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SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, OCT.24.
CITY ITEMS.

From the Far Northwest—Progress of the Russian-American—. Construction Party—Tidings of the "Shenandoah."

The barque Palmetto, Captain Mathew Anderson, of the Russian-American Telegraph Expedition, arrived from Plover Bay, on the coast of Asia, on Sunday evening. By this arrival we have late news of the progress of the telegraph expedition.

Colonel Bulkley and party arrived at Plover Bay in September, having sounded across Behring Straits with the steamer George S. Wright. The bottom of the Straits was found quite as favorable as anticipated for the laying of the cable. Colonel Bulkley reports that the river laid down on the map as the Kuichpak is identical with the Yukon, and is navigable for small steamers as far as English Fort.

Kennicott, with the party sent to explore the route from the mouth of the Yukon to New Westminster, British Columbia, was left at Fort St. Michael's. They will go up the Yukon or Kuichpak on a small steamer 35 feet in length, taken from here by the party, to the head of navigation, and them cross with reindeer or on foot over the ice and snow until they strike the settlements in British Columbia. The party found the earth on the American side thawed to an average depth of ten inches, but frozen solid below to an unknown depth, on their arrival in September. The country on the American shore was rolling and broken, but not high and destitute of timber. Grantly Harbor was found to be the best for landing cable on the American side. It is a safe harbor, with good mud bottom. From this point soundings were made across to the entrance of St Lawrence Bay. The bottom was found to be very favorable, being mud and gravel all the way. The party found ice off St. Lawrence Bay for the first time. This bay is not favorable for the laying of cable, as it is shallow and exposed to southeast gales. Michigme Bay was found full of ice. Pinkaker Bay was found to be a good harbor, well suited for landing cable. The Asiatic Coast was found entirely destitute of timber, and more mountainous than the American. The ground was found thawed to a depth of thirty inches, and frozen solid below that. When the Palmetto left, ice was forming constantly, the northwest wind was bitterly cold, and winter was fast approaching. The barque Golden Gate will return next, and may be expected here soon. The steamer Geo. S. Wright, with Colonel Bulkley will return in November next. The schooner Milton Badger will also return here to winter.

The party found the Indians on both sides of the Straits well disposed and capable of being made useful to the enterprise. The Russian officials and private citizens rendered every possible assistance to the party, and expressed the liveliest interest in the enterprise. The scenery in many places visited was magnificent, and much that was strange and new was witnessed by the party. The icebergs, coming through Behring Straits were alive with walrus, who appeared to be taking a dead-head summer trip to the southward. On the arrival of the party in the vicinity of Plover Bay the Indians were extremely shy, and hesitated about coming on board. When they did come on board they reported that they had seen a steamer burning ships in the vicinity but a few days before, and that some of the crews had been set ashore by the steamer. They did not understand the burning of those vessels, and therefore hesitated about coming on board. Some two or three of the sailors set ashore by the Shenandoah are reorted taken off by the telegraph party, by a young man who returned by the Palmetto, although Col. Bulkley does not mention the fact in his letters, and nothing is known of the present whereabouts of the pirate.

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