University of California Berkeley THE PETER AND ROSELL HARVEY MEMORIAL FUND FOR PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION. FROM NEW YORK TO ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. BY ARCHIBALD E. STEVENSON. NEW YORK: PRESS OF STYLES & CASH, 77 EIGHTH AVENUE, I8 93 . From New York to Alaska and Back Again CHAPTER I. NEW YORK TO PORTLAND, OREGON, We started from New York on the i ith of May and left the depot at 1.30 P. M. Going up the Hud son River we saw a beautiful scene: the mountains were all covered with grass and trees. We passed through Albany, and that night we passed Niagara. The next day we had breakfast at Detroit ; we took dinner at Niles. Colonel Shepard, who FROM NEW YORK TO gave it, gave everybody some roses. That afternoon at four we reached Chicago. We went in a coach to the other station, where we waited until they called the trains ready. Then we went down to get settled on the car, and found that it was the wrong train. We got all our things and went to another car, which we thought was the right one, and we got all fixed there, when we found it was wrong again. So we collected the things once more, and made a new start. The next car was the right one. We went on that night ; at tea I took sick, and could not eat any thing. Fortunately, Dr. Davis was on board, who cured me up by the ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. time we got to Salt Lake. At Salt Lake City papa and sister went to church in the morning, and mama and Marguerite, that's my sister, went to the Mormon Tabernacle in the afternoon. Monday morning we went up to Camp Douglas by the electric cars and looked all round. We saw the Indian soldiers, some lying down on their couches and some smoking. Those that were outside were shooting at a target. There was lots of sage brush around. We went down the other electric car on our left. Coming down we saw Brigham Young's grave and the great Mormon temple, towering above every other house. After luncheon we took a narrow FROM NEW YORK TO guage railroad to Garfield Beach. When we got there a great many gnats bit us. Sister and I played on the beach for a while ; then we went up to a field and picked a great many curious flowers, which I don't know the names of. We took some sage brush too. We went back to the city and started that night for the Dalles on the Columbia River. The next morning we took break fast at Pocatello and dinner at Mother Ryan's, where the cake was piled up a foot high, and some even more that. That evening we had our tea, I think, at Huntington, The next morning we took breakfast at the Dalles. There was too much ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. salmon for me, and so I did not eat much. Going out we saw a big salmon ; it must have been three or four feet long; it was immense. There was a poppy in the next room that was fully half-a-foot across. We went by train to Bonneville, where we took the boat down the Columbia Riven It went 25 miles an hour, which I think is pretty fast for a boat, almost as fast as an ocean greyhound. We passed some pretty falls. About six o'clock we reached Portland, Oregon. There were a great many nice people there: Mrs. Radcliffe and Dr. Radcliffe, Mr. and Mrs. Tucker and Miss Tucker, Mr. Worrall, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Gillett, Mr. FROM NEW YORK TO and Mrs. Dulles, Col. McCook and his wife and his little girls. Mama and sister and I went with some friends to see the Balti more, and some other friends went to the Charleston. There were two elevators in the Portland Hotel, and we named one the Baltimore and the other the Charleston. Now I will tell you what the Baltimore and the Charleston are : they are two great white iron-clad war ships. The Baltimore cost $2,000,000, at least one of the sailors told me so, though I don't know whether it is true or not. We raced the elevators; the Baltimore always beat when it had the right man. One day we went on a boat to ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. Willamette Falls ; we walked about Oregon City and picked lots of wild flowers. When we got on the steamer, we saw a few wild rose bushes ; they were in blossom, and we gave a boy a quarter to get some for us. Another day we went out on the electric car to East Portland. In the afternoon, we went to the General Assembly and Colonel McCook made a speech, but did not have time to finish, which was a pity. CHAPTER II. TACOMA. When the General Assembly was done we started from Portland to io FROM NEW YORK TO Tacoma. It was very rainy when we arrived that evening, and we had some trouble in getting a coach to take us to the hotel ; but at last we reached there and had our din ner. The next day we went all round on the cable car, and saw the machinery that ran the cable. It was lots of fun to see the great wheels spinning around . We watch ed for Mt. Tacoma, but the clouds covered it completely until Satur day afternoon, when we saw about half of it. We went down to see the Queen by the electric car. When we first saw our state-room it looked so small that we thought it would be a tight squeeze. It was hard work getting across the pier, be- ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. cause there were lots of boards out; it was very dangerous, and I think it a shame they do not fix it up. We also went to the great lumber mill. I think it must have been fun for the men to stand on a kind of car with a great redwood tree on it and the great circular saws cutting it into boards. We saw a small machine which, when the man pushed the boards into it, made a groove in them. Then we took the electric car for about half-a-mile, and then a little railroad car which went to the smelter. We first went to the storage room and looked at all the ores, some of which were ground up. Then we went to another 12 FROM NEW YORK TO room. In the middle of it was a big hole ; the smoke and steam came out of it like fury, and I did not care to stay there long. Then we went to the furnaces. All round were iron wheelbarrows full of red- hot melted ores. Then we went across a swamp which had a board walk over it, only one board wide, which seemed rather danger ous to me. Over there we passed through rooms which had ground up ores with silver and gold in them. In the evening we met a gentle man at the table in the hotel. I did not know who he was at first. He said to Papa : May I speak to your boy? He gave me his card, ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 13 and we found out that his little girl went to Marguerite's school. Sabbath night we went on board the Queen. Monday morning at four o'clock we started for Seattle. We did not get off there, but did at Port Townsend, which was our next stop, where we took a short walk through the town. Anacortes was the next place we saw. We only stayed there a little while, see ing it from the boat. CHAPTER III. VICTORIA AND WRANGEL. That evening, going into Victoria, we saw a wrecked steamer. I sup pose that they could not have had 14 FROM NEW YORK TO a very good pilot ; but there is a channel, or our vessel would have been wrecked. It was a beautiful evening. There must have been a strong current, for when they threw out the rope the dummy engine started. Unhappily, the rope snapped, and they had to draw it in and make a loop in the end ; so it was a long time before we landed. Then we got a carriage and drove all around. The funniest part was Chinatown. As we passed a house there, they must have been having a ball, for we heard something that sounded like tinpans and drums; it was funny to hear. We bought a souvenir spoon with a beaver on it. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 15 Now we go on. The next place was Fort Wrangel ; we saw a great many pretty things. My father had a camera along. As we were going through a small street we saw a young Indian girl with a baby; she was rather pretty for an Indian, and my father took her picture. Then we went along the beach and saw a few totem poles. Going to one of the Chiefs' house we had to cross a dangerous bridge planks out -and it was not very easy to go over. CHAPTER IV. JUNEAU, AND SITKA AND MUIR GLACIER. When we woke next morning we were at Taku glacier. 1 did not FROM NEW YORK TO feel very comfortable that morning. I had not been used to that kind of weather yet. We took in ice, and there were so many beautiful blue icebergs small. Some looked like a man. They were in all shapes. Now we go on to Douglas Island. When we got off the Queen we went to a gold stamp mill. It made such a noise that it gave me a bad headache. We passed into a man's store ; he showed us his moulds ; he took the gold from the stamp mill and put it into his air tight stove or oven. He had a kind of spout which led the quick silver out into a big barrel. Then we went back to the ship. My father went to the mine. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 17 We went next to Juneau across the channel. It was raining when we got there, and 1 did not go out, so I do not know much about it. Now we go to Chilcat. We do not know a speck about Chilcat, because our captain got up there before any of us were awake and turned round to go to Sitka. That evening we got there. At the set ting sun, it was beautiful ; Mt. Edgecumbe with the fleecy clouds on it, and the small town of Sitka and the great hills. We stayed until 12 o'clock Sabbath. When we got off the boat we met Dr. Thwing, who took us to the Mission house, and to see the Museum. There were a great 1 8 FROM NEW YORK TO many curious things in the museum -whales' backbones and ribs, and a few mammoths' tusks. Inside we saw a big, square wooden box or bowl, and whoever could drink all the water in it in one gulp would get something. The keeper was a Hoonah Indian, I think ; and out side I saw a cannon, very rusty. Then Dr. Thwing took us up to the mission house, as I said before. We saw Mt. Edgecumbe from his house, and we saw a poor Indian, whose name was Joseph, but they called him Crippled Joseph. He had sat in his bed for five years without being able to move his legs. They had two little Indian boys, who liked him very much. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 19 One of them made a little stand to hold some books so that he could look at the pictures. And when they wanted to make the bed, they had to put him on a stretcher and carry him to another one. Then Dr. Thwing took us to another house where the Indian children gave us an exhibition ; -they all had American flags, and marched in a row and said what different states give. We walked away round on the beach, and saw a great many curious things. A cane with a turkey's foot fastened on ; a big coral fan about three feet long and two across I don't think there are many of them up there some Alaska furs, and 20 FMOM NEW YORK TO many carvings on wood and bone and silver; some were pretty and some were not. Beaded bottles, and little hats and baskets, some three inches high, and some a foot, with gay colors in them. The Indians take silver dollars and hammer and shape them into spoons, and carve salmon, ravens and other things on them. Rudolph made the nicest ones we saw. Saturday we went looking around; on Sabbath we went into the Greek church, and the man who kept it let us see the Holy of Holies, which I do not suppose they allow many people to see. We then went up to the Mission school. When we got to Glacier Bay it ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 21 was about 1 2 o'clock at night. The next morning we got up and rowed over to the Muir Glacier. We went travelling all around, and it was beautiful to see the blue rivers of the melting glacier. In the afternoon we sat in the hot sun on the beach and enjoyed the beautiful sight. Sister and I climbed up to the top of the bluff and looked down upon the people, who looked very little. It was very hard to get up there, because every step you took you slid back almost as far as your last step Our friend, Mr. Dix, went up and touched the face of the glacier with his cane. My mother went near it again in the afternoon, and as she came back 22 FROM NEW YORK TO along the beach she found some peat; my father was glad to get it. It was funny to see the Indians; they did not like to be taken by the Kodak camera Even those who did not know a word of English except this, could say Kodak, and know what it was for. CHAPTER V. GOING BACK TO PORTLAND. That evening at seven o'clock we started. When we got away down Glacier Bay, we looked back on Muir. The long stretch of ice and the great snow mountains were beautiful to behold. There were a great many nice ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 23 people on board the Queen, and a few children. Carl Wirt and I used to play hide and go seek on board ship; then I got acquainted with his sister Pauline and with Mar garet Washburnand Mark Willing. Marguerite and Pauline and I got our wraps and went up to the hurri cane deck and played there some times. When we got down quite a dis tance we saw the old deserted town of Metla-Katla. We had an entertainment one evening on the boat: first they had an Indian village and a Medicine man ; then a Japanese song, and Mr. Dix was a Japanese juggler. He did very well. The last act was min- 24 FROM NEW YORK TO strels. They were blackened up like colored people, and said all sorts of funny things. Here is one of them. "Did you know Bruder Jonathan that Julius Caesar came near marrying an Irish wife?" "Why no, Jim, when was that?" "Why when he and his army was marching along he come to the river and proposed to bridge it." Next evening my father gave a lecture on glaciers, which was very nice. We stopped at De parture Bay, where we took in coal. We stayed there twenty-four hours, and went walking along a pathway to another boat and asked the captain if he had any mail. He gave us a couple of papers, which ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 25 ; __ we brought back to the steamer. It was funny to watch the little propel ler and a string of five boats attached, go steaming off to Nanaimo. The beautiful Nanaimo grass, sweet-scented, was brought on board for sale. That evening my sister picked a few wild straw berries in the woods, but they were very small. Next morning we started for Victoria, where we arrived safely. My father saw a fern, not a tree fern, but the fern was six feet in height, and I thought that was rather large. The strawberries were very large and nice there. At Seattle, as before, we did not get off. It was pretty to see the 26 FROM NEW YORK TO boats in dock and the spreading town on shore. We got to Tacoma at dark, and the lights looked beautiful. We went up to the hotel, got nice rooms, and went to bed. Next morning about eleven or twelve we left for Portland, Oregon, which we reached late in the evening. We stopped at the Portland Hotel The next morning we went up to Portland Heights. The view was grand. The Willamette and all the steamers, which looked like toy boats ; and we look around and see Mt. Hood, Mt. Tacoma and Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Jeffersop^ These mountains can be seen only on a clear day. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 27 CHAPTER VI. TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THE YOSEMITE. The next day we started for San Francisco, passing the Willamette Falls. The next morning we saw Mt. Pitt. Then we stopped at a town called Ashland, where every body got cherries and strawberries, which were very good. When we took tea, we were nearest to Mt. Shasta; we were only twelve miles away. It looked tremendous, which it is. The next morning, about nine o'clock, we reached San Francisco. We went to the Occidental Hotel, took our breakfast, and went 28 FROM NEW YORK TO to our rooms. That morning we went out to Seal Rock and saw a great many seals, among them General Butler and his wife. Then as we were starting to come home, papa passed a target place, and thought he would try to shoot a little. He hit the centre five or six times out of ten, so I think that he did very well. After that we took a carriage and rode all round the park, where there were many beautiful flowers. Then we went back to the hotel. The next day we rode all round in the cable cars. That night we got into a narrow gauge railroad and rode to the park, which is a very beautiful one, with beautiful beds of flowers. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 29 Next evening we started for Yosemite Valley. In the morning we got to Raymond ; there we took our breakfast, and then took the stage to Grant Springs, 26 miles from Raymond, and rode 13 miles to Wawona in the afternoon. As we came spinning down the hill and saw the Wawona hotel and the fountain playing, it looked very nice after our hot, dusty ride. Down by a small stream was a cage with two Alaska bears. The next morning we went out walking, and saw tacked up on a tree, " To the lake." When we got there, we found it was made of a little stream dammed up. Monday morning we went into the Yosemite. The 30 FROM NEW YORK TO stage passed by the Bridal Veil Falls, and we felt the spray. Then we saw the Yosemite Falls, and reached the little Hotel Stoneman. We got washed, which we needed very badly. Right at the side of the hotel rose Glacier Point, 3,000 feet sheer rock. At the back of the hotel was the Half Dome. I do not know how high it was. We bought a fishing-line and went down to the river to catch some fish. My sister saw about fifteen or sixteen fishes, and she put her line down. The fishes appeared to be sleepy and lazy, so that they did not go after the bait. ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 31 The next morning we rode up to Mirror Lake, and afterward went back to the foot of the trail, where we waited till the horses and mules came up. My sister had the funniest looking mule it looked like a don key. My mule was the stubbornest animal I ever saw. Up the trail we stopped at Vernal Falls. Near the edge there is a hole with a kind of bannister, which we looked over at the falls. Up at the highest point of the trail, which was 1,900 feet, there was a slanting rock with a few stones piled up and some dirt packed down. The stones might slip, and down you would go 1,900 feet, and that would be a calamity. Then we went down a little way to 32 FROM NEW YORK TO Casa Nevada, and felt the spray coming down like rain from the Nevada Fall, which was very beautiful. Then we went back and down the trail. On the way down our guide had to get off his horse and pull my stubborn mule down the rest of the way. I thought I ought to be able to ride alone, so I rode back to the hotel. Then we took our dinner. CHAPTER VII. TO DEL MONTE. The next morning we went away back to San Francisco. We stayed there a day. Then we went to Del Monte. It took five hours to ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 33 go. We got there about noon, and rode up to the Del Monte hotel and got our rooms. On Sabbath we went to church at Monterey. In the afternoon we walked round the lake seeing great fields of water lilies, palms, colias, plume grass, cactus and yucca. Monday morning we went on the street cars to Monterey and on to Pacific Grove. On the way we met a procession, as it was the Fourth of July. M onday afternoon we went into the Maze ; we got in and out all right. Then we got a donkey cart and rode all round the grounds. There were a great many fire-crackers about, and our donkey stepped on 34 FROM NEW YORK TO one, which sent him running all round the lake. Then we went back to the hotel. Tuesday morning we went down to Monterey, which was only a mile away. We stopped at a curiosity shop, where they had all sorts of things. Among them some horned toads, a young whale's back bone, and some shells called chitons. As we went along, some of the pavements were made of whales' backbones, and looked very queer. We went back to the Hotel Del Monte for luncheon. That after noon we ordered another donkey cart. When we started out we met some other children in a cart, and they told us that our donkey was bleeding, so we drove up to ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 35 the stable and asked for another. They said that the others were all out, and that it would not hurt it to go on ; but sister and I would not drive the poor donkey. Then we went to the bowling alley, where we played awhile until it was time to go in. CHAPTER VIII. GOING HOME. The next day we started for San Francisco, from which place we went to Berkeley to see the Univer sity of California. Prof. Lawson showed us a great many different ores, some leaf gold, and some great crystals, I do not remember 36 FROM NEW YORK TO the name of, and a great many other things which it would take too long to tell. Then we went back to San Francisco, and next morning started for Salt Lake City. Crossing the Sierras, the great American river valley near Cape Horn is magnificent. Crossing the desert afterward we saw a mirage, which was very pretty; it looked like a pond with trees all around it. We saw another mirage, which looked like Great Salt Lake, and some thought that it was, but it was not. We got to Salt Lake City about ten o'clock for the train was delayed. Next morning, Sabbath, we went to church. On Monday my father went to the mines by a ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 37 narrow gauge railroad, and mother took Marguerite and me out to Garfield beach, where sister took a bath in the lake ; but I did not, as I had a cold. The bath houses were very nice ; the rooms were double, one part having a shower bath and a basin in it. There was an electric light too, so it could be used at night. Next morning we went to Camp Douglas again, as we did before, and that afternoon we walked about the city. There was a large place with a high wall round it and houses inside ; the Mormons built it when they first came, because they were afraid of the Indians. The next day we started for Glenwood Springs, and passed 38 FROM NEW YORK TO Utah Lake and Great Salt Lake. We crossed the edge of the Wasatch mountains and saw the Book Cliffs. On the desert every here and there was a hot stone, which made a whirlwind. And then we came to the Grand river, and got to Glen- wood Springs about 9 o'clock. My father went up to Aspen to see some silver mines that night. The next morning we went to see the bath house, a red stone building with bath-rooms; and when you came out, they would give you a cup of Turkish coffee. That after noon we ordered a carriage for half- past three, and went up to see some friends. When we got there we climbed up the mountain with ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 39 the boys (Bouchier and William), and when we got near the top there were a good many cactus bushes ; the name of them was " prickly pear/' and I got a great many spines in my hands, which did not feel very comfortable. Then we went down the gully ; it was very hard, because there was no path. So we had to break down the bushes with our pocket knives. At last we got down and played in the high grass, about two feet high. We played Indian. We had two dogs, one was Tommy, the other I do not know. That evening after dinner we played in one of the rooms until the carriage came. The next morning we took a nice 40 FROM NEW YORK TO bath, and after dinner we started for Colorado Springs, where we arrived at 3 o'clock in the after noon. We rode to the Hotel Antlers; luncheon was over, and we had to wait until evening for our dinner, which we enjoyed very much. Next morning we went to church, as it was Sabbath. On Monday we went to Manitou in a carriage, saw the different springs there, went to Rainbow Falls, Ute Pass and the Garden of the Gods, where we saw the Mushroom Garden, Wine Cellar, the Old Man of the Hills, the Tower of Babel, the fine Gate way and many other odd things, We drove back to Colorado Springs ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 41 on the Mesa road, which gave us an excellent view of the country. We picked yucca leaves, which are like sword grass, and had a good deal of fun with them. On Tues day we went to Denver. That evening we got into a cable car, which had a very nice conductor, and passed a great many fine buildingsr He told us when he would pass the hotel next morning going the other way ; so we went that way next day. In the after noon we went to the Zoological Garden to see a little engine about two feet long and more than a foot high, with a car to carry the engineer. It went all round the track, and whistled and took in 42 FROM NEW YORK TO water. After that we went to see the bears, got some ice cream, and went home to the hotel. After staying several days in Denver, we left for Chicago; when we got there, we happened to meet Mark's father at the station, who was on the Queen going up to Alaska. He took us to his house, and there we met Mark and his mother. Mark took us down to see his kittens, and then up to the top storey, where we played all sorts of things. After lunch, they took us out to the park for a drive, and we had a nice time. That afternoon at three o'clock we started for Niagara Falls, and got there the next morning in time for break- ALASKA AND BACK AGAIN. 43 fast. It was raining hard, but cleared up in the afternoon, and we went out and sat on the bank watching the rapids. Next morning we rode all round, over to some little islands, and down to the Whirlpool Rapids, and down the elevator to see the rapids. The quick dashing river runs this eleva tor. We bought a few pretty things at the stores. About noon we left for Buffalo, where we took dinner, and then rode all round the city. It is a large city, and a very nice one. Next day we went to Pittsburgh, and got there in the evening. It was very hot weather. On the next morning we went to see 44 From NEW YORK to ALASKA and BACK AGAIN. about the trunks, and then we went over the river and up an elevator that takes wagons and carriages to the top of one of those high hills. The next day we went to Union- town, Pa., where we made a visit, and then went to the mountains. We came back to New York in the autumn.