Tlie earliest Explorations. 59 



cumnavigated the globe. These French frigates were the first 

 to cruise oif Yakutat bay. The last vessel to navigate those 

 waters was the United States revenue steamer Corivin, which took 

 our little exploring party on board in September, 1890, and then 

 steamed northward to the ice-cliffs at the head of Disenchant- 

 ment bay. So far as I am aware, the Corwin is the only vessel 

 that has floated on the waters of that inlet north of Haenke 

 island. One hundred years has made a revolution in' naval 

 architecture, but has left this portion of the Alaska coast still 

 unexplored. 



La Perouse sailed northward from the Sandwich islands, and 

 first saw land, which proved to be a portion of the St. Elias 

 range, on June 23. At first the shore was obscured by fog, 

 which, as stated in the narrative of the voyage, " suddenly dis- 

 appearing, all at once disclosed to us a long chain of mountains 

 covered with snow, which, if the weather had been clear, we 

 would have been able to have seen thirty leagues farther off. 

 We discovered Bering's Mount Saint Elias, the summit of which 

 appeared above the clouds." 



The first view of the land is described as not awakening the 

 feelings of joy which usually accompany the first view of an 

 unknown shore after a long voyage. To quote the navigator's 

 own words : 



"Those immense heapsof snow, which covered a barren land without 

 trees, were far from agreeable to our view. The mountains appeared a 

 little remote from the sea, which broke against a bold and level land, 

 elevated about a hundred and fifty or two hundred fathoms. This black 

 rock, which appeared as if calcined by fire, destitute of all verdure, formed 

 a striking conti'ast to the whiteness of the snow, which was perceptible 

 through the clouds ; it served as the base to a long ridge of mountains, 

 which appeared to stretch fifteen leagues from east to west. At first we 

 thought ourselves very near it, the summit of the mountains appeared to 

 be just over our heads, and the snow cast forth a brightness calculated to 

 deceive eyes not accustomed to it ; but in projiortion as we advanced we 

 perceived in front of the high ground hillocks covered with trees, which 

 we took for islands." 



After some delay, on account of foggy weather, an officer was 

 despatched to the newly discovered land ; but on returning he re- 

 ported that there was no suitable anchorage to be found. It is 

 difficult at this time to understand the reason for this adverse 

 report, unless a landing was attempted on the western side of 

 Yakutat liay, where there are no harbors. 



