The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-25

miles sight Mary's Island. our first
stopping place. Henceforth. our voy-
age lies through the remarkable
Alexandria Archipelago" which IL
over 200 miles from south to north and
IS miles from east to west, among q be-
wildering collection Of mountain-stud-
ded rocks, straits. inlets and passages.
extending through nearly five degrees
of latitude and seven degrees Of longi-
tude-as yet but partially explored.
Here are said to be thousands Of
islands, densely covered with forests
and on each Is seen vast fall Of dead
timber Indicative of great age, besides
monarchs Of fir. spruce and cedar and
hemlock Of great height and circumfer-
ence. All this in a wilderness almost
untouched by the pale face. Day after
day, from morn till night. the tourists
sight Is surfeited with an ever shifting
panorama OF this rugged primitive
wilderness.
PORTLAND CANAL.
This much explored and surveyed,
discussed and disputed. boundary line
between Alaska and British Columbia
is on our right and extends eastward
as the eastern limit sixty miles into the
heart of the coast range. 1t Is walled
in by mountains from 5000 to 1000 feet
high at its entrance. while those at the
east end are said to tower to twice that
height. At the time of the Alaska pur
chase the surveyors named these
heights on our side. In honor Of some
of the distinguished Americans then
living--Seward, Adams. Reverdy. John
son. Halleck, Peabody-while Lincoln's
nj be ron
Leaving the picturesque Portland inlet
on the right, our course Is northward
through Dixon Sound into clarence
Strait" which Is l07 miles long and no.
where less than four miles In width.
Throughout this strait we have the
great prince OF Wales" Island on the
west. (The reader will understand
while the name Is thoroughly English,
the island belongs to America) The
southern portion of this noted island IL
the home of the Hydah Indian tribe.
noted for their marvellous skill In carv-
ing. Their artistic skill Is best exem-
plified In Its spoons, carved out OF the
horn of the mountain goat. and mini
ature totems cut I'm dark slate stone;
also the unique "Hydah Indian Hat"
and work baskets" delicately woven
from native bark of which We secured
handsome specimens.
In twenty miles after crossing the
boundary and about p IN. we sight the
White Government buildings on Mary
Island. The Queen blows u shrlll
whistle and presently the stars ana
stripes are hoisted on the United States
custom house staff, the steamer slack
ems her speed. and soon, drops her an
chor while Captain Carroll Is taken
l,, ~ a
papers as are necessary to comply with
the laws and enable the steamer to
proceed northward. Shortly the captain
returns with a deputy collector. who
boards the steamer, and makes the trip
to Sitka and return, whose business Is
to see that no whiskey or other contra
band goods are landed or taken on
board the vessel.
After three times-three-cheers for
"Old Glory" the Queen swings on her
course off the main route some fifteen
miles among the Gravina groupe Of
islands to New Mettakahtla," which
lies quietly resting on a long pebbly
crescent-shaped beach on Annette Is
land. This colony was founded by the
indefatigable missionary apostle, Will
liam Duncan, in 1887. Here I must
pause to tell the wonderful story of
Metlakahtla. The work of raising a
race of Indians from cannibalism to a
high state of Christian civilization.
Were I to recount all the incidents
have heard on this trip, relating to the
work Of this good man, ii would require
several columns. ] will endeavOr, how
ever, to cOnfine myself to a single con-
densed paragraph.
WORK OF THE MISSIONARY.
Some thirty-eight years ago young
Englishman by the name Of William
Duncan, came from England as a lay
worker for the Church Mission So
ciety," in response to Admiral Prevost's &
account of the terrible condition Of ma
tive life on this coast. On his arrival
all the Hudson Bay cOmpany's officers
tried to dissuade him from going to
Fort Simpson, where from frequent acts
| of barbarism the worst savages were
congregated. But this young mission
ary at the age Of twenty-ohe, having
solemnly dedicated his life to the cause
| Of raising the Indian race from the
degradation of savagery to civilization
| and Christianity without fear cast his
| lot in this hot bed of annibalism
Within three years he had learned the
language and SO thoroughly converted
fifty or these Indians that they fol.
| lowed him to an abandoned Tsimsian
settlement, Metlakatla, and established
a colony that in the words of Lord Duf.
fernis. "a work that stands absolutely
without parallel in the history of mis-.
sions." Taught by their devoted friend
they cleared, drained and cultivated the
land, learned to saw logs, build houses
can salmon and engage in nearly every
branch Of business that would utilize
the products Of the country. They built
a village Of tidy two-story cottages, q
church ediflce that would do credit tc
many a larger white settlement, a
school house, cooperative store anG
cannery. They formed a village coun.
Gil of elders, a fire brigade, brass
band; became carpenters, cabinet-mak.
ers, shoe, cooper, tanning and rope.
makers and the women were taugh,
weaving, sewing and cooking. 1t was
a model colony and for twenty-fou,
years the peace and prosperity of SO(
Metlakatlans were unbroken.
But in 1881 Bishop Bidley,' of the
Church Of England, severely criticised
and objected to the form of the simple
religious service that Mr. Duncan held
and the omission of the communion
service, and sent a representative