The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1928-02-16
A TRIP UP THE
STIKINE RIVER
Continued from Previous Page

rivers were IN flood over their banks,
due TO the terrific heat in the inte-
rior. Reaching the mouth of the Par
eupine river we had a fine view Of
Porcupine Glacier and the sawtooth
range of mountains.
The river was beginning to become
more turbulent, and our powerful
boat was only making a bare four or
five miles an hour going against the
stream. Here and there we were
caught in the rapids, which retarded
our progress considerably,
At the Raspberry flats we saw two
grizzly bear. one an immense ponder
Gus animal as big as a buffalo. They
were in among the wild berries.
which they are SO fond of. They
shuffled slowly away. after eying US
and giving a snort of defiance. We
tried hard to bag them. but our pilot
could not hold the boat against the
current in order that We could take
an effective shot, using an explosive
bullet.
Near Flood Glacier. another mass
i've, slowly moving. river of solid ice.
we saw four Rocky Mountain goat
on the snowelad hills. They stood
high up on the preeipice. turned
their heads toward us. then seamper-
ed over some ice erags higher up to
again turn and look in our direction.
Three of them. pure white. but the
larger ram was of grey color. Bald
headed eagles were common. in fact
we bagged lot of them. There is a
premium on killing these birds of
prey. They have been known to carry
off young fawns.
Through valleys we could see
ridge after ridge of rocky mountain
ranges. with massive fce-caps,
stretching for miles into the unex-
plored part of the Arctic. Passing
Barneys Cache our course was due
north.
Surrounding Flood Glacier the
mountains assume immense heights,
rocky and perpindicular, with scores
of small glaciers elinging to their
sides-a scene of wild grandeur.
The main glacier is about three miles
wide of solid ice, where it meets the
Stikine. 1t runs back into the I'M
eharted and unknown territory be-
yond Much rock and many trees
have been caught in the slowly NOV
ing river of ice and We're swept down
to the river edge. The main bed of
the glacier was partly covered by
this debris. Flood Glacier comes in
from behind a mountain range in
two arms.
At Scud river above Flood Glacier,
we saw wild geese-twice as large as
the barnyard variety, dull greyish in
color.
The mail for the Cassiar region
goes In via Telegraph Creek, when
navigation is open, and we carried it.
From Telegraph Creek 1t is distrib-
uted in summer by pack train or
pack-horse to the various forts and
posts of the interior. In the winter
this mail goes via Skagway by boat,
thence over the White Pass to Carl
bou Crossing. thence by bob-sled
stage once a month to Atlin and Tes-
lin districts. From this point it is 225
miles by dog-sled to Telegraph Creek
via Telegraph Trail. The dog teams
make this latter part of the trip in
eight days going and eight days COM
ing back The teams carry only a
hundred pounds each trip (first-class
matter only. There is no mail from
October / to December Is at Tele-
graph Creek. out or in.
From Telegraph Greek all mail for
Lizard, Dease, Upper Peace and other
Cassiar Region points. are distrib-
uted to trappers, traders, by Hud-
sons Bay YoyageurS, as occasion Of
fers-all use dog-sled, four to twelve
dogs in each train.
The Indian trappers and hunters
trade with the post or trader that
gives him "jawbone," the latter
meaning credit. Most of the interior
natives are a year behind with their
'jawbone," hut the trading posts
know who are good pay.
Passed by an immense island,
thick with cottonwood trees of good
size, which would make excellent
lumber. My compass registered East
by North. veering to due north.
The Stikine winds like a mountain
trail. through gorges. past glaciers
and wondrous peaks. cutting a path
through the Coast Range of noun