Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-26


out tho Islands from his sight, but be
knew that hja search was over, and
down went his anchor, not to he raised
until tho lifting of the fog revealed the
long looked for isands-snce then Il
SOURCE VI wealth and of contention to
their pnHsessoIa.
The fisheries of Alaska are destined
to be of enormous value The migra.
tory instinct of the salmon brings
thom annually into every stream and
river along the coast. So strong is
this instinct that when, as sometimes
happens, tho mouth of the stream lie-
comes closed by IA sand bar the salmon
will leap out on the bare sand, and en-
deavor to wrigglu their way across to
their parent stream. Fish stories are
always looked upon with suspicion;
but we have it on good authority that
the salmon ara often so numerous that
many arc actually forced our of the
water. TO lay 10 accompanying windows
along the shore.
But Just at present it is AlHska's
mineral wealth which il attracting the
most attention. The Russians were
nersistcnt, IL not very successful, in
endegvuring to develops the IMMORAL
resources of the country. Al Cooks
Inlet, coal mine was opened, and
0 to 10 foot vein worked for several
years, aud ,, 700 tons of coal taken out;
but this coal proved to be so heavily
charged with sulphur that it was
almost valueless, iusing and warping
even the smokestacks of the steamers
on which an attempt was made to use
1t. Gold also was found, hut mot often
in, mi hnf No
now knows, the last few months have
witnessed tina discovery, in the Yukon
Valley, of gold doposits Of almost
fabulous richness.
In going up tho Yukon. the start is
made from ST. Michael's: for no ocean
going steamer can get within GO miles
of the rivers mouth. After threading
a labyrinth Of passages for more than
100 miles, the river proper is reached.
| 1t is here, and for 700 or sou miles of
it's course. about 20 miles in width,
and flows through succession of lakes.
The banks, at first Low and treesss and
scarcely above the level of the tides,
soon become high and clothed with
forests of spruce, fir, poplAr and willow.
Shorter, but more adventurous, is
the trip overland from juneau. and
All accounts agree that the voyage
from the Columbia River to Sitka aud
Juneau is ono of continual pleasure.
The scenery 10 comrared TO the High
lands Of the lludsun, or to the Della.
ware at the Water Gap. So calm and
smooth ia the land locked passage, that,
| ii ia asserted, trimming tumber of
water on the cabin table will not lose a
drop, in the whole passage of 1880
niles to Sitsa. But this ia too good
to last. Perhaps the dangers Of the
| Chilkat Pass have been exaggerated, for
| F'redeEiGk Schwatks, who, in June,
| 1883, crossed to the head waters of the
| Yukon and iluateG down on raft, in
his description Of this part of his
| journey, does not emphasize the fact
that they encountered any difficulties
other than those to be expected in a
wild and mountainous region. He
grows eloquent. however, over the
pleasures Of raft building. lie says
lone of the delights of raft making
was standing greater part OF day in
| ice water. lust from the gaciaTs on the
mountain tops, and in strange contrast
with this annoyance were the mosqui-
! toes buz2ing around the head while the
feet were freezing. -
Rapids and Indians were encountered
in the trip down the river, but none of
| the rapids were sufficiently had to
wreck the raft, and tue Yukon Indians
wers not inclined TO be troublesome
in fact, there are said to he less than
LOCO Indians in the entire Yukon
region. An Alaskan Indian ia never
known TO wash--even his face: gump-
times hu anoints himself with rancid
oil and then rubs dry, hut this il
probably on speuia occasions only.
In fact, tho difficulties OF n surnmer
trip on the upper Yukon would seem
TO consist of, first, the srarcity OF fnGj.
ANA second, the mosquitoes. Fish ara
sajd 10 be eomnaratively srarce. mr. it
least difficult Ia obtain without tho
use OF net, on account of the mud
dinoss ~ fra vntnr 4 an. ~ wntar
tal.on frn,, ,ho Tni,,r ,n,'r,ba ro 49,,
.a;,,at; ;tL III Wiz !" b. pe IVY:
10 I,l'T' 'uu wan guy nHiia hNvr Is ~
ciouued WIN nluu that the bottom OF
the cup cannot DO seen.
| An ,,,, ~. is' IL i. . ~ IL
to remain mil Tho ret,,rm 90 'n nnij
wnatLor ~ tb;s E,odori,I, s.nhw.,tI.a
save. s.'rhe ,r.,'l,s ~ 40 oa;r,.i i , .,n4
nLont tbe ,rtr mt ~ II tbnt a,,,iJ
await bore H. tbn r,os,,,;,, soasnr
ibat Ia ~ eav iron, Tx t;,,a ~ s,,n =,
is bnIf niT ina ,,ro,,nd n,,t;r tt,o a.
snvcrn frost so,no tbro,, az IN, ,no,,ths
later, ~ And AGAIN he s,y, - :. Annnr ~.
in, ~ ff,o ,,nrrrrl ,arr,s - tbo e,,r,,;,.aI
NJ tba ft,est mi tbn ,r,,,th ~ 49,,
mnat useG rIrscIpa IN ~ ,iotri,oa,, Al
diners, n herd of ca,tle IN tb;s diatsic;
in tho far future wand he ali tuil and