The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-05-21
FINDING OF GIAGIER BAY
Description OF the Discoverers
First Visit to the Place

A Journey Of Eight Hundred Miles with
Many Hardshipa-Great Mountains of
Ice Seem Through Fog
ana Storm.
John Muir, after whom the largest
glacier in the world is named, writes
paper for the Century on "The Discov'
cry of Glacier bay" Mr.. Muir says:
MY first visit to the now famous
Glacier bay of Alaska was made toward
the end of October, 1879, when young
ice was beginning to form in the branch
inlets occupied by the glaciers, and the
mountains were mantled with fresh
snow all the way down from the high.
est peaks and ridges of the Fairweather
range nearly to the level Of the sea.
81 had spent most of the season ex-
ploring the canyon OF the Stickeen river
and its glaciers, and a small portion OF
the interior region beyond the Coast
mountains, on the divide of some of the
southerly tributaries of the Yukon and
Mackenzie rivers. When l got back to
my headquarters at Fort Wrangel,
about the beginning of October, it
seemed too late for new undertakings
in this icy northland. The days were
growing short, and winter with its
heavy storms was drawing nigh, when
avalanches would be booming down the
long white slopes of the peaks, and all
the land would be buried.
sBut, on the other hand, though this
white wilderness was new to me, was
familiar with storms, had enjoyed them,
knowing well that in right relations
with them they are ever kindly. z The
main inland channels, extending in
every direction along the coast, remain
open all winter; and their shores being
well forested, it would be easy to keep
warm in camp, while in a large canoe
abundance of provisions could be
carried. determined, therefore, to go
ahead as far north as possible, with or
without companions, to see and learn
what could, especially with reference
to future work. When I made known
my plans to Mr.. Young, the Wrangel
missionary, he offered to go with me,
and with his assistance / procured a
good canoe and crew of Indians,
gathered large stock Of provisions,
blankets, etc., and on October ID set
forth. eager to welcome whatever wild
ness might offer, so long as food and
firewood should last. We
made journey more than eight hun
dred miles long; and though hardships
were encountered, and few dangers,
the wild wonderland made compensa-
ton beyond our most extravagant
hopes.
''The first stages Of our journey were
mostly enjoyment. The weather was
about half bright, and we glided along
the green and yellow shores in comfort,
the lovely islands passing in har-
monious succession, like ideas in a fine
poem. The rain did not hinder us, but
when the wind was too wild we stayed
in camp, the Indians usually improving
such storm times in deer hunting,
while examined the rocks and woods.
Most Of our camps were made In nooKs
that were charmingly embowered, and
fringed with bushes and late flowers
About noon we discovered the
first of the great glaciers-the one /
afterward named for Geilsie, the noted
Scotch geologist It's lofty blue cliffs,
looming up through the draggled skirts
of the clouds, gave q tremendous
Of savage power, while the
roar of the newborn icebergs thiclSened
and emphasized the general roar Of the
storm. An hour and half beyond the
Gcikie glacier we ran into slight har-
Dor where the shore is low, dragged the
canoe beyond the reach Of drifting ice
bergs, and, much against my desire to
push ahead, encamped, the guide in
sisting that the big ice mountain at the
head of the bay could not be reached
before dark, that the landing there was
dangerous even in daylight, and that
this was the only safe harbor on the
way to it. While camp was being made
strolled along the shore to examine
the rocks and fossil timber that abound
here. All the rocks are freshly glaciated
even below the sea level, nor have the
waves as yet worn off the surface pol
ish,. much less the heavy scratches and
grooves and lines of glacial contour.
"The next day being Sunday, the
minister wished to stay in camp; and
20, on account Of the weather, did the
Indians. l therefore set out on an ex-
cursion, and spent the day alone on the
slopes above the camp, and
to the north of it, to see what might
learn. Pushing on through rain and
mud and sludgy snow, crossing many
brown, bowlder-choked torrents, wad-
ing, jumping, wallowing in snow to my
had a desperately hard and
dangerous time. After crouching,
.rarnped and benumbed, in the canoe,
ooulticed in wet clothes and blankets
night and day, my limbs had long been
asleep. This day they were awake,
md in the hour OF trial proved that
hey had not lost the cunning learned
IN many . mountain peak Of the high
Sierra.
II reached height Of fifteen hum
lred feet, on the ridge that bounds the
second of the great glaciers on the
;outh. All the landscape was smoth-
,red in clouds, and I began to fear that
had climbed in vain, as far as wide
7icws were concerned. But at length
he clouds lifted q little, and beneath
heir gray fringes saw the berg-filled
.xpanse of the bay, and the feet of the
Mountains that stand about it, and the
IMPOSING fronts of five of the huge |
glaciers, the nearest being immediately |
,cneath me. This was my first general
Jew Of Glacier bay. y solitude OF ice |
md snow and newborn rocks, dim,
lreary, mysterious. / held the ground