Vlll 



National Geographic Magazine. 



pose were provided, as last year, in part by private subscription, 

 in part by payment from the treasury of the Society, and in part 

 by the United States Geological survey. Mate^'ial aid was also 

 kindly furnished by the Revenue Marine bureau of the Treasury 

 department and by the Navy department in transporting the 

 party from Puget sound to Alaska and return. 



The exploration was led by Mr I. C. Russell, geologist, of the 

 United States Geological survey, who with six men left Port Town- 

 send May 30 on the United States revenue steamer Bear, Captain 

 M. A. Healy commanding, and reached Icy bay, Alaska, June 6. 

 A distressing accident occurred at the very beginning of the ex- 

 ploratory work. When landing in the surf at Icy bay, three 

 boats were capsized, resulting in the drowning of six persons, 

 viz, Lieutenant L. L. Robinson, Cockswain James Hassler, and 

 seamen T. F. Anderson, Archibald Nelson and Henry Smith, 

 and Will C. Moore, a member of Mr Russell's party. 



This mournful accident did not, however, as it might easily 

 have done, defeat the plans for the summer's work. After 

 landing, the party at once proceeded on its difficult way across 

 the broken ice of the Malaspina and Agassiz glaciers toward 

 mount Saint Elias, and established a permanent camp at an 

 elevation of about 8,000 feet. From this permanent camp a 

 climb of about 6,500 feet more toward the summit was made, 

 when they were driven back by storms. Stormy weather con- 

 tinued for 12 days, when it was decided to be unwise to wait 

 longer merely for the purpose of scaling the summit. Reluc- 

 tantly, therefore, the party returned to Icy bay, measured a base 

 line about three miles long, and determined the altitude of mount 

 Saint Elias by vertical angles taken from each end of the base 

 line, the resulting height being 18,100 feet. This work com- 

 pleted, the party proceeded southward and eastward along the 

 border of Malaspina glacier to Disenchantment bay, studying 

 and photographing the peculiar phenomena there exhibited. 

 Entering Disenchantment bay and proceeding toward its head, 

 a large and hitherto unknown arm of the sea was discovered 

 lying east of and parallel to the eastern shore of Yakutat bay. On 

 October 8, the work of the season having been completed, the 

 party was taken on board the United States steamer Plnta, Lieu- 

 tenant-Commander Washburn Maynard commanding, trans- 

 ported to Sitka, and thence returned b}^ mail steamer to Port 

 Townsend. 



