FAR AND NEAR 



steamed away toward Sitka, where we arrived 

 under dripping skies the next morning. We had 

 come from air and water streaked with icy currents, 

 to much warmer and to much moister conditions. 

 Sitka is said to be one of the rainiest spots on the 

 coast, but the four days we passed there were not 

 so bad : sun and cloud and spurts of rain each day, 

 but no considerable downpour. We came into the 

 island-studded and mountain-locked harbor from 

 the north, and saw the town, with its quaint old 

 government buildings and its line of Indian houses 

 close to the beach, outlined against a near-by back- 

 ground of steep, high, spruce-covered and snow- 

 capped mountains, with the white volcanic cone of 

 Edgecumbe three thousand feet high toward the 

 open ocean on our right. 



People actually live in Sitka from choice, and 

 seem to find life sweet. There are homes of culture 

 and refinement there. Governor Brady is a Yale 

 graduate, and his accomplished wife would shine 

 in any society. At a reception given us by the 

 governor, we met teachers from New England and 

 people who keep in touch with current literature. 

 A retired naval officer told us he liked the Sitka 

 climate and life the best of any he had found. He 

 and his family throve the best there. We spent 

 the time after the usual manner of tourists : walk- 

 ing about the town, visiting the Indian village, 

 the museum, the Greek church, going to the Hot 



54 



