The Alaska prospector., 1907-05-16

waters found new outlets where here. tofore no stream had ever been. As a result the water courses of Alaska are widely divergent and non conformable to the system that had previously pre- vailed. All over Alaska may be seen the old dry beds of the ancient streams crossing and recrossing the present rivers at an elevation of hundreds and even thousands of feet above them and sweeping off across the country along llnes that completely ignore the pre- sent contour of the land.
 Alaska has presented an anomily to mlners, Tn that gold is quite as ire quently found upon the mountains ae in the bottom of the streams It is these oid river beds, high mp on tbe noun talns that constitute the Bench Dig glngs" which lave been so valuable to Alaska and so profitable to Alaska miners. The same conditions that brought about the forward movement 't the masses of ice that pushed, punched and ground their way over the mountain ranges. cut deep canyons through solid rock, ground down whole valleys to depth ot several hundred feet below the level of the sea. has brought about cessation of glacial activity and caused a recession of the gIaciers up the chanels, valleys and canyons of their own making. leaving in their wake bays, sounds and inlets, 1 cascadeS, cataracts and waterfalls.
 The great Muir glacier has during the last ten years receded more than seven miles, as shown by Government measurements The Valdez glacier, just back Of the little village bearing lt- name, has not reCeded as rapidly as ihe AtDIr. bat, since the turn in the [ Idle O. affairs the NaldcZ glacier has rocedod from way beyond Hluchen. brook, distance Ui one hundred miles ana lo ucw slowly retiring up the main valley, with about thirty miles of tee q mile wide and six hundred feet deep stlii to waste, while each of it's several branches, spurs and feeders is slowly and qulet!y wasting away and vanishing up It's respective valley oT canyon, at q rate less marked than Le Muir put ju=t ;ts nanifestiE and un- -spurabiy wasting away \ block of zee thir,g miles long mile wide and 7I& hundred feet deep, with one eu elevated tO height Of five thousand feet, resting on q polished and lubrica, .tu t,aue, would still wear tOrmida- uie aspect, out. It ls as the echo of 'o!Ge LAat spoke iu tuuuder>. or the
 haaOW ot thlugs that were What has teeN salI of tine f0ru-OmG giaCiers may -agaLy we'll be zaLd Of them all. for -aaciai activity iu A.3-Ea is OH the F ne, and practically thing of tile Ea-t. They are goJn-, many of them ua gone. Out theH works survive them Aud au the face oi tue JUoKs they have ,iIt,en tner history, history that speaks clOquently Oi tboiy magr iii. 1lugc and power
 The coalitions which have prevailed ju Alaska and those which now exist seem leX XpIicaDIe ou any other hr- 1oibeai7 Chan that lu her normal state, Alaska vas tropical or semi-tropical; that rom such condition she n.a changed tO q flIgid climate; that such change came suddenly: that su,h chang" vas accOmpag!oa Dr some pho- nJu"..,' CT active energy that froZr every Luing to great depth; that from ,H, atIug deposits Ol snow the glaciers were formed; and that during ii ,.s, time Ala. Ka H,- been slowly Erarl,auug back to tIc conditions that prevailed ,n the beEiuniug.
 INat l,asj<a was aJ one time blessed with 8 mild and cQuablc climate is auuuuantly at-es,ei by inc presence ui taa remains of tropical birds and auIE.aIa. The tusk., bones and even '.e t'"tn-clothed bodie of members of he elephant family have been found iu various localities all over Alaska. "h.c tHe horns and skull of the cape D...In, bring box. wnIjdo heaste and various -pecle5 Of | rN as we'll as the
 bu..- q tusks of thp Wild boar and