Letter from J[ohn] M. Vanderbilt to John Muir, 1883 Feb 19.

• Main Author: J ohn M. Vanderbilt
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1883
• Subjects: John Muir; correspondence; letters; author; writing; naturalist; California; correspondent; mail; message; post; exchange of letters; missive; notes; epistle; Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/11467; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/jmcl/article/36400/type/native/viewcontent/fullsize.jpg

Kilisnoo, near Sitka, Alaska,February 19th, 1883.My dear Mr. Muir,Your long-looked for and very kind and welcome letter of December 3d reached me too late to reply by last steamer, it having been delayed in the Sitka Postoffice. We were very glad indeed to hear from you again. When the "Corwin" was here several of her officers called on us, among them Mr. Doty, who spoke of your trip to the Arctic on the "Corwin" and of the officers calling on you at your home in Martinez. We were very greatly entertained by him in conversation descriptive of your northern trip and your ranch life. I cannot realize that you are settled down to a civilized farming life, such a life in California must be perfect and joyful, and a constant summer's day. Such I have never experienced, always having lived where winter is bleak and cold. I certainly would enjoy visiting you, and so would my wife -- no doubt a little leisure time passed in California would do all of my family much good, and some day I will endeavor to spare time and means to make such a trip, and will certainly call on you and partake of your very kind offer of hospitality. Winter is now our busy time, and then herring fishing is the best.The account given in the newspapers of the trouble here was quite correct, and I am glad that your way of looking at the affair coincides with mine. Capt. Merriman of the "Adams" and Capt. Healy of the "Corwin" both deserve much praise for the active and energetic manner in which they stopped the trouble and punished the culprits.You have travelled among these people and know what a mean miserable lot they can be when under the influence of their miserable liquor, and at all times when they think they master the situation. Capt. Merriman's course will benefit this whole section in future and make enterprise and investments safe from further molestation from the Indians. They behave well now, and liquor is also unknown to them; the consequence is that they are now industrious, sober, well dressed, and well behaved, and ask for schools ...