WITH SACK AND STOCK IN ALASKA
PRINTED BY
SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE
LONDON
WITH SACK AND STOCK
IN ALASKA
BY
GEORGE BROKE, A.C., F.R.G.S.
LONDON
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
AND NEW YORK: 15 EAST 16th STREET
1891
All rights reserved
Dedicated
TO THE MEMORY OF
A⸺ M⸺
KILLED ON THE DÜSSISTOCK
AUGUST 16, 1890
PREFACE
The publishing of these simple notes is due to the wishes of one who is now no more. But for this they would probably have never seen the light, and I feel therefore that less apology is needed for their crudeness and ‘diariness’ than would otherwise have been the case.
G. B.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
| CHAPTER I LONDON TO SITKA | ||
| The summons—Across the Atlantic in the ‘Polynesian’—A deceitful car-conductor—The C.P.R.—At Victoria—On the ‘Ancon’—Fort Wrangel—Juneau—Sitka | [1] | |
| CHAPTER II SITKA TO YAKUTAT | ||
| The town—Ascent of Sha-klokh—Expedition to Edgcumbe—Dick’s dismissal—Enlisting recruits—Ascent of Verstovia—Arrival of W.—On board the ‘Alpha’—Miserable weather—Run ashore at Yakutat | [20] | |
| CHAPTER III OPENING APPROACHES | ||
| Getting canoes and men—A false start—Icy Bay—Torrents of rain—On march—The Yahkhtze-tah-heen—A wet camp—More wading—Our forces—Camp on the glacier—Across the ice—The Chaix Hills | [37] | |
| CHAPTER IV AN ATTACK AND A COUNTERMARCH | ||
| A long lie—Men return to the beach—We make a cache—Shifting camp—The Libbey Glacier—The south-east face of St. Elias—Right-about-turn—Lake Castani—The Guyot Glacier—Reappearance of the men—Wild-geese for supper | [61] | |
| CHAPTER V FURTHER ADVANCE AND MY RETREAT | ||
| Across the Tyndall Glacier—Ptarmigan—Another bear—The Daisy and Coal Glaciers—A catastrophe—The others go on—Alone with Billy and Jimmy—More geese—The blue bear—Marmot hunting | [81] | |
| CHAPTER VI BACK TO THE SHORE | ||
| Ptarmigan with a revolver—Back to Camp G—The others return—Their narrative—The men turn up again—We start down—A wasp’s nest—Mosquitoes—Wading extraordinary—We leave Icy Bay—A luxurious breakfast | [99] | |
| CHAPTER VII LIFE AT YAKUTAT | ||
| Curio-hunting—Small plover—W. goes down on the ‘Active’—Siwash dogs—A great potlatch—Cricket under difficulties—No signs of the ‘Alpha’—I determine to go down in a canoe—The white men accompany me | [122] | |
| CHAPTER VIII YAKUTAT TO SITKA | ||
| Farewells—A drunken skipper—Cape Fairweather—Loss of our frying-pan—Mount Fairweather and its glaciers—Murphy’s Cove—Stuck at Cape Spencer—Salmon and sour-dough bread—We reach Cape Edwardes—The ‘Pinta’—Safe back—Height of St. Elias | [137] | |
| MAPS | ||
| Coast of Part of South-Eastern Alaska, showing the St. Elias Alps | To face p. | [1] |
| The Southern Slopes of Mount St. Elias | 〃 | [61] |
click map for larger version (if your device supports this)
Coast of
part of
South-Eastern Alaska
showing the
ST. ELIAS ALPS.
Longmans, Green & Co., London & New York. F.S. Weller.