Omaha daily bee., 1891-11-15

bNNA iANN bNtI RltNltIH NHu lllIbNlk hNll
dreds Of glacial streams. We explored
Discnchantmcnt Bay and found it to DO
far more extensive thar was supposed.
The region thcrcabout Is very attract
i've, on account OF the mUgniti-
cont scenery and immense glaciers.
Late in September wo reached Nakutat,
whore we were met, October |, by tho
United States steamer, Pinta, in com-
mand OF Captaiu Maynard. On account
Of heavy weather tho steamer was do
laycd until October &. We thcn enjoyed
splendid weather to Sitka, tho noun
tains from Cross sound to st. Elias
being in full view. From Sitka we
sailed on the CITY Of Topeka.
THE expedition has been n success
in tho way OF geological observations.
Sketch maps were made and several
hundred photographs were taken,
many of which were developed in tho
liold.n
THE expedition is knox n rs the Sec
ond st. Elias expedition of the National
Geographical society "
Prof. Russells party was several
times reported lost, and tho explorer
smiled ms he mentioned some Of tho
| casualties which he was supposed to
have suffered. This is the professors
third expedition to tho interior of
Alaska, and he is therefore used to tho
flgOfS Oh JnaJ climate.
The first expedition, in the summer OF
1889, was along the course OF the Yukon
| river, from its mouth to its head, 1000
miles, and then up the branch known rs
the Porcupino river. He found the
mines ut Forty-mile creek to be paying
well. Sixteen miners come from there
this season, bringing out II quantity OF
gold. However, the seasons are so short,
and the rations so high, that the mines
do not make fortunes for everybody h
goes there. There are fine placers for
hundreds of miles along the Yukon river,
but the washing is possible only three
months of the year. Forty-mile creek
may DO reached by steamer from the
mouth of the Yukon river; or one may
start inland over n mountain pass from
Juneau, and reaching the the head
waters Of the Yukon, float down to tho
place in n month. q
The second expedition was to Noun.
st. Elias last year, when he took n diff
ferent route to the one recently tray
eled. The account of that trip was pub.
lished in the Century Magazine last
winter and in the National Geograph-
ical Magazine.
TIC population of Alaska is scattered.
From Icy bay to Yakutat, Prof. Russell
| never saw n soul.
Bear meat and berries was for weeks
the choice food of the exploring party
O the shores of Icy bay" said Prof
Russell, for an area of three squar
| miles, the ground is covered in the sum
mer season with large, luscious straw
berries. Salmon berries and buckle
berries are found in abundance. The
Indians live upon them in the summer.
The wild berries were really the finest
| ever saw. No large fruits grow there,
but apples would probably succeed IL
cultivated. At the Swedish miss.nn in
Yakutat, supported by the Swedish
Evangelical covenant, the Rev. Carl j.
Hendrickson has made Il successful eX
| pertinent in gardening. Beets, cab
bages, turnips and parsnips grow there
1t is n question whether agricultural
would thrive there, rs the season is SO
short and so rainy. The summer just
| past has been more than usually pleas.
| ant on the coast, but very stormy in the
Interior
1t is to be regretted that, having as.
cended to n higher altitude on Mount st.
Elias Thar was ever reached before,
Prof. Russell was unfortunate in ems
countering such unfavorable weather.
In 1890, at a lower altitude, his view
from the highest camp then reached
| was IL perfect one. The explorer had
trudged up the mountain ahead OF his
| party and had ~eXcavated Il tunne in h
snow, hanging a rubber coat on an al
| pinestock at the entrance to shelter him
self from the tempest. He passed Il day
and night there and describes his eXper-
fence thus: tt
AT night the darkness and silence in
my narrow tomb-like cell was oppressive;
not n sound broke the stiffness eXcepa
the distant, muilied roar of an occasional
avalanche. | slept soundly, however,
and in the morning was awakened by
the croaking of n raven on the snow im-
mediately above my head. The grottd
was filed with Il soft blue light, but a
pink radiance at the entrance told that
the day had dawned bright and clear.
What a glorious sight awaited mel
The heavens were without n cloud, and
the sun shone with dazzling splendor on
the white peaks around. The broad un-
broken snow plain seemed to burn with
light reflected from millions OF shining
! crystals. The great mountain peaks were
draped from base to summit in the purest
white, as yet unsecured by a~valanches.
On the steep cliffs the snow hung in folds
like drapery, tier above tier, while the
angular peaks above stood out like crys-
tails against the sky. st. Elias was one
| vast pyramid of alabaster. The winds
were still; not n sound broke the soli-
tude; not an object moved. Even the
raven had gone, leaving me alone with
the mountains.
"As the sun rose higher and higher,
and made its warmth felt, the snow was
loosened on the steep slopes and hsro
and there broke awap Gathering force
as it fl fell, it rushed down in ava
lanches that made the mountains trem-
BILE and awakened thunderous echoes.
All day long, until the shadows OF
evening fell on the slopes, the mountain
thunder continued. The echoes of one
avalanche had scarcely died away be-
fore they were awakened by another
roar. To witness such a scene underline
most favorable condition." wrote Prof.
Russell, was worth all the privations
and anxiety t cost"
From the highest point reached in tho
last expedition, looking north from
Mount st. Elias, Professor Russell be-
held II country never before known to
the world of science. 1t was n region OF
gigantic mountains that no explorer
had ever seen. The peaks, like distant
spires, looked up through n plateau OF
ice. The professor named several OF
these new mountains, Professionally. He
saw plainly all the mountains from
Mount F~airweather, $50 miles south
| east of St, EliaS to as great n distance