Transcription:
Illinlink, Unalashka I, Alaska Terr. Oct 16, 1871. My Dear Sir The remembrance of my trip to the Yo Semite will always
be fresh with me. I enjoyed myself thoroughly there and my pleasure was much increased by meeting a man so well-informed on
its aspects as yourself. I anticipate much pleasure as well as profit from correspondence with you. Although I expected to
start for Alaska at once on leaving the Yo Semite, we did not leave San Francisco until the 27th of August. We had a tedious
voyage of three or four weeks when we sighted this island. The next day we passed between two of the islands and entered this
harbor - Captains Bay.- from Behring Sea. This island is the second or third of the Aleutian Chain in size, and is perhaps
the first in importance. As we beat back and fourth down the bay against a head wind, we had we had a good opportunity to
see the country, and it was very different from what I had expected. Rising up at once from the water on every side were steep
and ragged hills and mountains from 1500 to 3000 ft. in height. Farther in the interior they were higher and the clouds were
hanging about their summits. Here and there was a patch of snow, lying in crevices and ravines where the sun could not reach
it. On one of our tacks, just ahead of us rose the volcano of Makushin, 6000 ft. high, hemispherical in shape, covered with
snow for half the distance down except in margin: I enclose a couple of characteristic plants, a Cornus (like Canadensis)
and Claytonia Unalashkensis.