Oregon union. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1897-1899, 1899-01-27
AN EXCITING RIDE.
Geo. w Waggoner Writes
An Interesting Letter
From Alaska.

nearQ little from nm. The following
| letter gives evidence that he is in good
health and equal to any emergency that
may arise in that land near the pole,
| Day before yesterday we sailed forty
| miles in five hours, the finest ride | ever
| had. The wind came down from the
North quite strong enough for racing and
| the little ship flew before it as though 1t
had life, and like me vas impatient to
hear from home. The water rolled about
US, dark green, broken here and there
into caps which flashed in the morning
sun, scattering sprays of white and some
times grains of silver and gold around
and upon the deck of our little bark.
Nothing seemed wanting to make the
morning perfect, nor could the eye re-
gret the absence of anything in its search
for natural beauty. On either side of the
channel, as far as the eye could reach,
mountain peaks. white with the first
deep snow OF winter rose one above
another like kings among the hills look
ing down upon their subjects, or priests
whose errnine robes in heavy folds lay
carelessly about their feet. When the
sun first peeped over the mountain tops
all was white, down to the waters edge;
but soon the sturdy pines along the shore
challenged to wrestle with the northern
breeze, threw their white mantles upon
the ground and in their dark green
native costume resolutely stood, quiver-
ing with energy to meet the contest.
The rocks near the waves, too strong to
feel the breeze, still wear their snowy
hoods, some of them inclining towards
the water pointed down with sicrcles
whose prism forms reflected the light
throwing prismatic colors along the
shore. The channel was decked here and
there with huge floating fragments OF
glaciers, whose imposing forms suggested
ancient towers Or ruined palaces. Some
were white, some green, and some were
blue. Their varied colors being due to
different forms, thickness and angles
being presented to view. Occasionally
grotesque forms, denizens of the deep,
rose to the surface to sport or bask in the
sunlight, and nlyriads of white winged
birds fioated idly through the air or with
sudden start dived into the waves for
morning meal. Over all there arched
the clear, calm beauty OF Il northern sky
and a northern sun shed a radiance which
only such a scene could have been
worthy of. 1t was the sight of lifetime,
a nd frir
see. My only regret was that others far
away were not with me, for things seen
are mightier than things heard''
We sailed on, enjoying with keen
relish all this beauty so lavishly thrown
around us. l held the wheel and Victor,
my only ship mate, stood on deck IS
much entranced as myself. Our journey
was nearly done. Another hours sail I
would bring us to our harbor, when sud-
denly the wind freshened almost to
gale and our schooner darted forward
like spirited horse when he feels the
spur. A moment later the sun had
darkened. Black clouds were rushing
toward us and we realized that we were
at the mercy of furious storm A
regular north-wester was sweeping down
the channel behind u.s. It came on So
that we had no time to shorten
sail or make other preparations so neces-
'ary in such an emergency. I called to
Victor to reef the fore SAIL to do this he
must lower it. Carelessly it had been
allowed to reach and rest against the !
braces. The increased pressure of the i
Wind held it there, and unaided he !
'ould not haul it down. We had all our f
;anvas spread. The schooner was built
II oak and sound in every timber, but /
he creaked and groaned like one in ;
teed under the lash. Glancing behind, IN
saw we were running ahead of the | /
most furious part of the storm, and even s
n those exciting moments 1 could but q
otice the change wrought in all around n
IS. The storm had not only blotted out Ii
II beauty from surrounding objects but 8
ad transformed them into sights to in
pire terror. The snow-clad peaks,
1hich a few moments before stood in
uch silent grandeur, were nov swept by
he winds which hurled the snow about a
hem; at moments obscuring them alto e
ether, at others showing them dimly Fl
trough the storm angry, seething, and IL
ideous. The waves which had ap- 81
cared to caress our little bark as it n
lided among them now leaped about it, O
ngry and threatening. The icebergs
'ere no longer objects of admiration, p
ut appeared like enemies lying in wait a
or our approach. Suddenly the waves D
'ere seen leaping about a dark green I'll
lass few feet beyond our bow. A p
uick turn of the wheel and harsh
rating sound is heard, as we rush past n
mass of ice large enough, had we struck I
fairly, to have wrecked our boat in an es
lstant The ice bound, snow-hooded W
ocks which lined the shore appeared no 81
,ss threatening. We realized that the
ca was charged with destruction and OF
ne shore spotted with death. We were W
lcreaslng our speed at every moment Il
ut the storm kept pace, bearing with n
lch tremendous pressure our wide IL
pread sails that the bow OF the little
oat kept almost continually under O