The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-09-26

length the vast district became the
property OF the United States.
Then came he pulling question OF
naming the territorial baby. because
Ia old name. Russian America was
no longer appropriate. The wits ex-
ercised their inventive powers. sug-
gestlng such appelations as American
Siberia" and Zero lslands.' but
Charles Sumner showed his hne taste
by suggesting Alaska" (the great
landl. a name which the Indians used
In connection with the southern part Of
/ the peninsula. The ceremony OF the
transfer was very simple Had one
been In Sitka a certain bright October
morning IN 1867 he would have seen
beautiful Sitka bay gay with the flut-
| tering Stars and Stripes on three Unit
cd States warEhips. while from every
stan and roof OF the village waved the
| emblem OF Russla's power, In front
I u the old castle on It's lofty. natural
elevation we're drawn up the troops u
both countries. who silently awaited
the FIRST salute from one Of the United
States ships. at which signal the order
was given 10 lower the castles Russian
Tag. Scarcely had the sound OF the
American guns lost themselves In echo.
when the Russian batteries doomed
forth. and the American Dag gayly
mounted TO the top. while both coun-
try's guns sounded duet. after which
the Russian governor formally resigned
his badge OF once to Americas repre-
sentative. and the land belonged to Tn
Gle Sam. That night there was a ban
Quet and ball at the castle and then
the Russian families. many Of whom
were cultured. educated people pre-
pared to leave the country In possession
OF the new owner. so that In a few
months the natives and United States
troops, together with INSCRIPTIONS ad-
yenturers. we're the sole occupants.
| Gradually the latter class was super
seeded by honest prospectors and rugged
pioneers. whose accounts Of the beauty
OF the land attracted the tourists who
now annually food the coast region.
where some OF the grandest scenery OF
the world can be seen.
Leaving Victoria. the boat begins lts
serpentlne passage among the innum-
cradle islands which. necklace-like. en-
circle the coast In verify and truth.
they are the spurs OF that unhrnken
mountain range which forms q wall
along the Pacific coast from north On
south Az FIRST one begins TO count
these islands. but Is soon lost In a
maze OF figures. for there Is q goodly
company OF about l.lco. varying In slz,
from small. delicate patches OF greer
to great tracts oi land as large as th'
state oi Massachusetts,. a. the boa
glldcs In and ont of this labyrinth %
nature. the scene becomos kaleidosco
pie. for new combinations of turquoise
water. ncecc-necked sky. granite noun
talng. and forests centuries old arr
constantly presenting themselves. TIL
Yosemite seems but the child Of thii
vast. grand congregation OF rocks Will,
Pixies Peak Is but strayed it'll,
brother. Tor one after the other. on al
sides. mountains that lose themselves
In the sky's snow banks rise perpen
dicularly from the smooth. level sur
face ot the water, Neptune demanding
no tribute during this voyage. as on'
meets the open sea only while crosslnl
Queen Charlotte Sound aud Dixon En-
trance A bird aying high over head
or a seagull sklmmlne the waters mir
ror-like face give evidence OF the
feathered Inhabitants OF these unex