ne Stickeen River 



is navigable for small steamers a hundred and fifty 

 miles to Glenora, and sometimes to Telegraph Creek, 

 fifteen miles farther. It first pursues a westerly course 

 through grassy plains darkened here and there with 

 groves of spruce and pine; then, curving southward 

 and receiving numerous tributaries from the north, it 

 enters the Coast Range, and sweeps across it through 

 a magnificent canon three thousand to five thousand 

 feet deep, and more than a hundred miles long. The 

 majestic cliffs and mountains forming the canon- 

 walls display endless variety of form and sculpture, 

 and are wonderfully adorned and enlivened with 

 glaciers and waterfalls, while throughout almost its 

 whole extent the floor is a flowery landscape garden, 

 like Yosemite. The most striking features are the 

 glaciers, hanging over the cliffs, descending the side 

 canons and pushing forward to the river, greatly en- 

 hancing the wild beauty of all the others. 



Gliding along the swift-flowing river, the views 

 change with bewildering rapidity. Wonderful, too, 

 are the changes dependent on the seasons and the 

 weather. In spring, when the snow is melting fast, 

 you enjoy the countless rejoicing waterfalls; the 

 gentle breathing of warm winds; the colors of the 

 young leaves and flowers when the bees are busy and 

 wafts of fragrance are drifting hither and thither 

 from miles of wild roses, clover, and honeysuckle; the 

 swaths of birch and willow on the lower slopes follow- 

 ing the melting of the winter avalanche snow-banks; 

 the bossy cumuli swelling in white and purple piles 

 above the highest peaks; gray rain-clouds wreathing 



I 45] 



