10 ALASKA. * 



gave bogs aud cattle a trial, with a deep interest in the success- 

 of their experiments. The Eussian American Company in re- 

 tiring from the country gave us a generally correct map of the 

 Territory, accurate figures as to the numbers and distribution 

 of the natives ; but upon other points the most vague or else 

 conflicting data, and in this condition of knowledge we took 

 possession of the country. Its true status, therefore, and real 

 importance were simply unknown to our people. 



Since that time, however, quite a number of adventurers, 

 traders, miners, fishermen, and the like have had their atten- 

 tion and interest centered here, and the resources of the country 

 in small sections have been keenly scrutinized with a view to 

 what the country could or could not yield in supply of human 

 wants. 



THE DIVERSIFIED CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. 



Everybody is familiar with the geographical position of 

 Alaska, with its extended area of coast-line, stretching from a 

 trifle south of the 55th parallel of north latitude, above Fort 

 Simpson, on the British Columbian Territory, far to the north- 

 ward and westward away into the Arctic Ocean and above the- 

 arctic circle; and, in describing the character of this vast trend 

 of land, it should be divided into several natural districts, by 

 reason of the local difference between them. 



The Sitl-an district. — Startiugfrom Portland Canal and running 

 north to Cross Sound aud the head of Lynn Canal, the eye glances 

 over a range of country made up of hundreds of islands, large 

 aud small, and a bold, mountainous coast, all everywhere rugged 

 aud abrupt in contour, aud, with exception of highest sum- 

 mits, the bills, mountains, and valleys, the last always narrow 

 and winding, are covered with a dense jungle of spruce and 

 fir, cedar and shrubbery, so thick, dark, and damp, that it is 

 traversed only hj tbe expenditure of great physical energy, 

 and a clear spot, either on islands or mainland, where an acre 

 of grass might grow by itself, as it does in tbe little "parks" 

 far in the interior, cannot be found. In these forest-jungles, 

 especially on tbe lowlands and always by tbe water-courses, 

 will be found a fair proportion of ordinary timber of tbe char- 

 acter above designated. The spruce and fir, however, are so 

 heavily charged with resin, that they can be used for nothing 

 but the roughest work; the cedar is, however, an excellent ar- 

 ticle. But back from the Coast Kange here, on which our bound- 



