TJie Mulr Glacier. 79 



was unusually fine, itnd a splendid view of the great ice-stream 

 with its many tributaries was obtained from a hill-top about a 

 thousand feet high, on its eastern border. The glacier discharges 

 into the head of the bay and forins a magnificent line of ice- 

 cliffs over two hundred feet high and three miles in extent. 



This portion of the coast of Alaska has been described by 

 several writers ; yet its bleak shores are still in large part unex- 

 plored. To the west of the bay rise the magnificent peaks of 

 the Fairweather range, from which flow many great ice-streams. 

 The largest of the glaciers descending from these mountains into 

 Glacier bay is called the Pacific glacier. Like the Muir glacier, 

 it discharges vast numbers of icebergs into the sea. 



The day after leaving Glacier bay we arrived at Sitka, and as 

 soon as practicable called on Lieutenant-Commander 0. F. 

 Farenholt, of the U. S. S. Pinta, who had previously received 

 instructions from the Secretary of the Navy to take us to Yakutak 

 bay. We also paid our respects to the Governor and other 

 Alaskan officials, and made a few final preparations for the start 

 westward. 



From Sitka to Yakutat Bay. 



All of our effects having been transferred to the Pinta, we put 

 to sea early on the morning of June 25. 



Honorable Lyman E. Knapp, Governor of Alaska, taking 

 advantage of the sailing, of the Pinta, accompanied us on the 

 voyage. Mr. Henry Boursin, census enumerator, also joined us 

 for the purpose of obtaining information concerning the Indians 

 at Yakutak. 



The morning we left Sitka was misty, with occasional showers ; 

 but even these unfavorable conditions could not obscure the 

 beauty of the wild, densely wooded shore along which we steamed. 

 The weather throughout the voyage was thick and foggy and the 

 sea rough. We anchored in De Monti bay, the first indentation 

 on the eastern shore of Yakutat bay, late the following afternoon, 

 without having obtained so much as a glimpse of the magnifi- 

 cent scenery of the rugged Fairweather range. 



At Yakutat we found two small Indian villages, one on Khan- 

 taak island and the other on the mainland to the eastward (both 

 shown on plate 8). The village on Khantaak island is the older 

 of the two, and consists of six houses built along the water's 

 edge. The houses are made of planks, each hewn from a single 



