adjacent to waters literally alive with cod, halibut and herring. It is the practice of the exclusively excursion steamers to stop for a couple of hours off Danger Point, two and one-half miles distant, and give those of the passengers who are piscatorially inclined an opportunity to exercise their skill and muscle, principally the latter, taking cod and halibut; the most ardent Waltonian finds two hours all he desires, for the reason that the fish are so plentiful that the anticipated sport very soon becomes hard work and a mere question of endurance.

Killisnoo's only industry at present consists of the oil works, which have an annual capacity of something like 250,000 gallons of oil, pressed at a temperature of 12 degrees, and 1,500 tons of guano, prepared from the refuse of the herring from which the oil has been extracted. The company also salts for the market codfish, salmon bellies and herring. To make a product of 200,ooo gallons of oil involves a catch of not less than 60,000 barrels of herring, which are taken in a lagoon near by in purse nets drawn by steam tugs, from which they are lifted by means of a dip-net operated by a steam crane. Not far from the place are some coal seams, but so far the coal has been found of an inferior quality and possessed of little economic value. It is believed, however, that further intelligent research may

bring to light coal of good quality in workable veins. Less than half a dozen miles to the northward and immediately on the east shore of Chatham Strait, some most promising gold-bearing quartz ledges have been discovered, and there is every reason to believe that sooner or later Killisnoo may become the center of an active, prosperous mining industry.

Entering Peril Strait, the eastern entrance to which is directly opposite Killisnoo, the steamer next threads her way through intricate channels and seething rapids to Sitka, a distance of about eighty miles. This is the end of her route, and here tourists are allowed twenty-four hours in which to view the sights of Alaska's quaint old capital, in which there are many things to attract the attention and excite the interest of strangers. Chief among them is the old Greco-Russian Cathedral, with its chime of bells, and rare paintings intrinsically worth many thousands of dollars independent of their value as works of art. These paintings, many of them embellished with precious stones, and draperies of beaten gold and silver, were presented to the church many years ago by Russian Princes and Princesses as marks of their devotion to the faith and regard for the devoted men who had consecrated their lives to the promulgation of that faith among a heathen people. During the military occupation follow

ing the transfer the church was broken into and robbed of many intrinsically valuable sacred treasures, which have never been recovered.

The first church building in Sitka was erected in 1817 from timbers recovered from the wrecked ship Neva, the vessels and utensils for the service being made of silver by a local artificer and the robes and draperies of China silk. This church, which was the first cathedral, stood to the right of Lincoln street, looking from the wharf, in the rear of a row of buildings now occupied for business purposes, the ground immediately above which its altar stood, and beneath which lie the remains of one of its priests, being enclosed and marked with a cross to indicate that it is regarded as sacred ground. This small lot is among the parcels of land confirmed to the church by the protocol agreed upon by the Commissioners provided for by the treaty of 1867. The present cathedral was begun in 1846, under the auspices of Governor Michael Tebenikoff, was completed on St. Michael's day, November 20, 1848, and in honor of the day and builder was named St. Michael's Cathedral. Among its most precious relics is the painting of its patron saint, with its drapery of gold. On each recurring anniversary of the completion and dedication of the cathedral the bells ring out their merry chimes from the rising of the sun to the

going down thereof, while the day is observed with appropriate and impressive services.

Sitka is the seat of a mission and industrial school, maintained by the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, and has two government day schools, one for white the other for native children. The Greco-Russian church also maintains a school and orphans' home, in which instruction is given in both the English and Russian languages.

The town occupies a most beautiful site at what may properly be called the head of Sitka Sound, on the west side of Baranoff Island. It enjoys the advantage of a safe and commodious harbor, formed by the hundred or more small wooded islands which dot the waters of the sound and afford ample protection against the prevailing westerly and southerly winds. Mount Edgecumbe, an extinct volcano, rising to a height of 8,000 feet, stands like an ever-watchful sentinel at the entrance to the sound, while in the background Mount Verstovia rears her arrow-headed peak high above the low range of mountains, which partially encircle the town. The walk to Indian River, the most beautiful stream imaginable, over a smooth road which winds its way around the shore under an almost continuous bower of evergreens, and around the connecting trail to the falls, will impart to the

visitor a lasting impression of the beauty and grandeur of an Alaskan forest and the limpidity of Alaska's flowing fountains.

A widespread popular error is entertained concerning the climate of Alaska. A person of even more than average intelligence in thinking and speaking of Alaska is very apt to associate the country with one of the states of the Union, being unaware of the fact, unless he has taken the pains to inform himself, that Alaska covers five degrees more of latitude and many more degrees of longitude than does the whole of that part of the United States lying east of the Mississippi River, the superficial area of the two sections being about equal. As well might a person ask about the climate of the United States without particularity as to propound the same inquiry concerning Alaska, expecting an answer not wholly circumambient. The truth is that though in a large part of Alaska the extremes of heat and cold are encountered, the climate of that part of the country to which the reader has just been introduced is what might properly be termed semi-tropical in character. This is due, according to Professor Dall, to the Japanese current which sweeps across the Pacific and splits on the Aleutian Islands, the smaller portion passing north through Bering Sea and Strait, thus preventing the flow of Arctic ice