Stikine River
Rises in northern British Columbia and flows into the
Pacific, through Alaskan territory, after a course of 335 miles. The
name is a corruption of the Thlinkit word sta-hane, meaning "the
river." The mouth of the river was visited by Captain Cleveland in 1799.
The Russians built Fort Dionysius there, in 1834, on the site of the
present town of Wrangell. Three years later, the post was acquired by
the Hudson's Bay Company, and renamed Fort Stikine. The upper waters of
the river were visited by J. McLeod, of the Hudson's Bay Company, in
1834. The river was explored in 1863 by Lieutenant Pereleshin, of the
Russian navy; and in 1866-1867 by the surveyors of the Western Union
Telegraph Company. =Index=: (Sir James Douglas era) Attempt to establish Hudson's Bay
Company fort there in 1834 frustrated by Russians, 119-120; Russians
hand over their fort at mouth of river to Hudson's Bay Company, 121.