you would only have to stretch out your
hand to touch it-let it be painted with the
sunset cOlOrs, gorgeous In the pomp of pur-
pie and red and gold, fading, fading In the
long lingering summer twilight-fading into
the most enhancing shades Of primrose, sui
phur and greenish yellow, and then almost to
white which deepens and deepens until the
jeweled stars look out and the aurora
flashes her electric stTeameTs in pulsating
bands OF light, which, reaching far up
toward the zenith, change to delicate hues
of pink and weird unearthly blues-ano you
will say each Is more remarkable than the
ether and there are no words, no adi-ctives.
left to describe 1t all; and, drunken 10 in
toxication with this unparalleled display of
color, you will say, Alaska is worth visiting.
You go to Alaska for scenery and color
Ing. You have also a pleasuTable sensation
in the qualification OF your love for adj
venture; but, after all, in the ordinary ex-
cursiOn, in the comfortable boat which
steams from Tacoma, Seattle and Port
Townsend, and is your hotel during your
two or three weeks journey to the tiny
fragment of Alaskan territory which you
visit you have a feeling that you are
uOI uluCu VI an explorer R1t6r all,
and you look with envy on the Indian
who, sQuatting in his dug-Out canoe and
padding in unison with his family, has
started out for thOusand-mile voyage in
any direction which his search for salmon
or pursuit of game may take him; and you
only appease that aroused inward conscious
ness, which is telling you that you are an
ordinary traveller ana not seeing much after
all. by promising yourself that next time you
come to Alaska YOU will not be Of the
vulgar herd of idle tourists going about
seeing things from a steamers deck,
or making an hours visit at an Indian
village, or investigating salmon
cannery. No, you Will come out among
the Indians, and in their canoes, With them
for guides, you will explore the Stikine, go
up the Yukon and Copper rivers far into
the interior, and perhaps push on the three
of Behring Sea. You will prospect for gold
and other minerals about which you hear
fabulous stories. You will measure the
glaciers flow and PROFOUND theory
or two OF your own in regard to
them and the icebergs. You will
ascend Mounts st. Elias, Crillon and
Fairweather and name some mountain
peaks. legions Of which. lofty and snow
capped, await the honor of your chriSten-
ing You vii. also determine their ati-
tudes and c0nfOund the calculations, hasty
and i'll considered. which the few daring ex-
plOrers have made You will hunt the bear,
capture the shy mOuntain-sheep in their
Businesses, catch salmon and trout shoot
plover and wild duck. and hobnOb with the
eagle in his eyry. All this you will do
GRACE PEcKHAM, NJ d.. in June Lippin-
pottis