In Pursuit of Alaska: An Anthology of Travelers' Tales, 1879–1909

This anthology of Alaska travel writing is edited by Meaux, who began assembling the collection when she was living in the state about 30 years ago. Divided into three sections, this anthology covers everything from journal writings to ethnographies made during the period 1879–1909. Some entries are from explorers, some from gold prospectors, and some from wealthy travelers like Mary Hitchcock, who brought with her a 2,800 square foot tent. Because these entries are first-person accounts, they are at once undiluted, frequently unusual, and always captivating. One of the most fascinating pieces is a description of an Alaska Barnum's Dancers performance in Juneau in 1890. The author of that selection, one Septima M. Collins, describes her wonderment at the "picturesque, barbarous, unexplainable, and unique" performance of this indigenous troupe in various elaborate costumes.