72 I. C. JR.ussell — Expedition, to Mount St. Ellas. 



down into the river valley before mentioned and at right angles in general 

 to the trend of the plateau. To the buried glacier the U. S. Coast Survey 

 has applied the name of Malaspina, in honor of that distinguished and 

 unfortunate explorer. No connection could be seen between the small 

 glaciers and the Malaspina plateau, as the former dip below the level of 

 the summit of the latter. The Malaspina had no neve, nor was there any 

 high land in the direction of its axis as far as the eye could reach. Every- 

 where, excejjt where the pinnacles protruded and in a few spots on the face 

 of the bluff, it was covered with a thick stratum of soil, gravel and stones, 

 here and there showing small patches of bright green herbage. The bluff 

 westward from Point Manby may probably prove of the same character." 



Mount Cook and Mount Vancouver are named in the Pacific 

 Coast Pilot, and their elevations and positions are definitely 

 stated. Mount Malaspina was also named, but its position 

 is not given. During the expedition of last summer it was 

 found impracticable to decide definitely to Avhich peak the name 

 of the great navigator was applied. So existing nomenclature 

 was followed as nearly as possible by attaching Malaspina's name 

 to a peak about eleven miles east of Mount St. Elias. Its posi- 

 tion is indicated on the accompanying map, plate 8 (page 75). 



Several charts of the southern coast of Alaska accompany the 

 reports of the United States Coast Survey for 1875, referred to 

 above. A part of these have been independently published. 

 These charts were used in mapping the coast-line as it appears 

 on plate 8, and were frequently consulted while writing the fol- 

 lowing pages. 



New York Times Expedition, 1886. 



An expedition sent out by the New York Times,^ in charge of 

 Lieutenant Frederick SchAvatka, for the purpose of making geo- 

 graphic ex23lorations and climbing Mount St. Elias, left Sitka 

 on the U. S. S. Pinta, on July 10, 1886, and reached Yakutat 

 bay two days later. As it was found impracticable to obtain the 

 necessary assistance from the Indians to continue the voyage to 

 Icy bay, whence the start inland was j)lanned to be made. Cap- 

 tain N. E. Nichols, the commander of the Pinta, concluded to 

 take the expedition to its destination in his vessel. On July 17 

 a landing was made through the surf at Icy bay, and exploration 

 at once began. 



The party consisted of Lieutenant Schwatka, in charge ; Pro- 

 fessor William Libbey, Jr. ; and Lieutenant H. W. Seton-Karr. 



