As I have already said, weather which in lower latitudes would promptly convert one into an icicle has little effect upon one who understands how to prepare for it. With hands and feet warmly protected, with winter underwear and wind-proof outer clothes one can comfortably and successfully "weather the weather!" It is no uncommon experience, however, to meet a man on the trail who sings out to you: "I say, old fellow,--your nose is frozen!" "Thanks!" you respond. "So is yours!" Each will then blissfully apply a little snow to the disabled member and proceed on his way. But there is one other thing which should be rigorously guarded against as it is a painful and distressing experience. This is snow-blindness. The glare on the snow causes the film of the eye to become a water blister, which takes three or four days to heal. One of my most poignant recollections is a three days' siege of snow-blindness, during which I lay helpless in a hut while an old squaw put wet tea leaves on my eyes. Never again! I have heard that from the fighting men of the allied armies now in Europe have come back some exquisite verse,--such verse as one could not reasonably expect from men of their youth and previous environment. The same may be said of much of the verse of Alaska. The poems of Service and Dunham are well known. But alas, the bulk of the others never saw the light of day in print! As has been said, however, Alaska is a land of contrasts. Not every one gets the same impression of the same thing! To prove it I quote a poem written by one of the many who did not find in Alaska just what they came to seek. The writer of the verses below was the steward on the _Susie_,--one of the boats which plied the Yukon during the gold rush. Evidently his claim proved worthless, or something else went wrong. For he has thus expressed himself: AN IMPRESSION OF ALASKA The Devil in hell, we are told, was chained. Thousands of years he thus remained, But he did not complain nor did he groan. He decided to have a hell of his own Where he could torment the souls of men Without being chained in a sulphur pen! So he asked the Lord if He had any land In a clime cool enough for a Devil to stand. The Lord said: "Yes--but it's not much use. It's called Alaska. It's cold as the deuce. In fact, old boy, the place is so bare I fear you could not make a good hell there!" But the Devil said he could not see why; He knew his business. He'd like to try. So the bargain was made, the deed was given, And the Devil took his departure from heaven. He next appeared in the far, far North, Exploring Alaska to learn its worth; And he said from McKinley as he looked at the truck, "I got it for nothing,--but still I'm stuck!"