Journal I : Expedition to Glacier Bay, Alaska, Summer 1890

July 28th

Monday. Rain off and on all day. We were obliged to keep in camp, tho' the rain was not hard enough to keep us in the tent. Some of the boys helped Prof. Muir with his fireplace; Morse and Casement arranged the sounding lines; an Mr. Cushing and I put up the two tents for the magnetic instruments. In the afternoon I gave the plane table a good cleaning up.

I had a very interesting talk with Prof. Muir about the mountains around us and the tributaries of the Main Muir Glacier. His sketches were very good. He has named a mountain after me and another after Mr. Cushing. These mountains are around to the S.E. and are not visible from camp, or from any near points on the east side of the glacier. Prof Muir told me a good deal about his experiences when expoloring this coaset. We were much amused [by the] statements in Badlam's Book "The Wonders of Alaska", which are remarkable some for their utter disregard of truth, others for their utter disregard lack of meaning.

We found from our measurements that Pyramid Peak is about seven miles from us and just under 4000 ft high. The mountain just east of E is three miles distant and about 5400 ft high. b4 is about 15.5 miles off and 5458 ft high. C2 is 19 miles away and 6454 ft high. This makes these mountains a little more distant and somewhat lies high[er] than I supposed. But they have all the effects of high mountains; in their outline and sculpture; in the way the snow and ice clings to their sides and in their couloirs, in the glaciers on their slopes; and the great glacier at the feet.

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