"Travels in Alaska 



the outstanding brows and battlements of the walls; 

 and the breaking-forth of the sun after the rain; the 

 shining of the leaves and streams and crystal archi- 

 tecture of the glaciers; the rising of fresh fragrance; 

 the song of the happy birds; and the serene color- 

 grandeur of the morning and evening sky. In summer 

 you find the groves and gardens in full dress ; glaciers 

 melting rapidly under sunshine and rain; waterfalls 

 in all their glory; the river rejoicing in its strength; 

 young birds trying their wings; bears enjoying sal- 

 mon and berries; all the life of the canon brimming 

 full like the streams. In autumn comes rest, as if the 

 year's work were done. The rich hazy sunshine 

 streaming over the cliffs calls forth the last of the 

 gentians and goldenrods ; the groves and thickets and 

 meadows bloom again as their leaves change to red 

 and yellow petals; the rocks also, and the glaciers, 

 seem to bloom like the plants in the mellow golden 

 light. And so goes the song, change succeeding change 

 in sublime harmony through all the wonderful seasons 

 and weather. 



My first trip up the river was made in the spring 

 with the missionary party soon after our arrival at 

 Wrangell. We left Wrangell in the afternoon and 

 anchored for the night above the river delta, and 

 started up the river early next morning when the 

 heights above the "Big Stickeen" Glacier and the 

 smooth domes and copings and arches of solid snow 

 along the tops of the canon walls were glowing in the 

 early beams. We arrived before noon at the old trad- 



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