The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-05
A View from Mount st. Elias.


was now so near the crest of the divide
that only few yards remained before l
should be able to see the country to the
north; a vast region which no one had yet
beheId. Pressing on, 1 pictured in fancy
the character of the land beyond. Having
crossed this same mountain-belt at the
head of Lynn canal, and traversed the
country to the north of it, I fanced that I
should behold similar region north of
Mount st. Elias. l expected to see COM
paratively low, wooded country stretch
ing away to the north, with lakes
and rivers and perhaps some
signs OF human habitation, but was en-
tirely mistaken. What did meet my eager
gaze was vast snow-covered region, limit
less in its expanse, through which hum
dreds, and perhaps thousands. of barren
angular mountain peaks projected. There
was not stream, not lake, and not a
trace of vegetation of any kind in sight.
A more desolate or a more utterly lifeless
land one never beheld. Vast, smooth
snow-surfaces, without crevasses or breaks,
so far as l could judge. stretched away to
unknown distances, broken only by jagged
and angular mountain peaks. The gen.
eral elevation of the snow surface is
ing it are from 10000 to 1900 feet,
or more, in altitude above the sea. To the
northward | could see every detail in the
forbidding landscape for miles and miles.
The most distant peaks in view in that di-
rection were thirty or forty miles away.
One fiat-topped mountain, due north by
compass from my station, and an excep-
ton in its form to all the other peaks, I
have called Mount Bear, in memory of the
good ship which took US to Icy bay. The
other peaks were too numerous TO name
To the southeast rose Mount Fairweather,
plainly distinguishable, although 200
miles away. AT an equal distance to the
northwest are two prominent mountain
ranges, the highest peaks of which appeared
as lofty as Mount Fairweather. These
must be in the vicinity of Mount Wrangie,
but their SUBMITS were unclouded and
gave no token OF volcanic activity. I
could look down upon the coast about
Yakutat bay, and distinguish each famil-
lar island and headland. The dark shade
on the shore. too distant to reveal its ma
ture, was due to the dense forests on the
low lands between the mountains and the
sea. This was the only indication of vege-
tation in ali the vast landscape that lay
spread out beneath my feet. The few
rocks near at hand, which projected above
the snow, were without the familiar tints
of MOSES and lichens. Even the ravens.
which sometimes hunt the higher noun
tains were nowhere to be seen. Utter DESC
iation claimed the entire land The view
to the north called to mind the pictures
given by Arctic explorers of the borders of
the great Greenland ice sheet, where
rocky islands, known as ''nunataks,"
alone break the monotony of the bound
less sea of ice. The region before me was
land of nunataks.
The divide which we had reached was
narrow crest at the north end, but broad
ened to about fifty yards at the south.
Along each side were snow banks facing
each other, and inclosing V-shaped area
some ten feet lower than the bordering
crests of snow.
At o'clock we had attained an eleva-
of somewhat more than ii, 800 feet. as de-
termlned by measurements made with two
aneroid barometers. The great snoy-slope
continued to tower far above us. and We
saw with deep regret that we had not the
strength To reach the summit and return
to our camp, already $500 feet below US.
Concluding that the only practicable plan
would be for Us 10 advance our camp on To
the divide between Mount 81; Elias and
Mount Newton. and from there attemnt to
reach the summit, We reluctantly turned