The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-11-24
WONDERS
OF ALASKA.
Answer to the Query "IS it
Worth YiSitine?"

SOWH ~ LCoFC AUA eh~ DhSt0HN
Country of Icebergs It's Won
ders Almost Defy Description.
BY special request the Chronicle
publishes in this column story from
the pen of Grace Peckham Murray,
M. d. of New York city. Interest
in the article is due not only
to its value as literary effort
but to the fact that DR.. Murray
is known and held in high esteem by
many residents of Morristown. The
report that party of tourists would
leave this place to see the wonders of
Alaska renders an article on that sub
ject particularly interesting at this
time. DR.. Peckham writes from per-
sonal observation and experience and
answers very effectually the question
is Alaska Worth Visiting?''
is ALASKA WORTH VISITING?
(By Grace Peckham Murray, M. d.
This is the unvarying question
which the returned Alaskan tourist
hears and which be is put upon his
conscience to answer. Immediately a
panoramic procession of the scenic
glories of rans-continental and Alas
kan pictures, endless in variety, passes
before the imagination, and a glow
ing enthusiastic 'Yes'' falls unhesi-
tatingly from his lips.
But what is there to see? 1t is a
wilderness, is it not?" pursues the
merciless interrogation, who does not
wish to squander his precious sight
seeing, with it's time, money, and
fatigue, for that which profteth not.
The tourist from distant Alaska
feels his enthusiasm blown upon by
the cold breath of an iceberg judge
ment, and is called upon to seriously
consider the question for his friends
and to defend the position which he
takes.
1t is wilderness, a tangle of
} Wilderness a Godforsaken desert with
only few oasis. It is seldom given
to a traveller who cannot be Stanley
and penetrate the dark depths Of
Africa, or Verestchagin, who can
scale with his easel and his palette
the dizzy Himalayan heights, startl-
ing the solitude and soaring the eagle,
to witness such isolation, such re-
noteness from the civilized world
j If you go to Alaska you will be sur
feited with scenery, scenery, scenery.
Never in your life will you be SO
gorged with scenery. 1t comes upon
you in every variety, and you are
convinced that never more will you
gaze upon new type of scenery
You have run the whole gamut of
wilderness scenery. You come to
tranquil reaches of water suggestive
of lakes and rivers, with islands
covered with undulating hills. Again
the water becomes oceanic, and you
are on an ocean voyage, with shoals
of porpoises gayly accompanying the
ship, and huge whales and numerous
sea monsters disporting themselves i'll
the deep waters safe from the whaler's
harpoon, since the depths of the
Pacific and st. Georges Channel are
so great that they would not be re-
turned to the surface for their capture
till after many days.
Again the channel narrows Pre-
cipitous and rocky heights close in
the green and pid-flowing waters,
and the trackless forests come close to
the steamers side, and now and then
a mountain goat or stealthy bear
looks from it's haunts upon the
steamer as upon a passing show.
Again the hills become scanned and
SCARED mountains with scraps of
glaciers clinging to the sides, and
pouring down in deepened burrows
are cascades ranging in size from
silver thread to a broad brawling
torrent which has cut it's way through
the evergreen forests
And these coniferous forests are
sight in themselves They are like
huge communities of patriarchal
lcbLl1llSS III Wh1Ci uIO lANU etINt StA
generations, Light-gray and hoary
the branches and stem of the old tree,
which will fall before the sweeping
blast of the next tempest, and close
to it the branched and gray tree of
the next generation. which elbows
the deep gray green tree, its neighbor,
which looks down upon the genera
tions of green trees, shading ever in
to lighter and livelier verdure, down
to the youngest sapling.
Again the mountains recede, and
an extensive archipelago is entered,
filled with islands innumerable and
of every form. Then there are the
Mount st. Elias Alps, with their snow
clad SUBMITS losing themselves in
the clouds or lifting their regal heads
high into the sapphire heavens. Seek
the world over and you will not find
anything to surpass in awesome
grandeur the beauties of the Lynn
Canal and the wonders Of Glacier
Bay.
Do not think that any picture can