The sun., 1895-02-15

A Novel and InterestinE Exeursiou In Far
Northern Latitude.

Doing the tourist act IN the midwintcr season
OF Alaska Is novel. On the evening of Jan. o the
light disclosed the steamer anchored OF Sldmore
Island In Blacier bay, and the air biting. tho at
mn2IsphetS nI.p csaT and thS sun Pssp,ns %ysT the
the anchor was weighed. stepmlng against
an icy cold wind from tho glistsning pn.
and decks were soon frosty. Willoughbys
Marble Drake aud siurgess islands held
STEAMER slipped BY. 10 the LEFT Pacific Inlet
presented Us range OF mountains snowceppcd
and rgsged, and at % their base bus p9cii,c I Glacier
the bay Muir tilacier reared It's plateau Of Ice,
clinRing 70 the sides OF the Fairwenther Range
lug bay. The scene was wild, and natures proc
ess OF disintepration seemed frozen into u
peared arrested by the frozen chill Of tons upon
tons Of ice.
ing Prof John Mulr's cabin on the right, until q
calm WAS entered beneath the beetllng CraRs Of
frozen architecture. Coming up to the wall Of
within n stones throw Of the glacier along its
entire frontage. At times the vessel was within
seventy feet ~ its wall and the ripples from the
steamer gurgled into the caverns with a warming
note; As one crng began cracking, the steamer
was headed furthero out. ard then returned to her
former course. II Is not often that one hns
the opportunity to ride under a wall OF Ice for
mile, and witness the Ice hold together until tho
when nt a. safe distance, that IL was tho first
time he had ever approached the glacier so
ClOsey. Inc Wills were Huleu WIN plNHhCltS
OF ice, rising In places from 80 TO 200 feet from
the water, and the frosted surface contrasted
superbly with the sea green and heavenly blue
tints OF the fractured Ice. As far AS the eye
could discover this frozen river extended back
Into the wild recesses Of the saw-tOOthed Fair
weather range.
Opposite the cabin the anchor was dropped,
and the party of nine went ashore. Near the
glacier large blocks Of ice had collected ON the
beach, and their transparency wns III up by the
suns rays and their lurid crystals were or.
namented by the cUlors Of the rainbow. Small
pieces, like scntilating diamonds glowed from
The sandy beach, and frozen pools OF water lay
enscUnCeu in the miniature chverns OF the Ice
bergs. While on shore u huge slide of ice
dropped into the bay, and from its crested foam
roar of ocean bilipws. All had to beat u hasty
retreat above high-tide mark.
In steainins down the bay en- route FOR Sitkn,
Muir Glacier reached into the mountains to the
ridge OF tine White Mountains bordering Lynn
Canal as far as the eye could reach, and, then
turning. this field of Ice Joined Pacific Glacier
thirty miles away. and thepce up the steep sides
of the Fairwcathtr range tully sixty miles from
the bay. This field of ice, In succession OF
glaciers. extends from Glacier Bay to Copper
man with flying machine could see sufficient
ice on this route to keep him cool for the rest of
his summer days The base of Muir Glacier s
estimated TO be two miles long, but the plateau
broadens out with altitude until its area be-
comes immense.
The wind blew the snow from the peaks of
CrillOn, Fairweather and La Perouse, which
gave one the impression that these mountains
were emitting steam and smoke but fire and
lava have no chance there, as they would be-
frozen to solid in this region of perpetual snow
and Ice.
The following Wednesday morning the party
was once more In Juneau. having made the first
winter excursion to Glacier Bay.