The New Eldorado: A Summer Journey to AlaskaBallou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
History
The New Eldorado: A Summer Journey to Alaska
Ballou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Alaska -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
Soon after leaving Juneau, when near the head of Lynn Channel, the grand
Davidson glacier comes into view, filling the space between two lofty
mountains. It measures twelve hundred feet high by some three miles in
breadth, being as wide as a frozen sea and as deep as the ocean. While
looking upon it one is overawed by a sense of its immensity and
grandeur, as it seems hanging, poised, ready to drop into the fathomless
sea. Where we pass it there intervenes a terminal moraine overgrown with
trees and green foliage, which contrasts vividly with the icy background
formed by the glacier. The glaciers of Europe are mere pygmies in
comparison with this marvel, which is named after Professor Davidson,
who has carefully explored and described it. Both the Muir and Davidson
glaciers are spars of the same great ice-field, which has an unbroken
expanse large enough to lie over the whole republic of Switzerland. The
Muir glacier will be reached presently in Glacier Bay.
Soon after leaving the Davidson glacier we are in Pyramid Harbor. This
is the region of the Chilcats, who were formerly one of the most warlike
tribes in the Territory, but who seem to have outlived their belligerent
propensities. Their rude, but picturesque cabins dot the neighboring
shore. The little settlement here consists mostly of bark huts and a
substantial trader’s store, together with an extensive and successful
fish-cannery. The product of the latter is over a million pounds of fish
per annum, the whole being engaged for 1889 to a Liverpool firm. This
amount is shipped in seventy thousand cases of about fifty pounds each;
the fish are packed in tins holding a pound each. This is an average
amount as regards various factories on the coast, though some very much
exceed it. The Indians now cheerfully accept employment from the whites,
and gladly receive the regular wages which may be agreed upon. They
appear to be the best carvers on the coast, and have an abundance of
their handiwork to sell to the interested white visitors. These articles
consist of carvings in ivory (walrus’ teeth), decorated sheep-horns,
copper and silver bracelets, bows, arrows, and spearheads. As engravers
on copper and silver the Chilcats excel all other people of the
Northwest. Some of their women wear a dozen narrow bracelets on each
arm, all of home manufacture. They are also skillful in making
ear-rings, and ornamental combs out of ivory and sheep’s horn. As
successful imitators they are remarkable, and will almost exactly
reproduce any design which is given to them as a pattern. It seems
strange that so aggressive and warlike a tribe should be skilled in
carving and many mechanical productions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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