Rivers of great extent and dashing streams course from the interior mountains, and find their way, through rough gulches and long valleys, to the Pacific and Arctic oceans. The Yukon, one of the greatest rivers on the American continent, has its source in British Columbia, in longitude one hundred and thirty west, and with its ten mouths empties into Behring sea near Norton sound, in the sixty-fifth degree of west longitude; and, in its serpentine course, is more than four thousand five hundred miles in length, often swelling to four and even ten miles in width in its numerous arms, dotted with islands, and is navigable for many thousand miles from its mouth. The Meloze, Porcupine, Nulato, and other streams of magnitude empty into the Yukon. A great part of the Yukon passes through a low country, and broad, low valleys, with willows, shrubs, and rich meadows of fine pasture-ranges, skirt it on either side, where vast herds of deer graze throughout the year. South of the Yukon is the Kouskoquim river, with its numerous branches, extending three hundred and fifty miles into the interior; and south of the Aleutian peninsula are a number of rivers of considerable magnitude, with interior valleys and rich forests. The Suschina, emptying into Cook's inlet, is more than two hundred and fifty miles in length, and the Copper river over two hundred miles; and the Stekin, whose mouth is directly east of the island of Sika, extends into British Columbia three hundred miles. So far as yet ascertained, Alaska possesses but little attractions for immigrants or capacity for agriculture. Along the Pacific coast some small valleys which will produce vegetables, oats, and barley, are found; but it is all far north of the line where wheat-growing or general agriculture could be successfully prosecuted. The summer seasons are short, damp, and cloudy, the rainfall at Sika and vicinity being about ninety inches per annum, the greatest in any part of the world; Astoria, Oregon, comes next with an annual fall of seventy-eight inches. From Behring strait to the eastern line of Alaska, on the sea-coast, but little snow falls; and although a portion of this range is as far north as Greenland, yet the warm currents and winds from Asia so modify the climate that in many portions of the low valleys vegetation is green all winter, and cattle could live at large without the aid of man. Alaska is particularly valuable for its forests of valuable timber, mines yet to be developed-coal, gold, silver, copper, and other minerals-its game, and inland and water fur-bearing animals, and its valuable and vast fishing interests. Throughout the whole interior, on the banks of the Yukon and other rivers, and the islands, the Russian American Fur Company-a large body of Russian merchants, incorporated by royal authority in 1799has built its posts, and for almost a century prosecuted a most extensive and profitable fur-trade. (The company existed many years before its incorporation.) Martin, sable, mink, otter, beaver, and other furs obtained, abound in the interior, and sea-otter and the valuable fur-seal are found on the islands and coast. Some idea of the extent of the Russian American Fur Company may be learned from the fact that two large steamers, several small ones, eight brigs and barques, and numerous small boats, were constantly employed, and about ten thousand Russians, Aleuts, and Esquimaux were engaged on the coast and islands, and six thousand Koloschians engaged in trafficking with the interior tribes for this company. The annual productions of the company amounted to more than a million dollars. The islands of St. George and St. Paul, in 57° north, longitude 170° west, off the mouth of Bristol bay, in Behring sea, are the resort of the fur-seal, so long so valuable a source of profit to the Russian American Fur Company, and now, by act of Congress, made a source of revenue to the federal government. By this act, approved July 1, 1870, the government grants to the Alaska Commercial Company, composed of capitalists of San Francisco and New York, the exclusive right to take fur-seal on the islands of St. George and St. Paul for the term of twenty years, from the 1st of May, 1870, at an annual rent of fifty-five thousand dollars, and a tax or duty of two dollars and sixty-two and a half cents on each skin sold or shipped, and fifty-five cents on each gallon of seal oil, with twenty-five thousand dried salmon and other articles annually to the natives. The number of skins collected annually is restricted to one hundred thousand, which must be taken during the months of June, July, September, and October of each year. Provision is made, however, for the natives of the islands being housed, clothed, fed, and educated, and for their taking, at all seasons, such seals for food or clothing as may be necessary. The late Major-General Thomas, in his official report on his visiting St. Paul and St. George in 1869, said: "The number of seals on the islands, after the young are born, is estimated all the way from five to fifteen million; but they are countless, lying in the rookeries, covering hundreds of acres, like sheep in a pen." The habits of these seals are peculiar. About the last of April, or early part of May, the old male seals come from the south, and land upon St. George and St. Paul, (the only islands inhabited by them.) After thoroughly examining the coast and interior of the islands for several days, soon millions begin to arrive, and, forming themselves into families, or colonies, led by the old males, they slowly make their way to the rookeries or secluded portions of the interior. The able-bodied males form a circle, inside of which they guard the females, keeping the young and the superannuated males on the outside. The object seems to be to protect the females and their young. Fierce battles ensue between the guardians of the families, and also with them and the old and young male seals kept on the outer circle. Under the regulations of killing these seals, only the young and old males on the outer circle are taken. The native hunters, armed with clubs, make their way along the outer circle of the families, and drive toward the interior the males on the outside of the families. Sometimes they drive them one or two miles; here, out of the range of the families, they slaughter them by striking them on the head with their clubs, secure all the skins they can, and return the next day, to repeat the same operation, until the desired supply is obtained. The old males still keep guard over the females and their young until the young are able to take to the water freely, when all make for the shore and sport on the rocks and in the waters, all mingling again indiscriminately, and remaining on the islands and on their shores until September or October, when suddenly they head south, abandon the islands, and are seen no |