The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-10-15
A LErrEn PRo,I ALAsKA.
A whosliog Boy on an o. s. Nfan-of.war
TNratas Hama

mako hOGuS AubSAS1SHA
recent letter from .. S. Cadet John S.
Doddhdgs, who writes to a relative
from Unalaska, Alaska, and gives some
interesting facts about that little known
territory. His letter IS both interesting
and instructive:
We have been out for short cruise
Eince last wrote. We captured the
schooner "Fayorite" for illegal sealing.
We have lost a blade OF our propeller
80 that We will hardly make any more
cruises before going south. When Il
does not interfere with any duty ]
generally 90 fishing or hunting Some
times have very good luck.
see that my old ship tho "Phila.
dsiphia" has arrived as San Francisco.
/ would like very much to go 10 China
and SEQ the var, but the injury to our
propeller will keep us from going. Sew
eral Of the shipa have left for San
francisco.
At your request have written a dc.
scription OF what have seen in Alaska.
/ will send it to you aud you eau let
the ISrELLIGESCER have it II was very
kind in Mr.. James TO send you the
v EERLY lSrELLiGgScER
hope to be in San Francisco before
another mouth.
It is not remarkable that Americans
know 60 little about Alaska, for it is
cut of from tho rest Of the country aud
communication is m seldom, and then
only TO Sitka, that few have au oppor-
tunity 10 see much Of our Arctic
domain.
Il Is true, that q line Of steamers runs
from Port Townsend. Washington, to
Sitka during the summer, through an
inland passage which is beautiful in
scencry, but few have m opportunity
to travel in tho great country to
the westward OF Sitka spent
the past summer, cruising in
tho Gulf OF Alaska and Bering
sea, go that l had an exceptional opp0r-
tunity TO see Alaska.
On May II we left Port Townsend for
Si,ka. We stood up the INSIDE pas
sage" as it Is called, between Nancou-
yer Island and British Columbia. At
the head OF Vancouver Island We put
out to sea, and as our business was to
catch seaIers, We spent several days
making the passage TO Sitka. Arriving
at Sitka on the 27th, wo remained there
for seven days, giving mo an excellent
opportunity to get my first Impressions
Of Alaska.
Sltka, the capital OF Alaska, is
situated on Baronol Island, one OF the
numerous islands along this coast
Il has population OF about 400, the
majority OF whom are Indians.
10 ono in ignorance OF Alaskan his
tory, the quaint old log houses, tue old
Greek church with its green sioping
roof, tho narrow crooked streets, are i
source OF surprise.
Sltka was founded in 1893 by Rus
sim trading company, and since that
time it has changed but little, the GOV
ernor, the United States steamship
Pinta Ia small man Of war;, and n COM
pany OF marines representing tho uRtted
States government in Alaska.
The general character oil tho region
about Sitka Is mountainous with dense
forests OF spruce and fir.
Tho Sitkan tribe OF indians arc harm
loss, gaining livelihood By fishing and
hunting.
These Indians have peculiar custom.
In frontof their dwelling is totem-an
upright log carved in some hideous
manner, GENERALLY to represent some
animal. No one knows why they are
put there. They cannot be idols, ms
they are not regarded with particular
vencration by the natives. think IL ID
merely peculiar form Of architecture.
The few white men here are Engaged
in mining and trading. The traders
thrive better than the miners. 1t may
be surprising, but true. that the largest
smelling works in the world are situaL.
ed at a place called juneau, one hun
dred miles from Sitka. Gold is found
in all parts OF Alaska, out not in sutIici-
emit quantities to pay for mining it OK
cept in the Yukon river country.
Leaving Sitka about the middle OF
June we skirted northward along the
coast until we reached the Alpine dis
trict OF Aiaska-the st. Eiiias range.
Here are the tallest mountains in North
America. We arrived oil the coast at
night. We all hoped for clear day.
We were not disappointed. Il was q
perfect day, perhaps u little chilly for
June weather.
What sight before our eyes! There
was Mount ST. Elias, towering 1880
feet I'D into the skies. his snowy sides
standing out distinctly against the blue
sky beyond. About st. Elias wore
smaller mountains, 1900 feet high,
| covered with perpetual snow. At the
foot OF St Elias and extending dis
tnrce OF thirty miles to tho sea is tho
great glacier. We went in close to the
! foot Of tho glacior, or "iceberg factory"
| rs sentimental poet once called it, At
a distance the foot OF the glacier pro.
sents shimmoring grceu appearance
| in tho sunlight. As We neared the
glacier bluffs 100 feet high confronted
us for q distance OF ten miles along tho
coast. Large pieces OF ice were continu-
alIy breaking oil and falling into tho
water, the only visiblea.lccE OF tho slow
motion OF the glacier.
In tho afternoon We went into large
bay aud lay to for several hours. While
here IN Indian canoe came alongside
with two cub bears. We paid the In.
dams their price and the cubs were
ours. These Indians know the value of
tho almighty dollar. The next day we
returned to Sitka. aud after weeks
stay there started for the westward.
People do not rcnli1o that there arc
500.090 square milQs OF territory in
Alaska, but did when 1 learned that
we could steam 1000 miles north Of
Sitka before coming to the westernmost
island Of tho Aleutian chain-Attu.
San Francisco is hall way between
New York and Attu.
But to return to orr cruise. Our first
| Il, t>Nitt xuna l,nnF IuIOI.-u