66 PITTONIA. 
with erect cones, and a tall pine growing on the borders of 
sphagnous marshes which I take to be Pinus Murrayana ; 
besides these, some prospectors who have been up the Junock 
River have reported to me that there is a spruce there which 
differs materially from P. Sitchensis. Of these the only ones 
that come down to the shore are Thuya, Tsuga Mertensiana, 
and Picea Sitchensis, with occasional patches of Chamecy- 
paris; Tsuga Pattoniana and Pinus being rarely if ever 
found on the seashore. In a former issue of the “ Pacific . 
Coast Pilot for Alaska" (1883) it is stated that in one or two 
places certain “points” or “landmarks” are densely tim- 
bered with “fir” or covered with “pine,” but this is an error, 
as no fir whatever grows in Alaska (except a few trees of 
Pseudotsuga mucronata which have been introduced at 
Sitka) and pine does not grow in quantity anywhere on the 
shore. ; 
The tourist, on observing the forest from the steamer’s 
deck (the point of view from which too many “books” on 
Alaska are written), is apt to underestimate the distance 
and conclude that the timber here is scrubby ; but a closer 
inspection soon dispels this impression, as noted above. In 
this clear atmosphere the pale green of the Cedar and Cypress, 
the dark green of the Hemlock, and the bluish green of the 
Spruce are readily distinguished at three miles’ distance. 
CHAMJECYPARIS NuTKAENSIS (Alaska Cedar, Alaska Cy- 
press), in Tsimsian, WEHT-UHL, is undoubtedly the most 
valuable timber tree of this region. Though not large 
(rarely exceeding two feet in diameter), it makes excellent 
finishing lumber, being firm, close-grained, not inclined to 
warp,and readily taking a high polish. It is not large 
enough for making canoes, but being light and strong it is 
the ideal wood for paddles, aud is universally used by the 
natives for that purpose. It is also the wood most used in 
this section for making oil-crates, native boxes, bowls, dishes, 
bailers, masks, spoons, and household utensils of various . 
