^, .0... \% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I '■'IIM ilia " '"^ IIIIIJl ■ iu ~- 20 1.8 1-25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► 7. <^ /} 'el em. ,>^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 73 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^ ■^ [\ iV \ \ ^KNT. WAsiilNtriox, March, 18(58. the expiration of my engagement with the Tycoon's government in Japan, T reci-ived permission from the coinmodove of his imperial Russian Map-sty's s(|uadroii, in tlu! north Pacific, to accompany Commander liassarguiue, of tho corvetti^ Rynda, to Russian Anwrica. We left HaUodadi on the 22i\ of April, 1SGI5, and were y'i days under sail crossing to Sitka, arriving there on the l-ith day of May. J U' i iJ J ,, «'• 2 RUSSIAN AMERICA. During my slay tlieni I received rmicli attention (Vom the governor aril otlicr officialii, and gathered some general and special information upon the nature and resources of the country, whicii I have embodied in the following pages. Fnim Sitka the corvette eaih-d to ihe mouth of the Stickeen river, and a sur- vey of ihe h)wer jiortion of this (stream was made by the Russian nflicers. ^I'hree parties were titled out : one to make soundings and a map of the estuary ; one to 8urv(^y and sound the channel for some .'JO miles up, (probably to the supposed boundary ;) and a third party to ascend the river as far as possible in the two weeks allowed for explomtions. As this river had not be 'u ascended by anv exploring party, and the nature of the country ahmg it, a id even the course oi the river was unknown to geog- rajihers, I accepted an i ivitation to join the expedition. The results of ihy observations, tegether with my journal and a sketch-map of the stream, are appended. 1 have th(! honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, AVILLIAM P. ULAKE. Hon. WiLi.iA.M II. Skwaim), iiicr clary of State, IVasIiington. NOTKS UrON THKGKOGKArilYANl) GKOLOGY OF Kt'SSIAN AMEKIC.A AND THK iSTICKEKN JilVLH, FROM OH^KRVA'I lOKS MADE 1\ IHGX TIIK < OAST OF ALA.SKA l.\ THK VICIMTV Ol- islTKA. On approaching the northwest coast of America from the Pacilic the moun- tain chains of the interior are seen to be lofty and Alpine in character. The ridpes are sharjjly serrated and rise into needle-like pinnacles, giving an outlini against the t-ky that contrasts strongly with the gently-shtping sides of th-. ruii- cated cone of Eilgecombe, a fine, extinct volcano which marks the entrain.i! to the harbor of Siika. This mountain and the ranges along the coast are den?(-dy wooded with pines, tirs, and spruce, but the upper portions or summiis are wiih- out v( gelation, being shrouded in snow. This often appears to be in immeii.- e drifts and overhanging masses upon the crests of the range. In the winter an(,' as late as May this snow stretches far down the sides of Edgecombe and buries the upper portions of the forest from sight, or leaves only the tops of the tall spruces protruding from the snow, like little shrubs. Some of the principal valleys of the mountain range of the mainland are filled with magnificent glacieis, rivalling those of tlie Alps. No glaciers are fo.und upon the coast at tsitka, or south of it, for under the influencloshes as aiws, over which their unfortunate captives were dragged back and forth until their heads were severed nom their bodies. Coal has been noted upon the island of Ounga, on the west side of Takharoos- kai bay, in two places. The beds are horizontal, and are probably lignite. Vancou'er noted coal on Cook's inlet. The miners who worked for gold upon the upper part of the Stickeen river in 1S62-'G3, reported coal as existing there, but no satisfactory description of it has been obtained. Coal of superior quality, in broken and drifted specimens, has recently been found by my brother, Mr. Theodore A Blake, geologist of the Alaska expedition of 1867, along the couriie of a small stream which empties into St. John's bay, north of Sitka. The beds could not be found, and their extent is consequently unknown. * It is surprising that during the I ing occupation of the northwest coast by the Ilussiantf.little or no attention was given to explorations of the interior. Even the islani. of Sitka has not been explored. C^per —\i has long been known that large massesof native copper are found along Copper river, whicli fiows into the Pacific between Mount St. Elias and the peninsula of KcMUiai. Some of these masses, shown to me by his excellency jl GovirniM- Fourihelm, at Sitka, very closely re;^emblod the specimens formerly picked up on the sliores of Lake Superior. From all the information wliich 1 received, I am inclined to believe that a copper-bearing region, similar to that ' Uuports on Kussiuu Aiuoricn, Ex. Doc. No. 177, 40th Congress, 2cl sossioa, p. 320. 4 RUSSIAN AMERICA. of Lake Superior, cxiftH ill llin interior. It is interefting that large maf!?ej« of native copper liave recently been fount! in norllieru Siberia. A large macs was exbibited at Paris, in the Exliibilion, from tbe Kirgbese steppes. It contained native .eilver, in isolated masses, identical in its appearance and its association . witb tbe singular masses of Lake Superior. Native copper, associated witb eilver, tbus appears to be a cbaracteristic mineral of tbe nortliern regions of botb continents. Gold. — Tbe stratified formations of tbe arcbipelagos along tbe coast arc not favoiablc to tbe existence of gold-bearing veins, for tbe metamorpbosiiig agencies wbieb usually accompany tbe formation of mineral veins do not appear to bave acted upon tbe rocks with sufficient strengtb. East of tbe islands, bowever, and in tbe first range of mountains of tbe mainland, tbe conditions are different. Tbe rocks are cbniigi d into mica slate, gneiss and granite, and are traversed by quart/, veins wbicb are piesunu-d to be gold bearing. However tbis may be, it is certain tbat extensive sources of gold exist in tbe interior, for tbe suuds of tbo gtream^ that descend to tbe coast all contain gold. Gold bns for many years been known to exist upon tbe Stickeen, tbe Takou, and tbe Nal*s rivers. It bns since been reported from many otber places widely separated. Upon tbe Slickeeii considerable mining bas been carried on by botb United States and Knglisb miners wbo followed tbe gold-bearing zon(? from Fra- zer's river nortbwaids. It is to tbese miners tbat we are indebted for tbe dis- covery of tbe metal in paying quantities upon tbese streams, and for mucb of our geograpbical knowledge of tbe interior. Tberc is evefy reason to believe tbat tbis gold region of tbe interior I'xtends along tbe moun ains to tbe sbores of tbe icy sea, and is tbus connected witb tbe gold regions of Asia. At the time of my visii to tbe Stickeen river, in 18G3, an account of wbicb is annexed, there was conclusive evidence of the existence of a gold field of con- siderable extent in tbe so-called " Blue mountains," at the sources of tbe rivers mciitioned. It is probable that there are zones of gold-bearing veins in those mountains which supply the gold to the detritus of the rivers. Tbe severe cli- mate, wbicb prevents all placer or deposit mining, where water is used, during the winter months, would not materially binder vein mining operations carried on below the surface. In this point of view a region of gold veins along those mountains has great prospective importance. The Stickeen river and other streams cutting through to the coast afford tbe most direct and clujapest routes to that region, and all information upon them has an immediate practical value. Some observations in detail upon the gold deposits along the Stickeen will be found in the general description of tbat river. Platina is said to be abundant with the gold of the north fork of the Stickeen. ICE. , It is probable that tbe ice of some of the large glaciers wbicb descend from tbe mountains to the navigable waters of the coast may be shipped with profit to San Francisco and other pbices. Alihongli tbe ice is not as clear and transparent as tbat taken from lakes and ponds, it is nevertheless quite firm and solid, and may be used for ordiuarji^Qr- poses. Ice of this character can be obtained from the end of the second glacior on the Stickeen river. In this connection the following notes upon the occurrence of great bodies of ice, undoubtedly glaciers, in the more northern parts of Russian America, have a special interest : According to Sir Edward Belcher* the shores of Icy bay, at the foot of Mount Voyage of the Sulphur, i, 78-80. RUSSIAN AMKIIICA. 5 ►St. Kliiic, lilt. GO-, iirc! lined with glaciors. "Tlit! wliolc of this h;iy, and the viillfv nhovR it, wa« foniid to he composted of (iipparoiitly) siiow-icc, about 30 fct't ill licight at the water clift', and probably ba^od on a low muddy beacli." At Cape Hnekling, in tlio sanio latitude, and west of Icy b.iy, the name voyager observed a var»t maps of ice sloping to the sea, the surface of which presentefl a most singular asped, being "one mass of fo;:r-si>ied trunc ited pyramids." He was not able to account for this and observes, " What could product! tiiese special forms? If one could fancy himself perched on an eminence ab )Ut .500 feet a' ove a city of snow-white pyramidal houses, with smoke-eobn-ed fiat roofs covering many s<|uare miles of surface and. rising ridgri above ridge in steps, he might form some faint idea of this beautiful freak of nature." Vast bodies of ice terminating in clili'-t upon the sea are numerou'" in l^rince William sound, and the thundering noise of the falling of large masses of ice was heard by Vancouver * . * On the shores of an arm of Stephens's past age (northwest of Sitka) a compact body of ice extended for somi; distance! at the lime of Vancouver's visit, and from the nigged valh-ys in the mountains around, immense bo(lie-< of ice reached perpendicularly to the sea, so that boats could not land. Similar obser- vations are made, in gein'ial, of the mountains of the coast opj)osit(! Admiralty ii „/ RUSSIAN AMERICA. 7 TIio (loptli of the water U of course variable, Imt, evon at low water is solrlom le.'»H tiian tliree ft!el in the main cliniiiiel. The hi^he^t water, or nea^ou of the greatest floods, is in the month of July, when the snow is ineltintr on the moun- tains morii rapidly under the summer sun. At these times the heiiyht of the river, judfjin;; hy the appearance of the hanks, does not appear to he; very {greatly increased, prohahly not more tliati six feet; but tin; water sjireads out over the low banks and islands, and the stream is thus greatly cliaufjed in its appearance and in the form and direction of its banks. The water is always charf^t-d with a very fine li}i;ht colored powder or sediment, so thai ; is opar|ue and the ltott<»m of the stream is not visible. This suspended materi.ii is probably derived from the glaciers, or may perhaps be washed down fr im soft stratiliid formations along the sources of the stream. N tir.()I,0(iV, (JOI.M, Mt\KKAr,>. Till! motuitains of the Stickeen \ alley, from tin Liiilc canon down to neir the coast, are lormed of syenite and gi.inile, with some jnctamorphic beds at inter- vals. The walls of the I/iltle ciifion an; granite. At the mouth of the river and below to the Indian villages the rocks are (|uite (Hfferent, being formed of the gieat saiul-'tone and shah; formifion already described. The direction of uplift of these strata is al)out north SO' west, mag- netic. The formation is some thousands of feet thick, and resetnl)les the rocks of San Francisco, but is more changed by metainorpiiic action. Tliey are proba- bly of the secoiulary period. It appears to pass into mica-slate just above the site of an old stockad;; or fort of the Hudson I5ay Company, where 1 found n locality of garnets liki' those of ?.Ionroe in Connecticut. in the drift of the river below the Litth; cauDU there is an abundance of (rag- ments of granite, | orphyry, ami limestone, and a notable absence of fragments of lava, from which I conclude that volcanic formitions are not developtfd to a great extent in the interior. ( f(dd can be found in small quantities by panning the drift of the bed .and bars of the river. I almost invariably found the color, but in particles so minute as to be diflicult to see and more dilHcult to save. Tiiis, of course, was to be expected in trials of.the sand and gravel from tin; surface. It is what is termed Hour gold, and to collect it would re(|uire blankets, quicksilver, and greater care ami attention than is generally given in the rapid methods of C.iliforiiii. There was not time to make any excavations to the bed rock, where, doubtless, the coarse gold lies. Very goixl results can, however, be obtained in the layers of gravel above it, and the miners infornu'il nu' that they seldom attempted to reach the bed-nick, it was so far below tl'e surface. Some of the best results of their mining were obtained in a layer of grav(d about IS inches below the surface. This IS inches of gravel is skimmed oft" auil f'nown aside, and tlui next five or six inches of gravel below is washed in cradles or rockers. The principal min- ing at Fiddler's and at Car|)eiiter's bars in 1SG2 was of this description. One claim of :iOO feet square, worked by two men, yielded S'li.OOO; and the bars arc reckoned to yield from -SJ to -SIO a day to the hand. Nearly all tin; bars will yield from $1 to SI fiO per day. The extent of ])ayiiig ground is much increased aa t!ie river falls, .and doubtless the bed of the river is extremely rich. Unfortu- nntely the time of lowest water is during the winter mouths, when all is locked in i '.', and, of course, washing is then impossible. The gold from tin; North fork of the river is the coarsest which has yet been fouiul or reported upon the ,Stickeen, (ISG2-'G.'3.) One, lump was worth S9 75. Even on this stream the bed-rock has not been seen exce|it at (»ne or two places, and it was believed that to reach and work the gravel upon it, derricks, pumps, and other machinery would be necessary. The miners say that this Nirtli fork ia subject to extensive landslides along its course, which bring masses of earth 8 RUSSIAN. AMKRICA. and rocks into tlie strcain and obstruct it iiiitil tlie f'orct' of accumulated water above sweeps everytbiiig di'an before it. 1 was impressed in ascending this river b^' the absence of any well-defined terraces or old deposits of drift along the mountain sides or on the low ridges. ]No terract! was seen until we were near the Little cation, where they are well- defined and exteiul for a mile or two on either one side of the river or the other, and they are also found ..'.ove the canon. 'J'hey rise some fifty feet above the stream, and are made up of coarse, heavy dri t. If at such places the bed-rock could be reached above the level of the river, there is little doubt that they would p!iy well for working. No favorable hill or dry diggings have yet b(;en found above. An explanation of their absence may be found in the fact that the valley is so narrow and the cur-ent .so strong that all drift accumulations are swept away. Tiie gold wliith has been brought by the liuliana from the 'I'akoun river further north is coarser than tliat found upon the Sfickeen. CLIMATE. At the time of my visit — the last part of the month of May — the poplars and other deciduous trees were just budding, and in some places the young leaves had spreiul out. The nights, thougii cold, were not frosty ; the ther- mometer seldom indicating less than 40 degrees. It was quite iiot in the sun during the day, though in the shade the mercury seldom rose above Go degrees. It is much hoit'r in midsummer At Sitki, in the sum;; latitude or a little north, there is not as great a diff^'reuco between tin; summer and wiiit(M' as upon the Stickeen. The winter at Sitka is not severe, and in 1862 there was not a crop of ice. The climate is said to bu like a continued autumn. On the Stickeen, and in that interior valley, shut out from the inlluence of the ocean current, the seaso'is are strongly marked. The winters are cold, and the summ -rs are hot. The river closes in December, freezes over, I am told, from its mouth up, and it opens in May. In the winter of 1SG2-'GI{ it was open as lat(! as December 17, and in the spring the ice broke up about the 1st of 5lay, and tin; previous year on the 9th of May. As soon as the warm days of spring causci the snows to- melt, the river begins to rise, and so breaks up the ice. '/here is then a short season of rising and falling, after which come the continuous floods of the hot months. Very little rain I'alls during the summer in the upper part of the val- ley. Little or nothing was known in 1S63 ot the climate of the mountain region at the head of the Stickeen. At the mining camps at and near Shek's bar the winter is said to hi' very severe. Snow commences to fall in October, but is most abundant in Dec( mbe;-, and covers the ground to a depth of from four to fourteen feet or mon; all winter. In 1^G2 four feet of snow on a level fell in one day. In Dectmber the mercury sank below zero, ami in February was solid in the bulb for niiuidays continuously. There was no thawing or rain duiing the winter. It is perhaps this alternation of the seasons that causes the timber of the inte rior to be superiitr (according to report) to that of the coast. FI.SII A\U (JA.MK. Salmon, Inilibut, and other good fish abound at tin" mouth of the Stickeen. When th(! salmon ascend the riv-r in June and .Inly the Indians follow, and catch'theni in great numbers. They sj)lit thim along tlie back, remove the backbone, cut them in long strips, and dry and smoke tliem. When well cured they are vc.-ry fine, aiul are very convenient in camp Ducks and geese may be shot on the ri'-er, and grouse in the forests of the shore.s. Bears are plenty in the mountains, and the mount.iin sheep or goat in the rocky places Ueaver and otters are taken in great numbers by the Indians of the Valley and itS' tributaries. /■ RUSSIAN AMERICA. / JOURNAL OK AN EXPLOKATION OK THE STICKEEN RIVER— 1863. Uudfr the orders of Admiral Popoff", of his imperial Iliigi>ian inajepty's navy, an ex[)fdilion for tlio survey of the Stickeen river was organized by Lieutenant Bassarguiuo, commanding the corvette llynda, when at Sitka in 1863. The corvette steamed from Sitha to a convenient anchorage a few miles b^low the month of the Stickeen and near the south shore of its broad estuary. The party detaih'd consisted of Lieutenant Pereleshin, Mr. Amlreanoff, a llussian engineer in the service of the llussian Am rican Company, six llussian sailors, expert oarsmen, and the writer, who accompanied the party as a guest for scien- tific purposes. Tiie commander's gig, if boat sharp at both ends and modelled like a whale-boat, was selected as best adapted for the purpose', and was fitted out witli mast and sail, a long line for towing, and was provisioned for two weeks. An Indian named Jack accompanied us as a guide. Maif 23, 1S63. — Vorrcffe to Camp \. — We left the corvette in the morning and rowed \\\\ the stream, following the left or southern bank. The space between the mountains occupied by the estuary is apparently from two to three miles wide, and there are several eliainiels or moutlis separated by islands bordered by extensive sandbanks, where numerous large trees brought down by floods have been stranded. The mountains on the south side come nearly to the water's edge. They are apparently from 1,500 to 3,000 feet high, and are heavily tim- bered witli firs and spruce. The rocks are granitic and metamorphic, an I they project in long po nts, at one of which we stopped at noon to dine, opposite an island called Koknook by Jack, our Indian guide. !Mica slate in large blocks lay along the beach, and several beautiful crystals of garnet were picked up. These are about the size of filberts and closely resemble the garnet.^ found in similar slate at Monroe, in Connecticut. The color is good, but the crystals are not transparent or free; from flaws, and therefore have no va! le for the lapidary, although interesting to mineralogists. This rock shows a high degree of metamorphism. One of these rocky points, where there is some flat land, is occupied by an Indian village, at wliieri we procured some very tine smoked salmon. The fish has a fine red color, is very fat, and has an excellent flavor. Beyond Koknook island the channel narrows rapidly and the course of the stream is nearly northeast and southwest. Tln^ shore on the north and west is quite low. The mountains on the south descend nearly to the short; and appear to h;i the ends of ridges trending northwest and southeast. The princifjal mountain abuts upon the river and forms a conspicuous point about live miles abovo the island. We camped at this point at 6.30 [». in. The river appears to be not over 200 3'ards wide, and ttie 'alley begins to narrow. The ranges on the north side approach the right bank. We gave the name of the corvette to the mtnintain above our camp, and the uam(; of the commander to the mountain opposite it on the right or north bank. 13oth of these moniitaiiis appear to be formed of a dark-colored gneiss, which at the camp trends norlhwest fitid southeast, and is nearly vertical. It is n meta- morphosed sedimentary rock. Mui) 24. — Camp 1 tii Camp 2. -Wt; left camp at 5 a. m. A short distance above, and on the left bank, there is an extensive sand-fiat which is bare, during low stages of water. There is a belt ol alluvial or bottom land beyond it, while on th(! north or right bank the mountain impinges upon the stream. About two miles above camp the conditions an; reversed ; the alhrial land is on the north side, and the mountains on the south jut out into the river in a series of rocky points, which the guide called Stinenia. The rocks are gneiss and granite. From this point there 'm a fine view of a glacier desceniiing between the moun- tains a mile or two westward. It has a high inclination and a very rugged and broken surface. The sides of the mountain along its course show freshly broken 10 RUSSIAN AMERICA. cliffs which five clearly thft result of the eroding action of the ice. We desig- nated this as the " Popoff gkcier" in honor of the admiral. The Soynai or Ice-water river, according to onr guide, enters the Stickcen a short distance above and piobsibly flows fioiu the glac er. The point of land between the Soy- nai and the Stiekeen appears to be formed chiefly of coarse river drift, with probablv considerable debris from the glacier, and it contains gold. It had been marked off into claims by some miners who had passed np the river in Indian canoes. This gold i> said to be (|uite line and is in thin scales. Another stream, called the Ketili, enters on the right bank a short distance above, and a brook, the Sliuktusay flows in nearly opposite it. The course of the Stickeen for sevetd miles above is nearly east and west, and there are no rapids or imjiedinients to navigation by vessels of light draught. There are several long sand-bars and low Lslands on the south side of the m tin channel. On the north the banks are low, and the mountains recede from the river towards the northwest. The deciduous trees along the bottom lands are just budding out, and the air during the day is mild and spring-like, although there is yet some snow remain- ing along th(! banks on the north side, and on the low bars that have been above water during the winter. About four miles above the mouth of the Soynai, the river turns suddenly to the north and then to the northwest. At the bend, tiie mountains on the south side rise abruptly from tiie water, and are composed of syenitic granite. \V(; camped a short distance above, on the rjght bank, and nearly opposite the mituth of a stream wliich enters the Stickeeii from the soutiieast. It is called Keieie by our guide. Another stream, or a brancii c»f the first, enters about a mile below, and was designated as the Kekkikaeie. The grouiid at our camp was low, and formed of tlie alhivium of the river, thickly overgrown with alders ami shrubs. This flat extends for a considerable distance to the west, and back to the mountains. The guide says that there is a lake, or large pond, at the foot of the mountains, when^ there is an abundance (»f geese and ducks. The river abounds with the finest salmon. Maij 2') — Camp 2 to Camp 3. — We left camp at (5 o'clock in the morning, and rowed lor some distincc; temperature of the air 44\ The lirsi pnnninetJt rocky point is formed by th(! end of the rangi; on the north, which hert> ter- minates the belt of bottom land. Tlie rocks are gneiss and mica slate, with the etritification nearly vertical, and trending northwest by west. This point ia well adapted for a settlement or supply station, as there is a good landing, and it is sufficiently elevated to be secure from (looJs. Tin; Indian calls this point, and the mountain altove it, Kokaydai. From our camp this morning, and along the river below it, there is a fine view of a ridge of ihi; mountains, with the most remarkable serrations and sharply cut peaks of rock, looking like tiie sharp points of crystals penetrating the air. There appears to be a branch of the river just oppositi; Kokaydai Point, and a broad opening, extending far to the southeast, indicates a v.alley in that direc- tion. Thi-( i» distinctly seen about thretf mdes higher up the river, whin'c a stream enters, called the Scoot, but which may be another mouth or branch of the str(!am which drains the valley. Tin; Indian describes it, as nearly as I could understand him, as a very Inrgi! stream, (t.vtendinga great distance. 'I'he valley affords fine hunting and fishing, and has many Indians who trade with the Stick Indians. Tliis valley affords a direct route to Fort Simpson, and an Indian can traverse the distance in six days. In un abrupt point of rocks jutting into the, river half a milo below the Scoot, u quartz vein, sonje ten inches thick, was observed. The rocks are hornblendic and very dark-colored. The end of a magnifictint glacier is visible on the right bank of the river, n few miles above. • RUSSIAN AMERICA. 11 At a point a sliort flistance above tlio Scoot thi-re is an Indian village. These Indians are quite different from the Koloshes of the coast, and are evidently of the great Ohippewyan fimily. They offered skins of the sable for sale or barter, and had several fine skins of cubs i»f black bear recently killed. The glacier above presents a splendid appearance in the snnlighi, and extends for about two miles along the stream. The background is formed by beautiful snow-covered peaks, from between which the glacier issues, but its source can- not be seen. The slope of the ghicier is very gentle, and the vast body of ice appears to be unbroken until it readies the valley of the river, where it breaks down in massive ledges and pinnacles of the purest crystal. The foreground along the s ream consists of an ancient moraine now covered with trees, among which willows and poplars are conspicuous in their delicate green foliage of spring. Some very larg(^ blocks of granite standing in the river bear witness to the vast transporting power of ice and to a much gri ater extension of thisglacier in former periods, I'join this part of the river a line of high and rugged peaks is visible on the right or (astern side of the valley, and at a considerable distance from the stream. 'ihe accumulations at the foot of the glacier have evidently pushed the river outward, and they have acted as a dam to the waters, which above the moraine are quite deep and ilow smoothly. We encamped at S o'clock on a gravelly beach, diagonally opposite tlm glacier. Mnif 2^\. —C(-.mj) .'] lo Cdiiip 4 — We left our camp at iJ o^clock in the morning, and found the ascent of the river more diflicult than it had been, owing to the increased velocity of the current and the irregularity of the banks. The stream turns more to the west and is quite crooked. The valley is narrower; large poplar trees are abundant along the banks, and many that have been u{)roote(i by the undermining acton ot the stream are stranded upon the sand- bars and along the shoies. At 9 o'clock we stopj)ed to rest the men, who were fatigued with the incessant hard laltor of rowing and tracking tlie boat. Temperature ot the air 63° Fah. ill the shade. The sun shone out bright and was quite hot. We came in sight of anotlM-r and very beautiful glacier, flowing from a valley on the west. It is remaikal)Ie for its symmetry, regular slope, thickness oftheice, and for the con- trast wiih the dense forest on each sidii of it, and with the belt of deciduous trees upon ihe bottom-land in front. In the extreme background there is a magnificent angular peak shrouded with snow. The drift, pehbles, and rocks of the river bed at this {»oint, and a short dis- tance above, consi-t chiefly of limestone, porphyry, and jasper, with some ma-ses of (juartz. 'J'here are numerous bends and crooks in the stream, miuI an appearance ot anotiier channel to the ri>;ht, on the other side; of low land, covered by trees. A stream called the CHlch-u-la-noo enters on tiie left bank. After passing an abrupt bend in I lie liver, wlim-e tie:; current was very swift, we encamped at 7.2;") p. m. on Ihi' right hank. Mdij 27. — Ciunp 4 to camp !). — Left camp at 7 a. m. Morning bright and clear. The rock at camp is a compact while granite, «;vitleiitly a metamorphic rock. The trees are very large, and liiive an abundance of heavy green moss upon them. From this part ot the river there is a splendid panorama of high jieaks and mountains. 'I'he current is swift, and tlit'it^ are many bars and chi • els. Till! day was (juite warm, and we sto|(ped to rest and dine at a beautiful point where some United States miners had made a camp in 1862. About ()U men spent tiie winter here, and had a store or stock of provisimis for sale to the miners, who had taken claim-' in tin; vicinity. One of their number died of small-pox, and was buried at the foot of one of the largest spruces. The scenery at this part of the river is very picturesque. The rocks at the pohitare 12 RUSSIAN AMERICA metamorphosed sandstones and shales and pass into gncif^s. The drift and sand- bars of the river contain gold, but no very great amount of work appears to have been done. Wc camped on the left bank of the river, above tiie bend, and upon a low bar. A mountain behind us, to the northeast, bears tin; name of ILinook. A small stream of clear, cool water enters a short distance below. I found the "color" of gold herein the surface gravel, and , Jack shot a wild goose for supper. May 28. — Camp 5 to camp 6. — A mountain in view from camp, and which is covered with perpetual snow, is called Taouk-linia, and the Indian describes a "big water" on the east which he calls Ska-tini, and says that the Indians catch large quantities of salmon there and dry tliera. We stopped for half an hour to lash the provisions to the seats of the boat, so that in the event of cap- sizing they would not all be lo.>it. Each man also took a small quantity of bread and dried salmon in his pockets. We were nearly capsized three; times during the morning. The current was so strong and swift that it was not pf)s- sible to make any headway by rowing, and the boat could not be got up some of the swift places except by poling or tracking. The sailors have been in the cold water up to their waists, part of the time, pulling the boat. We passed another glacier coming down from the moeending and descending the stream, fo» we passed in a few hours over the di.-'tance which it had taken us days to overcome. At 9'' 25'" we passed camp 7, and camp G at 10'' So"', camp f. at 12'' 10'", and at 12'' 35'" reached American Point and stopped for dinner. Leaving this place at 2'' 35'", we passed camp 4 at 3'' 41'", and rested there to see Indiana until 4'' 20'". At 8'' 35'" we stopped to camp nearly opposite the south end of the second glaci(>r. We had, however, stopped to explore the end of this gla- cier and to see some remarkable hot springs on the opposite side of the river, which occupied about an hour. We had thus ace implished the distance from the upper end of the canon down to this glacier in nine hours and five minutes; and if we assume the mean velocity as five miles per hour the distance is a little over 45 miles. The glacier was exceedingly interesting and presented all the usual phenom- ena of glaciers. ''^ Two or more terminal moraines protect it from the direct action of the stream. What at first appeared as a range of ordinary hills along th(i river, proved on landing to be an ancient terminal moraine, crescent-shaped, and covered'with a forest. It extends the full length of the front of the glacier. Tin; followii g extract from my notes will answer for it description of the end of this ghi'.'.er. We found the bank composed of large angular blocks of granite mingled with smaller fragments and sand. It is an outer and older moraine, separated from a second one by a belt of marsh land, overgrown with alders and grass and interspersed with ponds ol' wat<'r. Crossing this low space we clambered up the loose granitic debris of the inner moraine, which is quite bare of vegetation and has a rect-ntly formed appearance. These hills are from 20 to 40 feet high, and form a continuous line parallel with the outer and ancicMit moraine. ^ From their tops we had a full view of the ice cliff's of the end fif the {rl.icier. ri^'illg *An ai'ticio describing this pim-ii'i' was publisliod by ilio wriier ui Aiiiuiii.'itu juhhhii ut' Kc'iiMU'o uud Arts, voluuio XLIV", July, ls07, uud also in tbo Sucrttuiento Uuiou tor July VJl, 1803. 14 RUSSIAN AMERICA. before us like a wall, but separated from the moraine by a second belt of marsh and ponds. Here, however, there were no plants or trees. It was a scene of utter desolation. Great blocks of granite lay piled in confusion among heaps of sand (sand-cones) or were perched upon narrow columns of ice (glacier tables) apparently ready to topple over at the slightest touch. Tlie edges of great masses of ice could be seen around pools of water, but most of the surface was hidden by a deposit of mud, gravel and broken rock. It was evident, however, that all'this was upon a foundation of ice, for hero and there it was uplifted, appiircntly, in great masses, leaving chasms filled with mud and water. Over this fearful and dangerous place we crossed to the firmer and comniratively uubrokcn elope of ice at the foot of the bliiflF, and afterward had to climb over Buow and ico only, in the attempt to reach the top of the glacier. From below, ■V a B f RUSSIAN AMERICA. 15 it had nppeared to us to bo quite possible to accompli?>h tliia, if we To'Iowed the least broiicn part of the Hh)pe, but it proved to be difficult, and finally impossi- Me. Fissures which cnuld not be seen from a short distance were met at inter- vals, some of them being so widfi that we were forced to turtt aside. As we ascended, the crevasses were more numerous but were generally filled with hard enow, to which we occasionally trusted. The surface soon became precipitous / ^. o A a 'S o •*^ eu a ]2 o o C3 '5c o a s and broken into irregular stair like blocks with smooth sides, and so large that it was impossilile to make our way over them without ladders or tools to cut a foothold. Here we turned and enjoyed the sight of this great expanse of ice, broken into such enormous blocks and ledges. The sun illuminated the cre- vasses with the most beautiful aquamarine tints, passing into a deep sea-bluo where they were narrow and deep. In one direction the ice presented the yA^ 16 RUSSIAN AMERIC;i. remarkable jippcarance of a succeaaion of cones or pyramids with curved sides. In the opposite direction and at the same level the ontlincs were totally differ- ent, showing merely a snccossion of terraces or steps inclined inward toward the glacier and I'foken by longitudinal crevasses. The annexed sketches were made from this point of view. No. 1 is taken lookinjj up the river, over the end of the glacier, and shows the pyramids of ice. Tlie line of ponds and the two moraines are seen at the base, and the river on the extreme right. No. 2 shows the appearance of the glacier in the opposite d'roction. A broad fissure between one level of the ice and the next is filled with snow. It is evident that this glacier breaks down in a series of great steps or ledges along the greater part of its I'roni,. These steps rise for 20 or 30 feet one above the other, and thus produce a stair like ascent, while at the same time the numer- ous parallel fissures at right angles break the surface into rectangular blocks, which on the side exposed to the sun soon become worn into pyramids and cones. The diilerence of outline in opposite directions is thus explained. 1 was inclined to regard the melting action of the water of the river as the cause of this abrupt breaking off of the end of the glacier. There may, how- ever, be a sudden break in the rock foundations at this point, so as to produce an ice-cascade. The following section will perhaps give a clearer idea of tiie manner in which the glacier breaks down. r- h. Section of end of glacier. One or more streams descend under the glacier, and reach the river at differ- ent places. The rushing and roaring sound was rather startling at some of the crevasses. Judging from the number of loose blocks of rock at the foot of the glacier, the upper surface must be strewn with them, but this could not be verilied by observation. Time did not permit a more extended examination. There would be little difficulty in gaining the surface of the glacier from the side, and, per- haps, at some other paints along its front, it was impossible to get our Indian guide to accompany us. Tiiey have a tradition of the loss of one of their chiefs upon this glacier. The ancient terminal moraine of this glacier is significant of an amelioration of the climate. It is also interesting to note the effect which tliis accumulation of materials from the glacier has had upon the river. It has acted as a dam for the waters, setting them back in the valley for some distance. Only a short distance below the point where the ice-cold water from the melt- ing t)f the glacier enters the Stickeen there is a small but deep stream of clear water ent(!ring from the opposite side. We turned the boat up this stream for about 100 yards and found the water (|uite warm, having a pleasant temperature for bathing. Higher up, the stream divides, one brancli comes from the moun- tain and is clear and cold, the other is hot, and rises from a group of springs near by. The vegetation around was remarkably green and luxuriant, and there appeared to be a considerable area of heated ground. By covering these springs with a glass house, one could have a tropical climate inside, all the year, and enjoy the beauties of tropical vegetation in full sight of the clilFs of pure ice directly opposite. These hot springs exhibit tiie not unusual phenomenon of a luxuriant growth of conferva; in the midst of the hottest water. June 1. — From the glar.vir to the corvette, — The temperature of the air at njMWiH RUSSIAN AMKRICA. 17 our camp on the bank of tlio river was 43° F. at 11 p. m., (May 31.) At 7 o'clock in the inorning the mercury stood at 45<^, which was the temperature of the river water also. Our Indian guide, Jack, could not be found this morning ; he had (juietly run away during the night, fearing, periiaps, that we would hold him in some way responsible for the loss of the sailor Ccrgaycf. We were sorry to have him part with us in this way, for we felt grateful for his untiring and faithful efforts to assist us in the undertaking, and we highly appreciated his skill in the management of the boat in difficult |)laces. We left at 8//. 21tn. a. m , and passed our first camp at 4/t. 37»j.p. m., having been detained two hours and nine minutes oi\ the way. At 6 p. m. we reached the mouth of the river, and at 7 p. m. were alongside of the corvette. We had been in motion for eight and a half hours, at an estimated rate of four miles per hour, giving the distance as 34 miles (approximately) from the anchorage to the glacier. The total time occupied in descending the stream, exclusive of stops, was 17 hours and ."Jo miinites, in which we accomplished a distance of 80 miles, approxi- mately, which had required eight days of hard exertion to overcome in ascend- ing against the current. Distance along the Stickecn rir>erhij estimates obtained, chiefly from the mineis who came down from Shek's bar to the mouth of the river in May, 1863. Miles. Mouth of the river to the Little canon 75 to 100 Lower cafion to first north fork of river 20 Lower canon to Shek's bar 50 Shek's bar to Upper or Long canon 20 Mouth of Long canon to first north fork 16 First north fork to second north fork 6 Length of canon 80 Head of canon to the Blue mountains 50 Length of river along Blue mountains* 100 ESTIMATE OF LENGTH OF THE RIVER. Mouth of the river to Little canon 75 Little canon to Shek's bar 50 Shek's bar to Upper caQon j 20 Length of cafion 80 Upper I nd of canon to Blue mountains 50 Along and in the Blue mountains* ; 100 Estimated length of river 375 * It ia tliuught that the length of stream nluiig the Blue mountains is uvcrestimuted. H. Ex. Doc. 177— Part 2 2 18 RUSSIAN AltfEBICA. tiidaSSi^J^ •xoj oipiy •^BJUBniii •JPAV 5» •xai^ •lOABaq was jo sirej, s -^ K r- 1 ■? i S ^■m a^ P 'fe. 1 •1 o O 1 1 1, 1- tt b ja ^ B «> £ »« «i: ^•^ 13 ^ s r« o f? 1— 1 'IBas m^ n I « : 2 f :S2 ■IN :2S . -J l>. X t ' ^ • -N 1" f ii • "-< • « F- O » • 9< iM •9iq«8 15 OD • lO 1-h" '• Tf •Ilea s^ o» TO — 'Oi 5 -c-n CO of •J" o 1!: « to • M X s5 • o f, lO "* • •^ o cs ■i s •XOJ f- © ^ SS — o ■ . — <-< • > •J9«0 'jOABaq JaAij{ '8j9ABaq «ag te — wxc OJ X fc. lO ( ^ rl X irt : w^ —'sf 01 ^ :fe** C5;n . 381 398 ©» . S : : , . .go . 1 III 1 * to © t 5 S SJ to X -> • rt © OOX 1* i -^ xSx t • o »- * be - £ 5= 119 OS - X- - - § o S '^ .2 " o IS «3 S . p « cS-O « s 13 . a X © to 8* .0 O 13 a 5"" S.« " ^ 00 CO -^ "■ a .2 tS to s S ro O o -^ O GQ p *""•*' tfiiiftft -^ RUSSIAN AMERICA. 19 List of geographical names obtained from the Indian guide Jack, in ascending the Stickren river. ■1' Indian name. Kok-nook Ka-t6-t6 Tas-a-kili Scoot K6-ti-li Shuk-tii-96 Soyn-ai Ki-ka-he Tuk-i-snook — Klitch-a-ta-noo Koosh Tiet-lia Sca-ti-ni Ka-ra-kai Sak-ai-ua Klip-ko88 Kak-wan Sti-nc-uia Touk-ti-aia Ha-nook Sha-stets-sa — Shi-ton-i Su-8un-i How Objects to which the name was applied. Island at the mouth of the river. Point. River. River. River. River. River. River. Point. River. Creek and waterfall. A tine mountain peak. "Big water." Glacier. Mountain. Waterfall, Point. Point. Mountain. Mountain. River of ioe-cold water. The long-leafed spruce. The short-leafed spruce. The hemlock tree. ' I lir^ I J . Iiiii'ii '^;';m^4^^^>' 'V ''''^''' ^ ^' '^ y/'^^ "<, (■ .Miles. Aj)|>r«>ximjihv i fc=l b=d 1 =t. c= I i \ \ I) i [T M Ilinv.'ii.V I " hll( IIhI . ' %.