Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-31
EXPLORING ALASKA.
vHalLLlHe EXPERIENCES PARTY
or SCIENTISTS.

Mr.. Israel c. Russell hrs returned 20
Washington from that region OF eternal
Zee and snow In Alaska. where the high
est peak in North America rises 10 an
altitude OF 1900 feet FROM glacier
1000 square miles in area aud rs big as
all those OF the Alps put together
Along the edge Of the glacier. all the
way from Icy bay to Yakutat bay. thofc
extends strip Of green cousi which, s
covered with luxuriant vegetation.
strawberry vines cover tho ground for
miles. aud the verdant fields are red
dcned rs far as the eye can reach with
luscious fruit, which compares favor
ably In point Of size and flavor withthe
finest grown in temperate lahiudes.
There are huckloberrios, too. and sal.
mon berries" which are something DO.
tween blackberries and raspberries, but
Of giant siye. measuring nearly two
inches In diameter All the lowlhnds
are carpeted with violsts, buttercups,
yellow monkey flowers and other wild
blossoms. Here and there, In the midst
Of the vast ice fields, are the loyelicst
gardens waterei by tho melting snow.
There are plenty o. grizzly bears In
the vicinity Of Mount 81. Elias, but Mr..
Russell di'NIot find them very danger.
ous. He says that his encounters with
them reminded him Of killing pigs. OF
brown and black bears he saw and shot
great many. Interpretation met with
enough perils, however, 10 satisfy tbs
most adventurous geographical explor-
RS. Nearly all Of tho climbing had to
DO done up steep walls OF ice and snow
by eating steps. At almost any time u
clip would have precipita,od the party
down tho frozen prcclpices thousands Of
feet. On one occasion they were Dc.
tcending when they found that IN ava
lanchc had carried away the steps which
they had made In going up. Tho i'm.
prsnptu staircase was destroyed for 800
feet. and thoy had to lower u man by u
rope 10 chop out another, there being 10
other way " getting down. Such acct.
dents US this were not uncommon.
nAinpREADTil EscAIE5.
Avalanches were continually falling.
cushing down the slopes with th, speed
OF railway trains aud with roar likl
thunder that could DO heard twenty
miles away.
One night about 10 o'clock the party
was passing over bad place In tho
Agbs,i2 glacier Two men were Ia tho
lead, drawing q sled. Suddenly thcy
disappeared from eight, having fallen
into ~ tssugc IN the ice. Luckily they
woTo caught upon a projecting ledge vt
tue depth OF Gbont twunty foet. else they
wOuld never have been s0ou aHFu.
They were hauled out with ropes. Tho
next day ia tho Haup neighborhool Mr.
Russell CHANGED 10 look behind him aud
raw that ihe ice fold over which ho had
just passed was gone, leaving an cnor-
nous hole Of unknown depth. Another
time Que Of his men tumblrd into a crew
ice, and was only saved by tho pack
fastened 10 his shoulder, which inter
Tupied his progress through twist IN
The frozen tannel that had yawucd for
him.
The Agassiz glacier Il one Of the four
great glaciers which, together with about
a thousand small ones, flow out from tho
mountains at tho north 90 tho mighty
Malaspina glacier, pouring their streams
OF Ice continually into this vast frozen
sea. This glnclcr Of Malafpina. from
1900 10 1000 foot thick. Is Interesting,
not merely because Of its enormous slse,
but also by reason Of tho fact that il Is
the only one now IN esisteuce Of tho
same type a. tha glacier which formerly
covered all Of this continent ~ lar south
rs Philadelphia aud 81. Louis, leaving
traces that are visible TO this day ia
scratches ON tho rocks.
A GLACIAL RUER.
Where the land Ia that region Is bare
Of Ice the vegetation Attains un almost
tropical luxuuancc, aud the Arctic
iuusles are well nigh impossible TO tho
explorer. one VI the chisi obstacles en-
couutcred In threading them il plant
known as the "dlvil's club, which grows
to II height of ten or fifteen feet. its stems
running along the ground for some dis.
lance and then turning upward. Every
part Of its surface, even to tho ribs Of
the Leaves, ia thiokly set with sgines,
which infict painful wounds, aud Break.
ing of In the flesh cause fostering sores.
In the Lucia glacier occur, most inter
eating feature In the shape Of glacial
river which comes ont from mountain
through nm aruhwny OF ice, hows for II
mile and half In plain Wow, and then
Is lost TO sight IN another tunnel. Where
tho stream emerges finally IL unknown.
No explorer has ~ yet been bold enough
TO enter tho tunnel aud drift through,
after tho fashion OF Allan Quatermgin
aud Umslopogaas. The greatest risk 30
such an undertaking would DO from fall.
idg blocks Of ice. At tho mouth Of the
tunnel there are always confused noises
and rhythmic vibrations 70 be- heard
from the dark rocesses within. The air
ia filled with pulsations like deep organ
notes, and II requires but little imagina-
ton TO transform these strange sounds
into the voices and songs OF inhabitants
Of the neither world, II uacd to be sup.
posed that Mount 81. Elias was u volcano,
and SEA captains sailing on tho Pacific
have often beheld what they imagined
to b. smoke issuing from its summit;
but this II mistake. aud it ia probable
that the alleged smoke was really ava.
lancho dust blown upward by the wind.
Washington Cor. New York Sun.
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An Old RIB OF Wood,