IN GREEN ALASKA 



Springs, a few hours' sail to the south, exploring 

 Indian River, a large, ideal trout stream in appear- 

 ance, making a trip to some near-by mines, and 

 climbing the mountains. It was not a good place 

 for our collectors; there were but few birds, and 

 they were very wild. Our mammal collectors put 

 out one hundred small traps and caught only two 

 mice. I was fortunate enough to see and hear the 

 water ouzel along Indian River, a bird Uke a big 

 water-colored pebble, with a Uquid, bubbling song, 

 caught from the currents about it. Here also I 

 saw the golden-crowned kinglet, the varied thrush, 

 the russet-backed thrush, and the rufous chickadee. 

 Ravens were very common everywhere in the town 

 and about it, and were talking and croaking all 

 the time. Often a soUtary bird seemed to be so- 

 liloquizing and repeating over to himself every 

 note he knew. One day a hunting party, with In- 

 dian guides and dogs, visited one of the islands in 

 quest of deer; the only deer that fell to their rifles 

 was killed by Mr. Harriman's eldest daughter, 

 Mary. 



It was a surprise to see the vast spruce forests 

 about Sitka almost untouched by the axe, except on 

 a smaU area behind the town. In the forest near the 

 mouth of Indian River I noticed a few huge stumps 

 twelve feet high, as if the axe that felled the trees had 

 been wielded by giants. The cutting had probably 

 been done from raised platforms. Some of the stumps 

 55 



