Fort Wrangel news., 1898-09-28
10 AETLAkAHTLA.
Judge Jackson and a News Han
 Make the Trip.
small Bed. Large Man. The Prettlest
 Tow n in All Alaska.

Tow n tn All Alaska.
 \ News man Wis recently standing on the deek of one of tho sound steam CTS waiting for the boat to pull out for the south.
 "Whrre now ?" sail Capt Adams, who Nas standing on the wharf with one eye turned toward the writer and the other in search of any whiskey -mugglers that might be around the dock.
 "Oh. only to Metlatahtla." said the News man. and little did We then think that our trip was To he ouc of the pleas antest We had eyer experienced and that We were 10 see the prettiest town in all Alaska.
 We were going with Judge Jackson, who went to hold term of court at that place. The Judge was heavily load ed with legal lore d. we'll as baggage, and the latter included a fair sized ar senal. The genial. social qualities of "his honor" would not permit his going alone on a trip. which it was supposed would be far from pleasant. While We were on the boat asxioGsly waiting for the order to loosen the lines. the Judge was pacing back and forth on the dock, trying to keep in the rain, which at that time was not an unwclcome visitor
 When the whistle sounded the usual signal to "let eo," the Judge boarded the ship and soon We were scudding along at ten to twelve mile pace. The run to Ketchillan was to Us without much interest. We were to arrive there at about o'clock in the morning, but if was after two We were not given q state room. and after the usual bed time. the two wanderers silently held down some of the many vacant chairs that the sleeping population of the boat made vacant. At ketchikan we made a safe landing and then our trouble com menced. Clark < Martin own nearly all the buildings in the town, which in cludes hotel and restaurant, but the man in charge in sorrowful tones in HUI ultii NlS liili lllt ItflS NtIb dlI lul1, however, he would thoroughly examine into the matter. We followed him up and down stairs into rooms, through corridors, and finally returned to the sidewalk for rest and consultation. He conceived thought A man had left on the boat and we were to have the room made vacant. We were conducted to the room. The bed was three and half feet wide-the Judge is three-and where the writer came in, our readers can easily imagine. Who are these peo pie that fill up the sleeping rooms at Ketchikan, you ask. Well, they are prospectorS and travellers. Thorn Arm is located on that island and a great many people have gone there. some are still going, and others returning. There are many mining claims around the ketchikan country, some of which give evidence of becoming very valuable. We were shown some ore by man named Johnson that is worth thous- ands of dollars to the ton. We stopped ill ketchikan for several days, waiting for fair wind and safe sea. Metla- kahtla is not on the route from Fort Wrangel to Victoria. It is about fifteen miles south, and We had to take passage on sail boat. We secured the services of Capt. Peter Mckinnon, who owns fine Columbia river boat, twenty-six feet long. The Capt. would not risk so valuable a cargo in his own hands at time when a storm might strike boat at any time, so he took with him man whose name we failed to get, but who, besides being fine fellow, is also thorough sailor. Joseph Campbell, of Metlakahtla was also one of our party and on his way home.
 A dory took us to the craft we were to continue our journey in and for miles we didn't exactly run against the wind, but came very near it. We were first on one side of the channel and then on the other. They called it tack ing, but we wouldn't call it that if we were writing d dictionary. The end of