Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-03-02

10 If volcanic formations; there are
numbers of extinct craters IN slgnt.
The general fat surface of the country
10 Sufficiently varied by low mountains
&c not TO he unpleasing, but in winter
when the sea is frozen and the earth
o1nt1,od in monotonous white the scene
becomes tiresome
The nights at this season of the year
are as light as the day. The sMpns
carpenters work far into the night on
the Arctic.
We left st. Michael amid the firing
of an old Russian howitZer, the blow
ing of whistles and the waving OF
flags Precarious as is the Navigation
| of Bering sea in properly fitted ocean
steamers, real danger begins upon TAX
ing the river steamers. When these
crafts leave st. Michael it is always g i
| matter Of doubt whether they Will
ever return
In less than twenty-four hours we
had successfully passed through tne
shoals of the coast, over seventy mhes,
into the placid waters Of bayou OF
the Yukon. For several days scenes
and experiences may be summed up
in traders stores, Indian villages,
graves decorated with totem poles ana
fantastic coverings, wild roses, marsh
marigolds, blue bells, coarse marsh
grass, belugas white whales), hair
seals and mosquitoes We passed Dy
an ancient battle ground, where az
row heads and fragments OF prlnluVe
weapons testified to the once grap1
pling vigor and rough frown OF war.
AS we left the sea the coarse and;
homely features of the Innuit tribes
of Esquimaux changed to more at
tractiye expressions. At the lively and
populous summer village Of Rasbanskl
the bank Of the river was lined with
plump and laughing maidens dressed,
at least in some cases, In light COTTON
wrappers Here was the beginning OF
spruce, cottonwood, alder, willow and
birch timber, and consequently of the
birch bark canoe. which is used in
place of the 'liall."
One of the oldest settlements on the
Lower Yukon is the Russian mission,
once the scat of priests Of great power
The priests are half-breeds, who have
adopted many of the rcpulsive habits
of Indian savagcry. The natives were
filthy.
We found a vcritable garden at
Kacerlslli above the mouth Of Yu-
skollwin river. This is the seat Of a,
thriving Jesuit mission and Indian
boarding school. Think of turnips.
onions, peas and rullishrS in this frozen
Wilderness!
Beautiful scenery on the Yukon be-
gins just below Anvic. In July nature
bestows her most attractive tints upon
the moutains and skies. Bright Phoe
bus is near enough the horizon
throughout the tWenty-fOur hours to
perfect such scenes as we witnessed
at Anvis rapids.
1t was a view of the Kaiyuh range.
Perpetual snow is not unusal in the
long arctic summer day. 1t rather
chooses to melt and hide below the
moss in the form Of everlasting ice
At Anvic rapids the first snow-capped
range was sccll. The picture reminded
me Of views OF the La Platas and Ute
Peak in Colorado, as seen from the
lower mountains Of New Mexico, fifty
miles to the south. The Kaiyuh range
extended from east to west. cutting
our course at right angles. The wide
silver sheet of the river, with its banks
hidden in green chapparal of alder and
willow, and higher bluffs covered with
spruce and aspen. lost itself in the
deep purple base of the distant noun
tainS. Over the scene lowered white
dOmes and peaks into clouds as vari-
egated as the rainbow.
Our vessels whistle was ever the
signal which sent the dogs ut the ma
tive villages along the banks bowling
frantically to the wilderness. and
brought squaws. children and men in
small canoes about us like flies. Most
OF the time we kept ourselves closely
barred in our little state room; other
wise the mosquitoes would have de-
voured us.
we were sometimes entertained with
dances by our Indian crew. These
fellows appropriated ford part of
the lower deck to their sports. labors,
beds and meals. The latter they pre-
pared and consumed at all hours. and
meal usually consisted Of a salmon
stew and tea.
We passed successfully through the
Palisades" high walls. from which
are eXhumed great quantities of man.
moth ivory. and the "Ramparts." or
canons Of the Yukon. Next we entered
the arctic flats These are similar
to the great fiat plains at the delta,
1000 miles below. The river is so wide
here that its banks are not interyisible
and it is filled with scores of islands.
Timber is plentiful. Mountains-the
sheep range-were seen to the east.
we arrived at the spot on which Fort
Yukon is located on Aug. ..
This is the land of the midnight
SUM- The short arctic summer was
ended. A great commotion was raised
by the appearance Of IL star. the herald
Of approaching darkness. Ice formed
ut night. Our camp fires were COM
Portable.
Our party was divided here. We bid
good byes' to ten men. in command
OF j. Henry Turner, who. with the
steamer, went up the Porcupine river
farther into the land of boreas. The
rest of us. in command of J. Z. Nc
| Grath, waited the arrival of the Arctic.