March 18, 1880.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



131 



temperature of 57 deg. the temperature of this Japanese 

 gulf stream varies less than 8 deg. With air at 50 deg., 

 the walerwas 48 deg.; with air at minus 7 deg., the water 

 was plus 40.5 deg. 



And the extreme cold weather rendered visible to us— 

 and a beautiful vision it was too— the map of vapor 

 which constantly arising from this body of warm water 

 causes the excessive humidity of the climate of Alaska, 

 It whirled and danced in the wind and assumed all sorts 

 of fantastic shapes, resembling smoke, or dry steam, 

 mere than it did fog. Bits of it would get caught by a 

 gust of wind and go whirling and dancing and shaping 

 itself into mist rings. 



At ten feet from the surface it became invisible at the 

 lowest temperature, and at plus 14 deg. it ceased to be vis- 

 ible at all. The warming effect of this river of warm 

 water upon adjacent shores was made manifest to us by a 

 comparison, of the records of two thermometers— one on 

 board ship, in the midst of it, and one well back from the 

 beach, ashore. At all times the record on board was the 

 higher by 1 deg. to 3 deg. ; and this difference was great- 

 est in the day time, with a bright sunshine. 



We had, too, another sensation in the way of a natural 

 phenomena granted us, which, if we had not come to 

 Sitka, we might have passed our lives without seeing and 

 enjoying, viz., an aurora horealis, which came up to the 

 most vivid description that I have ever read. It occurred 

 on the morning of the 17t.h inst., and although I had left 

 a masquerade ball because I was sleepy, at 1 a.m., I felt 

 fully repaid for sitting up till after 3 A.M. to watch it. I 

 will essay a description, but I know I'll fail. 



A dense black bank, reaching to, perhaps, half their 

 height, above the chain of high hills which, from rfoi'th- 

 west around by north to northeast, form our horizon, 

 made for them a gloomy background, against which the 

 peaks, crowned with perpetual snow, stood out in bold 

 relief. This bank was surmounted by a curtain of white, 

 reaching some ten or fifteen degrees further toward the 

 north star. Away back behind this curtain — perhaps at 

 the Pole itself— skillful operators were giving with a 

 camera of immense power an exhibition of phantasma- 

 goria (I use the Spanish word, f or' I know of no English 

 one that conveys to me the impression), so grand that it- 

 was well worth the price of admission, even if the latter 

 were a winter in Sitka. 



I call the upper bank a curtain, for such it seemed, and 

 white, because no other shade would have permitted the 

 slighest changes in hue of these celestial fireworks to 

 have so plainly shown themselves. In reality this curtain 

 was for two hours seldom white for more than a few mo- 

 ments, for nearly constantly its hue was changing froma 

 pale green tinged with pink to a deep rosy flush, and 

 its shape, too, varied. At times its contour would be un- 

 dulative like waves, and these undulations would pass 

 from west to east, and disappear, and at others it would 

 show a sharp, distinctly -drawn arch, as perfeot as ever 

 seen in a rainbow, These colors woidd brighten and fade, 

 as though these various hued fires were advanced and 

 drawn back, As well as a little, thing can represent a 

 great one, the varying intensity of glow of a captured 

 firefly is typical of these changes. 



Occasionally the whole curtain would tremble, then 

 suddenly a broad band of brighter glow would shoot up 

 into the sky, and reach above its upper edge ; this would 

 be quickly followed by another, and soon the curtain 

 was traversed by many bars of elongating and shrinking 

 light. For a space they would mark time, and then go 

 dancing off to the eastward : new ones, or the same old 

 ones, coming back around the curtain, as in a theatrical 

 procession, would appear at the western extreme, and fol- 

 low their leaders. 



At times the black bank would draw up into a peak in 

 one place, and from its summit a jet of light would sud- 

 denly dart upward, and I could make no mistake in judg- 

 ing that the exhibitor was depicting a volcano in eruption, 

 Toward 3 A.M. the exhibition drew to a close, a dense 

 bank which had been arising from the southward invaded 

 the region of the Aurora, the temperature rose, and the 

 hygrometer showed the approach of rain, and to-day we 

 have it, the first in nearly a month ; a steady, constant 

 pour down, alternated with intervals of snow, the flakes 

 of which, larger than geese feathers, melt; as they fall. 

 • Our cold snap is over, the weather has changed, and 

 whether there is a connection between this marked 

 change and the aurora, or simply a coincidence, I'll leave 

 to more learned meteorologists than I am to establish. 



Jan. 33d — No steamer yet, and you who get from day 

 to day your mails can very little appreciate the length of 

 the live days that we have been expecting her. And yet 

 we cannot wonder that she has not come. She is com. 

 manded by a weatherwise old seaman, and has for pilot 

 another, and neither of them, certainly not both, would 

 have exposed her and her people to tho dangers that 

 would have attended an attempt to get to Sitka during 

 the last five days. It has rained and hailed and snowed 

 and squalled steadily, and the surf conies rolling in over 

 the low islands in a way that makes us congratulate our- 

 selves that we are snugly moored instead of outside 

 " catching it." 



I don't want any more "phantasmagorias" to come 

 anywhere near steamer day ; they are all very well to 



taper off with after a "baile", but, like some other very 

 early morning dissipations, the after effect is not pleas- 

 ant. It has struck me this evening that there is probably 

 among your readers— in fact I know there is — those who 

 would relish a little information gathered upon the spot 

 in regard to the manners and customs of the new lot of 

 United States citizens to whom by our treaty with 

 Russia we fell heir. Minerva^like, in this respect and no 

 other, these people came full grown into this new world, 

 but, unlike her, they brought with them the recollections 

 and habits of the one in which they had previously lived, 

 In 1S68 the United States became the proprietor of this 

 country and of its people, and became enabled to boast 

 with the English that the sun never sets on her posses- 

 sions, which ought to count for something in reckoning 

 up the rjrofi t and loss of the invested seven millions. 



The people here, some three hundred in number, hardly 

 as yet realize that they are citizens of the United States, 

 and an attempt to impress upon the more intelligent ones 

 among them that such is the case is met with either in- 

 difference or resentment. "No, I am not," said a lady to 

 me when I tried to convince her that we were fellow-citi- 

 zens, "lam always a Russian." "Why ?" I asked. "What 

 has the United States given us for that which they sent 

 away ?" After considerable reflection, and nearly giving 

 up the conundrum, a happy thought struck rue and I 

 answered, "the Jamestown." I could not have done 

 better. Her frown relaxed, and a pensive expression 

 took its place. Memories of those happy days when 

 her father, a Russian gentleman ; her uncle, a Russian 

 General, and their associates, mado of Sitka a paradise 

 for those who, of Russian descent, had never leftthis, 

 their native land, mingled with fresher memories of the 

 " bailes" at the castle, the strolls to Indian River, the boat- 

 ing trips to the island, and the hops on board, and I took 

 advantage of tho moment and changed the topic. 



We have here, as I have said, a community of about 

 300 people, the males of which have never voted, and 

 don't know or care who is, was, or is going to be, Presi- 

 dent, and not one of whom has an atom of patriotism or 

 pride in bebig a member of the great Republic. They are 

 purely Russian in their thoughts, tastes, habits and re- 

 ligion ; and yet the Russian element is not very strong 

 among them. The old saying that " Skin a Russian and 

 you find a Tartar," should be modified to fit Sitka. 

 Here, under a Russian surface, lies a native American 

 foundation, for nearly all of these people are of mingled 

 Russian and Aleutian blood. As a class they are worthy 

 people, but almost entirely devoid of energy, and so ac- 

 customed to poverty that they hardly think it worth 

 while to undergo any fatigue to better their condition. 

 There are among them those who are striking exceptions, 

 but they are few. They are not to be blamed for this 

 apathy. Neither Russians or Aleutians are characterized 

 by the go-ahead proclivities of the Anglo-Saxon, and 

 their descendants, the Creoles, cannot be expected to de- 

 velop traits not transmitted to them. 



These people are very religious. The orthodox Greek 

 Church has more power over them than the Government 

 would ever attain were resistance among their peculiari- 

 ties. In every house there hangs in the corner of the 

 best room — and, I am told, in every bedroom also — a 

 frame in which, surrounded by gilt and silver ornaments, 

 is enshrined tho image or picture generally of the "Virgin 

 Mary, in some of Saints. These people have been ac- 

 oused of idolatry, because of the reverence in which 

 they hold these shrines, which are called obrazes. 



I am convinced that the charge is erroneous. The 

 image in this shrine is to them simply a symbol, and held 

 in the same respect as is the crucifix by Roman Catholics, 

 and the Bible by old-fashioned orthodox Christians. Tho 

 forms and ceremonies of worship in the Greek Church 

 are elaborate ; in the standing congregation every lip is 

 moving with the prayers constantly, many hands em- 

 ployed in crossing, and some knees bent in genuflection, 

 which are carried to an extent equaled only by the koti- 

 ton of the Chinese. During the entire service a chant is 

 rendered by an invisible choir, and the whole effect 

 would be to sustain and increase reverence if once it were 

 acquired. 



They are much given to little tea parties, at which the 

 singular and not very pleasant custom prevails for 

 ladies and gentlemen to occupy separate rooms during 

 the repast. This may be due to the fact that with the 

 men cigarettes form an alternative with each course, and 

 the women here have not imitated the women of Russia 

 in acquiring this habit. Tea is served to the women in cups, 

 to the men in tumblers, and the repast is almost alto- 

 gether composed of sweet things, such as preserves, tarts 

 and cake. It is possibly owing to their great consump 

 tion of sugar, or it may be to some blood defect, that a 

 good set of teeth is a rarity. Some have a habit, in sweet- 

 ening the tea, of holding between the teeth a lump of 

 sugar and sucking tho tea through it. 



Milk is an almost unknown article of food— with them 

 weaning means something. Tea is served by means of 

 a samavar, which is a brass or copper urn, in which, by 

 means of a charcoal fire, water sufficient for many cups 

 is kept boiling. They are exceedingly fond of dancing, 

 and many of them are natural musicians, the concertina 

 or accordeon being the favorite instrument. During the 



Christmas holidays a continuous series of masquerades 

 prevailed, and several very pleasant mask balls were 

 given. 



In entering one of the houses the article of furniture 

 which attracts the attention of a stranger is the stove. 

 This standing generally in a corner, consists of a cylinder 

 of sheet-iron lined with fire-bricks ; it is from two to 

 three feet in diameter, and reaches from floor to ceiling, 

 to which it has the appearance of a supporting pillar. In 

 using this stove, wood is piled in through a door a foot 

 square near the base, and a brisk fire kept up for an hour 

 or two, then allowed to die out ; and when the gas and 

 smoke have entirely disappeared a damper in the upper 

 part is closed, and the stove becomes a radiator of warm 

 air for twelve or fourteen hours, with no further attend- 

 ance ; the danger of shutting down and throwing gas 

 into the room— coal gas— necessitates care in the man- 

 agement of these stoves. 



There are among these families some of nearly pure 

 Russian blood who have received the advantages of edu- 

 cation, and by their culture, refinement and other esti- 

 mable qualities afford to those, of us who have established 

 a school here great encouragement as to the probable 

 future results. The material is good, it wants only the 

 polishing. 



Jan. 25</i.— The steamer is just in, nearly a week over 

 time, having been detained by bad weather, and it is only 

 through protest that her Captain is prevailed upon to 

 give us till to-morrow morning to get up our mails. So 

 I must drop some other things and save this letter by 

 winding-it up. • 



The comparatively mild weather during the week has 

 started the ducks in, and I have obtained and identified 

 by means of Coues' Key as follows : Old-wife, male and 

 female ; harlequin, do. ; surf duck, black scoter, mallard 

 and " Golden Eyes." The descriptions are nearly all per- 

 fect ; but in two cases I think that I can add a bit : My 

 scoter has a membranous patch reaching nearly to nostril 

 or culmen and sides of bill, and the tertiary feathers are 

 tipped with white. And in my old-wife, the outer vanes 

 of all of the tail feathers have more or less black, bor- 

 dered and terminated with white, and the inner vanes 

 white, and beside the two long tail feathers in center, 

 there are two others about half then- length, all four be- 

 ing black. As I learn to use this Key I appreciate its 

 value, and shall devote myself to supplying any errors of 

 omission I may detect, which may be due to variations 

 not as yet observed. Piseco. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Pennsylvania Mtc.iiA.ToRy Quail.— Towanda, Pa., 

 March 13th. — I notice occasionally in your columns 

 items in regard to the migratory quail, and should be 

 glad to hear more of this experiment, and thinking that 

 there are others probably similarly interested I am 

 prompted to state what 1 know in regard to the one hun- 

 dred that' the Rod and Gun Club of 'this place procured 

 and released in this vicinity. They came to us in fine 

 condition, and were (1 can say from personal knowledge) 

 freed in favorable localities. Since then I have heard 

 from reliable sources of four different broods of them 

 being hatched, ranging from twelve to eighteen each. 

 They disappeared as the cold weather set in last sea- 

 son, and I do not think there were hut a few of one 

 covey of them killed, and that was, of course, not done 

 by any of our sportsmen. From our limited experience 

 we shoidd incline to think the introduction of them a 

 success, which will be confirmed if they only return to 

 their summer residences the coming season. Jot. 



Taxing Guns.— Brooklyn, Marcsh 15th.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream ..-—It is with real pleasure that I read the dif- 

 ferent arguments, pro and con, on my proposition to fax 

 the shot gun ; but I must admit so far none of said argu- 

 ments are very strong, or even tenable. A sportsman's 

 heart, everybody knows, is very large, and such is, I 

 thmk, the case with my friend and fellow-townsman 

 Harry Fenwood. The idea of his old friend not being 

 able to pay a yearly tax of three dollars is bertainlv very 

 bad, but 1 think with a little ingenuity and self-saorifloe 

 it can-easily be overcome. We have at the present.an 

 Irish. famine relief fund, a policemen's fund, and why 

 should we not have an old sportsmen's relief fund ? Let 

 the broken down sportsmen be divided into two classes 

 the junior and the senior class. The junior class would 

 include all of them, say under the age of fortv while the 

 senior class would include all above" forty. Let there bo 

 raised, through yonr paper, all over the country volun- 

 tary subscriptions. Mine will be live dollars "to start 

 with. These subscriptions will be known as the "Old 

 Sportsmen's Relief Lund." Each member of the senior 

 class will be entitled to a yearly amount out of saidfund, 

 provided that said member Can prove that he has been all 



his lifetime a good and true sportsman, that he ba i 



been a market shooter or a. pot-hunter, and that he never 

 spent auy money foolishly at pigeon shooting. Unfor- 

 tunately I cannot, at thepresent, suggest anything for the 

 junior "class: still t might give them a little ' advice 

 Should they be married men, for then- wife's and child- 

 ren's sake 1 should tell them, sell vour guns and give up 

 shooting. Should they, on the contrary, be single men, 

 tor then- boarding-house keeper's sake I should tell them, 

 do the same thing. As long as we are after devising 

 some means for the protection of game, let us by all 

 means devise some ways for the protection of the poor 

 sportsmen, but in the meantime do not let our senti- 

 menUUism run away with our object in view. 



A TkUIO LOVUlt OP THE Sl'OKT. 



N. B.— In your last issue I notice that a party of gun- 

 ners Started at Bay Ridge some tweet y-(i ve Woodcock 

 May I, through your paper, ask of those' gunners one or 

 two pertinent questions r What business did said party of 

 gunners have at Bay Ridge this season of the year? and 

 how many of thoso twenty-five woodcock did they kill? 



