Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-19
ALAsKA WEATBER.
Tho Japan Current Protects 1t From
tremes.

In the Century there is an article on
''Tho Alaska Trim by john Muir, the
California writer anu naturalist. Mr..
Muir says:
The climate Of all that portion Of the
coast is hathed by the japan current,
extending from the southern boundary
OF the territory northward and westward
to the island of Atoo, distance of
nearly 9, 800 miles, is remarkably bland,
and free from extremes OF heat and
cold throughout the year. 1t is rainy,
however; but the rain is of good quail
ity, gentle in its fall, filling the foun-
tains of tho streams, and keeping the
whole land fresh and fruitful, while
anything more delightful than the shin
ing weather after the rain-the great,
round sundays OF June, July and Au-
gust-can hardly be fourd elsewhere.
An Alaska midsummer day is day
without night. In the extreme northern
portion of the territory the sun does
not set for weeks, and even as far
south as Sitks and Fort Wrangel it
sinks only few degrees bslow the
horizon, SO that the rosy colors of the
evening blend with those Of the morn
ing, leaving no gap OF darkness be-
tween. Nevertheless, the full day opens
slowly. At midniaht, from the middle
point between the cleaning and the
dawn, low arc Of light ia seen stealing
along the horizon, with gradual in
crease of height and span and intensity
OF tone, accompanied usually by red
clouds, which make striking adver-
tiscment Of the Gums progress long he.
fore he appears above the mountain tops.
For several hours after sunrise every
| thing in the landscape seems dull and
uncummnnicatiye, The clouds fade,
| tho islands and the Mountains, with
rufus of mist about them, cast Hide.
| fined shadows, and the whole trina
| ment changes to pale roarl-2ray with
| Just trace of purple in it. But toward
| moon there is a glorious awakening.
| The cool haziness Of the air vanishes,
and the richer sunbeHms, pouring from
| on nigh, make all the bays and chan
nels shine. Brightly now play the round
topped rippes about tho edEes of tho
| islands, ana over many plume shaped
/ streak betwean them, where the water
| is stirred by some passing breeze.
On ths mountains of the mainland
and in the high-w walled fiords that
I fringe the coast, still finer is the work
of the sunshine. The broad white
bosotns of the glaciers glow like silver,
and their crystal fronts, and the multi.
tude of icebergs that linger about them
drifting, swirling, turning their myriad
angles to the sun, are kindled into a
perfect BLAZE ot irised light. Tho warm
air thfohs and wavers, and makes itself
felt as life giving, energizing ocean
embracing all the earth, Filled with
uzone, our pulses bound, and we arc
warmed and quickened into sympathy
with everything, taken hack into the
heart Of nature, whence we came. We
feel tho life and motion about us, and
the universal beauty; tina tides march
ing back and forth with weariesa in
dustry, LAYING the beautiful shores, and
swaying the purple dulse of the broad
meadows Of the sea- where the fishes
are fed the wild streams in rows white
with waterfalls, ever IN bloom and pvei
in song, spreading their branches oyei
Thousand mountains; the vast fores
feeding on the drenGhirg sunheams
every cell in whirl OF enjoyment
misty fiocss Of insects stirring all thu
air; the wild sheep and goats on thu
grassy ridges above the wouds, bears IL
tho herry-tanglos, mink and heave
aud otter far back on many a river ant
lake: Indians and adyenturera PURSUING
their lonely ways; birds tending thei
young everywhere, everywhere, beaut.
and life, aud glad, rejoicing action.
Through the afternoon all the wa.
down 10 the west the air seems 4
thicten and become soft. without losin.
its tinensss. The breeze dies away, an,
everywhere settles into deep consciou
repose. Then comes the sunset Will
its purple and gold-not a barrow arcl
OF color, but oiten times filing NOR
than half thu sky. TINS hori2onta
clouds that usually bar tine horizon ar
fired on the edges, and the spaces o
clear SKY between them are filed in witt
greenish yellow and amber; whila tn
iIocks OF thin, overlapping eloudlets mr.
mostly touched with crimson, like lin
: outleaning sprays of a msple-grove i
2 the beginning of Indian summer; an
y little later smooth, mellow purpl
: ilushes the sky to the zenith, and til
the air, fairly stepping and traustiaur
0 ing the islands and mountains, an
: changing all tho water to wine.