The Alaska daily empire., 1915-01-01

buildings and Indian quarters are
a few attractive houses. The
whole is dominated by the sch0o'
house on the hill and two or three lit
tie churches.
We leave Wrangell in an hour, not
however, before we have listened to
the improvisions of the local poet,
Bobbie Burns, he calls himself, ana
informs us quite truly as the jingles
come pouring without effort or cessa'
ton from my lips that,
u use the best of language
Always in my rhyme"
we fear that he has missed Doth
his proper vocation and perchance
the straighter path. since frequent re-
courses to the inspiration for all these
lyrics has evidently failed in the bel
terment of his fortunes even as III
the case of the Bard of Ayrshire
AS we swing away from the town
we cross a wider stretch of water
and soon approach the far-famed
Wrangell Narrows. The wooded shores
draw closer and closer they are
less abrupt, and, as we proceed on
our way, they often flatten out close
to sea level. Ever verdant, these
slopes possess mysterious fasclna-
ton. They keep silent guard over
the long, slim passage that lies so
quietly between them. Winds rarely
disturb this stretch of water Only
the great tides which surge back and
forth remind us that this is no in
land lake and from here we may tray
ell without hindrance by devious
Windings to the great Pacific. Along
the shores first to the starhoard, then
to the port, are stationed the untlrlnS
guardians of the shadows whose sin
gle beam, like the edge of Il CyclopS,
peers out into the darkness, or faint
ly flickers by day.
Even at high tide the channel in
places is so restricted in width that
two good-sized steamers must pass
within few yards of each other.
The banks on either side often slope
out to the waters edge like Cultlyat-
ed lawns. Behind the trees gIbw
! thick and straight. a marShalled host.
| Here and there an island rcars its
woody crest out of the mirroring wa
ter. Wonder, gruesOmc reminder
of some early tragedy antedating the
days of careful charts til" skeleton
hull of an old ship still clings to a
rocky bar. The tide varies some
twenty odd feet. If your boat through
delay encounters low tide, she may
anchor at the entrance to the Mar
rows or nearly through them on the
southern side of the bar. All night
she swings within sight OF red light
that appears with equal stcadiness up
and down the shore.
With the dawn, which fortunately
breaks clear and perfect we weigh
anchor and emerge from the Mar,
rows to dock at Petersburg, scrag-
ely but thriving community with its
salmon cauneries and lumber inter
ests. Thence We proceed northward
at length entcriLE Stephens Pas
sage; and after passing Taku Inlet
and the southern tip Of Douglas Isl
and and N, within sight Of the CAPT
Ia of Alaska.
The Gastineau channel region
probably affords mere points OF III,
tercst to the traveller in Southeast
ern Alaska than any other locality.
Upon its shores are situated Juneau,
the capita city of the territory, the
well-established communities of Doug
las and Treadwell opposite, and
across from these to the south the
new town Of Thanc IN up-to-date
ferry service connects all four. The
big freight learners call at one or
all of these towns as the freight and
passenger business demands, but al
ways at Juneau Silently the boats
slip up to the channel from the south
or from the Westward. in all wealth
ers and at all times of the day and
year.
We made Juneau our headquarters
from which we plan to explore all
the neighboring vantage points. nc
turesque in the extreme is the situa-
ton of the town. Rising from the
water front by abrupt stages, the
streets command al almost every
of view of both water and mountains.
On the right as we de Mt. Roberts
towers up to about 1 .' lret' REACH
ing back from the prpitous slope
above the channel in ...., ShoW-co'-
cred ridges to it's sum- It's WOOD
ed shoulder is direct ABOVE the
wharves and on one ~ the main
streets. Here, after heaVy lall'
the snow lies thick on ihe spruce
trees. In summer tho drip moist
and dark from the steady downpour'
or shine a wonderful green against
vivid blue on these more rare uays
when the sky is make 81 any CLOUD
Only a limited amount Of lana Is
available in the GENITAL p1rtlons Oh
Juneau for business purposes Al 'ne
back of the ridge drops aHruptiy u
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