ALASKA, THE GREAT ICE LAND. 165 



which at the end divides into two branches, named 

 Chilcoot and Chilcat, after the Indian inhabitants. 

 This is the last and highest portion of this curious 

 archipelago and island- studded shore. North of this 

 the stern Alaskan coast stretches out for hundreds of 

 miles, without harbours or shelter except at Yakatat, 

 uninhabited, untraversed, and unknown, composed of 

 chains of some of the most gigantic peaks upon the 

 globe. 



This was our work which lay before us. It stirs 

 the blood to be pioneers in a region such as this. 



This Chilcat inlet and river is the only way to the 

 source of the great Yukon Eiver, which my friend 

 and fellow-traveller Schwatka had lately visited and 

 followed to Behring Straits. 



The steamer next turned southwards, and after pass- 

 ing Icy Strait visited Glacier Bay to give us a chance 

 of seeing the southern verge of the great frozen 

 regions which lie to the northward, partly under the 

 British, partly under the American flag. This bay is 

 so called from the large number of glaciers which 

 here reach the ocean; in front of Muir Glacier the 

 water is deep, and the Ancon was able to steam close 

 up under the cliffs of ice, which rise up like a vast, 

 broken, marble precipice, showering down icebergs 

 from its green and glasslike fissures. Six months 

 later the Ancon was wrecked in this very spot ; 

 though I was a thousand miles away to the north- 

 ward at the time, yet most of my effects were on 

 board, and got wet in consequence. This glacier is 



