Alaska, the Great Country

Alaska's glaciers, islands and harbors draw Ella Higginson's attention in this illustrated travel account. She describes the familiar Inside Passage route, then turns west beyond Sitka toward Kodiak and the Aleutian Islands. Mountains, sea mist, changing light and coastal flowers receive close attention, while accounts of early navigators place the scenery within a history of exploration. The foreword also considers the origins of Alaska's name.

Personal experience gives the landscape another dimension. Near Valdez, Higginson and her companions set out on horseback after waiting weeks for a glacial flood to fall. Warnings about saddles, rocky trails and deep water become immediate concerns when the horses begin swimming across the icy current. These moments of nervous conversation sit beside the rich descriptions of the coast. Readers interested in older travel writing can find both a record of northern travel and a distinctive account of how its pleasures and difficulties felt to one visitor.