Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-08-25
TAKING A TOUR.
HARRY DEY, OF THIS CITY, SEEING
THE SIGHTS IN THE FAR
NORTHWEST.

Waters Writes Home
From Sltka The
Trip Described.
Miss Kate Hollopeter, of this city,
has received the following interesting
letter from her brother, Harry Dey,
who left home something like . year
ago for the Pacific coast and who is
now a marine in the service Of the
United States government:
STTKA, ALASKA, August S.-Dear
Folks: left Mare Island on July
25 on the government tug Umadilla at
$3.50 a. m. and arrived here yesterday
at $3.50 a. M, all safe and sound. I
departed from San Francisco on the
passenger steamer Queen at 10 O'Clock
Monday night and all day Tuesday IL
was very rough. The boys were all
sick except myself and one other. I
laughed so much at them when their
turns came that all were hoping that
I would be the next, but I escaped.
Tuesday about noon the forward hatch
on the upper deck was carried away
and the water came pouring down on
the next deck, where several Of Ms
were smoking and talking. I got
soaking and of course had on my best
clothes. Wednesday morning was
fair after a rough night. We pulled
the sick ones out on deck. Some of
them had not tasted food or drink
since Monday, but all we're able to
partake of a little broth for dinner and
after that they kept the steward busy
supplying them. 1 developed an
abnormal appetite and it still stays
| with me-.
We sighted the light house on Flat
terry Rocks at dusk and at $3.50, having
rounded Cape Flattery and passed
through the sound, l turned In. I
awoke next morning at Victoria, B. O.,
and first set my foot on British soil.
The town is one and one-half miles
from landing and l went only far
enough to get a good view Of 1t. 1t is
a fine country and everything Is green
and bright-rather billy, though.
At II O'Clock we arrived at Port
Townsend, where many fine buildings
are going to decay. The town should
pick up some now, since they are
building Notifications near there. At
three O'Clock we hove in sight Of
Seattle, where we laid over for q day.
1 stopped at the Occidental Hotel, q
fine place. Seattle is q hustling place;
most Klondykers outfit there. Invent
to the theatre at night and had a good
time generally.
We left Friday at four O'Clock p. m.
on the City of Topeka and at Z p. m.
we were at Tacoma, q very nice city,
but 1t was evident that she, too, had
seen better days. Walked about town
till about 10 O'Clock and turned in.
When l awoke we were under way
and at 10 O'Clock again at Port Town
send and at 3 O'Clock at Victoria. At
five O'Clock we were ION for the
| Klondyke" via what Is called the
inside passage. II I can get q map
will send one that will show you the
route we took. From there to Sitka
we were never out OF sight of land
on one and most Of the time both
sides. For hundreds of miles the
mountains on either side range from
one to two thousand feet in height,
the sides covered with dense growth
of timber, the tops Of some covered
with snow. 1t was the sight of my
life. At times the passage was so
narrow that one could throw a rock to
shore; the hills would rise from the
waters edge.
The first stop after leaving Victoria
was Wrangle. 1t is q town of perhaps
four hundred augmented at present
by soldiers, one-half whites, the
others Indians. We spent q short
time at the soldiers camp, took q
stroll about the town and then was
ready to leave. One of the strange
sights Of this old town In Alaska 10 the
number and size of the "totem poles''
of the Indians. They are from thirty
to fifty feet high. On the top is some
hideous monster. and every few feet
the image of some bird or animal
painted in all the colors; they are sup
posed to bring good luck.
Our next stop was Juneau. 1t has
been a bad town but lie comparatively
tame at present. The tide there rises
about twenty feet; at Mare Island six
or seven feet. I asked the boatswain
what was the reason, but he did not
know; neither do l.. From there we
went to Douglass Island, acros the
bay. That contains the largest gold
and silver mines in the world. They
work seven hundred and fifty stamps
and r erecting buildings for five
hundred more. They are the Tread
well mines. On the other side of the
island is the "Bear's Nest" It was
sailed by Treadwell and sold to English
capitalists for 5000, 900. They spent
s1oO, 900 developing 1t and never got q
dollars worth OF gold.
The boys caught some fine fish here.
Thursday We were ct Skaguay. It ID
under martial law and 10 quiet at pres
emit. From there the overland trail
leads through Chilkoot Pass to Daw-
son City. There are lots of "ousted'
people here who would be glad to be
at home.
Friday morning we are at Sitka, oul
home for / don't know how long. W.
have q cosy barracks and no duty tc
speak Of. Plenty to eat and wear and
I don't see why I should not like It
Sitka is a town Of about six hundred
inhabitants-four hundred Indians and
half-breeds and two hundred whites
Outside of the Governor and q few
officials 1--WE are the people," Weather
delightful yesterday and to-day.
though there Ia more rain falls here
than any place in the United States
during the year. It never gets very
coId here. AT preeaut tina fAv