There are seven in our party, mainly from Chicago. After a week of
delightful mountaineering at Idaho Springs, in Platte Cañon, and other
Union Pacific resorts in Colorado, we indulged in that delicious plunge
at Garfield Beach, Salt Lake, and, en route to Portland over the Union
Pacific Ry., quaffed that all but nectar at Soda Springs, Idaho, and
dropped off a day to take a peep, at Shoshone Falls, which, in all
seriousness, have attractions of which even our great Niagara can not
boast. We found that glorious dash down through the palisades of the
Columbia, and the sail, through the entrancing waterways of Puget Sound,
a fitting prelude to our recent Alaskan journey.
The Alaskan voyage is like a continuous dream of pleasure, so placid and
quiet are the waters of the landlocked sea and so exquisitely beautiful
the environment. The route keeps along the east shore of Vancouver Island
its entire length, through the Gulf of Georgia, Johnstone strait, and out
into Queen Charlotte Sound, where is felt the first swell of old ocean,
and our staunch steamship "Elder" was rocked in its cradle for about four
hours. Oftentimes we seemed to be bound by mountains on every side, with
no hope of escape; but the faithful deck officer on watch would give his
orders in clear, full tones that brought the bow to some passage leading
to the great beyond. In narrow straits the steamer had to wait for the
tide; then would she weave in and out, like a shuttle in a loom, among
the buoys, leaving the black ones on the left and the red ones on the
right, and ever and anon they would be in a straight line, with the
wicked boulder-heads visible beneath the surface or lifting their savage
points above, compelling almost a square corner to be turned in order to
avoid them. At such times the passengers were all on deck, listening to
the captain's commands, and watching the boat obey his bidding.
From Victoria to Tongas Narrows the distance is 638 miles, and here was
the first stop for the tourists. The event here was going ashore in
rowboats, and in the rain, only to see a few dirty Indians--a foresight
of what was to follow--and a salmon-packing house not yet in working
order.
From Tongas Narrows to Fort Wrangel, thousands of islands fill the water,
while the mainland is on the right and Prince of Wales Island on the
extreme left.