Description
Book Synopsis In 1899, one of America''s wealthiest men assembled an interdisciplinary team of experts--many of whom would become legendary in their fields--to join him, entirely at his expense, on a voyage to the largely unknown territory of Alaska. The Harriman Expedition remains unparalleled in its conception and execution. This book follows the team closely: where they went, what they did, and what they learned--including finding early evidence of glacial retreat, assessing the nature and future of Alaska''s natural resources, making important scientific discoveries, and collecting an astonishing collection of specimens. A second thread involves the lives and accomplishments of the members of the party, weaving biographical strands into the narrative of the journey and the personal experiences they shared. This is the first comprehensive, scholarly treatment of the Harriman Alaska Expedition since the 1980s. It features the diaries, letters home, and post-Expedition writings, including unp
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Prologue: The Rise of E.H. Harriman
Part I. A Ship's Company
One—A Vacation Becomes an Expedition
Two—Riding the Rails to the Pacific Northwest
Three—The Land to Which They Were Going
Part II. On the Beaten Path
Four—The Byways of the Inside Passage
Five—Gold Rush Country
Six—The Big Ice-Mountain Bay
Seven—A Touch of Culture and a Mix of Cultures
Part III. The Route Less Traveled
Eight—Yakutat Bay and Enchantment
Nine—Prince William Sound and Discovery
Ten—Kodiak Island and Celebration
Eleven—Into the Snarling Bering Sea
Twelve—The Farthest Points
Part IV. Homeward Bound
Thirteen—Familiar Territory
Fourteen—A Village Silent as the Tomb
Fifteen—Never to Be Assembled Again
Part V. In the Wake of the Expedition
Sixteen—For the Benefit of Others
Seventeen—The Guests: Accomplishments and Legacies
Eighteen—The Harrimans: Notoriety and Achievement
Appendix—Expedition Members and Committees
Source Notes
Bibliography
Index
