6 Skcti/ies of oil Excursion to Southern Alaska. 



' location, in the thought of the spiritual majesty with which it is invested. It 

 belongs to the visible Kingdom of God. As we approached, my eye rested upon 

 a range of snow-capped mountains, disclosed through a long vista, one of which, 

 an obtuse cone, towered above the others, clothed in the purest whiteness, and 

 upon which the sun poured a sparkling flood. I accepted it as an emblem to 

 l>e transferred to our Alaska banner, — the Sun and the robe of righteousness. 



The few hours of detention at Fort Wrangel, were spent in choice comu)un- 

 ion with christian friends, and in renewals of acquaintance. We also surveyed 

 the sites for the church and school-house. They are eligible, at a point of 

 elevation which commands an extensive view of the bay and islands, and yet 

 f4uite accessible from all parts of the town. 



After seeing all my freight safely landed, we proceeded on our voyage to 

 Sitka, nearly two hundredmiles. The largest exposure to the open sea occurs 

 between these two points, the time Vieing about seven hours. 



The scenery is very attractive. The mountain landscape, through which our 

 voyage had already penetrated, was marked by its abrupt and rugged features, 

 not without beautiful but limited variation. Islands equally diversify the 

 scene, but a larger proportion rises only a few feet above the level of the sea. 

 Now and then a plain comes into view, which upon nearer inspection, shrinks 

 into a promontory. Our advance dissipates another illusion. \'onder ]i!ain 

 contracts into a wide margin running along the foot-hill or mountain. And 

 yet another, where the fancied plain breaks into a succession of islands, and 

 the watery waste asserts its wonted dominion where we supposed ^square 

 leagues of land were lying. 



Though we felt the motion of the open sea, islands, mountains and snywy 

 peaks were ever in view. As we turned from these well defined objects toward 

 the ocean the contrast was very impressive. The visible horizon, closing upon 

 the line where sky and water meet, is well defined by distant clouds, the shad- 

 owy counterparts of the unchanging mountain summits. Anon, no cloud inter- 

 cepts the view, and the mind longs to pierce the dim distance and inspect the 

 objects which lie below the horizon. 



The course of our \H)yage soon conveys us into another labyrinth. In- 

 lands re-appear in c\erv direction. The passages between them, though 

 often narrow, arc somstines broadened into seas. The prospect, therefore, is 

 less confined. Mt. Edgecombe a solitary abtuse cone, rises in the distance. 

 The bays and channels are sleeping in perfect calm. The mountains around 

 Sitka come into view. The steadiness of our ship, ami the calm upon the deep, 

 create the illusion that every object above the water is in motion, describing 

 the revolutions of a vast p.inorama, the nearer obje:ts slowly, the distant ob- 

 jects swifily, changing llieir positions. 



Centered in th's vast a.nphit'ieatre, 'we suddenly catch sight of the terinina.1. 

 point oi our \oyage. 



