The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-04-14
Here and There Along the Shores of
the Northwest.
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The general character of the country
north of Departure Bay, Vancouver Is
land, does not materially differ from that
previously described in another article
(Journal of Jan. y. Every island, hill,
promontory and mountain is covered with
thick growth of trees from base to sum-
init. This vast forest has never been dis
turbed by the hand of civilized man.
Growth after growth has reached its ma
turity. succumbed to old age and fallen
in one confused and tangled mass Ii an
attempt is made to penetrate the interior
of any ot the numerous islands which are
profusely scattered over bay and channel,
you are Immediately confronted hy huge
trees fallen limbs and stumps. To which
cling ines, ferns. and other verlure which
resist tic strongest effort To remove them
from your path and soon you are forced
to return. Nothing bat an axe, welded
by skillful bands, can render assistance.
Occasionally deep and wide swaths are
seen cut down the steep mountain side: SO
even and straight are they that one would
think a cable road had been laid ont. 1t
is the result of land slides or huge bowl
dels: the latter are frequently detached
from their lofty perch by the action of ice,
frost and rain, and come tearing through
the forest with great velocity, devastat-
ing everything in their path. Imagine
one of these powders just starting from
its bed, down a steep declvity. First it
rolls a few feet and is brought almost to a
stop by coming in contact with a tree: the
obstacle is bruised and shattered. The
rocky monster soon gains a new impetus
and starts afTesh with a force which deties
resistance. Now it is fairly on it's de-
structive journey, and crashes through
the forest with deadly bounds. Trees
which have withstood the storms for a
century "a more are uproOted and broken
like stlaws; and smaller ones are crushed
and sent flying in every direction, filling
the air with splinters. Other powders
are struck and hurled from their resting
places, and they in turn commence an in
ternccinc warfare against everything in
theil path. What a noise, Animals. birds
and everything fly in terror On the
hoWlder pushes; sometimes bounding a
hundred feet in air striking and tearing
u, as much earth in second as would
take hundred mon to excavate in week
At length it shoots like a meteor. and
strikes with terrible force against the adj
amantine lodges which fringe the shore.
and is broken into thousand pieces. and
falls mass of taluS,
\ l,rotundity of water washes nearly all
parts of this coast. In some places from
100 to 200 fathoms is found no great dis
lance from the shore.
The Gulf OF Georgia. Johnston Straits
and all other channels of this locality
never entirely freeze over in winter, CON
seqlently navigation remains practically
unobstructed throughout the year. and the
Alaskan steamers can make trips from
Tacoma to Sitka with little o1 no trouble.
~ Is IlltlttN very Dtdttll III sailing Ill llllS
Archipelago: no heavy seas ever disturb
the peaceful bosom of this island water:
The heaviest waves which wash the shores
can easily De sunnounted in an Indian
canoe.
Discovery Passage. which is entered i'm.
mediately after leaving the Gulf of teor-
tri, H.
miles long and in some places not more
tlmia third Of a mile wide 1T the north
west Fart the current sweeps through at
glcat velocity Ihr chart indicates ten
and Twelve knots During the past few
years. since it has become fashionable for
tourists t" make tie tip to >itka, ,Junean
and Muir Glacier many Utopian and i'm
probable tales have been told about this
narrow and dangerous passage When
the current is at its height it is not safe
for ships to enter OF attempt to navigate
the passage. All vessels in coming and
going wait until the tide is slack before
proceeding on their way. Notwithstand-
Ing the great speed of the current. it is
never sufficiently strong to ''turn back the
wheels of a steamer, as one author has
claimed. The absurdity of a such state
ment is obvious to all who are in the least
familiar with the sea and the management
of ships.
Johnston Strait, which might be called
continuation of the last named channel.
is less dangerous, and can be navigated at
any time of tide, both day and night, that
is if competent pilot is in charge If
such a person is not on board, the safety
of the vessel grows less at each turn of
the propeller. The pilots on Alaskan
steamers run the numerous intricate chan
nels, bays and passages in a manner which
clearly indicates their proficiency in their
chosen profession, and to one not familiar
with affairs pertaining to the sea, their
powers of observation, calculation and
innate perception must appear nothing
less than supernatural, for they lave lit
tie or nothing to guide them on their
course on a dark and fo9gy night No
lighthouses beacons, buoys, or fog whis-