19 
and harbors are protected from the cold of the north. Occupy¬ 
ing the Aluetian islands, traversing the peninsula of Alaska, 
and running along the margin of the ocean to lat. 54° 40, this 
mountain ridge, this climatic shed, such as perhaps exists no¬ 
where else in the world; here an Alps, some of them volcanic, 
with Mount St. Elias, higher than Mount Blanc, standing guard 
against the Arctic Circle ; so it serves without the aid of science. 
Here is a dike between the icy waters of Behring sea and the 
milder southern ocean ; here is a partition between the treeless 
northern coast of the Keenians and Kolochians ; here is a fence 
which separates the animal kingdom of this region, leaving on 
the one side the walrus and ice fox from the frozen ocean, and 
on the other side the hufnming bird from the tropics. I simply 
repeat the statements of geography. And now you will not fail 
to observe how by this configuration the thermal currents of the 
ocean are left to exercise their climatic powers.”— Sumner. 
Sitka, the famous metropolis of the Russian Fur Company, 
has been shorn of its prestige ; it is still the “ seat of customs,” 
and the official headquarters of the army. Being located in the 
southeastern pan-handle of the territory, in the neighborhood of 
Fort Simpson, the Hudson Bay Company’s nearest trading post, 
and surrounded by the most treacherous Indians on the north¬ 
west coast, who have inherited a deadly animosity against the 
“ Bostons,” they carry their furs and products to Fort Simpson 
and trade them with the “ King George men.” In consequence 
of mutual hatred engendered between the races, little trade is 
now done at Sitka; “ the glory of Israel is departed.” Our fish¬ 
ermen and traders make a “ bee line ” to western Alaska, where 
they find kind, Christian people of reliable, docile habits ; very 
industrious trappers and fishermen, with whom a profitable bar¬ 
ter in oil, furs, ivory and fish is largely and profitably carried 
on. The climate prevailing in the Sitka district changes but lit¬ 
tle in the course of a year; being fenced in by a chain of high 
mountains, an unusal amount of rain falls continually. “By 
this it will be seen that the mean temperature of Sitka in lat. 
57° 3, derived from twelve years observation, is 42° 9, Fahren¬ 
heit. . . . The average amount of rain, melted snow and 
hail that fell from 1847 to 1864 (with the exception of the year 
1855) was 82.66 inches, or within a fraction of seven feet, (yet 
five inches less than the fall at the mouth of the Columbia river,) 
and the average annual number of days upon which rain, snow 
