"We come to you for protection and safety. Our hearts, though often troubled, have not fainted. We have placed our trust in God, and He has helped us. We are now able to sleep in peace. Our confidence is restored. God has given us his strength to reach this place of security and freedom, and we are grateful to Him for His mercy and loving kindness. We again salute you from our hearts, and thank you in the name of all our people."

This speech was delivered, in the intonations of his musical language, with a grace and ease of manner that harmonized well with the picturesque forum in which he spoke. It was an eventful occasion in the history of these people, and reminded me of the landing of the Pilgrims upon the inhospitable shores of New England, and was well calculated to rouse the highest feelings of devotion and enthusiasm. None who witnessed it, in the light of the serene heavens, and the beautiful landscape of mountain, sea, and forest, will ever forget it. It was one of those rare instances of patriotism and self-sacrifice for conscience' sake which are not often met with in the examples of history.

A large bell which the Indians had brought with them was tolled, its peals re-echoing from the distant mountains across the silent waters, and the passengers joined the Indians in their first service of evening prayer and praise in the presence of a gorgeous sunset. It was a striking illustration of the confidence and faith of these simple people in the providence of that God in whom they had put their trust.

The story of Metlakahtla teems with incidents of surprise and gratification. The abandonment of home and country by its entire population is well calculated to challenge the admiration and excite the sympathy of the country. So notable an event is not deemed unworthy of being called to your attention.

Mr. Duncan has removed nearly all of these people to their new home, and is now engaged in the arduous labor of providing for their shelter and support. He writes that strong efforts were made to dissuade them from carrying out their purpose, but that they have remained firm and steadfast. In December over seven hundred had joined him, and others were to follow. In addition to the Indians who have accompanied him, several neighboring tribes have signified their intention to unite with him in this new settlement.

A school has been established at Metlakahtla under the auspices of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and it is to be hoped that this colony will receive the protection and fostering care of the Government and people of the United States.

In making this voyage to Alaska, nearly ten thousand miles by land and water were travelled. Neither pen nor pencil can paint the wonderful scenery of this part of our continent, with its bays, inlets, and islands. It would be well for those who seek the delights of travel at least to acquaint themselves first with the wonderful beauties and features of this part of our continent, before seeking them in the Old World. Its calm and placid seas, its picturesque islands, its marvellous glaciers, its magnificent ranges of lofty mountains, are wonderful features of

its beauty and grandeur. Its immense forests, the abundance of its minerals, its furs and its fisheries, all promise to make it one of the wealthiest portions of our American empire.

It may not be extravagant to predict that, in the years that are to come, the exhaustless resources of this coast will furnish the material to rebuild the American shipping of the Pacific, and that these harbors will be the navy yards and havens for the commerce of half the world.

PLAN OF EDUCATION.

Upon my arrival at Sitka I found that the plan for the government of the schools, promulgated by your order of the 15th of June, had been adopted by the Board of Education, and that the Hon. A. P. Swineford, Governor of the Territory; Hon. Lafayette Dawson, Judge of the Federal Court for the district of Alaska, and Dr. Sheldon Jackson, General Agent of education for the Territory, who had been appointed members of the Board of Education, had promptly organized the same by electing Judge Dawson president and Dr. Sheldon Jackson secretary, and were proceeding to reorganize the schools. I met these gentlemen frequently in consultation, and discussed with them fully the condition of educational affairs in the Territory, and found them in full sympathy with the views and policy of the Department upon the subject of education, and heartily approving the plan of rules and regulations for the government of the schools.

They prescribed and adopted, with my approval, rules requiring the children between the ages of six and fourteen years, within two miles of any Government school, to be sent by their parents or guar dians to school at least two-thirds of the time during which the schools should be open. These regulations were deemed absolutely necessary to insure the advantages of education provided for the children of the Territory by the Government. The schools, so far as I was able to ascertain by examination and consultation with officials and citizens, are well conducted, and the teachers are competent and prompt in the performance of their duties.

During my visit I was furnished with a copy of the following resolu tions of the Board of Education, attesting its approval of the interest and policy of the Department in the schools of the Territory:

At a meeting of the Territorial Board of Education held at the office of Judge Dawson, at 4 o'clock P. M., August 22, 1887, Governor Swineford introduced the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the thanks of this Board, as well as of all other friends of education in Alaska, are due to the Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar, the Secretary of the Interior, for the kindly interest in the welfare of our rising generation manifested by him in sending hither the Hon. N. H. R. Dawson, the Commissioner of Education, to personally examine into and report upon the educational needs of our Territory.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Board are likewise due and are hereby tendered to the Hon. N. H. R. Dawson, not only for the excellent plan devised by him for the promotion of the cause of education in Alaska, but as well for the zeal manifested by him in personally investigating the condition of the schools already established, together with the necessity for others, to the end that he may be able to intelligently report

and recommend such further action by Congress as will fully supply the educational needs of the whole Territory.

We look upon his visit to us at this particular time as being fraught with promises of great good to the hundreds and thousands of children of school age in Alaska who are now being permitted to grow up in ignorance, and feel that we can not sufficiently thank him for the encouragement given, nor yet for the many valuable suggestions which have enabled us to put his educational plans into practical and successful operation.

Resolved, That the secretary be, and he is hereby, instructed to forward a certified copy of the foregoing resolutions to the President, the Secretary of the Interior, and Commissioner of Education, respectively.

I am satisfied that the adoption of this plan of education will add greatly to the efficiency of the administration of the schools in Alaska, and that it will be the beginning of a new era in its educational affairs. The education of the native inhabitants is a duty we owe them under the provisions of the treaty of acquisition with Russia. They stand upon the same footing in all their personal and civil rights with our own citizens, and upon the organization of a Territorial government will necessarily be admitted to all the rights of citizenship.

In the mean time they should be prepared, by having the advantages of education extended to them, to enter upon the duties of their new relations, and to meet the requirements and discharge the duties of our civilization.

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS.

Dr. Sheldon Jackson has been in charge of the public schools since his appointment as General Agent in 1885, and has organized schools at twelve places. The following table, compiled from the monthly reports of these schools, as far as they have been received, shows their condition for the year 1886-87:

I regret to state that the school at Bethel, which was founded by the Moravian Church, bas met with a great many difficulties and disappointments, while that at Saint Michael, which was founded by the Protestant Episcopal Board of Missions, has been equally unfortunate. I trust that the difficulties which have been encountered will be surmounted, and that these schools will yet become centres of civilization in these inhospitable parts of the Territory.

The appropriation of $25,000 for the present year will barely maintain the Government schools now in operation, including the building and repair of school-houses, and the purchase of supplies of stationery and fuel. In order to make this appropriation go as far as possible towards supporting the schools, it was found necessary to reduce the salaries of the teachers below the sum formerly paid them for their services.

Teachers have been reappointed for the next fiscal year at the above places, except Bethel and Saint Michael, and the indications are that there will be an increased attendance.

While at Sitka the Board recommended the erection of two new school buildings, one at Sitka and one at Juneau, at a cost of $2,000 each, the completion of the school-house at Killisnoo, and of the school room at Fort Wrangell. To all of these recommendations I gave my consent.

From all the information I could gather, the school population of the whole Territory may be estimated at from 5,000 to 6,000.

There are conflicting opinions in regard to the increase of the native population. I, of course, could form no opinion upon this subject myself, and have had to rely upon the opinion of residents of the Terri tory. The general opinion seems to prevail that this population is not on the decrease, but is likely to increase. It is estimated that the entire population of the Territory is about 35,000.

Of this population about 25,000 are found in that section of the Territory westward from Kadiak, including the villages along the coast and islands, to the end of the Aleutian peninsula. These contain about 4,000 Creoles and Aleuts, who are civilized, and to a large extent edu cated. They reside mainly on the islands and are generally members of the Greek church.

In the southeastern section of the Territory the white population is estimated at 2,000, residing principally at Sitka, Juneau, Douglas Island, Wrangell, Killisnoo, and some smaller points, while the natives. number seven or eight thousand.

WHAT PROVISION IS NECESSARY FOR SCHOOL-HOUSES.

In order to provide for the present wants of the Territory, and also for the accommodation of children at other points where schools are not now organized, it will be necessary to build a number of schoolhouses.

The Board of Education, after a full consideration of the educational wants of the Territory, urgently recommend the immediate organization of schools, with the erection of proper school-houses, at the following points: Unalashka, Belkofsky, Morshevoi, Wood Island, Spruce Island, Haguck, Ayakhtalik, Cook's Island, Yakatak, Hoonah, and Metlakahtla.

This would require for the first year an outlay of $10,500 to build school houses, $9,000 for the salaries of teachers, besides $3,400 to provide supplies for the support of the schools, aggregating $22,900. At these places the population under twenty-one years of age is estimated at 1,097.

The Board of Education also recommend that schools ought to be es tablished at the following places:

Karluk, Katmai, Old Harbor, Orlova, Umnak, Skilakh, Sushetno, Atkha, Klukwan, Attoo, and Akhiok.

The population under twenty-one years of age at these places is esti mated at 836. In order to establish schools at these points it would require an expenditure for buildings of $11,000, for teachers' salaries of $12,800, and for supplies $3,300, amounting to $27,100.

In transmitting to me the above recommendation the Board use the following language:

For your guidance in preparing the estimates of appropriations for education in Alaska for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, the Territorial Board of Education have the honor to transmit to you, as a preliminary report, the following tables, and to recommend that you urge upon Congress the importance of making an appropriation sufficient to establish these new schools.

Tables Nos. 1, 2, and 3 aggregate $77,100. New mining camps, like Douglas City and Berner's Bay, and fisheries, like Loring and Tongass Narrows, will also probably require schools soon, so that for one year an appropriation of $85,000 could be wisely used for education. After the necessary buildings are erected the annual expense need not be so great.

The tables referred to in this communication are as follows:

Estimates for the support of existing schools in Alaska for the year ending June 30, 1889.