Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-08-13
FROM FAR OFF ALASKA.
Some of the Sights Seen on Trip TO
the frigid Zone.

| tnt FTisiu Zone.
sITKA, ALASKA july -. 1896.
DEAR FRIEND CHIEFTAIN: We
are all well and enjoying our trip
very much. Before this reaches
you we shall have arrived at Port
land on our return trip, latter eleven
days upon the wa:er-cOunting the
journey both ways. Six hours
only of rough weather was encoun-
tered; during that time a few OF the
passengers fed the little fishes.
Alaska is a great country; it
would be good place for all of
our white claimant Indians to 60;
living Is cheap All they have to
do tor living in Alaska is wait for
the tide to come and go, which it
does twice a day; then they can go
down and just pick up any guam
tity of fish OF every variety
The scenery of this country
would be hard to describe. They
don't have to put up ice here; al
they have to do is to just 60 out
and pull in an iceberg or 60 up on
the mountain side and get snow or
ice. All the mountains are COW
cred with ice and snow. We
worked our way through the ice
bergs up to Toku glacier and took
on 80 tons of ice-enough to do a
round trip and lot to sell When
We got out of fish we just stopped,
and the boat furnished US hooks
and we cast them and the sea gave
up every kind, weighing from five
to one hundred pounds, boats on
either side taking them off for us.
In less than forty minutes we had |
enough fish to feed regiment. l
had the pleasure of yanking in
fifty pound halibut. The greatest
sight to us was the muir glacier
solid river of ice thirty five miles
long gradually working its way in
to the ocean at the rate of eleven
feet per day. 1t is from 800 to 400
feet under the water and about 200
feet above. We stopped at this
glacier six hours and all went
ashore in small boats and climbed
the glacier and mountain. where
we could see all over it. A grand
sight it was, and when we all got
aboard the captain moved the ship
slowly through the icebergs, right
Up in front of the glacier. 1t
seemed as if you could just reach
out and put your hand on it, and
of all the cracking and popping, it
was there. l wished | were some.
where else. We saw chunks of ice
about fifty times the size of the
Cobb house broken off, float out
to sea.
Alaska was once a great forrest
of pine or fir, and the mountains
are covered with it now, but most
of it is small. In some localities
you find large trees. Travelling is
almost impossible through the
mountains. When the Almighty
stretched forth his hand thousands
of islands were made, and every
tree in Alaska fell, and they are
there today, tumbled and lying
across each other until travel is
| saw trees ten or
twelve feet in diameter and others
two 10 four feet through had
started and grown on top Of them.
| am confident there were trees !
eighteen or twenty feet through in {
Alaska before the tear-up came. {
Snow falls in the mountains q
twenty feet on a level. l saw :
Texas friend of mine at Juneau;
he says it SHOWS all winter. They 1
have two hours of sunshine day 6
in the winter-that is if it ever
gets chance to shine. This time !,
Of year it's all day. We had a 5
base ball game at Sitka. Arrived y
at p. IN. and Sitka challenged !
the steamer Queen Tourist for a
game. We had some experts on
board but they did us up" bad
rs to 4; game commenced at 1902. \
m. and closed at 1920 p. m. This c
lime is three hours slower than
ours. i
Fur, fishing and mining are the r
chief industries. We saw quite a o
number OF salmon canneries. Saw n
ots of whales and also saw a
.hrasher and sword fish killing a $
whale. e
This would be Il fine trip for p
your best girl to take and you hap e
pen along. Oh, the tunnels and i
Kisses are sweet; get one for break
asst. We shall visit Yellowstone Il
Park on our return, spending ten II
,r fifteen days there, and expect to
,e home about the 10Th or Doth of
August. Respectfully,
ED L HATSEtI