Moravian Church of a mission in Alaska among the In- 

 dians and Eskimos. The writer considered the Moravian 

 Church to be especially fitted for this much-needed work, 

 in view of the long experience of Moravian missionaries in 

 evangelizing tribes of degraded savages; and stated that he 

 had unsuccessfully applied to other denominations on be- 

 half of the neglected heathen there, who are supposed to 

 number about 15,000. 



The Society, whose organization dates back to the year 

 1787, having favorably entertained Dr. Jackson's appeal, 

 and the approval of the Board charged with the general 

 management of the Moravian Missions having been ob- 

 tained, the authorities of the Church in America appointed 

 the Rev. A. Hartmann, Moravian missionary among the In- 

 dians in Canada, and Mr. Wm. Weinland, a member of 

 the graduating class of the Moravian Theological Seminary 

 at Bethlehem, Penna. , to undertake a tour of exploration 

 in the Western part of the little known territory of Alaska. 



A passage was secured for them on the U. S. Revenue 

 Cutter Corwin, various officials connected with the Marine 

 Revenue Bureau and the Coast Survey expressing their in- 

 terest, and stating that the Government would welcome all 

 the information the explorers might be able to gather about 

 the inhabitants, flora, fauna and geological features of West- 

 ern Ala.ska. 



On reaching San Francisco, their credentials and recom- 

 mendations secured them a most courteous reception from 

 the officers of the Corwin, Lieutenant M. A. Heely, com- 

 manding. In the "Alaska Commercial Company " they 

 found a very friendly corporation, its officers treating them 

 most kindly, and giving them letters to their agents at var- 

 ious places with instructions to help the missionaries in 

 every way possible. 



The vast territory of Alaska, purchased from Russia m 

 1867 by the United States Government, comprises the 

 whole of the Continent west of 141° west longitude and 

 also numerous islands along the Coast. Its extreme length, 

 from north to south is iioo miles, and its greatest breadth 

 from east to west is 800 miles, the entire area being esti- 

 mated at 514,700 square miles. Its coast-line, owing to 



