THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALASKA 47 



the placer fields of British Columbia who first prospected in Alaska, 

 and who by 1880 were mining in the Juneau region, and a few years 

 later in the Yukon basin itself. These facts are here set forth because 

 it was the prospector who made almost the first observations on the 

 geology of the interior. 



There were, to be sure, a number of exploring expeditions which, 

 considering the resources at their command, had achieved important 

 results, but they were geographic rather than geologic. Thus Fred- 

 erick Schwatka, U.S.A., following the route blazed out by early pros- 

 pectors, crossed the Chilkoot Pass in 1883 and made his way down 

 stream to the mouth of the Yukon. In 1885 H. T. Allen, U.S.A., 

 explored the Copper, Tanana and Koyukuk rivers, while about the same 

 time G. M. Stoney, U.S.1ST., and J. C. Cantwell, U.S.R.C.S., led expedi- 

 tions which penetrated the Arctic watershed of Alaska. The Canadian 

 geologists, George M. Dawson and E. G. McConnell, had meanwhile 

 explored the Canadian part of the Yukon basin. In 1890 I. C. Russell, 

 of the Geological Survey, reconnoitered the geology of the Yukon, while 

 attached to a coast survey party whose aim was to determine the position 

 of the international boundary. Schwatka made a second trip into the 

 interior in 1891 and this time was fortunately accompanied by C. W. 

 Hayes of the U. S. Geological Survey, who made important additions 

 to both geographic and geologic knowledge. Since the acquisition of 

 the territory, the coast survey has been steadily at work charting the 

 shore line, and much was learned of the geology of the littoral province 

 by Wm. H. Dall, long attached to that organization. John Muir's 

 fascinating accounts of the glaciers of Alaska attracted widespread 

 attention, and a number of expeditions were sent north to study them. 



By all these means considerable geologic data were accumulated, 

 though actual surveys were entirely lacking. A few official publica- 

 tions made reference to the mineral deposits, but these statements were 

 unreliable because based purely on compiled information, and were 

 taken at their true value by the public, which paid small heed to reports 

 of valuable ore bodies in this northern field. 



Systematic Surveys. 



As year after year placer gold continued to be brought from the 

 Yukon region and mining along the coast continued to expand, there 

 arose a demand for more exact information. This led to a small appro- 

 priation which enabled the United States Geological Survey to send 

 G. F. Becker and Wm H. Dall north to study the coal and gold deposits 

 along the Pacific coast in 1895, while the following year J. E. Spurr, 

 with two others, visited the gold placers of the Yukon. These two 

 expeditions represent practically the beginnings of geologic surveying 

 in this province. 



