Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-08-27
FINDING OF GLACIER BAY
Description OF tho Discoverera
First Visit to the Place.
A Journey of Eight Huncr Miles with
Many i'ardships-Great Mountains of
Ice Seen Through Fog
and Storm.

Chb Vk
Ice Seen Through Fog
and Storm.
John Muir, after whom the largest
glacier in the world Is named, writes a
paper Cor the Century on 1.-THE Discev-
cry of Glacier bay" Mr.. Muir says:
"My first visit to the now famous
Glacier bay of Alaska was made toward
the end of October, 1879, when young
Ice WIS beginning to form in the branch
inlets osceI,ied by the glaciers, and the
mountsins were mantlcd with fresh
snow all the way down from the high
est peaks Ind ridges of the Fairweather
range nearly to the level of the sea.
II he'd spent most of the season e4-
ploring the canyon Of the Stickeen river
and its glaciers, and a small portion OF
the interior region beyond the Coast
mountains, on the divide Of some of the
s~outherly tributaries of the Yukon and
Mackenzie rivers When l got back to
my headquarters at Fort Wrangel,
about the beginning of October, it
seemed too late for new undertakings
In this Icy northland. The days were
| growing short, and winter with its
heavy storms was drawing nigh, when
avalanches would be booming down the
long white slopes of the peaks, and all
the land would be buried.
but, on the other hand, though this
white wilderness was new to me / was
familiar with storms, had enjoyed them,
knowing well that in right relations
with them they are ever kindly. The
main inland channels, extending in
every direction along the coast, remain
open all winter; and their shores being
well forested, it would be easy to keep
warm In camp, while in II large canoe
abundance of provisions could be
carried. 1 determined, therefore, to go
ahead as far north as possible, with or
without companions, to see and learn
what could, especially with reference
to future work. When l made known
my plans to Mr.. Young, the Wrangel
missionary, he offered to go with me-,
and with his assistance / procured q
good canoe and a crew Of Indians,
gathered a large stock of provisions,
blankets, etc, md on October IA set
forth, G to welcome whatever wild
ness might offer, so long as food and
1rewood should last. We
made a journey more thar eight hum
dred miles long; and though h~ardships
were encountered, and a few dangers,
the wild wonderland made compensa-
ton beyond u most extravr gan.
hopes.
1.-THE first stages OF our Journey were
mostly enjoyment. The weather wa
about half bright, and we glided along
the green and yellow shores in comfort,
the lovely islands passing in har-
-~---- IN - T.
poem. The rain did not hinder rs, but
when h wind was too wild we stayed
In camp, the Indians usually improving
such storm times in deer hunting,
while I examined the rocks and woods.
Most Of our camps were made in books
that were ~charmingly EMPOWERED, and
fringed with bushes and late flowers
. About noon we discovered the
6rst of the great glaciers-the III I
sfterward named for Geil1ie, the ruotcd
Scotch ~geologist. Its lofty blue 6lifs,
looming up through the draggled sAirts
Of the clouds, gave a treme1 1ous
Impression Of savage power, while the
roar Of the newborn icebergs thicl coed
ind emphasized the general oar OF the
storm. An hour and q half beyon1 the
Geilkic glacier we ran into a slight har-
Dor where the shore Is low, dragged the
canoe beyond the reach Of drifting Ice
bergs, and, much against my desi1s to
push ahead, enca1nped, the guild. IN
sisting hat the big ice mountain al che
head of the bay could not be rcachcd
before dark, that the landing there was
dangerous even in daylight, and that
this was the only safe harbor OF, she
way to it. While camp was being made
l stncl1ed along the shore to eza:M.ne
the rocks and fossil timber that alb. fsn
here. All the rocks are freshly glaciated
even below the sea level, nor have the
waves as yet wor off the surface pol
ish, much less the heavy scratches and
grooves and lines of glacial contous.
1.-The next day being Sunday, tia
| minister wished to stay in camp; and
| SO, on account OF the weather, did tbs
Indians. / therefore set out on On eH4
c~ursion, and spent the day alone on tt1s
mountain slopes above the camp, md
to the north of it, to see what l might
learn. Pushing on through rain ard
mud and sludgy snow, crossing many
brown, bowlder-choked torrents, utad.
ing, jumping. wallowing In snow to thy
shoulders, / had a desperately hard and
dangerous time. After crouchihg,
cramped and benumbed, IN the canse,
poulticed in wet clothes and blankets
night and day, my limbs had long been
asleep. This day they were awake,
and in the hour of trial proved that
| they had not lost the cunning learned
on many a mountain peak of the bigh,
| Sierra
II reached a height Of fifteen hun.
dred feet, on the ridge that bounds tho
second Of the great glaciers on tue
south. AL the landscape was smoth-
cred In clouds, and l began to fear that
I had climbed In vain, as far as wide
views were concerned. But at length
the ceuds lifted a little, and beneath
their gray fringes I saw the berg-fned
expanse of the bay, and the feet of The
mountains hat stand about it, and the
isaposing fronts Of five of the huge
glaciers, the nearest being Immediately
beneatb me. This was my first general
view of Glacier bay, o solitude of Ice
and snow and newborn rocks, dim,
dreary, mysterionE ! held tho ground
! I had so deautx wSA4or an hour or two.
/ sheltering mygelf as best I could from
the blast, while with benumbed fingers
Tsketched what I could see Of the land
scapc, and wrote a few lines in my note
book. Then l breasted the snow again,
crossed the mufaed shifting avalanche
tall, forded the torrents in safety, end
reached camp about dark, wet end
weary. but rich In q notable expax4'
ence.n
from U.S.Jo1rndt y Hsdicia