The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-08-12
LETITER
From Major w. H. Williams to his
Family.

6T. FAUl, Alhhkh, June ~, AoVA'
arrived here June 10 all o. X. after
voyage of fourteen days, and / was glad
to be on dry land once more. found the
government house q much better building
than / had expected; in fact, everything
is much more comfortable than had an
ticipated. have my room at the COM
pany's house and also board there. |
have good room, nicely furnished, and
an excellent bed; board is tip top, and II
/ had you all with me, ! should, be quite
happy.
Monday the cutter took us TO ST. George
and l returned yesterday. Today she
took us on cruise around this island and
to Otter and Walrus islands. The wealth
or is cold and we have no use for summer
clothes. 1t showed some today and on
the south side of the hills there is consid-
erable snow in places, while on the north
side it is all gone. The singular thing is
that the snow melts on the north side first.
This is probably owing TO the fact that
the prevailing winds are from the north
and that we have very little sunshine.
II is daylight now from halt past two
in the morning to nearly half past ten in
the evening. The sun sets about nine
O'Clock. 1t seems strange TO go to bed in
broad day light-I have not got used to 1t
yet. This IS q strange experience and l
have not yet ceased wondering at its
strangeness.
There is a pretty village here Of about
fifty houses, and find the natives living
very comfortably. They are q harmless
, people, easily governed, and look up to
the government agent as man to be
} obeyed under all circumstances. In CON-
. pany with my assistants / have made an
inspection Of all the houses on both IS
/. lands and with one or two exceptions
found them neat and clean. They would
, compare fayorably with the dwellings ol
the laboring classes In our cities.
8 The bull seals are mostly on the rocker
!. les, although but few Of the cows have
: arrived as yet. The bachelor seals arr
!. coming IN and we haye killed about si'
Z thousand 80 far. What the prospects vii
e be 1t is hard to tell at present, but Il look
u now as II there would be a poor season
II the government does not interfere wit
the Wholesale destruction Of seal life tina
Is now going on, seal skins will soon be
: thing Of the past.
e The first day came here they had dii
I fereni meats on the table and was helpe
% to what they called island mutton. ! at
% quite heartily Of II, although / thougl
't the taste peculiar learned after ] wa
70 through that It was seal meat Sine
D. then have eaten II several times. S
le you see am getting to be quite barba
oi ian. II is quite tender and not bad to Ii
" taste.
r. In our visit 10 the islands 10 day So
II three walrus. They are queer looking a
In imals with their long tusks and have u
he appearance Of being quite savage, but
K. understand are quite harmless. We oil
IN saw some very large sea lions
Walrus island was covered with milllo
w Of birds, but 1t was 90 rough that we cou
be not land to gather eggs. We will MAJ
a another trip in few days, | have al
Ia seen quite number Of fine bank whal'
lg, Everything Is SO strange that am We
yn much interested and do not get loneson
1t; / am going to send this letter yia. Our
Ia laska. You may get IL by the middle
50, July and you may not get II for mont
OF, We are waiting for the arrival Of
,er revenue cutter Corwin, which was 10 lea
Wy San Francisco In about week after
les and bring Instructions from the depa
he ment. am in hopes she may have
be- ter from home for me.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nettleton, their little /
Dur and Col. Murray live at the governm
90, house; Brown and myself atthe comps
lies house. am very comfortably fixed
In the scenery from the window as | sit b
writing is magnificent
Al. w II WILLIAM