October-December 1879, First Alaska Trip with S. Hall Young Image 19

• Main Author: Muir, John
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1879
• Subjects: John Muir; journals; drawings; writings; travel; journaling; naturalist; glaciers; Alaska
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmj-all/1620; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/jmj-all/article/2619/type/native/viewcontent/fullsize.jpg

the strange plantless icy stormy looks of the country and declared that his tumtum was in doubtful state, that it seemed as if he were sailing his canoe into a skookum-house (jail) from which we might not be able to escape. Kadachan, too, was afraid of something happening, and said that if I had not come back tonight he would have been troubled, for he would have felt that I need had been killed and my blood would have been upon his hands. That he would go with us, however, as a friend, but not for money, and that he hoped we would all get safe away from this wild region because he thought the Lord loved us. I saw that they were frightened, and assured them that I had ten years wandered alone in far more dangerous places and that God always took care of me. “You will all have good luck while you travel with me.” To this they listened attentively. Kadachan said that he liked to travel with a man who feared nothing, but that one of their chiefs was lost in the snow while hunting wild sheep, and that his people in general were afraid of mountains, that they believed they had souls and individual character, and “if you are lost how will I be able to tell your friends.” Toyatte said that my “wawa” was “delait”, but that if the canoe was turned over he wanted to take me in his arms and sink with me. Their apprehensions were excited, or rather intensified by the guide, who on learning that I wanted to sail close along the face of the ice-cliffs said he would not go, for we would all be killed by the fall or sudden uprising of bergs. Five of their tribe had perished in this way while hunting the hair seal. Oct. 27 – Still raining and the Wind high, but fair. We ran into a bay at the mouth of the 2d/of the great glaciers that flow into the sea, having passed the mouth of the bay or fiord of the first, Geikie, on this side on Saturday, while a violent wind was blowing out of it. Here we landed and made a slight examination of the grand blue ice wall, which is perhaps about 45 ft. or 100 ft. high, while it plunges into ...