SB ■■•■ *%■*•■■' - y' V '>■■:■■'. *• pipiKf ;'' ■ A sott QZ uv* LIBRARY OF THE University of California. GIFT OF (1.^5. ^rv4 . " Class / REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE U. S. REVENUE STEAMER NUNIYAK ON THE YUKON RIVER STATION, ALASKA, 1899-1901. BY Fir^t Lieut. J". C. C.AJNTT W JhJLL, TJ. C. S. Commanding. WASHINGTON:* GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1902. # Treasury Department. Document No. 2276. .Division of Revenue-Cutter Service. .XT) CONTENTS Letters of transmittal Department orders . . Page. 5 7 Part I— NARRATIVE. Chapter I. Introduction — Description of the Xunivak — Necessity for a vessel of the Revenue-Cutter Service on the Yukon River — Arrange- ments for the voyage of the vessel to her station — Departure from San Francisco 19 Chapter II. Incidents of the voyage of the Xunivak from San Francisco to St. Michael 23 Chapter III. Arrival at St. Michael — Preparations for the journey up the Yukon River — Departure from St. Michael and incidents of the first season's work on the station — Selection of winter quarters for the command in Dall River and laying up of the vessel at the end of the active season 35 Chapter IV. First winter at Fort Shoemaker — Incidents of life in winter quarters — House building — Work of the command — Sled trips — Opening of spring — Departure from Fort Shoemaker. . 47 Chapter V. Resumption of duties on the Yukon River — Enforcement of law and order — Reconnoissance of the Koyukuk River — Assistance rendered steamer Leah — Return to St. Michael for supplies — Quarantine duty at St. Michael — Departure from St. Michael and return to regular duties on the Yukon — Assistance rendered sick and destitute natives — Return to Fort Shoemaker and close of the second season of open navi- gation 59 Chapter VI. Incidents of life at Fort Shoemaker during the second year of its occupancy as winter quarters — Description of the breaking up of the ice in the spring 75 Chapter VII. Abandonment of Fort Shoemaker and resumption of active cruising on the station — Incidents of our third season's duty on the river — Return to St. Michael and the laying up of the Xunivak and placing her out of commission — Return of the party to the States 99 Paet II— GENERAL INFORMATION IN REGARD TO THE YUKON VALLEY REGION. Chapter I. Description of the station Ill Chapter II. Traffic and transportation 125 Chapter III. Winter travel 155 Chapter IV. Economic conditions 167 Chapter V. Social conditions 175 Chapter VI. Law and order 181 107461 3 4 Part III— MINES AND MINING. Page. Chapter I. Minerals, occurrence, and distribution 191 Chapter II. Methods of locating and working claims 199 Part IV— ETHNOLOGICAL NOTES. Chapter I. Habits and customs of native inhabitants 209 Chapter II. Language 231 Part V— EXPLORATIONS. Reconnoissance of the Koyukuk River by Second Lieut. B. H. Camden, R. C. S 239 Reconnoissance of the Dall River, Koyukuk Trail, by Third Lieut. Eugene Blake, R. C. S 249 Part VI. Medical report, by Surg. James T. White, R. C. S '. 257 Part VII— APPENDIX. A. Table of distances between settlements on the Yukon River 277 B. Schedule of freight and passenger rates on the Yukon River 278 C. List of vessels engaged in commerce on the Yukon River 280 D. Comparative vocabulary of the Eskimo and Ingalik tribes inhabiting the region 281 E. Component parts of the ration issued to the crew of the Nunivak while on the station 285 F. Natural history: 1. List of birds 285 2. List of mammalia 288 3. List of fishes \ 289 4. List of plants ' 290 5. List of fossils 290 G. Meteorological record 291 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Washington, August h 1902. Sir: The operations of the U. S. steamer Nunivak, conducted under obedience to Department orders bearing date April 24, 1899, having been completed, I have the honor to submit herewith the report of First Lieut. John C. Cantwell, R. C. S. , covering the operations of his com- mand during the years 1899, 1900, and 1901, and request that the same be printed. Respectfully, C. F. Shoemaker, Captain, Revenue- Cutter Service, Chief of Division. The Secretary of the Treasury. 5 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OF REPORT. U. 8. Revenue-Cutter Service, Appraiser's Building, San Francisco, Cat. , May 26, 1902. Sir: In obedience to Department orders of October 2, 1901 (C.F.S.), I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the operations of the U. S. S. Nunivak, while under my command, on the Yukon River station, Alaska, together with 155 photographs to illustrate the same. In the execution of the Department's orders directing me to lay the vessel up for the winter of 1901-2 at St. Michael, Alaska, 1 have to acknowledge the receipt of a great deal of valuable assistance and many acts of courtesy extended to me through the kindness of Gen. George M. Randall, U. S. Arnry, commanding the Department of Alaska, and his staff. Thanks are also due to the various officers of the Arnry on duty at the several military posts along the river for their unfailing coopera- tion with myself and officers in the promotion of the comfort and effi- ciency of the command, and to the managers of the various trading companies doing business in the countiy for their universal kindness and consideration of our wants while in the country. In the preparation of the report I have to acknowledge, with grat- itude, the services of Mr. Leverette Mills Loomis, director of the museum, California Academy of Sciences, of Prof. F. M. Anderson, of the University of California, and of Miss Alice Eastwood, curator of botany, California Academy of Sciences, in the work of identification and classification of the specimens of natural history collected on the station. I desire to call the attention of the Department especially to the careful, painstaking, and eminently satisfactory manner in which the duty of selecting supplies for the command while on the station was performed by Lieut. D. P. Foley, R. C. S., purchasing officer of the Service at San Francisco, and to the several officers of the vessels of the Service to whom fell the duty of transportation of the supplies needed from San Francisco to St. Michael. A just idea of the splendid manner in which this duty was performed can be had when it is stated that of the thousands of articles thus handled not one was lost or injured in transit. 8 To Lieut. D. H. Jarvis, R. C. S. , our thanks are due for the careful and satisfactory manner in which he attended to the business of pay- ing off the command while on the station. This task was one which entailed upon that officer a considerable amount of extra work and responsibility for the safety of large amounts of money while in his possession, and it is to the credit of Lieutenant Jarvis that the duty was performed in the most satisfactory manner. Finally, I desire to thank each of the officers of the Service who were attached to the Nunivak while under my command for their unwavering zeal, courage, and efficiency in the performance of the many novel duties which fell to them during the progress of the cruise. I gratefully acknowledge their untiring devotion to duty under the most trying and arduous conditions, and, while it is difficult to mention individuals without apparently detracting from the services of the whole body of officers, I desire to call the attention of the Department especially to the remarkable journey of over 1,000 miles across the country, made in the dead of winter by Assistant Engineer Lewton, R. C. S., in obedience to orders to join the Nunivak, which orders were sent with the expectation that the vessel would be met at St. Michael; to the remarkable series of observations of meteorolog- ical conditions, amounting to nearly 30,000 different observations, which were made under the personal direction of Lieut. Eugene Blake, R. C. S., and which entailed an enormous amount of labor and constant attention, and to the excellent pilot charts of the Yukon and Ko vukuk rivers made by Lieuts. B. H. Camden, R. C. S., and Eugene Blake, R. C. S. In addition to the above, I take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the manner in which Lieutenant Camden performed the duties of executive officer of the command. Throughout the entire period of our stay in the North, his attention to duty was unflagging, and his example of cheerful and implicit obedience to every order emanating from the commanding officer produced in the rest of the command a condition of contentment and patience under the most adverse circumstances, which was of incalculable assistance and which it is now a pleasure for me to acknowledge. In conclusion, I have again to thank the Department for the honor conferred upon me in placing me in command of the Nunivak, and for the consideration and kindness with which all my subsequent requests and recommendations have been met. Respectfully, J. C. Cantwell, First Lieutenant, Revenue- Cutter Service. Capt. C F. Shoemaker, R. C. S., 9 Chief Revenue- Cutter Service, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C. COPY OF ORDERS OF ASSIGNMENT TO DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE U. S. S. NUNIVAK. U. S. Steamer Bear, San- Francisco, Cal., April 4, 1899. Sir: In accordance with directions contained in Department tele- gram of even date, signed O. L. Spaulding, you are hereby detached from this vessel and directed to report to Capt. C. L. Hooper, R. C. S. , superintendent of construction and repair, Pacific coast, for duty as commanding officer of the U. S. S. Nunivak. Respectfully, yours, F. Tuttle, Captain, Revenue- Cutter Service, Commanding. Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Present. [Indorsement.] • Reported for duty April 5, 1902. C L. Hooper, Captain, Revenue- Cutter Service. copy of department orders defining duties to be performed on the station. Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Division of Revenue-Cutter Service, Washington, D. C, April U, 1899. Sir: The duties of your command, after arrival upon the Yukon River, Alaska, are outlined as follows: 1. The primary purpose of a vessel of the Revenue-Cutter Service upon the Yukon River during the open season of navigation is to enforce the customs and navigation laws, and in addition thereto all laws falling under the purview of the Revenue-Cutter Service as set out in paragraph 98, Regulations Revenue-Cutter Service, 1894, with special reference to the following subdivisions of the paragraph cited, to wit, 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 15. 2. The cruising grounds of the Nunivah will be, according to cir- cumstances, from the mouth of the river not to exceed 1,000 miles up the stream. 9 10 3. In order that the best interests of the public service may be sub- served in the enforcement of the customs laws you will confer with such United States customs officers as may be found on the river. Collector Ivy, within whose district the Nunivak will cruise, may be found at St. Michael or vicinity, and you will extend to him such courtesies on public service as you can, he to bear his own mess expenses while on board. 4. You will extend such assistance as you can to destitute miners, seamen, and others. 5. Should you be called upon to aid the civil or military authorities in the enforcement of law, you will do so to the full extent of your power. Should you at any time become cognizant of violations of law, by evil disposed persons, you will, if possible, arrest the offenders and turn them over to the nearest civil authorities having jurisdic- tion. It will be your duty to let it be generally known, in a careful and judicious manner, among the people on the Yukon River and its tributaries navigated by the Nunivak .', that your command is a part of the national armed force of the Government and must be obeyed accordingly. In view of the isolation of your command, and the practical impossibility of communication with the Department, con- tingencies may arise upon which you can have no instruction, and must be deferred to your judgment and discretion. In sueh cases you will exercise great care in forming your conclusions and in taking action. 6. You will, in course of cruising, make such examination of the main river channels and such hydrographic notes and establish such astronomical stations as will enable you to prepare a chart of your cruising on the river and its main or principal tributaries. 7. As opportunity offers, without interfering with your regular duties, the Department desires that you collect specimens and data relating to the fauna and flora of Yukon region; also that you collect reliable statistics relating to traffic and mining operations as far up the river as the vessel is to go; also data in regard to meteorological conditions; all to be embodied in a report to the Department. 8. At the close of navigation you will select a safe haven for the winter and place your command in winter quarters. As the complement of officers and men of your command will be compelled to remain at least until the summer of 1900, they should, in what would otherwise be a season of enforced idleness, be kept busily employed, not only for the sake of health, but as well for the mainte- nance of harmony and good discipline; therefore } r ou will organize a plan of operations covering an exploration of the Yukon country adja- cent to your winter quarters, collecting information and datu concern- ing features of the country, habits and customs of the native popula- tion, their condition as to morality, health, and all features of interest, the whole to be embodied in the form of a report to the Department. 11 And in the same connection to relieve and succor any persons in actual need, and to aid such to reach civilization and help. If it can be done with reasonable promise of success, such instruction as may be found practicable should be given to the natives. You are particularly enjoined to cultivate the most amicable and friendly relations with the native population with whom } 7 ou may be thrown in contact. In general terms the plan of operations of your command, submitted in j T our letter of the 8th instant, is approved, and such support and encouragement as can be will be given by the Department. Should you find that an}^ of the enlisted force desire to return at the close of navigation rather than remain through the winter, you are authorized to discharge such; but with the distinct understanding that they bear their own expenses home, and that their pay shall cease upon date of discharge. You are further authorized to arrest and detain deserters from your crew until such time as you can replace them with other men, then to discharge them, with certificates of pay due, to be pre- sented to the collector of customs at Port Townsend or San Francisco, to be submitted by such collector to the Department for approval. Should officers become insubordinate, you will prefer charges against such, detach, and order them to report in person at the Department. 9. In the matter of pilotage on the Yukon, you are authorized to employ, at the lowest cost obtainable, occasional pilots. It is expected that yourself and officers will be able, b}^ ordinary and well-known methods, to conduct the Nunivak over the most of her cruising ground, but you will on no account jeopardize the safety of the vessel for the lack of a pilot; in other words, you are authorized to employ a pilot when the safety of your command demands it. 10. The commanding officer of one of the vessels of the service will be instructed to turn over to you a steam launch for use of your com- mand during the open season of navigation. 11. The person in charge of the United States reindeer station at St. Michael will be instructed to turn over to you the 12 reindeer asked for. You will arrange for the care of these animals as best you can. It is expected that you will do this with the force of your com- mand and at the least possible expense. 12. The fur clothing to be supplied to your ship's company will be arranged for through the commanding officers of the Bear and Thetis, the same to be delivered to you at St. Michael, and, in view of the extraordinary services required of the vessel, the cost of said clothing will not be charged against the officers and men this year. 13. You are informed that Surgeon Call, of the Bear, will join you at St. Michael on the return of that vessel from the Arctic. Should you have another surgeon on the Nunivak at that time }~ou will direct him to report to the commanding officer of the Bear, relieving Dr. Call. 12 14. Should officers of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Fish Com- mission, Steamboat-Inspection Service, or other accredited Govern- ment officials apply to you for passage on the river or accommodations on board while you are in winter quarters you will extend the same to such, but with the distinct understanding that neither yourself nor the officers of your command are to be put to any personal expense by reason of their presence on board. 15. The importance of making ample provision for food supply for your command to last until at least September, 1900, or until fresh supplies can be sent you, should engage your serious consideration, and to this end you will consider the kind, quality, quantity, and cost of the food you desire, whether in canned goods or barreled. It is suggested that an ample supply of canned vegetables, sauerkraut in barrels, if obtainable, to serve as antiscorbutics, are essential. You are directed, upon your arrival at Seattle, to immediately ascertain and wire the Department the quantities of food supply you will require, not only for yourself, officers, and crew, but for the relief of emergent cases that may arise, stating the lowest cost, first obtaining proposals, which you will forward to the Department by mail, after the authority to purchase shall have been given. In submitting to the Department vouchers for the supplies which you may be hereafter authorized to purchase, you will see that the same bear date of July 1 next, as the articles are intended for use in the next fiscal year. You will be careful to see that all vouchers are properly prepared, certified, and forwarded prior to the departure of the Nunivak from Puget Sound. Respectfully, yours, O. L. Spaulding, Assistant Secretary. Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Commanding U. S. S. Nunivak, San Francisco, Col. copy of orders of detachment from command of u. s. s. nunivak. Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Division of Revenue- Cutter Service, Washi7igton, May 3, 1902. Sir: Referring to letters, addressed to you under this date, relative to the sale of the Nunivak^ or otherwise laying the vessel up at the close of the season, you will, in either case, consider yourself detached and proceed with the least delay and by the most direct route, or by the one entailing the least necessary expense, to your home in San Francisco, Cal., announcing } T our arrival there by wire to the Depart- ment. You will forward your extra baggage by some one 6f the ves- sels of the service; otherwise by freight. Before leaving the Xmiivak, 13 if the vessel is not sold, you will arrange with the officer left in charge to have such work done during the winter months as can be done by the force on board. You will also provide yourself with a complete memorandum of the needs and requirements of the vessel if retained to put her in efficient state for service in the waters about St. Michael next summer, taking all necessary dimensions and making description for fitments of both hull and machinery. Herewith are transmitted orders for Lieutenants Camden, Blake, and Wheeler. Assistant Engineer Lewton, and Dr. White, which you will deliver to those affected when it shall be determined who is to remain in charge. Respectfully, O. L. Spaulding, Assistant Secretary. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. 8. , Commanding U. S. S. Nunivak, St. Michael, Alaska. copy of orders directing that a report of the operations of the u. s. s. nunivak, on the yukon river station. be made. Treasury Department. Office of the Secretary, Washington, October 2, 1901. Sir: Referring to your telegram reporting your arrival at San Francisco, you are directed to prepare, as soon as practicable, a full report of the operations of the Nuniwik while under your command, and transmit the same to the Department. While in the performance of this duty you will be allowed commu- tation for quarters. You will acknowledge the receipt hereof and advise the Department of your address. Respectfully. O. L. Spaulding. Acting Secretary. Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Care of Appraisers' Building, San Francisco, Col, OFFICERS OF THE COMMAND. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., commanding. Second Lieut. B. H. Camden, R. C. S., executive officer Third Lieut. W. J. Wheeler, R. C. S. Third Lieut. Eugene Blake, jr., R. C. S. Assistant Engineer H. N. Wood, R. C. S. Assistant Engineer T. G. Lewton, R. C. S. Surg. J. T. White, R. C. S. REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE U. S. REVENUE STEAMER NtJNIVAK ON THE . YUKON RIVER STATION, ALASKA, 1 899-1901 BY First Lieut. J. C. CAXTWELL, R. C. S. Commanding. 5661—03 2 15 OFFICERS OF THE U. S. S. NUNIVAK. Reading from the right are First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, Second Lieut. B. H. Camden, Asst. Engineer T. G. Lewton, Third Lieut. W. J. Wheeler, Third Lieut. Eugene Blake, and Surgeon J. T. White. PAET I NARRATIVE 17 UNiVEKSIT OF K CHAPTEE I. Prior to the discovery of the rich deposits of gold along the Klondike River, Alaska, the entire business traffic of the vast valley of the Yukon River was conducted by two competing trading companies having sta- tions situated at convenient places on the river, and the supplies neces- sary for their maintenance were annuallv delivered by means of small steamers which ascended the Yukon from St. Michael, on the coast, at which place both companies maintained depots for the distribution of goods received from the outside in ocean-going vessels. The white population of the Yukon was composed only of the agents and traders of the companies and a few scattering prospectors who, as a rule, made their way into the country over the Chilkat or Chilkoot passes to the headwaters of the Yukon, remained during the short summer season searching for gold, and then drifted down the river to take passage on some ocean-going vessel bound for the States. A few more hardy or persistent gold hunters would remain in the country during the long winter, if they could secure employment, or their stock of supplies warranted such a step, but by far the greater number were content to enter and leave the country during the summer season. Although gold had been discovered in Alaska previously to the Klondike discovery in 1897, notably so in the vicinity of Circle City and Fortymile River, it was not until that year that the prospects of rich diggings were sufficiently good to encourage any but the most sanguine to undertake the journey into this land of terrible cold and unknown difficulties and to endure the hardships inseparable from a life in this region in the search for the yellow metal. But the discov- ery of the marvelously rich deposits of gold in the gravel beds of the Klondike and its tributary' streams set the world aflame with excite- ment. For upward of twenty years the reports of the presence of gold in this region had somewhat prepared the public for the news of George Carmack's rich strike on the Klondike; but it is probable that no one foresaw the extent of the migration of gold seekers into the territory which followed. So great was the rush of people to the newly discovered gold fields that the trading companies found themselves utterly unable at first to move the immense amount of freight and passengers which accumu- lated as if by magic at every point on the river and its tributaries 19 20 accessible from the outside. The excitement was so great and the desire on the part of adventurous people to reach the new Eldorado was so intense that fabulous sums were paid for passage on the few steamers at that time available. To meet the demands of this sudden and overwhelming increase of business the managers of the Alaska Commercial Company and the North American Trading and Transpor- tation Company utilized the vast resources of their respective corpora- tions with the greatest energy, and in an incredibly short time each company built and equipped a new fleet of river steamers to be oper- ated on the Yukon River. But the two pioneer companies were not to be left in undisturbed possession of the field. New companies were formed all over the countiy, and the resources of the whole Pacific coast were taxed to the utmost to supply steamers for service on the Yukon. Owing to the entire lack of materials and facilities for the construction of vessels on the river or at any place on the coast near its mouth, this work had to be done in the States, and the vessels when completed were towed to St. Michael by ocean tugs. Some of the vessels were built on the island of Unalaska, one of the Aleutian group, where shipyards were hastily made, but by far the greater number were built at ports on Puget Sound, and even as far south as San Fran- cisco new steamers were built, and old ones which had outlived their age of usefulness in other fields were pressed into service, hastily repaired, and sent to the Yukon to engage in the new traffic on the river. It is but natural to suppose that under the circumstances attending their hasty construction or repair and the subsequent exposure to the strains and injuries incident to a sea voyage of from 3,000 to 4,000 miles many of them would reach their destination and attempt to engage in traffic on the river in very poor condition to meet the requirements of law. These considerations and the fact that the sudden influx of people into the country might bring about a condition of disorder and misrule unless under some form of restraint at the hands of the Government, induced the Treasury Department early in the year 1897 to begin the construction of a vessel especially designed for duty as a revenue cutter and patrol boat on the Yukon River. This vessel was finished at San Francisco in 1899, was christened Nunivak, and on April 4 of that year I had the honor to be assigned to her as commanding officer. DESCRIPTION OF THE NUNIVAK. The Nunivak is a wooden vessel of about 450 tons. She is 209 feet long, 35 feet breadth of beam, 6 feet deep, and when loaded draws 4£ feet of water. The machinery consists of 2 tandem engines'capable of developing 650 horsepower, and steam is supplied by 2 locomotive 21 boilers fitted to burn either wood or coal. Arrangements are made to heat the vessel either by steam or stoves, and she is lighted by elec- tricity throughout. The maximum speed of the Nunivah in still water is 12 knots per hour, and her most economical or ordinary cruising speed is about 8 knots per hour. The quarters of the vessel are situated on the saloon deck and are designed to accommodate a complement of 7 commissioned officers, 4 petty officers of the first class, and a crew of 30 men. Three separate bathrooms furnish ample means for bathing, and in addition to the ordinary bathtub in the crew's quarters a lavatory with fixed bowls and running water is installed. The superstructure of the vessel, in which the quarters are arranged, is built of two thicknesses of l^-inch, tongued and grooved redwood, with a 2- inch air space between the walls of the house. The roof is single and covered with canvas. The armament of the vessel consisted of two 1-pounder Driggs- Schroeder rapid-fire rifles, mounted on the forward part of the hurircane deck, and the usual assortment of small arms for the equip- ment of the crew as an infantry division for drill or service on shore, The greater part of the month of April was spent in taking on board the stores and equipment of the vessel to fit her for immediate duty upon arrival on her station; and as at least a year must elapse after leaving St. Michael for the scene of operations on the Yukon before additional supplies could be received, the utmost care in the selection of the articles required was observed. With the assistance of Lieut. F. M. Dunwoody, R. C. S., who, as assistant constructor of the Nimivak, had previously prepared a list of articles necessary for use on the new station, this material was carefully inspected and stored on board, the crew enlisted, and preparations for the long trip at sea made with all dispatch. The officers who had been assigned for duty on the vessel arrived and reported for duty, and finally, on the 1st day of May, 1899, we dropped down San Francisco Bay and came to anchor off Sausalito, at which point the U. S. S. Bush joined us, and the rest of the day was spent in final preparations for sea. At 3 o'clock p. m. of May 2 we weighed anchor and, in tow of the Rush, stood down the harbor through the Golden Gate and started on our long journey of more than 4,000 miles by sea to St. Michael. CHAPTER II. It is doubtful whether in the history of all marine enterprises pre- vious to the discovery of gold in Alaska any attempt had been made to send ordinary river steamers across an intervening ocean to their destination. The very qualities which render such a vessel suitable for river navigation— viz, lightness of construction and shallow draft — would serve to make the attempt one fraught with difficulties and dangers which can hardly be overestimated. Prior to the voyage of the NuTbivak some 25 or 30 steamers of this class had undertaken the voyage from ports on Puget Sound, and of this number fully 50 per cent had either been lost en route or else had arrived at their destina- tion so badl} T injured as to require extensive repairs to be made on them before they could be operated. It should, then, be a matter of congratulation with the Treasury Department, as it is one of just pride to the officers who took part in this expedition, that after trav- ersing over 4,000 miles of ocean navigation, in spite of gales of wind and the unavoidable mishaps incident to such a voyage, the Nunivak finally reached St. Michael practically ready for immediate duty and in as good condition as when she left San Francisco. The Department has already been fully informed of the details of this vo\ T age, but a brief resume of the principal incidents occurring on the trip and a general itinerary of the journey may not be out of place as forming a part of this report. On the day of our departure from Sausalito a fresh northwest wind was blowing, and as we passed out of the Golden Gate and turned into Bonita Channel an ugly cross sea was encountered, and even in this partially sheltered situation the violent straining and cracking of the NunivaMs lightly constructed frame warned us to prepare for what might take place should we be overtaken by any really bad weather. We reached Point Reyes some ten hours after leaving port, and rounding this headland, which had hitherto afforded us some protec- tion from the wind, we soon found ourselves tossing ancf rolling in the open sea. The wind, which had been moderate at sunset, had gradually increased during the night, until at daylight it was blowing from 25 to 30 miles per hour, and the sea, while not high enough to interfere with the progress of an ocean-going vessel, caused the Nuni- vak to snap and crack in every joint and to bend from stem to stern 23 24 in a way to suggest all kinds of possibilities. Iron hog chains, which in this class of vessels are used as trusses to give support to the hull, were wrung and twisted from their fastenings, and at each impact of the sea the superstructure would sway from side to side with such vio- lence that heavy beams were broken, molding and paneling disjointed, and the whole house appeared to be in danger of falling together, like a house of cards. From the time of our departure all hands had been kept busy get- ting the vessel ready for sea. Not a moment's rest had been taken by anyone. The engine-room force, under the direction of Assistant Engineer Wood, was on duty on the lower deck to look out for the machinery and boilers; the carpenter and men detailed to assist him were kept bus} T making and putting into position where needed braces and extra stanchions, and the deck force, under the direction of the executive officer, Lieutenant Camden, was fully employed setting up tackles in the place of broken hog chains, renewing lashings which the violent surging of the vessel had caused to part, securing the boats, keeping the hawse clear, and a hundred similar duties. Sleep for any- one under the circumstances was out of the question, and so it was with a feeling somewhat of dismay that I received a report from Mr. Camden on the afternoon of our first day at sea that the vessel had sprung a leak. I had been hoping all day that the wind and sea would go down toward night and the crew could be given a chance to obtain some much needed rest; but with this new complication and a con- tinuance of the head wind I felt certain that all the work which had been previously done would be but trifling when compared with that to be done later if the leak should prove to be a serious one. • An examination of the hold of the vessel disclosed the fact that the water was coming in through the seams of the bottom planking in the vicinity of the seat of the king-post. The violent motions of the vessel as she plunged in the sea simply made of the king-post an immense battering ram, and its downward thrust against the bottom planking had so loosened them that the water was pouring into the vessel by the barrel. The steam pumps were immediately brought into requisition and for a time successfully controlled the inflow of water; but the violent motion of the ship caused the steam pipes to break, and soon it became necessary to call the already weary crew to the hand pumps. From that time until we reached the harbor of Eureka, Cal. , on the third day from our departure from San Francisco, it was simply a race between the men and the sea as to which would control the vessel. From the time of the discovery of the first leak hardty an hour passed that a new one was not reported, and by the evening of the second day at sea the oakum in the sides from the stem to'a distance of 40 feet aft on each side was all loose, and in some cases entirely 25 spewed out of the seams, leaving openings through which the water poured in cataracts into the vessel. Meanwhile constant reports of our condition were signaled to the commanding officer of the Bush, and by a judicious handling of his ship and the free use of oil to smooth the sea before it reached the JVunivak he did all that could be done to protect us from further injury. It was m}" earnest desire to get the vessel through to Seattle, where arrangements had been made to take on some additional sup- plies, with as little delay as possible, but on the morning of the third day at sea one leg of the towing bridle parted and a delay of three hours was necessary to repair the damage, during which time we floated in the trough of the sea. The leaks in the meanwhile were constantly increasing. At 6 o'clock p. m. the steel towing hawser was found to be stranded, but as the wind showed no signs of abatement and it was impossible for the men to hold out much longer at the pumps, I signaled the Bush that the leaks were gaining on us and advised the commanding officer to make for the nearest port, where temporary repairs could be made to the JVunivak before proceeding farther. After a brief consultation it was decided to make for Eureka, Cal. The course of the vessels was therefore changed, and we ran off before the wind and sea for that port. At this time there was about 12 inches of water in the hold of the Nunivak. As there were no athwartship bulkheads in the hold, this immense volume of water rolled back and forth the whole length of the vessel each time she rose and fell on the sea, threatening at each scend either to tear out the decks or by its overwhelming weight to cause the vessel to "turn turtle" or capsize. All night the weary men toiled at the pumps and were encouraged by the officers, who themselves took turns to relieve the nearly exhausted crew. In spite of their utmost endeavors, how- ever, the water steadily gained, and it was therefore with a feeling of intense relief, at daylight next morning, that 1 recognized the land- marks in the vicinity of Eureka and knew that, barring am T further accidents, we would shortly be in port. Just as we were about to turn in for the entrance to the harbor the towing hawser carried away on the Rush* and while it was being repaired the Nunivak again fell off into the trough of the sea. The water had now reached a depth of 21 inches in the hold, and I feared that at the very last moment, with the harbor in sight, we would be compelled to abandon her. Finally, however, the broken hawser was repaired, the Bush once more steamed ahead, slowly at first to test the repaired hawser, and then at full speed in over the bar. In half an hour we were safely anchored over a convenient mud flat, but so exhausted were the crews of both the Nunivak and Bush that signals of distress were set, and in answer to them the crew of the life-saving station at this place came on board and manned our pumps, and by their assistance the water was kept 5661—03 3 26 down until the steam pumps could be got working again and the hold pumped out. The Department was immediately informed by telegraph of the condition of the Nunivak, and orders were received to haul the vessel out at Eureka, make necessary repairs, and proceed to Seattle. This was accordingly done. Owing to the fact that there was no marine railway at Eureka large enough to accommodate the Nimivak, she was put on the beach at high water, and, by ''working tides," the side seams were calked and covered with 2^-inch battens to hold the oakum in place; but it was obviously impossible to examine or repair the vessel's bottom until she could be hauled out. New hogchains were fitted, the towing apparatus overhauled and improved, and such repairs to the woodwork as could be done here were completed, and on May 19 we left port and again set our course to northward along the coast. The weather was fine and the sea smooth when we crossed Eureka Bar, and both continued so until our arrival at Seattle, on May 24. Upon reaching this point orders were received from the Depart- ment to have the Nunivak docked at Quartermasters Harbor for the purpose of making necessary repairs to the bottom. We accordingly proceeded to that place in tow of the Bush, and were hauled out on the 29th of May. An examination of the vessel's bottom disclosed the fact that, with the exception of those planks in the immediate vicinity of the seat of the king-post, the bottom of the vessel was in good condition and the seams intact. It was therefore decided to calk the seams where the oakum had been worked out, and to sheathe the bottom of the vessel with half -inch spruce lumber in order to prevent the oakum from being forced out, and to strengthen the frame by the addition of heavy assistant keelsons placed amidships, and in such a position as to take up the downward thrust of the king-post. This work was all done in the most satisfactory manner, and on the 2d of June we returned to Seattle. Meanwhile arrangements had been rapidly made for taking on board the additional supplies which the Department had ordered to be pur- chased at Seattle. The ordinary service ration not being deemed suit- able in all particulars to meet the demands of the new station, a special ration was authorized, the component parts of which are given in another part of this report. While the repairs were being made on the vessel at Quartermasters Harbor, the officer having immediate supervision of the rations and supplies for the ship's equip- ment remained at Seattle to inspect these stores, and upon the return of the vessel everything was in readiness for delivery. Owing to an injury received on the voyage up the coast by Third Lieutenant Mead, it was found necessary at this time to send him to the hospital at Port Townsend for treatment. Much to his regret and mj^ own, his condi- 27 tion was found to be such that his detachment became necessary. Lieut. Eugene Blake, jr., R. C. S., who, among others, had volun- teered to take Mead's place, was assigned to the duty. Final arrangements having been completed, the Rush once more took us in tow, and on the 10th of June we left Seattle and sailed for Port Townsend, arriving at that place on the afternoon of the same day. Upon our arrival at Port Townsend, Assistant Engineer Wood and the cabin steward were taken sick, and it was found necessary to send them on shore for treatment at the marine hospital. Mr. Wood's illness required a slight operation to be performed, which would confine him to his bed for a few days, but as we had decided to touch at Sitka on the way north, and the mail steamer would undoubtedly overtake us there, Assistant Engineer Maxwell, of the Rush, was assigned to temporary duty on the Xunivak to relieve Mr. Wood, and the latter officer was directed to rejoin us at Sitka if his condition was such as to warrant him in continuing with the party. On June 13 we left Port Townsend and proceeded on our voyage via the inland passage along the coast of British Columbia and south- eastern Alaska toward Sitka. Magnificent weather was experienced on the journey up the coast, and, after a delay of a couple of da}-s at Comax to take on a supply of coal, we proceeded on our way and reached Sitka on the evening of June 22. At several places on the way up to this point enough rough water had been encountered to prove to us that the repairs put on the vessel had greatly improved her seaworthiness. The sheathing on her bot- tom and sides and the addition of the heavy timbers along her keelson had so stiffened the whole hull that very little movement could now be observed in the superstructure, even when the vessel was exposed to a moderately heavy sea. This fact no doubt tended to allay any feeling of uneasiness which may have previous^ existed as to the chances of our being able to finish the voyage in safety, and from this time on matters of routine duty on board were attended to with the same regularity as is observed on any vessel of the Service. Assistant Engineer Wood rejoined the JVunivak at Sitka, and Mr. Maxwell returned to the Rush. After a short stop at Sitka to obtain a supply of fresh water, we left that place on the morning of June 25 and shaped our course for the island of Kadiak. The weather again favored us, and we crossed the dangerous stretch of sea lying between Baranof Island and Kadiak, a distance of 700 miles, in five days without having experienced any- thing more serious than a passing rain squall during the passage. The high land of Kadiak Island was made out ahead on the evening of June 29, and next morning at daylight we entered the harbor of St. Paul and came to anchor. 28 Notwithstanding the smooth condition of the sea, the vessel pounded considerably during the run from Sitka to Kadiak and a slight leak made itself manifest in the forward part of the hull. At the sugges- tion of Mr. Wood the forward compartment of the hold was filled with coal, with the idea that this would decrease the vibration of the hull. The novel idea worked admirably and we had no further diffi- culty in this direction. After renewing our supply of fresh water at St. Paul, the weather continuing to be fine, we left port on the 1st of July, and choosing the outside route around the island, in order to save time and avoid any possible delay on account of f ogg}' weather, we stood to the westward, along the south coast of Kadiak, at a good rate of speed, with every- thing in excellent working condition. The Samedis, a group of rug- ged, treeless, and generally fog-drenched islets, tying some 90 miles west of Kadiak, were passed at 8 p. m. of July 2, and, shaping our course thence more to the northward, we entered the sheltered passages of navigable water lying between the Shumagin Islands and the main- land of the Alaskan Peninsula. In this locality fogs are of frequent occurrence during the summer season, and strong tidal currents make navigation through the narrow straits and intricate passages extremely dangerous unless one is well acquainted with the grounds. Long serv- ice in these waters, however, has familiarized most of our officers with the dangers, and although we experienced the usual amount of foggy weather our progress was not delayed, and we reached the vicinity of Unimak Pass on the evening of June 4 without an}^ mishap. We lay to off the pass during the night, and at 8 a. m. of the 5th of June entered Bering Sea and stood to the westward along the north coast of the Aleutian Islands. The scenery in this portion of our Alaskan possessions is grand and awe-inspiring. Westward from Kadiak Island all signs of growing timber disappear, and the traveler is confronted with a frowning bar- rier of towering cliffs worn and splintered by ages of erosion, against which the whole force of the Pacific ocean is hurled in constant war- fare. The long green swells of the ocean beat themselves into tatters of lace-like foam against the grim face of the ironbound coast, and at first it would seem to be a hopeless struggle on the part of the sea; but a little examination of the coast line will show where great breaches have been made in the apparently impregnable walls. Here deep caverns have been carved out of the cliffs, and there whole miles of softer material have given way before the tremendous assaults which have been made upon it and has been sucked down into the hungry maw of the ocean. Pinnacles and cathedral- like masses of more endur- ing rock now and then stand out a mile or more from the mainland, of which they once formed a part — grim remnants of a once s<»>Iid mass of 29 earth which is being 1 slowly but surely destroyed by its persistent and relentless enemy, the sea. These outlying rocks are again attacked by shattering frosts, and flaying winds, and beating rains until at last, worn out and conquered, they sink beneath the waves. It is such sunken rocks and ledges that form the most dangerous obstacles to navigation, and in this region of sudden gales, of blinding sleet and snow, and dense fogs, where the best charts as yet made are not to be relied upon, where the Govern- ment has not yet extended its system of aids to navigation in the form of light-houses, fog signals, beacons, and buo} T s, and where the water is so deep right up to the shore as to make the use of the hand lead of no account, it is little wonder that this coast is approached with dread by the seaman, and that with each year's neglect the demand that Government aid shall be extended to this region should be more urgent. Back of the abrupt shore line the land extends upward in long curves to the tops of the mountains, which trend in a general east and west direction. The treeless slopes are covered with a mantle of grasses, mosses, and flowering plants, while here and there in shelterad valleys along the course of streams, areas of dark-green foliage mark the places where thickets of dwarf willow and alder have taken root and grown. At frequent intervals the sky line is broken by the upheaved mass of extinct or active volcanoes. Eruptions from some of the latter are of periodic occurrence, presenting at such times a magnificent spectacle. The earth trembles, the sea is disturbed for a long dis- tance, and the surface of both land and sea is covered with a fine, impalpable dust, which is so light that it will float for days upon the water and hang suspended in the air like a dense cloud until it is grad- ually dissipated by the wind. At the present time the most active volcano of the Aleutian group is Akutan volcano, situated on the island of Akutan, which lies to the westward of Unimak Pass. This volcano is from 3,500 to 4,000 feet high and has a well-defined crater, from which, during its periods of activity, a ruby-red column of flame is projected into the air to a height of 1,500 or 2,000 feet, when it expands into a vast mushroom-shaped cloud, from the purple depths of which a glowing shower of ashes and volcanic tufa falls slowly back to the earth. But magnificent as Akutan may be when in a state of eruption, in point of beauty it can not be compared with its near neighbor, Mount Shishaldin, which is situated on the western end of Unimak Island. This beautiful peak rises in the form of an almost perfect cone to a height of over 8,000 feet above the level of the sea. The original formation of the crater has never been marred by the breaking down of its walls, and as its upper portion is snow-covered during the entire year it presents to the e} T e a picture of serene beauty 30 and ineffable purit}^ which lingers in the memory and preserves its charm long after the recollection of scenes of greater grandeur per- haps have faded from the mind. Almost immediately after entering Bering Sea the fog was left behind and the view of the adjacent islands, bathed in brilliant sunshine, was grand beyond description. Westward as far as the eye could reach a succession of tremendous granite and basalt cliffs rose in almost perpendicular masses to a height of a thousand feet or more from the sea, and from their tops cascades of melted snow-water plunged down- ward over their rugged, frost-riven faces, and were torn into ribbons of foam by projecting rocks and finally disappeared in diaphanous veils of rainbow mist long before reaching the bottom. The character of the vegetation on the northern side of the Aleutian Islands is so different from that on the southern side as to attract immediate atten- tion, and it can be easily explained. The Kuro Shiro, or Japanese warm current, sweeps eastward along the whole length of the Aleutian chain, and is at no place more than 30 or 40 miles distant froin its shores' The influence of this warm current so tempers the climate of the southern side of the islands as to produce a luxuriant growth of vegetation here, while on their northern sides, exposed to the blight- ing influence of arctic winds and temperatures, none but the hardiest plants survive. Occasionally, in sheltered spots, especially so in valleys having a southern exposure, the eye is gladdened by the sight of green, meadow-like swales of grasses and low shrubbery, but gener- ally speaking the undulant hills are covered with a thick mantle of moss and cryptogramic plants, and in every nook and cranny of the cliffs beautiful lichens paint the somber rocks with splashes of brilliant green and yellow color. Approaching Unalaska Island from the eastward the view is pictur- esque in the extreme. Vast reaches of bare rock slopes rise in precip- itous masses from the sea to a height of 1,500 to 2,000 feet, and the shore line is girt by a fringe of rugged bowlders over which the surf breaks and roars in never-ending fury. The shore of the island is indented by many deep bays or fiords, and at the head of one of these the old native settlement of Illiluik is situated. Early on the morning of June 6 we entered this beautiful bay, and after an hour's run came to anchor off the trading station of the North American Commercial Company at Dutch Harbor. Ever since the acquisition of the Territory of Alaska by the United States the Alaska Commercial Company has maintained at Illiluik a post for the distribution of supplies to the numerous substations con- trolled by the company at various other points among the Aleutian Islands, and to gather the furs purchased from the natives for ship- ment to the outside world. The station is still maintained, but its DUTCH HARBOR. UNALASKA ISLAND,. COALING STATION FOR VESSELS OF THE REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE IN BERING SEA. ARCH ROCK IN CAPTAINS HARBOR, UNALASKA ISLAND. VIEW OF SHIPBUILDING YARD IN CAPTAINS HARBOR, UNALASKA ISLAND. ENTRANCE TO CAPTAINS HARBOR, UNALASKA ISLAND. 31 importance has steadily diminished owing to the decadence of the fur trade in the islands. Many of the smaller and more remote stations have been abandoned on account of the scarcity of game, and the native hunters, with their families, have been removed by the company to more favorable localities where the struggle for existence, always hard for these people, can be carried on under better conditions. In spite of this fostering care, however, the natives are decreasing in numbers, and soon the devastating march of progress will surely crush them out of existence. In the yesir 18T0 the lease of the Fur Seal Islands by the Alaska Commercial Company expired by limitation, and a new corporation, entitled "The North American Commercial Company," secured the franchise from the Government. A station at Dutch Harbor, which is not over half a mile from Illiluik village, was built by the new com- pany. Warehouses, a store, agent's dwelling, a clubhouse, and a commodious wharf with excellent facilities for coaling the largest class of vessel were erected during the first year of occupancy, and later on, when the rush of people to the gold fields of Alaska took place, a large hotel with ample accommodation for the traveling public was added to the plant. The company has also laid pipes to a small lake near at hand and installed a system of waterworks whereby the houses at the station and ships at the wharf are supplied at all times with an abundance of fresh water. Both the Alaska Commercial Company and the North American Commercial Company keep on hand an ample supply of coal, and vessels bound into Bering Sea or the Arctic Ocean usually call in at Unalaska to renew their supply of coal and water. The stores of both the companies are kept well supplied with the class of goods likely to be in demand in this locality, and the prices of articles are but little in excess of those asked for similar articles in the States. Live beef cattle and sheep are brought up in the spring of the year and turned out on the island to graze. A supply of fresh meat is thus assured for the summer months at least. A small herd of cattle has been for several } 7 ears kept throughout the year on the island, but it is necessary to house them during some part of the winter months. Attempts have been made to raise vegetables here, but with the exception of a few radishes and a limited quantity of lettuce which arrived at maturity the experiment has not been alto- gether successful. This partial failure is not due, in my opinion, to the adverse climatic conditions so much as it is to the lack of proper prep- aration of the soil. The large amount of volcanic gravel and ash which is mixed with the soil should be first removed. But this is a tedious process, and has probably been the means of discouraging any extensive attempts at gardening. During the early spring and sum- mer months the hills and mountain sides in the interior of Unalaska 5661—03 1 32 Island are covered with a profusion of wild flowers. In the fall sev- eral varieties of edible berries are gathered and sold by the native children, and some of these berries are fully equal if not superior in flavor to the cultivated fruit. Codfish, salmon, salmon trout, herring, and several other varieties of fish abound in the waters surrounding the island and in the hundreds of small snow-fed mountain streams. The natives each year secure large quantities of salmon and dry it for winter use; but the valuable codfish banks adjacent to the island have not as yet been utilized as a source of food supply by either the white or native inhabitants to any appreciable extent. After renewing her supply of coal and water the Bush once more took the Nunivak in tow and with a hearty Godspeed from our friends on shore we left Dutch Harbor on the morning of July 8, and rounding Ulachta Head we stood out into Bering Sea. The day was line and the sea smooth and soon we passed Cape Cheerful, a remark- able promontory which serves as a landmark for the navigator bound for Unalaska, and taking this as a point of departure our course was shaped northward for our port of final destination, St. Michael. The auspicious conditions of our departure encouraged us in the hope that the pleasant weather would last long enough to enable us to cross Bering Sea, for, with the exception of the harbors in the Aleutian Islands, which we were now leaving behind us, there is no other safe anchorage for vessels like the Nunivak short of St. Michael, a distance of 800 miles. The good weather continued to favor us for two days, and we made fine progress until the vicinity of Nunivak Island was reached. Here a strong northeast wind and a heavy head sea was encountered. Since leaving Unalaska the sea had been as smooth as a mill pond; but under the influence of the northeast wind it soon rose and we found ourselves pitching and plunging in a way to cause the Nunivak to creak and groan in every timber. The short violent sea had no apparent effect on the Bash other than to cause her to roll a trifle more than usual, and her speed was undiminished. Finding that our progress through the rough water was too rapid, signals were made to the Bush to slow down. The request was immediately granted and the strain to which we had been subjected was at once relieved. Dur- ing the day it became necessary to again resort to the use of oil to calm the sea and prevent it from breaking over the Nunivak, but toward night the wind decreased in force and the sea subsided so much that full speed was once more ordered and we proceeded on our way. At 8 a. m. of July 12 land was made out a long distance away on the starboard bow. By noon we recognized it as Cape Romanzov, a bold headland near the coast, which is the western termination of a short range of mountains forming the southern limit of the flood 55 ° 5 I- z z o < C CAUJS 33 plain of the Yukon River delta. The Sand Islands, lying 5 miles north- eastward from Cape Romanzov, were raised about 2 p. m., and our course was altered slightly to the westward so as to clear the dangerous shoals known as the Yukon Flats. Toward night we lost sight of the land again, but our position off the mouth of the mighty Yukon could be easily determined by the muddy, discolored water through which we were now steaming. Occasionally we passed pieces of driftwood floating off to sea from the river, and this showed us that we were nearing our journey's end. The day- had been an exceptionally fine one throughout, and our progress northward proportionately good. The short summer night fell gently around us, the stars came out and hung like myriads of brilliant lamps in a sky that was free from clouds, and every sign betokened a continuance of good weather. But toward morning the wind freshened from the southeast, and by 8 a. m. of July 13 a dense fog settled down, and so completely enveloped us that the Bush was almost invisible. It was only as she rose and fell on the sea that we now and then caught a glimse of her wet and streaming decks, or a flash of phosphorescent foam from her churning wheel gleamed fitfully like a monster firefly from out of the murky waste of waters. All the forenoon we forged slowty ahead, with the fog whistles of both vessels sounding a dismal b-1-a-a-a-t of warning at intervals and with frequent stops to cast the lead and ascertain the depth of water. Finally at noon we ran out of the yellowish, roily water which discolors the sea off the Yukon Flats, and the sea took on a light olivaceous-green color, and although nothing could be seen of land we knew it was not far away. The Bush slowed down until our progress through the water was scarcely perceptible. The fog whistles were sounded frequently and the hand lead was now going constant^. Every e\ r e was strained to pierce the veil of mist which hung over the sea, when suddenly as if raised by some invisible hand, the dense curtain of fog was lifted, and we saw before us at a distance of not over 2 miles a long line of white surf fringing a rock-strewn beach, and back of that, as the fog lifted, the undulant tundra plains, treeless, desolate, and drenched with flying clouds of mist, which we recognized as a portion of the coast between Tapkok Head and Golof nin Bay. The gulches were still filled with snow, and along the beach were strewn masses of sea ice which the summer sun had as yet failed to melt. We steamed along the land to the eastward until Rocky Cape was reached and taking our departure from this well-known landmark, although the fog still continued, we shaped our course with confidence across Norton Sound for St. Michael. The southeast wind increased during the afternoon, and the sea rose rapidly as it always does in this vicinity, but our course to the east- ward soon brought us into the comparatively sheltered waters of 34 Norton Bay, and our progress from this time until reaching port was unhindered. At midnight of July 14 we entered the harbor of St. Michael and came to anchor. In more ways than one the voyage of over 4,000 miles had been a remarkable one. With the exception of the bad weather encountered during the first three days after our departure from San Francisco, and one day of storm off Nunivak Island, the conditions of the sea and wind during the entire trip could hardly have been improved. No injury had been sustained that could not be easily repaired on board by the ship's force, and it now only remained for us to assemble the machinery and take on board our supply of fuel to be ready for immediate duty. CHAPTER III. A week after our arrival at St. Michael the U. S. S. Corwin came into port with a barge in tow which was intended to be used as a coal tender by the Nvftk ivak. The Corwin had experienced bad weather on the way up from Port Townsend, and upon reaching port the barge was so badly injured that a board of officers, convened for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the injuries which had been received, reported that it would not be possible to use the barge for the trans- portation of coal until extensive repairs were made. This would necessitate hauling out the barge on the beach. Upon receipt of this report I asked for bids to do the work from the agents of the local trading companies. The lowest bid I received was so much in excess of the amount which I deemed fair and reasonable for the performance of the work required that I deemed it my duty to reject all of the proposals, and, pending further orders from the Department, to make other arrangements for supplying the Nunivak with fuel. Meanwhile the necessary work of getting the Xunivak ready for service was rapidly progressing. The machinery was assembled, the wheel put together, and the supplies for the use of the command, which had been brought up on the United States stenmers Bear and Mc Calloch, were received and stowed on board. As much coal as we could carry on the Xunivak, in addition to the other supplies, was received on board, and about 80 tons were placed on a barge which was very kindly loaned to us, free of all expense, by the manager of the Alaska Exploration Company. After delivering us the supplies which had been brought up from Seattle on the Bear, Lieut. D. H. Jarvis, commanding that vessel, left St. Michael and proceeded to the coast of Siberia, where a quantity of fur clothing, deerskins, native boots, and other necessary articles for the use of the crew of the JTa nival' during the winter was purchased. The Bear returned from her cruise and delivered us the articles which had been purchased, and as our arrangements were now fully completed we left St. Michael on the 9th of August for our field of duty on the Yukon River. On account of the entire lack of charts of the Yukon and the fact that none of the officers of the command had ever been over the river, it became necessary to employ a pilot to take the vessel over the ground 35 36 on the first trip. For this purpose the services of Capt. George W. Beers were secured, and he remained with us until we completed the journey over the station. At the time of our departure from St. Michael the Nunivak was loaded almost to the guards and was drawing 5 feet of water. The tides were running rather low and we experienced some difficulty in crossing the flats. The vessel had not been constructed with a view of towing barges either alongside or ahead, and we were compelled to get along as best we could with the loaded barge towing astern. Crossing the bar of the Aphoon entrance to the Yukon with some difficulty, owing to the lack of water and the crooked channel, we observed the North American Transportation and Trading Company's steamer Cudahy aground on a sand bar, and we stopped to render what assist- ance we could to get her off. A line was run from the Nunivak to the stern of the Cudahy, and an attempt was made to pull her into deeper water. The tide was falling, however, and after one unsuccess- ful attempt had been made to start the vessel, her master requested us to desist as he feared we would injure the Cudahy by pulling on her any longer. He stated that he would be able to float his vessel with- out assistance when the tide turned, so we proceeded on our way. The delay occasioned by handling the barge and in the attempt to assist the Cudahy caused us to be too late in entering the river to take advantage of the high tide, so that in working the vessel through the narrow and intricate channels of the Aphoon we frequently got aground, or else the barge towing astern would take a sheer and either run aground on a sand bar or crash into the low bushes which fringed the river bank, in either case involving a tedious delay to get straightened out again. In attempting to make the crossing at Kot- lik, 7 miles upstream from the mouth of the Aphoon, the barge took a sudden sheer and ran hard aground on a mud flat. The strain on the towline caused the Nunivak to swerve from her course in the narrowest part of the channel, and she also got aground. Finding it impossible to back off, the big ''jumping spars " were brought into play, and our first attempt to get the vessel into deep water by this means was tried. Meanwhile the tide was rapidly falling, and when we finally got the spars over the side it was too late to do any good and the work was abandoned until next high water. The mosquitoes swarmed out of the low brush-covered banks and for a time made life miserable for all on board; but toward night a brisk wind sprang up and cleared the vessel of the pests and gave all hands an opportunity of getting some much-needed rest. At midnight the tide came in sufficiently to float the barge, and after towing it upstream a short distance with the steam launch we soon "sparred" the Nunivak into the channel, and after picking up the barge we once more proceeded on our way. 37 Immediately on entering the river work was commenced on a chart which would show when completed the depth of water in the channel, courses and distances between points, character of the shores, obstruc- tions to navigation, the position of prominent landmarks, and in gen- eral all the data which would be of assistance in the navigation of the stream. The steam launch was kept out ahead traversing the channel and locating shoal places, and soundings of the depth of water in the channel were taken on board the Nunivak every 200 yards. Our progress was necessarily very slow, as it was my intention to make as complete a chart of the river as practicable under the circumstances, so that it was not until 4 p. in. that we left the Aphoon and entered the Kwikpak branch of the Yukon. Here the river is nearly a mile wide, and for a distance of 10 or 12 miles upstream there is no well- defined channel. A short distance above the junction of the Aphoon with the Kwikpak, we ran aground on one of the numerous sand bars which obstruct the river, and before we could get the spars read}^ for use the tide fell and made it impossible to get the vessel afloat. The rest of the day was spent in locating the best channel through the shoals, and the next morning at dajdight the tide rose high enough to enable us to get afloat again, and we backed downstream about a mile, where a channel, previously located by the steam launch, was entered, and without much further difficulty we got over this bad portion of the river and proceeded on our wa} T . At New Fort Hamilton we stopped to make an examination of the rudders, as they were working very badl} T , and it was found that the iron stock of the port center rudder was twisted and cracked so badly as to interfere with the free movement of the other rudders. Such repairs as could be made at the time were finished and we again went on our way. At 2 p. m. of August 11 the Big Bend of the Yukon was rounded and we emerged into the main stream, where high banks took the place of the low shores of the delta and a deep, unobstructed channel enabled us to proceed at a rate of speed and freedom from care which, until this time, had been impossible. For the first time since entering the river an opportunity was now afforded to straighten up the decks, which were littered with a mass of tangled cordage, haw- sers, and the gear used in "sparring off" and in laying out anchors in our efforts to get the vessel afloat. When this work was finished, all hands except those on duty in the engineer's department and the sea- men casting the lead were excused from duty to enable them to get some rest. We reached Andreafski at 6 p. m. of the 11th, and stopped here to repair our injured rudder. A machine shop is maintained at this place by the Alaska Commercial Company for the repair of any of their vessels which may be injured on the river, and I anticipated having no difficulty in getting the repairs we needed done here. But upon inquiry I was informed by Mr. Fredericks, the agent of the 38 company, that there were no machinists or blacksmiths at Andreafski at this time, and while he would allow us the use of the plant we would have to do all the work with our own men. The injured rudderstock was therefore unshipped, and under the supervision of Assistant Engineer Wood an attempt to repair the damage was made by our firemen. The blacksmith shop forge proved to be too small, however, and after working two days without success to make a weld, the attempt was abandoned. I decided to disconnect the injured rudder entirely and depend upon the three remaining ones to control the vessel. This plan was accordingly adopted and upon subsequent trial it proved to be successful. During our stay at Andreafski, all of the coal was transferred from the barge to the Nunivak, and as we had no further use for the former, it was left here to be called for by one of the Alaska Exploration Com- pan} T 's steamers on the way down the river. The boilers were washed out and refilled and a fresh supply of drinking water laid in at Andre- afski, as the water of the Yukon during the summer season is too muddy for use. At daylight of August 19 we left Andreafski and stood on our way up the Yukon. Our progress now was much better, as we were unhampered b}^ the barge. With the exception of a shoal " crossing" now and then encountered there was plenty of water in the channel, which was wide and singularly free from any obstructions to naviga- tion. Several of the steamers engaged in traffic on the river were met on their way to St. Michael, and boarded and examined according to law. In almost every case the vessels were found to be, in some particular, lacking in some of the requirements of law. All these deficiencies were duly noted and the delinquents reported to the col- lector of customs at St. Michael. It is but just to state that in most of the cases the failure to comply strictly to the law was the result of ignorance more than neglect on the part of the owners of the vessels, and prompt measures were taken by them to observe all the require- ments of law when their attention was called to any omissions. Our progress upstream from this point was marked b} r no unusual incident. We generally got under way in the morning at daylight and ran until darkness made it impossible to collect the data necessary for our chart, and then we w T ould make fast to some convenient tree on the shore for the night. One or two attempts were made to anchor the vessel at night, but the holding ground proved to be treacherous and unreliable; so we soon adopted the general custom of the river steamboat men, which is to " go to the bank" whenever it becomes necessary to stop for any length of time. After leaving Andreafski the current in the river gradually increases until it attains an estimated force of 3£ miles per h*3ur, and this amount does not vaiy much until after Anvik is passed. The main 39 channel follows closely the west or right bank of the river, and now the treeless tundra plains of the delta give place to rolling hills, sparsely covered with poplar and birch trees, with here and there a few scat- tering spruce, the advance guard of the great forests of the interior. The islands no longer appear as bare shoals or low grass-covered plains, but are higher and sustain a growth of timber which gradually increases in size as we go up the river. In a general way it may be said that the timber of the Yukon Valley is distributed as follows: First the low brush of the delta, then the willow thickets and poplar or cottonwood of the lower river, and lastly the birch, spruce, and pine forests of the interior. Two days after leaving Andreafski we arrived at Russian Mission, where we stopped to call on the church authorities and visit the settlement. Father Korchinski, who was in charge of the mission, gave us a warm welcome, and seemed pleased to show us through the native village, which is one of the oldest on the river. The Greek church at this place, which is one of the finest churches in Alaska, was also visited under the guidance of our host, and after all the sights had been seen the officers of the ship accepted an invitation to take a cup of tea at the house of Mr. Belkoff, the agent of the Alaska Commercial Compan} T at this place. The refreshments consisted of tea and sweet crackers. The tea was prepared by boiling water in a huge brass samovar, after the true Russian style, and served in glass tumblers instead of cups. It is a peculiar fact that this method of preparing tea has survived where nearly all other customs have succumbed to the changes wrought in the manner of living since the transfer of the territory from Russia to the United States. I took occasion to explain to Father Korchinski, and requested him to inform his parishioners, that the duties of the JVunivak were not onl}^ to see that' trade and commerce were conducted according to law on the river, but we were authorized to preserve order and arrest offenders against the law in any particular. It was also our duty to render what assistance we could to persons in distress, and it would always be our pleasure to do this or anything else possible which would tend to promote good order and happiness in the community. This information was afterwards given to those in authority at all of the settlements visited by the NimivaJc on the river, and the opinion uni- versally expressed was one of satisfaction that the Government should have placed such a means of help and protection as the JVttnivak afforded within the reach of these isolated people. The morning of August 21 found us once more on our way up the river. The character of the stream varied but little from that observed the previous day. The channel still held persistently to the right bank, the islands became less numerous and much longer, and the mountains crowded in closer to the river, exposing to view cliffs of conglomerate and trachyte rock, much folded and contorted by the 40 plutonic forces which lifted the land, at some distant time in the past, to its present level. The highest peaks of the mountain range which lie to the westward of the river in this locality are probably not over 2,000 feet in elevation. Away off to the southeast a solitary snow- covered peak, Mount Kusiloff, dominates the otherwise low and unin- teresting landscape, while farther to the eastward the faint outlines of a high range of rugged mountains, scarcely distinguishable against the background of pale-blue sky, mark the vicinity of the headwaters of the Kuskokwim River. During the afternoon we arrived at Koserefski, at which place is situated the Roman Catholic Mission of the Holy Cross. We were met at the landing and given welcome by the Rev. Father R. J. Cri- mont, in charge of the mission, and spent a most enjoyable afternoon visiting the school, where some 25 native children, cleanly dressed, intelligent looking, and apparently happ}% were at work under the supervision and instruction of three Sisters of the Canadian Order of St. Anne. Besides maintaining an excellent school for the instruction of the native children the little community of missionaries have cleared about 6 acres of ground and planted it to garden vegetables, which, under the fostering care of the " head gardener," Sister Mary Joseph, has flourished amazingly, and each year produces an abundant crop of cabbages, turnips, radishes, lettuce, beets, and other hardy vegetables, which for quality will compare most favorably with those grown in any part of the world. The sight of an old-fashioned garden, filled with the sweet bloom of mignonette, pansies, daisies, sweet pea, mari- gold, and other homely flowers, was a glad surprise for eyes which had grown tired of somber forests and desolate tundra plains. When we returned to the ship it was with arms full of redolent flowers, and a cart load of fresh vegetables, enough and to spare for everyone on board. At daylight of August 22 we »left Koserefski and continued our journey up the river. A short stop was made at Anvik, where the acquaintance of Rev. J. W. Chapman, in charge of the Episcopalian mission at this place, was made; but a steamer had been sighted com- ing down the river when we turned into the Anvik, and I did not want to miss having her boarded. Our stay at Anvik was cut short, and we had no opportunity of visiting the native school at this place at this time. The steamer proved to be the Seattle No. i, from Daw- son for St. Michael. We learned from her master that the steamers Hannah and Robert Kerr were expected to sail from Dawson a few days after the departure of the Seattle, and might be looked for at any time now. In anticipation of their arrival our mail was made ready for delivery to one of these steamers for transportation to the outside. On the 23d we reached Kaltag Village, at which point the winter trail from the Yukon to St. Michael leaves the river to cross the portage. Here a stop was made long enough to get a fresh supply of water from the Kaltag River, which is a very clear little stream flowing 41 into the Yukon from the northwest. The Indians were busy catching and drying salmon and the beach was covered with racks filled with the fish. On the 24th the steamers Hannah and Robert Kerr were met and boarded a short distance below Nulato. Dr. Bishop, a member of the Biological Survey, was a passenger on the Hannah and paid me a call. The doctor informed me that he had been busy all summer gathering specimens on the upper waters of the Yukon but had had the misfortune to lose them all by the upsetting of a small boat. I delivered a trunk and box of supplies, which had been brought up from Seattle on the Nunivak for Mr. Osgood, who was a member of the party, to Dr. Bishop, and after putting our mail on board the Hannah we proceeded on our way. Nulato was reached at 3 p. m. , and we stopped for a short time to call on the Rev. Father Aloys A. Ragaru, who has charge of the Roman Catholic Mission of St. Peter Clavers at this place. There are about 350 natives over whom he has spiritual charge, but at the time of our visit most of the Indians were absent fishing. Nulato is one of the oldest settlements and trading posts on the river, and is still the favorite tradingplace of the Koyukuk River Indians, who have annually brought their furs here to trade for supplies ever since the occupation of the territory by the Russians. The post was twice destroyed by hostile natives, and the white settlers killed to a man. It is still the rendezvous of natives who have been brought very little in touch with the white population; but the work of Father Ragaru has done much to enlighten them, and at the present day but little fear is felt of an uprising such as took place among the natives when the Russians were in charge. Just above Nulato, on the right bank of the Yukon, a remarkable series of brown sandstone bluffs of the Marine Miocene period are seen, and it is a peculiar fact that no similar formation has been dis- covered at any other point on the river. The bluffs are rich in marine and vegetable fossils of the Miocene period, and would no doubt furnish a very interesting field for geological exploration. Twenty miles above Nulato a coal vein in the right bank of the river has been recently opened up. We stopped to examine the mine and found that a considerable quantity of coal had been extracted, and we were informed by Mr. Pickert, the manager of the company, that it was being used with good results by several steamers on the river. The coal appears to be a form of lignite rather than a true bituminous coal, and is in this respect similar to the coal found in other parts of the Territory. At 6 p. m. the mouth of the Koyukuk River was passed, and at dark we stopped alongside the bank at a wood chopper's camp and made fast for the night. 42 August 25 was fair and clear, and the portion of the river in which we now found ourselves was densely wooded on both shores. With the high temperature, luxuriant foliage, and blooming wild flowers on every side it was hard to realize the fact that we were journeying up a stream which touches the arctic circle in its course and whose entire length for eight months of the year is held hard and fast in the cold embrace of relentless winter. On August 25 we reached the junction of the Tozikakit River with the Yukon and stopped long enough to examine the locality as a place for laying the vessel up for the winter. During the winter of 1898 several vessels had wintered here, and log cabins for the accommoda- tion of their crews had been built on shore. These cabins were still standing, but were in a dilapidated condition and almost buried under a rank growth of grass and moss. The entrance to the Tozikakit was obstructed by a bar over which it would be impossible for the Nunivak to pass except during periods of exceptionally high water in the Yukon. Although our examination was very hurriedly made, enough was seen to prove to me that this is not a suitable place in which to winter a vessel of the Nunivatts size. Nine miles above the mouth of the Tozikakit are situated the important trading sta- tions maintained by the North American Transportation and Trading Company and the Alaska Commercial Company for traffic with the Tanana Indians. The army post of Fort Gibbon is also located here. We stopped at the latter place and exchanged the customary calls of courtesy with the commandant of the post. After these formalities had been observed social calls were in order, and the acquaintance of the officers of the garrison was made. At the invitation of Maj. C. A. Booth, U. S. Army, commandant of the post, we remained at Fort Gibbon for a day, and the visit was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. While at Fort Gibbon I had the pleasure of forming the acquaint- ance of Rev. Mr. Prevost and Mr. Selden, who were connected with the Episcopalian mission of St. James, which is situated about 3 miles above the post, opposite the mouth of the Tanana River. I received much interesting information from these gentlemen in rela- tion to the Tanana Indians, who come within the observation of the mission, and I was much impressed with the evident enthusiasm and devotion to duty manifested by them in their missionary work. The season was now growing late, as shown by the rapid decrease of the hours of daylight, the coolness of the nights, and, more noticeable than any other feature, the sudden appearance, of splashes of vivid scarlet and yellow autumnal foliage on the birch-covered hillsides. So with mutual expressions of regret that our visit to the postjnust be so soon terminated, we bade good-bye to our army friends at Fort Gibbon on August 29 and resumed our journey upstream. 43 After passing the junction of the Yukon and the Tanana rivers, 4 miles above Fort Gibbon, the former stream narrows to less than a mile in width. The depth of water and the force of the current rapidly increase as we near the Rampart Rapids, which begin at a point about 40 miles above Tanana. Both banks of the river here are composed of towering cliffs of granite and conglomerate rock, through which veins of quartz are seen. The formation is much broken up and dis- jointed, and in some places the strata have been upheaved into almost perpendicular positions. At the lower end of the rapids a high bar, com- posed apparently of rounded granitic bowlders, lies in midstream and is a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The channel at this point is less than 100 yards wide and the current rushes through at the rate of from 8 to 9 miles per hour. Along the bowlder-strewn shores the river tore itself into ribbons of lace-like foam and the channel was filled with violent swirls and breakers, indicating that even in midstream dangerous rocks probably exist. Before entering the rapids a careful examination of the engine was made to see that everything was in good working order, and when Mr. Wood reported that we were all ready the Nunivak, with a high pres- sure of steam on, was headed through the narrow passage. We had heard so much about this bit of swift water from the local steamboat men that considerable trouble in getting through it was anticipated. We were therefore very agreeably surprised to find that the Nunivah overcame the force of the current with hardly any perceptible diffi- culty, and in half an hour we had passed through the worst part of the rapids and reached the calmer reaches of the river above. After passing through the lower gorge of the ramparts the river again expands to an average width of a mile between its shores and the mountains on both sides recede to a distance of 10 or 12 miles. The valley thus formed is comparatively level and is drained by num- erous small streams. At 4 p. m. we reached Rampart City, which is situated on the left bank of the Yukon, 75 miles above Fort Gibbon. This is the largest white settlement on the Yukon in American territory, and for several years has been the center of extensive mining operations on Minook Creek and other less well-known streams in the immediate vicinity. Here an opportunity for cleaning the boilers and overhauling the machinery was given the engineer's department, and we remained for five da} T s. Pleasant visits were exchanged and the acquaintance formed of Lieutenant Tillman, U. S. Army, in charge of a small detachment of soldiers stationed at Rampart; Judge Knapp, the United States commissioner of the circuit court; Colonel Wiggin, the United States land commissioner, and the agents of the several trading companies doing business at this place. While lying at Rampart all vessels bound either up or down the 44 river were boarded and examined. The steamer Sovereign was found to be engaged in traffic without having the necessary legal papers on board, and she was seized and sent to St. Michael in charge of a custodian appointed for the purpose and turned over to the custody of the collector of customs at that place. A full report of this seizure has already been made to the Department. A small stream entering the Yukon opposite Rampart was examined to ascertain whether it would afford the Nunivdk suitable winter quarters, but, as in the case of the Tozikakit River, it was found that a high bar obstructed the entrance, which made its selection for the purpose impracticable. Information from several sources had been received in regard to the suitability^ of Dall River as a place for winter quarters for all classes of river steamers, and after completing the repairs to our machineiy we left Rampart on the morning of September 4, bound for Dall River for the purpose of looking over the ground. The distance to that place from Rampart is 85 miles, and we reached and entered the river without difficulty the afternoon of the same day. After spend- ing a day in sounding out the stream for a distance of 2 miles from its mouth, and finding it free from any obstructions and in every other way the most suitable place we had yet seen on the Yukon in which to lay a vessel up, I decided to select this as our winter quarters. The limits of the cruising ground assigned to the Nunivak by the Department having been now reached, I did not deem the services of a pilot as any longer necessary. We therefore returned to Rampart, where Mr. Beers could secure passage back to St. Michael, and he left the ship. We remained at Rampart, boarding all passing vessels and perform- ing the other duties incident to the Service, until September 18, when, bidding good-bye to our many kind friends, we left for our proposed winter home in Dall River. The weather was growing steadily colder, and while the days were as yet fine and clear ice formed on deck every night, and the tops of the mountains were white with newly fallen snow. Overhead long columns of geese were now daily seen headed southward, while flocks of sand-hill cranes were constantly rising from their feeding grounds, with raucous cries, to join the feathered company on its annual migra- tion to some more genial winter home. The woods along the river banks, which for weeks had been musical with the trilling notes of innumerable song birds, seemed to have been suddenly deserted by every living thing except an occasional vagrant raven winging his idle flight among the bare branches of the poplar trees, or else, perched on the topmost branch of some swaying spruce, croaking in undis- turbed enjoyment of solitary possession. ^ The question of fuel for winter use was now the most important one for solution. We had started from St. Michael with 225 tons of FORT HAMLIN TRADING POST ON THE YUKON RIVER, 1,072 MILES FROM THE COAST. 45 coal on hand, and the greater portion of this amount had been con- sumed in coming up the rivet, so that the approach of winter found us with barely sufficient coal for use in the galley during the eight or nine months which must elapse before we could receive a fresh supply from the outside. It would therefore be necessary to obtain an addi- tional quantity of fuel for heating the vessel while we were in winter quarters. On our first trip to Dall River we passed the Pioneer coal mine, owned and operated by Mr. Thomas Drew, 25 miles above Rampart, and had taken on board a small quantity of the coal to test it for use in the furnaces of the Nunivak. After giving the coal a trial Mr. Wood reported that it would probably serve our purpose, and arrangements were therefore made with Mr. Drew to take on board a supply from his mine before finally leaving the river at the end of the season. The time left him for getting out the coal was, however, very limited, and when we reached the mine on the 18th of September we found that we could only obtain 12 tons. This would not be sufficient, but as it was the best that could be done under the circumstances this amount was taken on board, and on the 21st of the month, in the midst of a howling gale and thick snowstorm, we left for up the river. In spite of the bad weather, we made the run as far as Fort Hamlin, a distance of 50 miles, without mishap of any kind, and stopped there for the night. The steamer Hamilton , bound down the river, was boarded during the night, and I was informed by her master that no other steamer would probably leave Dawson this sea- son, as navigation on the upper river, owing to very low water, was practically ended. We left Fort Hamlin at daylight next morning and reached Dall River at 8 a. m. The water in the river was much lower than at the time of our first visit, but still high enough to enable the Nunivak to enter without difficulty. The day was spent in making a careful exam- ination of the stream to find the best location for la} r ing up the vessel, and finally a place about a mile from the mouth of the Dall was selected, and the Nunivak was hauled up to it and secured in such a way that she would rest on an even keel when the ice should form around her. In spite of the fact that no previous attempt had ever been made to spend the winter on board a vessel by other parties wintering in this region, we decided that it could be done much more comfortably than to shift our quarters into log houses on shore, as is the usual custom. In order, however, to have a place of shelter in case of any accident which would compel us to leave the vessel during the winter, all the superfluous stores were taken out of the Nunivak and stowed in a commodious log house which we found already built near the vessel, and which was afterwards repaired so that it would furnish the whole command ample room for occupancy if any event .should make it 46 necessary. In addition to the supplies of food and fuel which were placed in this house, all the paints, oils, and other inflammable mate- rial on board the Nunivak were transferred to the shore so as to guard as far as possible against accident by fire. These preparations occu- pied the command a week or ten days, and at the end of that time a system of winter routine was established, and all hands settled down to business with a realization that it would be at least eight months before we could move fiom our present position. The name selected for our winter quarters was Fort Shoemaker, in honor of Capt. Charles F. Shoemaker, R. C. S., who, as chief of the Revenue-Cutter Service, had been indefatigable in his efforts to extend the operations of the Service to this region, and to whom I was per- sonally indebted for many acts of consideration in the preparatory work of fitting out the vessel and the command for duty on the new station. CHAPTER IV. Three davs after our arrival at Fort Shoemaker the ice formed in the Dall and for a time it looked as if communication with the Yukon, which was still open, would be cut off. We had been led to hope that some other vessel might select the Dall as a place for winter quarters, and the early freezing over of that stream was on that account not very comforting. But much to our satisfaction the river opened again, and on the 3rd of October the steamer Leah, owned by the Alaska Commercial Company, and in command of Captain Dixon, arrived and took up quarters half a mile below Fort Shoemaker for the winter. The arrival of the Leah assured us that we would not be entirely isolated during the long winter and her quota of 25 officers and crew were hailed as a welcome addition to our little community. About this time one of the difficulties, which seem to be inseparable from the command of enlisted men in isolated situations, arose and for a short while gave me considerable uneasiness. The crew of the Nunivak was composed partly of volunteers transferred from other vessels in the Service and partly of men who had enlisted for the regular term of three years required by our regulations. With few exceptions the conduct of the men had hitherto been all that could be desired. But now that winter was nearly on us and it became evident that our short supply of fuel would have to be augmented by cutting wood for the use of the vessel during the winter a spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction manifested itself in numerous ways. Trivial complaints and petty grievances were of frequent occurrence, and finally when the work of laying up the vessel for the winter was finished and the men were ordered to begin cutting wood, with hardly a single exception the entire crew asked to be discharged. The reason given by the men for this request was stated to be that they had enlisted as seamen, firemen, etc., and that woodcutting was not one of their duties. I declined to entertain any requests for discharge whatever, and at a general muster of the crew I informed them that I should hold them strictly to the agreement under which they enlisted until their places could be filled by the enlistment of other men. I had made, as they well knew, every effort to purchase fuel for the vessel, and had failed to get enough to carry us through the winter. It would therefore be 47 48 necessary to cut enough wood to supply the deficiency, and they must obey my orders or take the consequences. I fully realized by this time that the minds of most of the men had been inflamed by the stories of fabulous riches acquired in the gold fields of Alaska, and that they had enlisted on the Nunivak with the preconceived intention of leaving her at the first opportunity after reaching the interior of the country. It was, however, imperatively necessary to maintain the command at its full strength, and while the most rigorous discipline was observed every effort was made to avoid exposing the crew to any unnecessary hardships and to make their sur- roundings as comfortable as possible. It can not be said that these efforts were altogether successful, as the men continued to be mood}" and at times irritating; but the work assigned to them was satisfac- torily performed and there were no further open expressions of dissatisfaction. Ice was first seen in the Yukon this season on October 3. It froze solid to the banks on each side of the river, leaving the channel still open. This shore ice gradually increased in width from day to day, and its daily growth could be easily determined by measuring the width of the furrow-like mass frozen to the main body of the ice during the previous night. The floating particles of ice gradually formed into cakes from 2 to 4 inches in thickness, which the action of the current formed into circular "pans" from 5 to 10 feet in diam- eter. The size of the "pans" gradually increased and finally choked the channel. The ice became cemented together into blocks of various thicknesses, which the current turned and twisted and piled onto each other in the wildest confusion. At last, when -all motion ceased, the frozen surface of the river was upheaved into ridges miles in length, and upon the high bars were acres of mimic bergs, which had been forced out of the channel by the tremendous pressure and left there until the spring break-up of the river should float them off again toward the sea. The ice did not cease moving in the Yukon until late in October, and it is probable that there were numerous open places and air holes through the ice which did not finally close for a month later. On November 6 the first mail "over the ice" was brought down the river by the mail man with a dog team. From that time until the breaking up of the ice in the spring travel on the river was uninterrupted. Meanwhile the ice in the Dall grew stronger with each night of freezing temperatures, and by the 10th of October it was firm enough to bear the weight of a man. As no great amount of snow had fallen to roughen the surface, a fortnight of splendid skating was enjoyed by all the members of the party who had been thoughtful enough to provide themselves with skates. After the middle of October a suc- cession of heavy snowstorms effectually put a stop to skating, and snowshoes came into requisition. H^ >raH 19 ~~***m HHi ; A / ~Jm RPr BsSiPS* §! / "r«*^H H«jj. • r^ s3&f * • » ■* ^t*-~* ■ j^B Pij'il •'{ WmJ^ : Ji BPliii ; i~iH K- ~~SMH " ' $ 1 ' •" 9 ■ 'SHU HL * x$i: 'tIoB 1 i"' i P ■■'S -""BHHB ai^B^K 'm^m^m^B het" l^ *» n£Sgj& t 1 9 V |V 49 Constant travel up and down the river and across the adjacent country by the Indians on their hunting trips, and by prospecting miners, soon made a network of trails leading in every direction, and afforded ample opportunity for our party to take such exercise as was necessary for the preservation of health. Hardly a day of winter passed that most of the members of the command did not spend at least a portion of the day in the open air. No inconvenience from the cold weather was experienced in temperatures ranging from —20° to —40° F. unless the wind was blowing, and as this was seldom the case after the tem- perature fell to —20°, our hunting parties were hardly ever kept indoors by inclement weather. Grouse and ptarmigan were fairly abundant throughout the winter and not only afforded excellent sport, but also furnished an agreeable change from our rather monotonous fare of canned meats. Two days of the week were set aside as holidays for the crew and permission was granted them to go hunting and trap- ping in the vicinity of Fort Shoemaker. With one or two exceptions, however, the men preferred to remain on board reading, smoking, or sleeping, rather than to go on hunting trips through the woods after game. As the regular drills and other duties gave them plenty of out-of-door exercise, I did not interfere with their method of spending the time given them for recreation and amusement. Books, periodicals, and magazines belonging to the officers were freely loaned to the crew, and no effort was spared to make life as pleasant for them as possible consistent with the maintenance of good discipline. The system of routine adopted for the government of the command during the winter was modeled on the plan of a ship's daily, weekly, and monthly bill of stations and duties, with such modifica- tions as were necessary to adapt it for our use, and it was carried out with regularity during the period of our enforced detention in winter quarters. The sj^stematic performance of the duties of the vessel gradually tended to render the men, if not exactly contented, at least less inclined to complain, and their general conduct was such as to make any severe disciplinary measures unnecessary except on one occasion. The exception to the general condition of good order occurred on the eve of Thanksgiving Day, 1899, when, by some means never dis- closed, the crew obtained a quantity of liquor and almost to a man became intoxicated. One of the seamen became so boisterous that he was restrained and made to keep quiet only after considerable diffi- culty. His influence in the crew was, I knew, a pernicious one, and his language and attitude of defiance of authority at this time was so disrespectful toward the officers who had attempted to quiet him that I deemed it best for all concerned to get him away from the ship. In accordance with this decision the man was summarily and dishonorably discharged from the Service the next day, with sufficient food given 50 him to reach the next settlement, and warned not to come on the reservation again under pain of arrest and trial before the civil authorities. The manner of his discharge and departure from the vessel apparently had a most salutary effect on the rest of the crew, for from that time on there was not a single case of drunkenness reported nor any other dereliction of duty requiring severer punish- ment than a simple reprimand or short confinement to quarters to maintain good order. The end of November found us in the midst of an Arctic winter. Snow fell with more or less regularity during this and the preceding month until now the country was covered to a depth of 3 feet or more with a mantle of spotless white. Every branch and twig of the smaller growth of trees, the willows and alders and birches, were sheathed in a gleaming armor of ice, and the tall, somber spruces car- ried upon their dark, spreading branches each its burden of fleecy snow. Hardly a breath of air stirred in the woods, and the lagging sun rose each day like a great silver disk and ran its course across a sky that was absolutely free from clouds. Long after the sun disappears below the crests of the mountains which lie to the south the radiance of his setting bathes the sky in tender color, now green and pink, now softest lilac, shot with silver threads, and gradually as night comes on the more delicate colors fade away and insensibh T the whole southern sky darkens to a splendid purple, lighted up by a host of trembling stars. The month of November was marked by the most brilliant displays of the aurora borealis observed during our stay in the North. Some of these displa} 7 s were so remarkable that we would frequently leave our warm quarters to watch the magnificent spectacle with fascinated interest while it lasted or until the intense cold would cause us to seek shelter. As a usual thing the auroral displays were observed to be most brilliant just previous to a period of lower temperatures; but they were rarely seen during the prevalence of excessively cold weather. The phenomena of the aurora have so often been described by abler writers that I shall not attempt to do so here. There are no words at my command adequate for the purpose. The spectacle must be seen to be fully appreciated, and for one who loves nature in all her moods nothing can be more beautiful — and at the same time so awe-inspiring — than this mystic northern light drenching the sky from the zenith to the horizon with cascades of ever-shifting color. Now set in rigid lines of prismatic hue, and again tremulous and waving in crinkling folds across the sky, festooning the firmament with clinging, silken fabrics, through which the light glows and filters with soft radiance, and again, breaking into myriads of glistening, flashing particles — a whole world of jewels — to be strewn across the interspace With such reckless prodigality as to blind the eye and confuse the mind and to make any mere word description of its wonderful beaut} r weak and futile. 51 The fine, clear weather of November was taken advantage of to lay in a good supply of wood to last us through the month of December, when the short hours of daylight and probable colder weather would make such work impossible. By the last week of the month the crew had cut and hauled to the vessel about 160 cords of wood, which, with the supply of coal on hand, would be sufficient to supply our wants until the lengthening days of the new year would permit the work in the woods to be resumed. Until this time we had not used the electric lights installed in the vessel on account of the increased quantity of fuel required to run the dynamo, but now that we had a good supply of wood on hand the lights were turned on at 2 p. m. and kept burning until bedtime. The better illumination of the quarters seemed to have a cheering effect on the spirits of everyone on board. On the 8th of December the sun did not rise above the hills lying to the south of us, and did not come into view again until January 6 of the new year. We did not experience any great amount of 'inconven- ience on account of the darkness, even after the sun had disappeared, as there was always at least four hours of moderately good daylight, and the nights, when the moon was full or nearly so, were almost as bright as day. During this period of short days the movements of the command were of course somewhat restricted, and short trips away from the vessel only were practicable. There was, however, plenty of work to do to occupy the time, and almost unnoticed the time passed and the lengthening of the days gave promise of the return of the sun. Christmas and the holidays passed very quietly, and the beginning of the new year found us again busy cutting wood and hauling it to the vessel to replenish the supply of fuel, which was now getting too low for comfort. The first week of January was marked by exceedingly cold weather. The temperature for three da}^s in succession was never higher than — 56° F. , and fell as low as — 62° F. During this time we experienced some difficulty in keeping the vessel warm, especially on the lower deck, but by keeping the doors and all approaches to that part of the ship closed and sealed up, and by the use of tarpaulins to prevent as far as possible the escape of heat radiated from the boilers, we man- aged to pass through this period of exceptionally cold weather, if not comfortably, at least without any great amount of suffering, and the fact that it is entirely feasible to live on a vessel built like the Nunivah during the coldest kind of weather was established beyond a doubt. During this cold snap all travel on the river and over the adjacent trails ceased, and the Nunivah became the asylum of some half a dozen traveling parties who applied to us for shelter. It was easier to take care of the men forming these parties than their dogs, for the arrival of each strange team was a signal for a general fight between our own 52 dogs and the newcomers, and finally, after settling among themselves the question of supremacy by numerous bloody battles, the whole community, consisting of some 50 or more dogs, would pass the nights howling and baying the moon. With the most hospitable inclinations, therefore, it was still with a feeling of relief that we bade good-by to our guests when the weather moderated and they proceeded on their several ways. On January 11 Lieutenant Blake and Assistant Engineer Wood left Fort Shoemaker with a dog team for the purpose of making a sled trip over the Koyukuk trail to the mountains which form the divide between the headwaters of the Dall and the Koyukuk rivers to ascer- tain the nature of the country and to gain practical knowledge of winter traveling. They were, however, driven back to the ship by the intense cold weather encountered on the first dav of their proposed journey, not however before they had gone through the experience of making camp and sleeping in a tent in a temperature of —56° F. It was found to be impossible for them to break camp and pack their effects on the sled during the prevalence of such excessively cold weather, so they left all standing and beat a retreat to the ship to await for more favorable conditions. A fresh start was made by the same officers on the 21st of January, and after accomplishing the task set before them in a very thorough manner they returned to head- quarters after an absence of two weeks. Lieutenant Blake's report of the journey and his chart of the ground covered during the trip is herewith appended. As soon after the holidays as the lengthening days made traveling practicable the Indians living in our neighborhood began to leave their winter quarters and to go into the mountains on their annual winter hunting expeditions after moose and caribou. There appeared to be no regular set time for their departure, each hunter and his family seeming to leave whenever the notion struck him or when it was most convenient to do so. As a rule the old men went first and the young bucks followed in the trails made by their elders, not so much as a sign of deference to age it is feared, as because in this wav- they avoided the hard work of breaking the first trails. By the first week in February the winter villages were practically deserted by all the Indians except the very old or feeble ones, and these were in many cases left to shift for themselves. One of our near neighbors, an Indian named Sam, who came to bid us good-by before starting off on his annual hunt, informed us that his old mother would be left behind, and in the course of the conver- sation the fact developed that the old woman was to be left without any food or means of procuring any during his absence. "But," we exclaimed, "what will she do?" U I don't know," he answered; "me tink bymeby she starve maybe." This was said in a way to suggest < 5 \- < ?< < -I O o 53 the thought that, according to his way of looking at the matter, that event would not be of any great importance or cause of great regret. We came to learn by longer intercourse with the Indians that Sam's apparent indifference to the fate of his old mother is t} T pical of the race. They are extremely unemotional, and generations of bitter struggle against adverse conditions have rendered them almost insensi- ble to the ordinary appeals of humanity. They are not, however, lack- ing in either generosity or affection, as is manifested in the tender regard the} T all have for their children and for each other in times of plenty. But when the pinch of poverty or want comes, with very few exceptions, these people display an amount of stoicism and lack of feeling which is remarkable when the fact of their long intercourse with the whites is considered. The middle of January saw the advance guard of the army of travelers bound for the new gold fields of Nome on their way down the river, and from this time until the cessation of winter travel on the river, in the spring, a steady stream of adventurous fortune- hunters passed our station on their way to the coast. With few excep- tions they passed without stopping at Fort Shoemaker, as they all appeared to be in too great a hurry to reach their destination to delay for the purpose of exchanging mere civilities. It is a remarkable fact, in connection with this stampede of people to Nome, that of the thousands of travelers, man} T of whom were without an} T previous experience of the vicissitudes of arctic travel, practically none of them suffered any serious injuries as a result of their long and arduous journey. Although we took pains to have those traveling informed of the fact that medical aid would be furnished free of charge to anyone requiring it upon application to the Xunivak, I do not think that our surgeon was called upon more than a half dozen times for assistance during the entire winter. Spring at Fort Shoemaker opened as gradually as winter had set in. There were no violent storms which in other regions characterize the change of seasons, and, with the exception of one or two windy days or an occasional heavy fall of snow, February and March passed and the long, bright, sunny days of April came upon us without any meteorological disturbance worth}' of note. The signs of spring were eagerly looked for, and I believe the wil- lows first showed evidences of renewed life. The buds began to swell on the trees favored by the sun, the bare branches and twigs lost their reddish tinge and assumed more and more the greenish brown color of their vernal covering, and all at once, it seemed, the catkins burst their bonds and boldly wooed the warm, life-giving sunlight. Snow began to melt on the trails and on exposed hillsides early in March and made the work of hauling wood to the vessel extremely arduous. Bv the middle of the month the condition of the trail was 54 so bad that sledding was impossible except during the early hours of the day, before the heat of the sun melted the snow. On the 6th of March 1 noted the first appearance in the woods of a flock of warblers (Dendroica Striata), and although we had short periods of very cold weather after that date, the middle part of the days was, as a usual thing, warm and pleasant. The snow rapidly disappeared from the ground, the trails became running rivulets of muddy^ water, and the vernal foliage burst into bloom with a sudden- ness that was amazing. On all sides now could be heard the blessed sound of running water trickling over the steep banks or babbling up in tiny runnels from hidden springs over which the iron hand of winter was still held, but with a weakened and relaxing grasp. On the 26th of March the work of cutting the ice from around the vessel was begun and by April 3 she was all clear and ready to float when the river should break up. The first week in April was marked by a period of disagreeable weather such as we had not experienced during the entire winter. 1 quote from my journal of April 4: The weather is cold and raw and is actually more disagreeable than during the coldest days of midwinter. All bird life has disappeared and even the omnipresent camp robbers (Perisoreus Canadensis) have deserted the vicinity of the ship and retreated for shelter to the dense thickets along the river banks. A high wind is blowing on the Yukon, and although we can not feel it in our sheltered position at Fort Shoemaker, its force is apparent from the swaying of the tree tops and the pres- ence in the air of a cloud of flying snow particles which make it exceedingly unpleasant to remain out of doors any length of time. In the midst of the gale one of our Indian neighbors, " Dummy Isaac," started out on a moose hunt, as it is under such conditions of wind and weather that the shy animal can be easiest approached. As he staggered past the vessel I noted the fact that he had only his rifle, snow shoes, and a small bag in which he carried his ammunition and a scanty supply of food. No blanket, sled, or tent was taken along, and although he might be gone three or four days on the trip he would be without shelter of any kind except what the woods afforded during the whole of that time. On April 8 a starving prospector limped painfully in from the Koyakuk trail and was given shelter and food on the Nunivak. At the time of his arrival suffering and privation had caused his mind to wander and it was not until several days afterwards that he was suffi- ciently recovered to tell his story. His name was Samuel Morris and he had started from the Kx^ukuk country late in March with a dog team, but upon reaching the divide he had been overtaken by a severe snowstorm, in the midst of which he lost the trail and wandered aimlessly around for several days until all of his food had been exhausted, when he mercifully turned his dogs loose from the sled to give them a chance to reach some settlement. How he reached the vicinity of Fort Shoemaker he never knew, as after abandoning his sled he became bewildered and wandered on with- 1 IM1VERSITY OF 55 out sense of direction or distance until he finally met one of the crew of the Nunivak who was out hunting and who brought him to the vessel. There seems to be no doubt that the disappearance of men in this country has been, in many cases, the direct result of f oolhardy attempts to travel alone. Such attempts are usually made by men who leave no record by which they can be traced, and their disappearance is never noticed until long after any effort to render assistance to them in case of disaster would be of any use. A bleaching skeleton, a mass of tat- tered and unrecognizable rags, and a few scattered articles of camp outfit, which might be the property of any prospector, may sometimes be found to tell the sad story of starvation and death. But it is a tragedy which has been played out to the bitter end without an audi- ence by an actor whose name will never be known, and in silence which is only broken by the wailing of the wind as it spreads a mantle of snow over the fallen form and sobs, and hurries on. A heavy rain fell on April 15, causing numerous leaks in the upper or hurricane deck to appear, through which the water entered and our living quarters were soaked. The constant heat maintained throughout the winter had no doubt caused the seams to open, and nothing could be done to remedy the evil until the woodwork of the upper deck had become thoroughly saturated with moisture and by swelling would return to its original position. Fortunately the downpour was not of long duration, and before a second shower came the leaks had almost disappeared. The annual migration of the geese and ducks was eagerly looked for by all hands, and hardly any incident of the year caused as much excite- ment as did the loud w, honk, honk, ho-unk" of a flock of geese which passed over the vessel from the southeast on the morning of April 20. Men dropped whatever work they happened to be engaged in to gaze on the welcome sight, and the air was filled with cries more or less gooselike in character to entice the migrants to alight. They, however, flew on without stopping, evidently bound for some more likely feed- ing ground farther north. In a week more the air by night and day was filled with the sound of millions of beating wings and the noisy clangor of arriving parties of geese and ducks. The hundreds of small lakes and lagoons which dotted the surface of the country to the north- west of Fort Shoemaker were now free of ice and were soon filled with the feathered visitants. The gunners of the party now spent most of their spare time hunting the birds, and succeeded in killing enough to furnish all the messes with an agreeable change of diet. But at this season the ducks and geese are in poor condition, and it really hardly pays to shoot them. By the latter part of April the ice in the Dall, which was from 5 to 6 56 feet thick, began to show signs of breaking up. I quote from my journal of April 28: Overcast and soft mild weather. Temperature, maximum, 48° F. ; minimum, 27° F. The ice in the Dall is melting rapidly, and large quantities of discolored water are flowing over the surface of the river. We cut a trench in the ice so as to turn the water into the ditch surrounding the ship, and at 1 p. m., with a hardly perceptible jar, she rose from her winter bed in the mud and floated. Owing to the impassable condition of the trails on the Yukon the mailman has discontinued his weekly trips by dog team, and our next mail will not be received until the opening of .boat navigation. Mosquitoes of large size were observed to-day for the first time, but are not as yet very troublesome. Flies and numerous insects were also noted during a short walk I took through the woods. Daylight lasts from 3.30 a. m. until 10 p. m., and even at midnight it is merely twilight, not dark. On April 30 I noted in my journal that — The Dall River ice is rotting and breaking up fast. Large masses of it floated down the river and jammed at the mouth, where its further progress was arrested by the ice in the Yukon, which is as yet solid and immovable. Pike weighing as much as 6 pounds were seen in the water around the ship to-day, and a number of this fine fish were obtained by shooting them with a rifle. They will not take a hook. The sound of running water, the smell of growing plants and blooming flowers, and, above all, the sight of moving masses of soft cumulous clouds in the sky, are cheering evidences that the long, dreadful stillness of winter is at last broken and spring is at hand. The ice in the Dall continued to run with more or less force until the 14th of May, at which date the river was practically clear. The water began to rise gradually at this time and the Indians predicted that the Yukon would be open inside of a week. It hardly seemed possible. Again I quote from my jourual: As the time approaches when we may reasonably hope to be released from our winter quarters, it is a curious fact that everyone seems to be more impatient and irritable than during the winter months. It is possible that the excessively long days now make it more difficult to get a sufficient amount of sleep, and this may account in a measure for the phenomena. Be that as it may, the fact remains that everyone is more or less destrait and uncommunicative. Even the dogs seem to share in the general feeling of gloomy irritability, and from having been as a usual thing extremely affectionate and playful, are now illnatured, quarrelsome, and morose. The ice in the Yukon had for two weeks shown signs of disintegra- tion, especially along the shore where the surface snow-water collected in pools it had slowly melted and broken away from the banks, form- ing in this manner lateral streams of sluggish water which daily increased in volume and force until the whole body of ice seemed to have been undermined by the current, and on the 16th of May it rose quietly from its resting place on the sand bars and moved downstream in a solid mass a distance of about a thousand yards. Here it jammed R A R r p 5s ^ Or THE UNIVERSITY OF 57 and the immense field of solid ice was broken into fragments and piled onto the shoal bars and along the banks of the stream in the wildest confusion. Coincident with the breaking up of the ice in the Yukon, the water in the Dall rose very rapidly and a new danger threatened the safety of the vessel. I quote from my journal of May 17: Fine, clear weather. Temperature, maximum 50° F. ; minimum, 34° F. The opening of the Yukon seems to have thrown so much water into the Dall that the current in the latter stream has almost ceased, and I fear that if a jam in the main river takes place below us we will be compelled to move farther upstream in order to avoid being crushed by the inflow of ice. Every preparation for a sudden move was therefore made, fhe lines by which the Nunivak was held to the shore were singled up and steam was ordered to be ready for immediate use. Later in the day, while I was anxiously watching the ice in the Yukon, which was at the time moving downstream at the rate of 7 to 8 miles per hour, a deaf and dumb Indian of our acquaintance, named Isaac, approached me, and with every evidence of great excitement finally gave me to understand that an ice jam in the Yukon was immi- nent, and if it did occur we would have to move upstream in the Dall. I at once informed Captain Young, of the steamer Leah, of the danger, and as his vessel was already under steam I requested him to watch the ice at the mouth of the river, and if it should begin to move up the Dall to give us warning by sounding his steam whistle. I then returned to the Nunivak to hasten our preparations for moving. The day ended with a strong southwest wind and a heavy downpour of rain. At midnight we were aroused by a warning blast of the Leatts whis- tle, and a few moments afterwards she was seen coming upstream stern foremost, sounding her whistle continuously. At 12.10 a. m. she came up with the Nunivak, and I was informed by Captain Young that the ice was beginning to run up the Dall and that we did not have a moment to spare. Lines* were quickly cast off from the bank and transferred to the Leah, and just as the ice was seen coming around the lower bend of the Dall both vessels started upstream. The abrupt bends of the river and the large size of the Nunivak made the work of navigation very difficult; but with the able assist- ance of the Leah, under the management of Captain Young, we suc- ceeded in getting about 3 miles up the Dall and safely mooring along- side a steep bank. We had hardly accomplished this work when the ice swept past us in huge masses, traveling at the rate of from 3 to 4 miles per hour, and although we received some hard blows the force of the impact was so much weakened by the jamming of the ice in the narrow and tortuous channel that no material damage was sustained. A few broken wheel buckets, and half a dozen windows in the lower house which were broken by sweeping branches, completed the list of our injuries. At -4 a. m. the ice ceased it's upward movement and shortly afterwards turned and began to run downstream. By noon of the 18th the Dall was again clear of ice, but not deeming it prudent to take any chances we remained upstream until the afternoon of the next da} T , when we dropped back to our old landing at Fort Shoemaker. 5661—03 8 58 On May 20 the steamer Leah left* Dall River, bound for Dawson, but as it was not my intention to venture out into the Yukon until the river was clear of the floating driftwood, which always follows the ice downstream, and still not wishing to have any vessel pass us without being subjected to examination, I detailed Lieutenant Camden to accompany the Leah on her journey up the Yukon as far as Circle City for the purpose of boarding and examining any vessels encountered on the way which otherwise might escape our scrutiny. Lieutenant Camden was also directed to obtain such information in regard to the Yukon as would be possible while on the trip, which would enable us to extend our chart of the river over the part so vis- ited. A small boat was furnished Mr. Camden in which the return trip was to be made, and he was accompanied on the expedition by Mr. Philip Godley, an agent of the Census Bureau, who had been at work several weeks in the vicinity of Fort Shoemaker, gathering statistics in regard to the population, and who volunteered to accompany Mr. Camden on his trip to Circle City and to assist him in handling the small boat on his way back to the ship. While we were waiting for better conditions to prevail in the Yukon before venturing out in the Nunivak, the crew was set at work painting the outside of the vessel, as we found that in many places the excessive cold weather of winter had caused the paint to peel off and leave the planking as bare as if it had been burned. This work occu- pied the crew for a week, and I took advantage of the opportunity to spend the greater portion of each day in the woods gathering speci- mens for our natural history collection. The willow thickets near the ship seemed to be a favorite nesting and breeding ground for the myriads of small birds which had arrived from their southern homes and taken up their quarters for the summer. The air was filled with the sweet notes of their caroling, and they were apparently so free from all sense of fear that it seemed a pity to take the lives of even the small number required as specimens. Among the few birds which remained in the vicinity of the vessel during the winter were the Canada jays (Perisoreus canadensis), and it was amusing to note their apparent resentment of the coming of the summer visitants. On one occasion I saw a jay coax a small warbler within reach \>x giving vent to a series of soft, alluring calls, ujitil the smaller bird was within strik- ing distance when it was suddenly set upon and given a severe beating by the treacherous jay. After this work had been done to his satis- faction, the jay perched himself on the highest limb of a neighboring tree and set up a most unearthly caterwauling, as if to warn all other warblers not to come on ground which he evidently considered as the property of himself and his kind alone. CHAPTER V. Before leaving our winter quarters at Fort Shoemaker I received information of the departure of the steamer Florence S, a Canadian vessel, from Dawson, bound for the Koyukuk River with a party of miners and prospectors, and as it was important that the vessel should be boarded and examined before she left the Yukon, I stopped at Fort Hamlin to await her arrival. While lying at Fort Hamlin, Frederick Edwards and James Cam- eron, two prospectors bound for Nome, applied to me for passage to the coast. The men claimed that they had originally started down the river in a small boat in company with two other men, it being under- stood that all the party should share equally in the labor and expense of making the trip. After reaching this point, however, they fell to quarreling, and Edwards and Cameron were forced to leave the boat by their two companions, and were put on shore at Fort Hamlin without food or money to make the rest of the journey down the river as best they could. Under these circumstances I received the men on board and issued them rations for their subsistence until we should reach the coast, or until they could secure employment on the river. Hundreds of small boats, scows, and rafts- were now daily seen on their way down stream, filled with men and women of all classes and nationalities bound for Nome or other places from which reports of new gold discoveries had spread to tempt them into making the long, wearisome journey. As we made our way slowly down the river these adventurous parties were constantly being overhauled, and hardly a day passed that we were not called upon to render assistance to some wrecked or stranded party, or to settle some question of disputed ownership of property between discontented and quarreling travelers. It was not unusual to see, floating down the river side by side, the two ends of a boat which had been cut into equal parts and patched up so as to afford transportation to both portions of some disrupted party which had taken this novel and heroic means of settling its differences. Most of the boats were constructed in the crudest manner and loaded to the guards with everything likely to be of value or profit in a mining camp. Boats and rafts, piled high with shovels, picks, stoves, clothing, food supplies, etc., in the midst of which, perhaps, 60 an assortment of restless and hungry dogs gave vent to their discon- tent in lugubrious howls; scow loads of horses gazing wistfully at the green shores, with now and then a lonely looking cow or beef cattle, worried and stung night and day by clouds of vicious mosquitoes, floated by us on the placid surface of the mighty river, all bound for that distant land of promise and prospective wealth, Nome. It was amusing to note the leisurely manner in which some of the travelers floated down the river, protected from the hot rays of the sun by improvised awnings, while others of less philosphical temper- ament would be pulling away at their oars as if life itself depended upon the utmost speed. I have mentioned a few incidents of the Nome stampede, not so much because it is pertinent to this report as for the reason that it must always be accepted as one of the remarkable incidents in the his- tory of Alaska. From the beginning of winter travel on the Yukon until the end of the summer of 1900 it is probable that upward of 3,000 people made their way by dog team, or by tramping and pulling their own sleds, and by small boats down the river to the coast. Many per- sons never reached their original destination, but either became dis- heartened on the way or turned aside to prospect more recently dis- covered gold fields than those in the Nome district. But taken alto- gether this great stampede of gold seekers must be considered one of the most remarkable movements of the kind which has ever occurred in the world's history of the search for the yellow metal. On May 27 the Canadian steamer Florence S, having on board some 40 passengers bound for Peavy, on the Koyukuk River, arrived at Fort Hamlin. Upon being boarded by an officer from the Nunivak she was found to be in ch,arge.of a custodian appointed by the collector of customs at Circle Cit}^ with instructions to report to the Nunivak for further orders before entering the Koyukuk, where there is no customs officer stationed. The master of the vessel informed me that he had received verbal permission from the United States consul at Dawson to engage in traffic on the voyage to and from his destined port within the territory of the United States. I told him that the law strictly prohibited any vessel other than one documented as a vessel of the United States from engaging in local traffic within our terri- tory, and if he did so it would be my duty to seize his vessel. After giving the custodian similar instructions and orders to communicate with the Nunivah after completing the voyage up the Koyukuk, the Florence S was allowed to proceed. We dropped down the river next day to the Pioneer coal mine, where a stop was made to take on a supply of coal. Lieutenant Camden and Mr. Godley returned to the ship from their trip up the river on the 29th of May. Mr. Camden reported that he had reached Circle City and while there had boarded the steamer 61 Florence 8, and had advised with the collector of customs as to the best way of allowing her to proceed. Copious notes for the chart for a distance of 355 miles of the steamboat channel of the Yukon were made, and much other valuable information of the region traversed was obtained. The return trip to the Nunivak was made in fifty -four hours, and Mr. Camden estimated the strength of the current in this part of the river to be 7 miles per hour. A full report of the journey of Lieutenant Camden is herewith appended. Having received on board 65 tons of coal, we left the Pioneer mine on the morning of May 30 and ran to Rampart City. A stop was made at this place to communicate with the authorities. On June 1 the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Victoria, bound for the Koyukuk River, arrived at Rampart, and upon examina- tion was found to be without marine documents of any kind on board. The vessel was accordingly seized. In view of the fact, however, that she was on her way to the upper waters of the Koyukuk with sup- plies and provisions for the mining camps in that locality, which had been reported as being in distress, I granted the master of the vessel permission to proceed on the voyage, but with the understanding that he was to immediately return, after landing the supplies, to St. Michael and there deliver the Victoria into the custody of the collector of customs at that place for trial. After a pleasant sojourn of four days at Rampart, during which time the command was the recipient of many kind attentions from the hospitable community, we took our departure on June 5 and stood on our way down the river. During the afternoon the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Leah from Dawson was boarded, and having ascertained from Captain Young that he was bound on a voyage up the Koyukuk River, and being desirous of obtaining some information in regard to the traffic on that stream, I directed Lieutenant Camden to take passage on the Leah for the trip and to return to the Nunivak at Nulato by June 20. The objects to be attained by- Lieutenant Camden while on this duty are set forth in the orders given him before leaving the Nunivak, a copy of which is herewith appended. On June 7 we passed through the Rampart Rapids and narrowly escaped getting ashore on an island, which was covered with water at this stage of the river, but which was exposed at the time of our pas- sage upstream. In passing through the narrow gorge we were run- ning at a rate of 20 miles per hour, and it was only by the exercise of exceedingly good judgment and some very quick work by Lieutenant Blake, who was handling the vessel at the time, that the danger was avoided. Without further mishap we reached Fort Gibbon at noon and made fast to the shore during the prevalence of a violent rain squall. In *pite of the inclement weather, Major Booth and his staff 62 of officers were on hand to welcome our return from winter quarters and to extend to the ship a cordial invitation to remain as long as pos- sible at the post and renew the pleasant friendships that had been formed at the time of our first visit. Many new buildings had been erected at the post during the winter, and the sight of well-made dwellings, graded streets, and the constant hum of machinery gave the place an air of civilization somewhat out of keeping with its wild surroundings. Major Booth informed me that the sawmill at the post had been kept in operation nearly every day during the winter, and had been of immense assistance in supply- ing lumber for the construction of the buildings for the accommoda- tion of the members of his command. There were at the time of our visit 165 enlisted men on duty at the post and about the same number of civilian employees at work on the premises. Assistant Engineer Wood having reported some slight repairs to the machinery as being necessary, I directed him to have the work done here, where a good blacksmith shop had been put at our disposal through the courtesy of Major Booth. While lying at Fort Gibbon several vessels bound down the river from Dawson were boarded and examined and two, the Alaska Explo- ration Company's steamer F. K. Gustin and the steamer Dawson City, owned b} T private parties, were reported to the collector of customs at St. Michael for infractions of the law. On June 11, having completed the repairs to the machinery, we bade good-bye to our army friends and left Fort Gibbon for down the river. At the request of Maj. C. A. Booth, IT. S. Army, who was under orders to leave for the States, he was received on board for pas- sage to St. Michael. During the afternoon the steamer Florence $. was met on her return from the Koyukuk River, and we stopped to communicate with her. Mr. Pond, the custodian of the vessel, reported that the trip had been made in accordance with the instructions received by him from me, and that the vessel had not been engaged in any illegal traffic on the river. She was thereupon allowed to proceed. We arrived at Nulato on June 12, and stopped there to await the return of Lieutenant Camden from the Koyukuk River. At Nulato we found encamped some 50 or 60 prospectors who had grown tired of floating down the river and were now awaiting some other means of transportation to the coast. 1 received numerous applications to be furnished passage on the Nunivak, but as no one appeared to be actually destitute or in distress, 1 declined to receive anyone on board. Quite a number of Indians were gathered at Nulato getting their fish traps ready for the expected run of salmon on the rivetf, building birch-bark canoes, cutting up driftwood' for sale to the steamers and otherwise busily employed. UNIVERSITY OF 63 Complaint having been made to me by some of the Indians that a party of white men encamped at this place had taken some driftwood collected by the Indians and used it for firewood without paying for it, and had refused to either pay for it or replace what had been used, I caused the men to be brought before me and investigated the matter. It having* been proved that the story of the Indians was true, I required the men to replace the wood and told them to break their camp and move on down the river, as their presence was likely to cause trouble. Shortly after our arrival at Nulato 1 learned that an Indian boy had been accidentally shot and killed by a companion during the winter, and that a meeting of the principal men of the tribe was about to be held to determine what was to be done in the matter. When the meeting took place all the Indians in the vicinity were present and were harangued by the shaman of the tribe for several hours. From the deck of the Nunivak everything which took place at the meeting could be observed and we could even hear what was said. I ascertained by means of an interpreter that the shaman was advising the parents of the dead boy to seize the person who had been responsible for the killing and to hold him as a slave. He further- more informed them that if he refused to work for their support that it would be their right and duty to take his life as a blood atonement for that of their son. As there was no one in authority in the settlement to interfere and prevent the execution of this sentence, I joined the meeting and informed the Indians that I had heard the decision of their council and that the Government of the United States would not permit them either to make a slave of the dead boy's companion or to take his life. If it could be proved that the act was done in anger or inten- tionally, which it appeared was never charged, then the Government would arrest the murderer and punish him. But, on the other hand, if any harm whatever came to him at the hands of the Indians, the Government would surely catch them if it took every soldier in the country to do so, and would send them far away and hang them. As for the shaman, I told him that he was telling the Indians lies and was giving them bad advice, and if he did not immediately stop doing so I would take him on the Nunivak down to the ocean and send him away on a big ship, and that he would never see his home again. The meeting broke up in disorder and the shaman evidently did not consider himself safe from arrest until he had placed a wide stretch of country between us, as he immediately got into his canoe and paddled away and was not seen or heard of again. As a sequel to this incident I would state that on the way up the river some weeks afterwards, the boy whose life had been threatened made himself known to me at one of the fishing camps near Nulato, and informed me that the matter had been amicably settled between 64 himself and the parents of the dead Indian, and that he was in no further danger. On June 16 the steamer Seattle No. 3, owned by the Seattle- Yukon Transportation Company, arrived at Nulato and upon examination was found to have on board, in addition to an excessively large crew, 165 passengers, and was towing a barge in which were carried 75 additional passengers and 10 horses. After an inspection of the ves- sel had been made by an officer of the Nunivak, I decided that it would not be safe for the Seattle to accept any more passengers for transportation to St. Michael, and so informed the master of that ves- sel. He claimed, however, that the number of passengers allowed by law for him to carry on the barge was greater than the actual number then on board, and the pressure for passage from this point was very great and asked that he be allowed permission to receive them on board. But in view, however, of the fact that the 10 horses on the barge were occupying space originally intended for the accommodation of passengers, and that the appliances for saving life in case of accident were, at the best, very meager, I declined to alter my decision. A number of the campers on the beach who had crowded on the vessel to secure passage down the river when she landed were compelled, much against their wishes, to go on shore again. A quantity of fine grayling (Tliymallus signifer) and salmon trout {Salmo trulta) were taken by some of the officers with hook and line from a small stream known as the Klatahenah River, which empties into the Yukon at Nulato. The fishing afforded considerable sport, but the myriads of mosquitoes which swarmed out of the dense under- growth along the banks of the stream and attacked the fishermen made the undertaking too disagreeable to be long continued. Both kinds of fish rose rapidly to any bright-colored fly used as a bait, and they were game enough to furnish excellent sport if protection could have been had from the mosquitoes. It was almost impossible at this sea- son of the year to remain any length of time in the woods or away from the immediate banks of the Yukon without wearing gloves and a hood made of fine netting to cover the head and face. Without this protection the vicious insects made life almost unendurable. Fortu- nately for those whose lives must be spent in this country, the mos- quito season is comparatively short. Beginning in May, it reaches its height in June, and by the middle of July it is on the wane. In August the mosquitoes are no worse in Alaska than they are in many other regions, but their place is taken by a minute gnat which swarms in inconceivably large numbers, and it is hard to decide which is the greater evil, the mosquitoes or the gnats. On June 20 the steamer Leah arrived at Nulato from ner trip up the Koyukuk River and Lieutenant Camden returned on board the 65 Nunivak, and reported that he had mapped the Koyukuk from its junction with the Yukon to a point 450 miles upstream. In addition to this important duty he had boarded and examined all vessels found engaged in commerce on the river. The full report of Lieutenant Camden's journey, including a copy of the chart made of the region traversed, is appended herewith. Captain Young, of the Leah, informed me that the shaft of his vessel had been cracked while on the Koyukuk and he requested us to convoy him as far as Andreafski, at which place he hoped to be able to repair the injury. Arrangements were accordingly made to keep within touch of the Leah on the way down the river, and on the morning of June 21 we left Nulato and ran to Holy Cross Mission, where a stop was made to ascertain if we could be of any assistance to the members of the community. Information had been previously received that a native boy at this place had been injured by the accidental discharge of a gun while he was hunting, and that it had become necessary to amputate his foot. We found, however, that the injured boy had been sent down the river by Father Crimont for treatment at St. Michael. We remained at Holy Cross for the night, and while there we obtained a magnificent king salmon, the first of the season's run. It weighed 52 pounds and furnished a delicious meal for everyone on board. The weather for several days had been exceedingly unpleasant. Heavy rains lasting from six to ten hours had fallen, accompanied by a strong southwest wind, which blew directly upstream. But on the afternoon of June 22 the wind died away until it was almost a calm. The heavy clouds rolled upward from the tops of the mountains, which for several days had been shrouded in mist, and as the sun lowered in the west the atmosphere took on a soft luminous quality, through which all objects appeared to be bathed in opalescent color. Innumerable song birds trilled and warbled from the adjacent shores, where the dense vernal foliage covered the undulant hillsides, rushed down the steep canyons, and poured in a perfect cascade of color over the vari- tinted faces of the bluffs, while every detail of leaf and blossom was mirrored in the calm surface of the river. As we sped on our way, the eye, grown tired of the vivid splendors of the northern shore, turned for rest to where the tundra plains stretch away league on league to the shadowy lilac-tinted mountains in the south. Each tiny lake and willow-fringed lagoon glowed like a blood- red jewel set in an emerald field, while flocks of geese, alarmed at our approach, rose from their feeding grounds with strenuous clangor and drifted off in countless numbers to some securer resting place in the vast expanse of radiant marshes and rolling tundra lands. We reached Andreafski on the afternoon of June 22, and took advantage of this opportunity to wash out the boilers and fill the tanks with the clear water of the Andreafski River. While engaged 66 in this work, the steamer Leah came into port, and, after communi- cating with the shore, Captain Young informed me that it would be impossible for him to repair the damage done to the LeaNs shaft at this place, or even get it into condition to make the trip to St. Michael in safety. As he had on board 90 passengers and was short of pro- visions, he requested our assistance to reach that port. In accordance with this request, the Leah was lashed alongside of the Nunivah, this being the most effective manner of towing her through the narrow channels of the lower river, and next morning we left Andreafski and proceeded on our way downstream. Shortly after leaving Andreafski a dense fog was encountered, and at times both shores of the river would be lost to view. Navigation of the tortuous channels under these conditions proved somewhat difficult, but thanks to the accuracy of the chart made b} T the officers on the way upstream we succeeded in reaching the mouth of the river, with the Leah in tow, next morning without mishap of any kind. The Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Hannah was met at the lower part of the Aphoon, and ascertaining from her master that the harbor of St. Michael was now clear of ice, we crossed the bar and stood out to sea on the course for St. Michael. At 6 p. m. of June 24 we reached St. Michael and, casting loose from the Leah, we came to anchor, and were welcomed back to the coast by numerous steam whistles on the vessels which were already in port. The day previous to our arrival at St. Michael the U. S. S. Bear, Capt. Francis Tuttle, Revenue-Cutter Service, commanding, had reached port from the outside, having on board supplies for the Nunivah and the weather at this time being fine and the sea smooth we went along- side that vessel at 4 a. m. of June 25 and began at once to receive our stores. On June 26 the TT. S. S. McCulloch, Capt. M. A. Healy, Revenue- Cutter Service, commanding, arrived with an additional quantity of stores for us and the day was spent in taking them on board. Arrange- ments were also made with Captain Healy for the transfer of the boat- swain, carpenter, a fireman, and a boy from the McCulloch to the Nunivah. Dr. Pratt, who had been attached to the Nunivah as surgeon during the winter, having signified his desire to leave the Service, left the vessel at this place, much to the regret of all on board. He had proved himself to be a most agreeable shipmate and a thoroughly competent officer while attached to the command and it was with mutual expres- sions of regard and best wishes that he resigned his position and took up the duties of a position which had been offered him on shore. The duties of surgeon of the Nunivah were at once assumed by Dy. James T. White, who had arrived for the purpose on the McCulloch. The hurried manner in which our stores had been received from the CO n. * O tr < Z CD 67 Bear and Me Culloch made it impossible to properly stow them in the Nunivak; so, shifting our anchorage from the outer harbor to a more sheltered situation farther inside, the work of getting our supplies into shape was undertaken. . Meanwhile a number of the seamen who had shown most discontent during the winter were discharged and their places were filled by the enlistment of others more experienced in the vicissitudes of life in Alaska, and we were on the point of leaving St. Michael for our sta- tion on the river when the news of an epidemic of smallpox at Nome reached port. Under these circumstances I delayed our' departure from St. Michael, feeling certain that in the event of a quarantine being found necessary at this port, the Nuni/oak could be more advan- tageously employed in assisting the authorities to maintain a quaran- tine of the port than by attending to any other duties on the river. I felt almost certain that if the disease ever reached St. Michael its spread up the river could be hardly prevented, and once in the river its progress through the country would be like wildfire. All other duties were, therefore, for the time relegated to a position of secondary importance. On the 3d of July, by order of Brig. Gen. George M. Randall, U . S. Army, commanding the Department of Alaska, a quarantine of the harbor of St. Michael was established against all vessels arriving from Nome and coastwise ports to the westward, and I immediately called upon General Randall and signified my desire to cooperate with my command in the work of maintaining the quarantine. This tender of services was accepted, and preparations were at once made to guard the harbor. The Nunivak was again anchored in the outer harbor, where an extensive view of the shipping could be had, and a night and day watch was maintained until the quarantine was raised. All vessels and boats arriving from sea were subjected to a rigid examination by a boarding officer and the surgeon of the Nunivak, and such craft, with their passengers, as were found to come within the restrictions of the quarantine were ordered to the anchorage of the detention camp established at Egg Island, some 10 or 12 miles from St. Michael. As an additional precaution against the landing of suspects a code of signals between the Nunivak and the army authorities was arranged, and sentinels were posted at convenient points on shore, with instruc- tions to notify the Nunivah of the approach of all vessels and small boats toward the land in ample time to have them intercepted and examined before reaching the limits of the harbor. All mail matter intended for St. Michael or in transit for points on the river was first brought on board the Nunvvak and fumigated, under the direction of the surgeon of the vessel. 68 The quarantine lasted from July 3 until the 21th, when, all danger of the spread of the disease having passed, it was raised and we resumed our usual duties. About this time reports began to arrive giving information of the prevalence of an epidemic of sickness among the natives along the coast from the mouth of the Yukon to as far westward as Cape Prince of Wales. The condition of the people soon became so bad that it was evident some steps must be taken by the Government to render assistance to them, or, failing this, great suffering from sickness and starvation would result. A consultation of the local army and Treas- ury officials was held, and it was decided, in view of the urgent nature of the case, that it would be necessary to immediately supply the natives with food, clothing, and medicines to tide them over their present distressed condition. In accordance with this decision a quan- tity of supplies were purchased from the local trading companies by Special Agent of the Treasury Joseph Evans, who was on duty at St. Michael, and placed on board the U. S. S. Bear for distribution to the natives along the coast to the westward, while the work of caring for the destitute ones in the immediate vicinity of St. Michael was under- taken by the army authorities. From vessels arriving from the Yukon it was ascertained that the prevailing sickness had spread to the natives along the banks of the river in the region of the delta, and as we were about to leave for the region I suggested to Colonel Evans the advisability of placing some supplies on the JSfunivah for distribution to the sick and need} 7 Indians in that locality. Acccordingly a supply of food was taken on board for that purpose, and on the 13th of August we left St. Michael for our second journey up the Yukon. Our progress across the Flats was made without incident worthy of note, and we entered the Aphoon mouth of the river at 8.30 a. m. of August 14. At Kotlik, 7 miles upstream, a party of the army tele- graph construction corps was passed, and from some of its members we learned that many of the natives were sick and some had recently died from starvation as a result of their inability to catch their usual sup- ply of fish during the summer. As we journeyed on the serious con- dition of affairs became more manifest with every mile of advancement upstream. The epidemic of measles, which appears to have origi- nated on the coast, was now attacking the natives of the interior, and so rapidly had it spread that there was not a single settlement along the river from the coast to a distance of 1,000 miles upstream that was not more or less affected. How bad the condition realty was we did not learn until later. In most cases the attack of measles was followed by pneumonia, brought on no doubt by exposure. At this season of th*e year the natives live in thin tents or rude bark shelters, in which it is impos- sible for them to keep dry, as rains are of frequent occurrence. 69 Under these adverse conditions the poor creatures, for the most part living in isolated situations seldom or never visited by the whites, were simply dying like flies. Night and day we pushed on up the river, visiting every native camp where signs of life could be observed, and everywhere the same condition of suffering and distress was found to exist. In places the whole community would be found either sick and starving or else so weak from insufficient nutrition as to be entirely helpless. In many oases the corpses of those who had died were left unburied in the tents because there was no one strong enough to perform the work of burial. At Dog Fish Village, where we arrived on August 18, we found that out of a population of 27 souls only 7 remained, and of these only 2 were strong enough to take care of the food and medicines we left for them. At this place the bodies of some of the dead had been so inse- curely buried that the dogs had dug them up, and the mangled remains were scattered over the ground where the animals had been feeding off them. Everywhere was there the unmistakable evidence of terrible suffering, absolute .neglect, and grim despair. The only exception to this rule was at places in the vicinity of the trading posts or church missions. At Andreafski all the natives were sick and had been attended to by the agent, Mr. Fredericks, until he fell sick himself, and when we arrived we found him helpless. At Russian Mission Father Korchinski and his assistant had worked nobly to alleviate the sufferings of their native charges, and at Holy Cross we found the sick people had been taken care of by the priests and sisters of the mission with a tenderness and devotion which no words can adequately describe. About 200 natives live at or near Holy Cross Mission, all of whom had been sick, and 57 had died up to the time of our visit. Besides those directly under the care of the mission, the fathers had visited and attended to the wants of the natives at various settlements along the river within reach by boat, and their work had been constant, arduous, and self-sacrificing almost to the limit of human endurance. The mother superior of the mission had, in fact, died as a result of exposure and overwork while ministering to the sick Indians, and there was not one of the little community of Christian men and women who did not show the evidences of long days of weary watching and constant attention to the wants or their stricken fold. And yet on all their faces there was such an expression of patient cheerfulness that the heart must be made of stone that could remain unmoved in the presence of such absolute and unostentatious devotion to duty. At Holy Cross we received on board the Rev. Aloys A. Ragaru and Sister Mary Antonio, of the Mission of St. Peter Clavers at Nulato, for transportation to that place, and on August 23 we resumed our journey upstream. 70 Arriving at Anvik at noon of the 24th, we ran in to communicate with Mr. Chapman, in charge of the Episcopalian mission at this place, and found the 150 natives under his charge were all sick and that his supply of medicines was almost exhausted. Mrs. Sabin, the superin- tendent of the native school here, had been working steadily fifteen hours a day for ten days attending to the wants of her pupils, all of whom had been sick at the same time, but thanks to her devotion all of them had recovered. Thirty-seven deaths had taken place among the Indians of the village adjoining the mission and many more of them were not expected to live at the time of our visit. After visiting and prescribing for the sick and placing a supply of medicines on shore in charge of Mr. Chapman, we left Anvik at 4 p. m. and continued our progress up the river. The various native camps and trading stations where the Indians were gathered were vis- ited and such assistance as was possible was given them. At Greyling we stopped for the night and found 65 Indians encamped and being cared for by Mr. R. G. O'Sbea, an independent trader located at this place. In one of the tents on the beach a baby lay dead on a little mat of birch bark and the women of the family were crouched over the body chanting its death song. The men of the family sat outside the tent huddled around a logwood fire, apparently indifferent to the scene of mourning which was being enacted over the body of the dead child; but it may be that their indifference was only assumed and that their grief, though silent, was as sincere as that of the wailing women inside the tent. Who can tell % Upon our arrival at Nulato the condition of the natives along the river had been ascertained to be so much worse than had been antici- pated before our departure from St. Michael that I reported the facts to Colonel Evans and strongly urged him to send additional supplies, as quickly as possible, to the several missions and trading posts on the lower river for distribution to the Indians. The lateness of the season and the knowledge that the prevailing condition of sickness and distress among the natives extended still further upstream made it impracticable to turn back with the Nunivdk to get these fresh supplies. 1 therefore relied upon Colonel Evans and the army authorities at St. Michael to arrange the matter of trans- portation, and subsequent events proved that this action was the best that could have been taken under the circumstances. Upon receipt of my letters of advice Colonel Evans acted promptly, and with the hearty cooperation of the army authorities and the manager of the Alaska Commercial Company ample supplies of food, clothing, and medicines were hurried up the river and left at the various stations and missions in the hands of responsible parties for distribution. This wqrk was so efficiently done that starvation to hundreds of the Indians was undoubt- edly averted, their immediate wants supplied, and returning 1 health 71 soon saw the remnants of the several communities once more self- supporting. The weather during the month of August was unusually disagreeable. Cold winds and driving rain storms made our journey anything but a pleasant one, and it was not until our arrival at Fort Gibbon on August 30 that the usual fine weather characteristic of the Yukon Valley was experienced. Here blue skies and warm sunshine succeeded the dull, moisture-laden atmosphere of the lower river, and once more our eyes were gladdened by the sight of verdure-clad hills and valleys filled with blooming flowers. The prodigal display of color in the landscape at this season of the year makes it appear as if all nature were uniting in one vast assemblage of flaming leaf and blooming shrub to say good-bye to earth before the coming of winter, and to die in a blaze of glory. As we journeyed up the river our frequent stops at the wood yards gave Dr. White and myself opportunities for short rambles in the woods to gather specimens for our natural history collections. Blue- berries of two varieties, the high and low bush cranberries, raspberries, currants, salmon berries, gooseberries, bearberries, and a species of edible rose-hip were found in abundance and furnished an agreeable addition to our larder. The doctor was an enthusiastic collector of material for the herba- rium and seldom returned from a trip through the woods without hav- ing obtained some new specimens for the collection, and always brought back quantities of wild flowers with which our quarters were decorated and the surroundings made to appear more homelike and cheerful. The season was now so far advanced that the mosquitoes had almost disappeared, but their place was taken by swarms of minute gnats whose presistent attentions were quite as annoying though not as painful as those of the mosquitoes. The gunners of the party, whose tramps usually extended to some distance inland from the river, fre- quently returned empty handed, not on account of the scarcity of the game so much as because the attacks of swarms of gnats simply drove them wild and made careful shooting impossible. We passed through the Rampart Rapids safely and with very little trouble on September 4, and the next day reached Rampart Cit} T . Here a stop was made to clean boilers and make some slight repairs to the machinery and also for the purpose of allowing the crew to pur- chase some needed articles of winter clothing from the army commis- sary depot located at this place, permission to obtain these articles having been kindly granted by the department commander. While at Rampart City I received notification from the Department of the detachment of Assistant Engineer Wood from the Nunivak and his assignment to the U. S. S. Bear, and the information that Assistant Engineer T. G. Lewton, R. C. S., had been directed to join the 72 JVunivak as the relief of Mr. Wood. The latter officer was therefore directed to hold himself in readiness to take the next steamer met on her way to St. Michael, where the Bear could be joined in obedience to his orders. After a pleasant stay at Rampart City of a few days, we left there on September 7 and ran to the Pioneer Coal Mine where we stopped and took on board 65 tons of coal for winter use. Proceeding slowly up the river and stopping at various places on the way, we reached Fort Shoemaker on September 13 and put on shore at our winter quarters a quantity of stores. The Indians in the vicinity were found to be suffering from the prevalent sickness and lack of food. Dr. White visited the village daily and prescribed for them, and a supply of food was given them from the emergency ration of the JVwrivak sufficient for their immediate wants and we then returned to Fort Hamlin on the Yukon and resumed our duties on the river. The steamer Robert Kerr was boarded on her wa} r from St. Michael to Dawson, with a cargo of refrigerated meats, eggs, etc., on board. Through the kindness of Mr. Sedden, the manager of the company, we received a very acceptable present of a quantity of fresh beef and a couple of fine turkeys, all of which was very much enjoyed, as we had had nothing in the way of fresh meats since our departure from the coast. On September 15 the steamer Susie from St. Michael arrived on her way to Dawson, and we were all delighted to welcome Lieut. W. J. Wheeler, R. C. S., who had been ordered to duty on the JVunivak, and after a somewhat exciting chase of over 1,000 miles up the Yukon had finally overtaken us at this point. At the time of his departure from the coast Lieutenant Wheeler had heard nothing of Mr. Lewton's movements, nor could he give me any information as to the probability of any other vessel coming up the river later than the Stcste, by which that officer could join us before the closing of navigation. On the 16th of September the steamer P. B. Weare was boarded on her way from Dawson to St. Michael, and as this vessel would prob- ably be the last one to reach the coast before the closing of navigation 1 directed Assistant Engineer Wood to take passage on her, in obedi- ence to his orders of detachment. This left the vessel without an engineer officer, but I had no doubt that Mr. Lewton would manage to get to us in some way, and as we were fortunate in having two very competent enlisted machinists attached to the vessel who could carry on the duties in the engineer's department satisfactorily unless some unforeseen accident should occur, I had no hesitation in pursu- ing the course I did in regard to Mr. Wood's orders, especially as they were of a character as left me no discretion in the matter. Meanwhile active preparations were being made to get a ^upply of wood into Dall River for winter consumption. Our experience of the previous year led me to believe that it would be impossible to procure 73 a sufficient quantity of fuel to last through the winter by cutting it near our station. We therefore busied ourselves during the day in taking on wood wherever it could be obtained in the immediate vicinity of Dall River and transporting it to Fort Shoemaker when the vessel was loaded. In this way we succeeded in getting about 160 cords landed at Fort Shoemaker before the closing of the river drove us into winter quarters. The weather during the latter part of September was clear and cold, with the temperature ranging from 34° to 10 3 F. during the day, but considerably lower at night. I quote from my journal of Sep- tember 20: Ice forms'on the deck of the vessel at night, and the tops of the mountains and some of the lower hills are covered with newly fallen snow. The bright-colored autumn leaves are falling in showers from the poplar and birch trees, and the smaller plants are beginning to shrivel up and turn brown. There is that strange cessation of noise on all sides which seems always to presage a change in atmos- pheric conditions, and all at once we realize that summer is ended. On the 20th of September the steamer D. R. Campbell, from Daw- son to St. Michael, was boarded and 1 was handed a letter from the master of the steamer Robert Kem\ informing me that the vessel had become disabled by the breaking of the shaft of one of her wheels when near Circle City, and requesting the assistance of the Nunivak to convoy him to Dawson. The lateness of the season and the fact that all the passengers of the Kerr had been transferred to another vessel for transportation to Dawson, thereby relieving the situation from danger of any loss of life, led me to decide not to attempt to perform this service. My decision in the matter was strengthened, also, by the facts that the Nuniwtfs cruising ground did not extend beyond Dall River and only the most urgent necessity would warrant me in going beyond these limits; there was no imminent danger to the Kerr in her present condition, as she could easily reach a safe place in which to spend the winter, and, furthermore, there were at least three commercial steamers to iny certain knowledge within reach of com- munication from her in case the assistance asked for was absolutely necessary. On September 21 the steamer Alice, bound up the river, arrived from St. Michael, and I informed her master, Captain Moore, of the condition of the Kerr and sent word b}' him to the master of the latter vessel that it would be impracticable for the Nunivak to come to his assistance. On the 22d of September the steamer Bella passed on her way down- stream and I was informed by her master that the river was falling very rapidly in its upper portion and that he did not think any other vessel would attempt to come down this yesiv. He hardly expected to be able to reach the coast himself, but might succeed in getting 5661—03 11 74 as far as Andreafski. I was also very much relieved to hear from the Bella that the Kerr had patched up her broken shaft and was making her way to Dawson without assistance. On September 27, while lying in Dall River, smoke from a steamer coming up the river was observed and we ran down to board her. The vessel proved to be the North American Trading and Transport tation Compan} T 's steamer ttywers, from St. Michael bound for Dawson. I fully expected to find Mr. Lewton on board, and was much disappointed when I found that he was not. The master of the Powers informed me that his vessel would probabty be the last one to leave St. Michael for the upper river this } r ear, and after kindly waiting for us to get our mail ready for transmittal to the outside he proceeded on his way and we returned to Dall River. The duties of the command on the Yukon now being practically ended for the season, and there being a considerable amount of work to do at Fort Shoemaker in order to get the ship comf ortabl} T arranged for the winter, I decided to delay no longer, but proceed at once to lay the vessel up. The duties of the command during the season just closed had been for the most of the time exacting and arduous. Much of the work per- formed had been unexpectedly thrust upon us by unforeseen circum- stances, but neither the additional duty in connection with the main- tenance of the quarantine at St. Michael nor that which later fell to us in rendering assistance to the distressed Indians along the river had interfered with the performance of our regular duties on the sta- tion. Every vessel engaged in traffic on the river had been boarded and carefully inspected, to see that they were in compliance with the law, at least once, in some cases more times, during the season. Sev- eral reports of infraction of law had been made to the proper author- ities, assistance to vessels and persons had been rendered whenever a legitimate case of distress or destitution had been encountered, law and order had been enforced on several occasions where the Nunivak was the only representative of the Government at hand, the steamboat channel of upward of 1,000 miles of river navigation hitherto uncharted had been accurately mapped, and, finally, much useful information of the country and its products had been obtained by the officers of the vessel while attending to their regular duties. A feeling of general satisfaction and cheerfulness therefore pervaded the command when the signs of approaching winter informed us that the disagreeable summer, with its attendant trials, was a thing of the past, and it was with an actual consciousness of relief that we entered upon the second winter's occupancy of Fort Shoemaker. CHAPTER VI. One of the first duties after reaching Fort Shoemaker was to get a number of dogs belonging to the vessel, and some which were private property of the officers, ashore and out of the way on board. These animals had been confined on board for upward of two months, with hardly a single opportunity of getting any exercise on shore, and their presence on the vessel from first to last had been an unmitigated nuisance to even^one on board. Now that the time for their removal had arrived, it is hard to saj T which were more pleased at the change of their living quarters, the people who had been annoyed by the dirt and noise which their presence on board made, or the dogs themselves, who showed their joy on being released by the most extravagant antics when they finally were set at liberty. Among our dogs were 9 which had been secured for the use of the command by Capt. Francis Tut- tle, Revenue-Cutter Service, commanding the U. S. steamship Bear, in Siberia. It was thought that these animals would be superior to those on the Alaskan mainland. But shortly after their arrival on the Nunivah nearly all of these dogs were taken sick, and several died after a lingering and painful illness of a week or ten days from the time of first seizure. It was at first thought that the dogs had been poisoned by eating food which had been prepared in a brass kettle. But as none of the other dogs seemed to be attacked, we finally decided that the long confinement of the animals on the Bear in transit from Siberia and their subsequent journey on the Nunivak, together with the change from their accustomed form of diet, all tended to make them sick. As a matter of fact, however, the Siberian dogs are not as well adapted for use in Alaska as the native-born ani- mal, and with one or two exceptions none of those which had been secured for our use at so much trouble by Captain Tuttle could stand up to the work cut out for them by the dogs which we had purchased on the Yukon River. A whole volume would be necessary to write a complete description of the dog, his peculiarities, habits, training, endurance, etc. , and in point of fact no report of this region would be complete without taking this subject into consideration. A good dog team is absolutely necessary to the traveler in this country in the winter time, and in spite of various proposed substitutes all efforts 75 76 to find a more suitable or efficient method of transportation have been more or less failures. 1 shall endeavor in another part of this report to give some idea of the manner in which dogs are raised, trained, and handled in this country, and as our experience with the animals was somewhat varied and extensive the results of our observations may be of some interest. On the 1st of October we were very glad to hear the sound of a steamer's whistle in the Yukon, and as ice was running in that stream we felt assured that it was from some vessel which was making for the Dall River as a haven for winter quarters. Our surmise proved correct, for in a short time the steamer Alice, belonging to the Alaska Commercial Company, Capt. J. H. Moore commanding, came into the river, and her master informed me that he had been ordered to lay the vessel up at this place for the winter. A good location about half a mile above Fort Shoemaker was selected by Captain Moore, and the Alice at once proceeded upstream, and the work of putting the vessel into winter quarters was begun. At the first signs of ice in the Dall, grayling in large quantities appeared in the water alongside the vessel, and as they eagerly bit at almost any kind of bait we succeeded in taking them in large numbers and freezing them for future use. Meanwhile the work of getting the Nunwak stripped and prepared for winter occupancy was pushed to completion before the advent of cold weather. Our experience of the previous winter had taught us several lessons in the matter of making the vessel comfortable, and one of the most important of these was the method of housing her in. The previous year we had thought it necessary to cover the entire hurricane deck with a false roof made of lumber, which extended from the sides to the center line of the roof and was made practically air-tight. This necessarily excluded all of the light coming through the skylights, and for this reason was veiy objectionable. This winter the false roof was made to extend only as far as the sides of the sky- lights, thus leaving the windows clear for the admission of as much light as possible. The top of the false roof was covered with a layer of building paper, over which was placed a layer of empty coal sacks, which, when frozen, formed an ideal roof for this climate. Air spaces were left at intervals to ventilate the space between the false roof and hurricane deck, and this was found to be an effective method of pre- venting the collection of frost on the interior of the living quarters, a matter which had given us considerable trouble the first season. The side windows of the living quarters were made double by simply inserting in the sash an additional pane of glass with less than a quar- ter-inch space between, but made absolutely air-tight. In th»iis way the glass never collected frost and remained perfectly clear the entire winter. Windows which were allowed to remain single soon were HI T3 g 5 ° 3 0> \ © R A R y V OF THE UNIVERSITY 77 obscured by a mass of frost, varying in thickness from a mere filmy coating to as much as l£ inches. It was a peculiar fact that the glass in the skylights,, although allowed to remain single, collected very little frost during the winter. This was accounted for by the fact that the dry heat of the quarters collected in the skylight space over- head, and so prevented the accumulation of sufficient moisture on the surface of the glass to form frost. I observed also that a window which was directly over a steam heater in my bedroom remained clear as long as heat was turned on, but immediately became covered with frost when the heat was turned off. All of the doors leading from the exterior of the house into the quarters which could possibly be dispensed with were closed and cov- ered with canvas held in place by weather strips, and we found that this not only made the interior of the vessel much more habitable, but a greater evenness of temperature could be maintained than was other- wise possible during the entire winter. In laying up the vessel a spot was selected as far from the bank as possible, where the bottom was found by careful sounding to be free from any inequalities, and finally, when she settled on the bottom, the few inequalities observed were removed by the use of the steam pumps and fire hose to Irydraulie them away. The lower portion of the wheel was removed and the rudders unhung and hoisted up clear of the water before the ice formed so as to avoid the labor of cutting them out in the spring, and when "the vessel took the bottom heavy shores were put in position under the ends of the cylinder timbers and wedged up to take off the strain. The hog chains were then slackened to prevent undue strains on the hull which would result from the contraction of the metal during the cold weather. To insure having a clean supply of water for use in the boilers an oil barrel, through the bottom and side of which numerous holes were bored, was sunk alongside the vessel in a position convenient of access from the engine room, and a small steam pipe led into it kept it open all winter. These and other minor preparations occupied the command until the middle of the month, when the ground was sufficiently well covered with snow to furnish good running for sleds, when the men were set at work in the woods getting out logs for the construction of addi- tional houses, which experience had shown would be of value to us while in winter quarters. A space was cleared on the bank of the Dall next to the large storehouse in which were placed the most of our sup- plies and equipment, and here were built two new houses, one of which was 20 by 15 feet and the other was 25 by 30 feet. The smaller house was fitted up as a clubhouse for the accommodation of the crew while off duty, and the larger building was utilized as a gymnasium and drill room in which to exercise the men during cold or inclement weather. Both houses were heated during the winter by stoves and proved to be 78 of great convenience to the command while at Fort Shoemaker. The clubhouse was particularly desirable as furnishing a place in which the men could congregate during the long winter evenings and amuse themselves without disturbing others on the vessel. It was well lighted and furnished with a large table, benches, etc., and kept supplied with files of newspapers, magazines, and books contributed by the officers. Both these houses were built with a view of their possible occupancy in case of any accident, as of fire for instance, happening on the Nunivak, and when they were completed I felt considerabl} r relieved, as the fear of fire on the vessel was seldom absent from my thoughts. Our arrangements for extinguishing fire on the ship were as complete as it was possible to make them under the circumstances, but at the best I realized that if one should unfortunately take place during the intense cold of midwinter it would be hard to control, and in case we had to abandon the vessel with no place to find immediate shelter the whole command would be in a bad position. The Dall froze over solid on the 14th of October, and by the 19th of the month the Yukon had also ceased to run opposite the mouth of the Dall. The Indians only awaited this event to inaugurate a grand rabbit hunt on an island opposite their winter village at the mouth of the Dall, and when it happened, men, women, and children crossed the Yukon and spent the day in rounding up and slaughtering the animals. Their plan was to have all the women and children enter the woods at one end of the island and to march through to the other end in a long extended line, shouting and beating the brush as they went. The frightened animals were driven in this way out into the open and fell an easy prey to the hunters lying in wait for them. During the prog- ress of the hunt the Indians became much excited and when the rabbits came in sight a fusilade of shots greeted them, but the firing was so rapid and careless that the wonder is that as many women and children were not killed as rabbits. Strange to say, however, but few such acci- dents occur. We knew of only one instance during the winter where any of the people were wounded in one of these battues. I happened to be present when this occurred, and was horrified to see young Titus, a boy whom we all knew on the JVunivak, suddenly fall to the ground and with a heartrending groan apparently give up the ghost. I ran to his assistance, and after finding that he was not dead I helped him to his feet and made a hasty examination of his "wound." A single shot had struck his thumb nail and slightly abraidedthe flesh, but had passed on without doing any further damage. When Titus fell all the Indians incontinently fled, and half an hour afterwards I accompanied Titus to the village and found every hunter hidden away i* his house and the women all ready to set up a death song. Meanwhile Titus, after having his arm put in a sling, took to his bed and was with diffi- culty persuaded that he was not really very seriously injured. f*k *'>•*«# FORT SHOEMAKER, DALL RIVER. TYPICAL VIEW OF WOODLAND SCENERY— SPRUCE, BIRCH, AND WILLOW TREES PREDOMINATE. 79 With the closing 1 of the Yukon the weather, which had been more or less unsettled for some time, gradually grew colder, the snow fell steadily, and by the 20th of October all the inequalities of the land were hidden from sight and the work of making winter trails began to be prosecuted in earnest. One of the pleasant experiences of a winter's sojourn in this oountry is to Avalk through the woods at this time of the year and note the innumerable tracks of the little denizens of the forest as they appear in the newly fallen snow. Here can be traced the dainty footsteps of the grouse as he marches across the river to some tiny water hole, where one can in imagination almost see him dip his beak into the babbling spring and then lift his head with grateful thanks to the Giver of all Good for the draft. After quenching his thirst he evidently is in no hurry to leave, as his footprints show. But finally, as if seized by some sudden thought, off he goes straight across the river again and up the steep bank, where, if we are so inclined, we can follow and see where he has been perched on some old fallen tree and the tumbled snow tells the tale of a period of strenuous drum- ming. There a bunched imprint of four little feet with sharp claws at intervals of '2 or 3 feet in the snow (the distance depending entirely on his state of mind while running) shows plainly enough that an ermine has passed, and there the dog-like track of a predatory fox pierces the fleecy surface, and alongside of his trail there is now and then a curving gash which the drooping wing of some murdered bird he is bearing away makes in the snow. If we follow up this trail we will not see the fox. but we will likely find a soft little pile of feathers and a heap of well-cleaned bones to tell the tale of Reynard's prowess. The country is crossed and recrossed with the trails of the wild animals, and after the first month of snow these have developed into well-defined runways and beaten paths through the thickets of willow and alder and along, the banks of the smaller streams. The depth of the snow in former years can be easily determined \>y the old marks of the rabbit's teeth on the willow branches, and where a moose has passed is as plainly shown as if the occurrence and time of his visit had been written and posted on a signboard. As soon as the Dafl froze over solid and the winter trails were in condition for traveling all the members of the command whose duties would permit of their absence from the vessel spent most of their time in making short excursions through the woods in search of game or, for those of less energetic temperament, the level surface of the river, completely sheltered from the wind by the high banks, was an ideal place for taking some milder form of exercise. Our amuse- ments at this time of the year consisted of hunting grouse, which were fairly plentiful in the woods, snaring rabbits, and trapping the smaller animals. Skating, bicycle riding, football, and snowshoeing 5661—03 12 80 absorbed the attention of some of the party, while the work of train- ing our numerous dogs was a never-failing source of interest to others. Fort Hamlin, the trading post of the Alaska Commercial Company, situated about 9 miles from Fort Shoemaker, was the objective point of occasional sled trips, and this run on the main trail of the Yukon frequently brought us into contact with travelers faring up and down the river, from whom the smallest item of news was always eagerly received and brought back to the ship as the latest bulletin "from the outside." The month of" October is spent by the Indians in their winter houses as a kind of holiday season. As a usual thing the fish they have taken during the summer furnish them with food sufficient for present needs, and beyond this they- have very little concern. The women do most of the household drudgery, besides making the moc- casins, mitts, and other articles of clothing of native manufacture; but, on the other hand, they are allowed a considerable amount of per- sonal liberty and are, as a general rule, well treated by the men. By the middle of October all the Indians living in the vicinity of Dall River had returned from their various fishing camps and taken up their quarters in the winter village at the mouth of the Dall. Under the care of Dr. White, and with the assistance that was given them by the JVunivak, most of the natives who were sick when we arrived at this point in September were by this time fully recovered, and all were frequent visitors at the ship. As we were almost entirely depend- ent upon the native men for our supply of fresh moose meat during the winter, and upon the women for native-made moccasins, mitts, etc., without which it is impossible to get along in this country, every effort was made to cultivate a friendly feeling between them and the members of the command. It gives me pleasure to say that during the two winters we were at Fort Shoemaker there were less than half a dozen complaints of ill treatment made by the Indians against the members of the JVunivak's crew, and not one of these was of a serious nature. The conduct of the natives was most exemplary. There was no drunkenness observed among them, although, like all other natives, they have an inordinate appetite for liquor of any description, and their conduct on the vessel was always marked by extreme deference to our wishes and an entire absence of intrusiveness. On the whole, I think that our presence in the river did much to alleviate the hard- ships of their life, and they were certainly of great assistance to us in many ways. Of their customs and manner of life I shall endeavor to give an account in another part of this report. On October 27 the mailman arrived on his first trip from Rampart, and reported that the Yukon was not yet entirely closed below Fort Hamlin, and that on his way up he had been compelled»to leave the river and travel along the banks. He had had a hard trip, and his TYPE OF INDIAN HUNTER AND SLED DOGS. The large dog in the foreground is a St. Bernard, imported from the outside; the one on the right of the hunter is a pure bred Mahlemute, and the other two are mixed breed. \B R A Rp OF THE UNIVERSITY OF 81 dogs' feet were in a bad condition. We invited him to stop with us for a few days in order to rest his dogs, and the invitation was accepted. After a rest of two days the mailman left, taking our letters for the outside, and this event seemed to accentuate the fact that we were indeed cut off from the outside world. The weather had been so fine during the month of October, and we had been so busy, that no time had been left to think much of our isolated situation; but with the shortening of the days and a realization of the fact that it would be months before we could receive answers to the inquiries we had just sent out to our loved ones at home came a feeling of sadness which it was impossible to prevent and which required the utmost effort of the will to shake off. I quote from my journal of November 1: The rapidly shortening days, the brief glimpse of the sun at noon over the tops of the mountains in the south being the chief event of the twenty-four hours worthy of note, and the monotony of our duties all tend to make this time of the year the hardest to get through with. In the absence of birds to work on, the doctor and I to-day attempted to skin a mink. We found to our sorrow that the animal has an odoriferous means of defense fully the equal of that of the polecat, and we were compelled to call to our assistance one of the Indian boys, who agreed to skin the mink if we would give him the carcass. This arrangement, being eminently satis- factory to all, was agreed to without discussion. The flesh of the mink and muskrat both is eaten by the Indians, and is esteemed as a dainty. I have not yet tried the mink, but I did eat some muskrat and found it excellent, without a particle of objectionable flavor. The month of November was characterized by an extraordinary range of temperatures. During the first week the usual cold weather prevailed, the temperature ranging from —10° to —25° F., but after this time the weather turned much warmer, and on the 18th of the month a heavy rainfall occurred during the night. This melted the snow on the roof and the water soaked through into the living quarters and for a time made it ver} T uncomfortable. After this, however, the weather cleared and by the end of the month the tem- perature fell as low as —50° F., and remained at this point for several days. While the weather was in its unsettled condition the temper- ature frequently fluctuated over -10° during the twenty-four hours. On November 5 the water from the Yukon backed into the Dall and raised the ice nearly 2 feet. The surface of the ice was upheaved and cracked and the trails were ruined by the overflow of water. All travel was for the time being suspended, but with the settling of the weather and the next heavy fall of snow things resumed their normal condition. During this period of alternately freezing and thawing weather our attention was called to the beautiful snow crystals which formed on the windows of the ship and upon the surface of the river. These crystals took the shape of masses of feathery fronds and fern-like 82 plants, and were especially beautiful along- the margins of surface cracks and water holes. On very thin ice the crystals were formed into tiny groups and clusters, composed of innumerable geometric figures which never seemed to be exactly alike in an}- two localities, but were apparently the result of varying atmospheric conditions, which caused them to be deposited with the infinite variety of kaleido- scopic designs. I made several attempts to obtain photographs of these snow crystals, but they were too delicate to permit of being handled, and before suitable apparatus could be devised for the purpose the opportunity had passed. December opened with clear and cold weather. The ice in the Yukon by this time had attained a thickness of about 2 feet, and the Indians, who were fortunate enough to have fish traps, now set them through holes cut in the ice. The traps consisted of two wing weirs 12 feet long and 4 feet high, and a cylindical basket, having in each end a cone securely fastened, with its apex pointed to the center of the basket. The weirs were set in water from 10 to 12 feet deep, at right angles with the current, and held in this position by long poles driven into the bottom. The basket was suspended between the ends of the weirs at their point of intersection and so placed that fish either com- ing up or down stream and encountering the weirs would be com- pelled to enter the basket through the inverted cones in order to pro- ceed. Once inside the basket they can not escape owing to the small size of the opening at the apex of the cone. The hole through the ice is kept opened by the use of a long-handled implement made in the shape of a double-edged chisel. The traps are visited irregularly, the time varying with the demand for fish and the capacity of the baskets. The Indians kept us pretty well supplied with fresh fish caught in their traps during the winter, selling them to us at the rate of 25 cents per pound or exchanging them for such articles as flour, tea, sugar, etc., which we could spare from our supplies. Most of the fish taken at this season were of the genus Coregonus, or white fish, of which there were several varieties, and all of them furnished an excellent substitute for our rather monotonous fare of canned goods and moose meat. Another common winter fish is the "losh" (Lota maculosa?), which is very popular with the natives on account of its very rich oily liver, but is not much eaten by the white population, except when no other fish can be obtained. On December 2 our Indian neighbor Sam arrived from his cache in the mountains, about 40 miles away, with two legs of moose meat which he and his younger brother Harry had hauled to camp on a sled themselves. They had been on the trail for three days, with hardly anything to eat except meat, and had had a hard time. Sai>? was very nearly exhausted and immediately went to bed on reaching his house, but Harry, who was a boy of 14 years of age, seemed but little the FORT SHOEMAKER, DALL RIVER. WINTER TRAIL MADE BY THE CREW OF THE NUNIVAK TO REACH THE YUKON RIVER BY A SHORT CUT. 83 worse for his trip, although no doubt he had worked fully as hard as Sam. On December 6, all the Indians living at Rampart House, a native settlement situated on the Yukon 6 miles above Dall River, came down to pay a social visit on their kinsmen at our place. A dance at the village was to be given to welcome the visitors and the officers of the Nunivak received a special invitation to attend. Incidentally we were asked to contribute something for the feast which was to precede the dance, and we responded by making a donation of a sack of flour and some sugar, tea, condensed milk, etc. When Charlie, one of the Indians who acted as spokesman of the invitation committee, looked over this donation he affected to be surprised that we had not also given them some baking powder. The baking- powder was added with suitable apologies for the oversight, and then he expressed a fear that the Indians would be offended unless a can of lard was included in the list of presents. We, however, drew the line at the lard, and told him that perhaps after all our presence was not desired at the dance, and we would take back the food and stay at home. At this all of the Indians protested that this would never do, and seizing the groceries they carried them off with many voluble expressions of thanks, in the midst of which the voice of Charlie was the loudest of all. The dance was held at night in a large cabin owned by Paul, and was largely attended. In fact, too crowded for comfort. Room was made for the officers who attended by Mrs. Paul placing* her sleeping baby under the bed and inviting us very politely to take seats on that article of furniture. Soon a "'set" was formed of eight couples and the dance began. Music was furnished by two Indian boys, William and Theodore, who took turns scraping the strings of a much-battered violin and the figures were called out by Rampart Peter who had had the advantage of a winter's sojourn in a white-mans' town and enjoyed his position as social leader to the utmost. His interpretation of the figures was somewhat bewildering to the outsider, but the Indians all settled down to the work of getting through with the " set " with the greatest degree of earnestness. The men shuffled over the floor with their eyes glazed in a vacant stare, and the women with lowered e\ 7 es and arms held rigidly to their sides kept time with the music in a most decorous manner. When, however, Peter wanted to interject a little more life into the dance, he would call out " Swing your partner once and a half time 'round," and each buck would seize his partner and the air for a moment would be filled with flying skirts and twink- ling moccasined feet. This remarkable maneuver having been suc- cessfully performed, the orderly progress of the dance would be resumed as if nothing out of the usual course of events had occurred. The signal to stop was usually given by the musician ceasing to play when he felt that he needed a rest and all the dancers would leave the 84 center of the room and seat themselves on the floor along the walls. As a mark of special honor one dance was reserved for the white men by our hosts, and the women having each chosen her partner, we were led out on the floor and duly put through our paces. These dances take place at frequent intervals during the winter months, when the Indians are living in their winter houses; that is to say, during the months of October, November, and December. It is but just to say of them that, at places where they have not been con- taminated by association with vicious white men, the dances are con- ducted in the most orderly manner and form a very innocent source of amusement to these people. The old native dances have long since been abandoned by all these Indians, with the exception perhaps of some of the communities in isolated localities, but we witnessed on one or two occasions a woman's dance at Dall River, which is perhaps a survival of some ancient ceremonial dance among the Indians. A short description of this dance may not be out of place at this time. The signal for the dance is usually given by one of the old men of the tribe, who takes his place on one side of the room in which the dance is to take place and begins to chant a song commemorative of the achievements of some absent or dead member of the tribe. He is quickly joined by other men who join in the song and produce a not inharmonious chorus. ' As the song proceeds, the women, who are now grouped on the other side of the room, rise and begin to keep time with the singers by a gently swaying movement of the upper portion of their bodies while their eyes are studiously kept fixed upon the ground and their arms are extended with the palms of the hands down- ward at a slight angle with the body. As the voices of the singers gradually increase in volume the cadence of the song also increases. The women bend more and more toward the floor, and their hair, which has been loosened before entering the dance, is allowed to fall around their faces, and the appearance of the dancers at this stage of the dance is very wild and picturesque. During the progress of the dance several distinct songs are sung, all of which have apparently some particular significance and the airs of which are without exception exceedingly harmonious and pleasing. The dance ends abruptly with the discontinuance of the singing and the women resume their seats and proceed to braid up each other's hair again. I was not sufficiently well acquainted with the language of the Indians to catch the full meaning of the songs, but from what I learned there is little doubt but that all of them are commemorative in character, and from the accurate concordance of the words with the airs as sung it is more than likely that they are also poetic in structure. The Indians as a rule are exceedingly averse to giving any informa- tion in regard to their folklore or traditions. They feai; ridicule more than death, and for this reason, and because perhaps their older super- 85 stitions have been laughed at by the whites, the}" have been taught to believe that their myths and legends are something- of which they ought to be ashamed. The result of this sensitiveness has been, per- haps, to permit this part of their history to be gradually forgotten. On December 10 Lieut. H. C. Rogers, U. S. Army, on his way from Fort Egbert on the Upper Yukon to Rampart City, arrived at Fort Shoemaker, and, at my invitation, stopped for a day's rest on the Nunvmk. Mr. Rogers brought us the first authentic news of the reelection of President McKinley. The news had been received at Eagle by telegraph from the outside. On December 20 Assistant Engineer T. G. Lewton, R. C. S. , arrived from St. Michael and reported for duty. Mr. Lewton informed me that his orders for the vessel had not been received until after the departure from St. Michael of the last vessel bound up the river, and in consequence he had been compelled to remain at St. Michael until the 26th of November, at which time he left the coast in company with the mail man on his first trip across the portage from Unalaklik to Kaltag on the Yukon by dog team. The journey across the portage was a very arduous one, on account of the lack of snow on the trail, and when the river was reached it was found necessary to break trail over the ice almost the entire dis- tance from Kaltag to Fort Gibbon, a distance of 600 miles. Upon his arrival at this point he gladly accepted the invitation of the officers of the post to stop there long enough to recover from the fatigue of his long journey before proceeding farther. Up to this time he had not lost a day, but had with the greatest persistence kept up with the mailmen along the route, and when he arrived at Fort Gibbon he was suffering considerably from the effects of the exposure and fatigue of his trip. After a few days' rest at Fort Gibbon he again set out on the trail and encountered a severe blizzard while passing through the Ramparts, and was compelled to camp twice without a tent or stove on account of the high wind and low temperature. Notwithstanding all these difficulties he arrived at Fort Shoemaker in fine shape and with- out any serious mishap. Several times while on the journey his face and feet had been badly frozen, but, being in the company with expe- rienced travelers who were accustomed to these accidents and knew how to treat them, he received no permanent injury. When the fact is considered that Mr. Lewton started out on this midwinter trip with no experience whatever of the difficulties and dangers of the trail, and with scarcely any preparation for the journey, the energy and determination he displayed in keeping up with the mailmen, who are the fastest travelers in the country, is highly com- mendable. Christmas at Fort Shoemaker passed with more than the usual amount of jollity and good-fellowship. Through the thoughtfulness 86 of Lieutenant Camden the crew had been furnished with footballs, baseballs, boxing gloves, etc., and on Christmas day a series of athletic games was arranged in which most of our men and some of the crew of the steamer Alice took part. A large crowd of Indians gathered to witness the contests, and the presence of several wood choppers and prospectors who came into camp to spend the day added considerably to the liveliness of the occasion. A course over the level surface of the river was laid out, and over this the competition for the several prizes for running races was held. Snowshoe races, sack races, and relay races furnished all hands with a great deal of sport, but the contest which seemed to cause the greatest amount of amusement was one in which a certain number of potatoes are placed in line at a distance of a yard apart and are picked up as quickly as possible, one at a time, and deposited in a bucket, which must be kept at the end of the line. This game requires a great deal of running back and forth, and when a dozen men are in the competition it becomes very exciting. The Indians had never seen an exhibition of the game before and showed their appreciation of fine plays made by some favorite by loud yells and cries of encouragement. After the sports in the open air had been concluded the men adjourned to the gymnasium and a series of boxing and wrestling matches took place. The Indians joined in the latter contests, and some of them proved themselves no mean antagonists. They know nothing of the science of wrestling as understood by white men, but among the young men there are man}^ who are capable of extreme endurance, and their muscles, especially of the back and legs, are like bands of steel. A Christmas dinner, composed of the regular ship's rations augmented by donation of a liberal quantity of delicacies from the private stores of the officers, was served to the men, and the day was brought to a successful close by an exhibition of fireworks at the Indian village under the direction of Mr. Camden. Among the pleasantest events of the day and one which made our second Christmas at Fort Shoemaker so much more enjoyable than the first, was a visit I received from a committee appointed by the crew to wait upon me and to express the thanks of the enlisted force of the vessel for the universal good treatment they had received from the officers, and to wish for us a Happy New Year. Two days after Christmas Lieut. H. J. Ericksen, U. S. Army, in charge of a party engaged in making a reconnoissance of the country between Rampart City and Eagle, arrived at Fort Shoemaker and spent the night with us. Lieutenant Ericksen's party consisted of a topographer and two packers, with two dog teams to carry their camp outfit and supplies, and the object of the reconnoissance was to ascer- tain the best route for the army telegraph line at present v *inder con- struction along the Yukon River. An invitation to accompany the party was kindly extended to any of the officers of the Nunvoak who FORT SHOEMAKER DALL RIVER. TYPICAL WINTER WOODLAND SCENE— BIRCH AND ALDER TREES INCRUSTED BY ICE. m 1 87 could go by Mr. Ericksen, and as 1 desired to obtain information of life on the trail by actual experience, I gladly availed myself of the offer. Lieutenant Wheeler having also expressed a desire to take this trip, the necessary arrangements were made to have him go along. We left Fort Shoemaker at daylight on January 2, and after an absence of twenty-three days Lieutenant Wheeler and I returned to the vessel, having had a most varied and interesting experience while on the trail. During the trip, which was made along the Yukon from Dall River to the mouth of Beaver Creek, we encountered many obsta- cles, and the sleds being heavily loaded our progress was slow and veiy laborious. The condition of the trails was about as bad as the}^ could be, and the temper as well as the stamina of every one of the party was frequently taxed to the limit of human endurance. Our fare was necessarily of the simplest kind, and consisted of beans, bacon, and baking-powder biscuits with large quantities of tea to help fill up the yawning cavity which always seemed to be present in our stomachs. The weather was all that could be desired for persons anxious for experience on the trail, as it varied from temperatures so high as to make traveling very disagreeable on account of the heat to those so low that it was simply impossible to move out of camp. At one time we had to remain in camp for nearly two weeks with the temperature ranging from —6o c to —72° F. During all this time we slept in thin cotton tents, but although the slightest imprudence would cause the face, hands, or feet of members of the part} 7 to be frozen if left exposed, no serious injuries were received, and when Mr. Wheeler and I finally returned to the ship, we both felt that in spite of the hard trip we had been ampl}' repaid for all our labor by the experience that had been gained. A more extended account of this journey will be found in another portion of this report. (See Transportation and Traffic.) The latter part of January and a large portion of February was marked by excessively cold weather, the temperature at several times averaging — 50 c F. for two or three days in succession. There was much suffering among the Indians at this time owing to the lack of sufficient food. Sickness during the preceding summer had prevented them from laying up the customary amount of fish for winter use, and although the supplies which I issued them from time to time from the Nunivdk averted actual starvation, the health of the community suffered for want of fish, which seems to be a necessary part of the diet of these people. Nearly every native showed evidences of digestive disorders, and before the hunters began to bring in fresh moose meat an epidemic of a peculiar form of skin disease, which Dr. White ascribed to their low and restricted diet, spread through the village. Several children who were not yet weaned died as a result of insufficient nutrition, and it was with the greatest difficulty that the 88 parents could be induced to follow the directions of the doctor, who tried to save their lives by giving them artificially prepared foods fur- nished by the vessel. In one case the doctor had prescribed malted milk to be given to a child about 2 years of age which was evidently slowly dying of starvation. Careful directions as to the manner in which the food was to be administered were given to the mother of the child, and we all confidently hoped to save its life. But it grew steadily weaker, and finally a rigid investigation by the doctor proved that the parents had failed to give the child the milk as directed, but were using it themselves to put in their tea. When we expressed dis- approbation of their action, which the doctor did in no uncertain words, the poor wretches seemed to be utterly dumbfounded. They had made up their minds that the child was fated to die, and although there is no doubt they were fond of it, they simply sat hour b}^ hour by its side waiting for the end. It frequently happened that the shroud of the sick would be made before death took place, notwith- standing the fact that the other arrangements for burial were never hurried. In order to give as much assistance to the natives as possible without pauperizing them, I induced several of the men who had families to support to cut wood along the banks of the Yukon where we could get it for the use of the vessel upon the opening of navigation in the spring and paid them in advance foi this service. But their shiftless, irresponsible disposition prevented them from taking full advantage of this opportunity for obtaining remunerative employment, and it was only when they were driven to work by actual want that they would leave their cabins and go to cutting wood for a living. The approach of spring and the moose-hunting season was the signal for a general exodus of the natives from their winter villages on the river to the mountains of the interior country. B} T the last week in February nearly every native, with the exception of the very old and feeble ones, had started out on their annual hunting and trapping trips, leaving the sick and helpless to get along as best they might until their return. Among the unfortunate ones who were too sick or feeble to start out on the hunt was our old friend Sam, who had been more or less under the weather for a month or more, most of the time being confined to his bed suffering from a severe cold and some form of stomach trouble which made it impossible for him to retain his food. Finally he managed to crawl up to the ship one da} T late in February, but he was still very weak and miserable. Three days after rising from his sick bed news was brought into camp that a large moose had been seen out on the Koyukuk trail, and we were astonished to hear that Sam had started out on its trail. At the end of two 4 a y s ne returned to camp, dragging a sled upon which were two immense legs of moose, and he informed us that he had hunted down and killed two Trar y Of THE Utf\VE*S |TY 89 large and three small moose during his absence. To accomplish this he must have traveled at least 50 miles on snowshoes, and during the entire time of his absence he had "no other shelter than that afforded by a brush hut hastily constructed in the woods, and perhaps not this. His food while on the hunt was necessarily very scanty, as the method of hunting the moose, which is simply to get on its trail and persist- ently follow it up until the animal is worn out and can be approached close enough to be shot, makes it necessary for the hunter to discard every ounce of weight to be carried outside of his rifle and a few rounds of ammunition. The incident is recorded to show the remark- able recuperative powers of these people under certain conditions. The intense yearning which they manifest for the hard life of the trail when the time comes each year to be moving after game is one of the peculiarities of the Alaskan Indians which must always be carefully considered in any attempt made to better their condition in life. The desire to hunt and fish is instinctive with them, and if anything pre- vents them from following out the promptings of their natures in this direction they soon lose strength of character and become physically weak and an easy pre}^ to the mildest form of disease. During the month of February we experienced a period of remark- ably warm weather. The temperature suddenly rose from 36 below zero to 45 above zero in less than twelve hours and remained above the freezing point for three days. We had on hand a quantit}^ of fresh meat, game, fish, etc., and at one time feared that it would be spoiled, but by burying it in snow and keeping it well covered we managed to keep it frozen until the return of cold weather. The trails on the river during this warm spell were a mass of slush and running water and travel for the time being was at a standstill. Everj^body suffered more or less from the effects of the unseasonable weather and were glad when it was over. On February 13 Mr. Stewart Menzies, the auditor of the Alaska Com- mercial Company, accompanied by two traveling companions, Messrs. Hill and Mariner, arrived at the JYunivak on their way from St. Michael to Dawson, and we were glad to learn that the party intended to make a short stop at Dall River in order to give their dogs a rest before proceeding farther. To add to our pleasure Messrs. Duncan and Wobber, the agents of two of the trading companies at Rampart City, arrived in camp next day on a visit to the officers of the ship. The presence of so many new faces cheered us all up wonderfully, and although there was no fresh news to be had from the visitors they were none the less welcome. To show our appreciation of this mid- winter visit an entertainment was given on board the NunivaJc and all the strangers were invited. We were fortunate in having on board a piano and several other musical instruments and a most enjoyable 90 musical concert was inaugurated. A bowl of eggnog was brewed for the occasion, and in the midst of our arctic surroundings, but with hearts full of joy and thankfulness for good health, we drank to our dear ones at home. The memory of the kindly, beaming faces around the board on that winter night will always remain with me a& one of the pleasantest souvenirs of our sojourn in the north. May each member of that little companj' cherish in his heart an equally pleasant recollection of the occasion! The days were now long enough to permit of the employment of the men in the woods again, and after the enforced confinement to the limits of our quarters during the long, dark days of winter, it was an agreeable change for them to get into the woods once more. A good supply of fuel was still remaining from the amount on hand upon entering winter quarters, but as this would not last until the opening of navigation every effort was made to have a sufficient quantity cut and hauled to the vessel before the opening of spring would cause the work of cutting wood to be abandoned. The scarcity of available timber near the vessel made it necessary to go farther and farther away from the banks of the river to find suitable trees to cut, and here our dogs were brought into requisition to haul out the logs on sleds. Without their aid we could hardly have accomplished the work. An attempt was made to burn wood obtained by cutting some of the poplar trees (Popuhis halsamifera) which were abundant near the vessel, but they were found to be so full of moisture that they could not be used for the purpose. On Februai*}' 15 Mr. Lewton, accompanied by the carpenter and one of the oilers, left the vessel on a hunting trip. They followed the Koyukuk trail for about 15 or 20 miles and then pushed across coun- try to the foothills of the mountains lying west of Fort Shoemaker. A light fall of snow, which covered the crust formed during the warm spell of the previous week, made ideal hunting conditions, but after a week's absence the party returned without having seen any signs of moose. The persistent hunting of the animal in the vicinity of Dall River has no doubt driven it into less accessible localities, and the few that are killed hereabouts are probably stragglers. We did not suffer for the want of fresh meat, however, as the Indians, who had gone hunting into the mountains lying northeast of us, frequentty came into camp with a sled load of meat and reported that moose were very plentiful in that locality. Several attempts were made by members of the party to induce the Indians to act as guides and show our hunters where to look for moose and how to trail them. But they all seem to have a rooted objection to perform this sort of service. It is probably well that it is so, as the animal at present furnishes the Indian with the principal means for his support, and if o 1 u. a C z < « m 91 the hunting of it is once taken up by the whites it will no doubt be exterminated. March came in very mild and spring-like, but the weather was extremely cold again by the middle of the month. Strong winds pre- vailed, and at times these were so high that travel was much interfered with on the Yukon. Where we were situated was almost completely sheltered, but we could see the blinding clouds of snow swirling down the main stream past the mouth of the Dall, and now and then a belated traveler staggered in from the trail to seek shelter until the wind subsided. On March 13 Judge James Wickersham, of the cir- cuit court of Alaska, arrived from Rampart City, where he had been holding a term of court, and we were glad to welcome him on board for the night. A furious gale of wind from the northeast sprang up during the night and effectually prevented the judge and his party from proceeding on their way, and at 11 a. m. Mr. Downing, the mail contractor, arrived from Fort Hamlin and sought shelter from the storm with us. He stated that he had been more than four hours coming the 9 miles from Hamlin, and although he is an exceptionally hard traveler both he and his dogs were almost exhausted when they pulled up at the Nunvvak. On March 15 the storm abated and our guests left the ship on their way up the river. The next da}' Mr. George Sharp, who had a con- tract to furnish the arm}' post at Fort Gibbon with 600,000 feet of saw-log timber, arrived at the vessel and requested permission to have his party of 10 men remain here until he could locate a body of timber in the vicinity from which he would be able to secure the desired amount of saw logs. I allowed the party to take up their quarters in one of our vacant log houses, and Mr. Sharp left next morning on a tour of inspection of the country. On the 25th of the month he returned, and informed me that he had been unable to find any timber large enough for his purposes either on the Dall, Yukon, or Ozina rivers within 100 miles of Fort Shoemaker, and that he would have to return to the post and give up his contract, or possibly renew the search for good timber on some of the tributary streams of the Tan- ana River. The incident is related as evidence of the fact that at the present time nearly all of the available timber of merchantable size has been cut off along the banks of the Yukon and its tributary streams in this vicinity. The inroads made upon the forests to supply fuel for the steamers plying on the river have been tremendous during the last four years, and it will not be very long before all of the timber within easy reach of the steamers will be gone and they will have to use some other sort of fuel, or else tramways must be built to transport wood from points at a distance from the river which under present condi- tions are too remote to permit of the timber being utilized as a source of fuel supply. 92 The trails along the river at this season are in their best condition. Our last mail came through from the States in thirty-two days, which is about as fast as it can be carried under the present conditions. From one of the Indians who returned from a hunting trip on the 20th of March I learned that Old Jacob and his family of three women had been seen encamped on the river about 50 miles from Fort Shoe- maker, and that they were all suffering for food. The old man had not been able to kill any game, and as these natives are slow at rendering assistance to each other I sent word to Old Jacob to return to Fort Shoemaker and I would see that he had food enough to keep him and his family from starving until the opening of the river. In the course of a few days I heard from the old man, and the message he sent was to the effect that he expected to kill plenty of moose by and by, and did not want to come back; but if I would send him some tobacco he would be greatly obliged. As 1 have already stated, the craving for the annual hunt is so intense with these people that it is almost impos- sible to help them in the ordinary ways. I hardly expected Jacob to forego the pleasures of the chase to come in and work for a living, and so I was not surprised at his answer. I subsequently learned that he did succeed in killing a moose just in the nick of time to save him- self and his family from starvation. By the 20th of March the men had cut enough wood to last us until the opening of the river, and this work was discontinued. The remainder of the month was spent in hauling it into the ship with the dog teams and cutting it up into suitable lengths for use in the furnaces. The trails along the Dall for several miles were now in excellent condition and afforded a splendid road for the use of the bicycles. The temperature hardly ever went lower than 10° below zero, and in the absence of wind this sort of weather was ideal for exercise on the wheel. Since the above was written it has been decided by the Northern Commercial Company to use oil as fuel on its steamers on the Yukon. Tanks for storing the oil have been erected at convenient points along the river, and it is expected that oil-burning furnaces will be installed in all of their river steamers by the end of the season of 1902. On the 23d of the month a flock of migrating snow buntings (Plec- trophanes nivalis) were observed near the vessel and I succeeded in procuring a number of them for the collection. Among the birds were several specimens of McKay's snowflake (P. borealis) which I believe have not been noted in the interior of Alaska before. These birds were the first migrants observed this year, and they passed on after only a short visit. ♦• On the 29th, the mailman passed on his way to Rampart, and as I was desirous of getting some information of winter travel under differ- 98 ent conditions from those which I had obtained at the time I was with Lieutenant Erricksen's party, I joined him with a toboggan and four of our fastest dogs for the trip. Mr. Oldfield, the mailman, readily agreed to make the run as quickly as possible in order to test the endurance of the dogs, and after a night's rest at Fort Hamlin we started out at 7 a. m. over a good trail and with fresh dogs. The run to our first stopping place was 15 miles, and was accomplished in three hours and ten minutes. After a rest of one hour for lunch and to give the dogs a breathing spell, we again set out and made the distance to Tucker's Cabin, 35 miles, in seven hours and thirty minutes. The dogs were comparative^ fresh at this point and could have gone on at the same rate of speed for some time longer, but darkness made it necessary for us to camp, and we stopped at Tucker's for the night. Leaving this place at 7 o'clock next morning, the run to Rampart, a distance of 30 miles over a heavy trail, was made in six hours and thirty minutes. The actual time and distance made during this trial trip was 80 miles in thirty and one-half hours of elapsed time. We therefore made an average of a little less than 5 miles per hour while actually traveling. I am confident that the entire distance of 80 miles could have been made in less than twent} T hours if we had not been delayed b} T darkness. The return trip from Rampart to Fort Shoemaker was made in com- pany with Mr. Manchester, an attache of the Alaska Exploration Com- pany, who was on an inspection tour of the wood-yards along the river belonging to his compan}^. The trail was found to be in very bad condition from having been cut up badly by a train of pack horses which had recently passed over it, and we were caught in a severe snow- storm, which entirely covered up the trail and made traveling very difficult. In spite of the difficulties, however, we reached Fort Hamlin after being on the road two days and a night. The next morning we ran up to Fort Shoemaker, and I found everything going on as usual on board. During my absence Mr. Camden had completed the work of cutting the ice from around the vessel, and Mr. Lewton had begun to assemble the machinery in anticipation of approaching spring. While I was absent from the vessel the Right Reverend Bishop Rowe, of the Episcopal diocese of Alaska, passed on his way down the river on a visit through the diocese and was entertained on board the JVunivak by the officers. I met the bishop and his party when half way to Rampart during the prevalence of a blinding snowstorm and stopped to shake hands with him on the trail. A subsequent and more extended acquaintance with him confirmed the high opinion I formed of his character as a hard-working Christian gentleman. The good work that Bishop Rowe has done in carrying the consolation of religion to the people in this country can not be overestimated. Every- body who has ever had the pleasure of his acquaintance and has seen 94 him at work in the field is filled with admiration of his frank and lov- able nature. There is not a single humble woodcutter's hut along the river that he has not at some time during the dreary winter visited and brightened by his presence, and the good that he has done in these inhospitable regions is incalculable. Surely such men as Bishop Rowe, in whose breast the true missionary zeal burns with such a pure and steady light, should never lack the means of carrying on the good work which is so urgently needed in this country. The month of April was marked by an unusual number of snow- storms, and from the Indians who came in from time to time to bring fresh moose meat from their camps in the mountains we learned that the snow was exceptionally deep, and they prophesied a late opening of navigation with very high water in the spring. On April 14 the false roof over the quarters was removed, and preparations for painting the vessel were started. The hurricane deck leaked as it did the previous year after the removal of the false roof, and the frequent snowstorms made it necessary to abandon all other work except that of keeping the vessel clear of snow. In spite of these precautions, however, our quarters were made almost untenable by the dripping of water from the upper deck. In order to hasten the return of the deck planking into place, the boilers were blown down on the 16th, so as to decrease the temperature of the quarters, and by so doing prevent the condensation of the frost in the roof planking, but until the deck became tight again by gradual swelling of the planks, all hands suffered a great deal of discomfort. On April 17 the owner of a train of pack horses, which were being driven up the Yukon to Circle City, paid us a visit and informed us that the deep snow on the river made it impossible for the animals to proceed, and he had accordingly gone into camp on the banks of the river opposite the mouth of the Dall, and would remain there until steamboat navigation opened in the spring. His supply of feed for the animals had been exhausted, and the animals were at present sub- sisting on beans and flour with what grass that could be obtained by shoveling off the snow in places and allowing the animals to graze on last year's growth. From the information I received from Mr. Johnson, the owner of this train, I am led to believe that the use of horses, except where there are good roads in this country, is not practicable. He had had two years' experience in the matter and was thoroughly discouraged. We furnished him with all the beans and flour that we could spare, and I afterwards heard that with the addi- tion of fresh young willow buds obtained later he succeeded in carry- ing his animals through until a steamer arrived and transported the outfit to its destination. Many of the Indian hunting parties returned from the mountains during the latter part of April and reported that they had had a fairly 95 good season. Their appearance was much improved, and although all bore numerous signs of frost-bite and were very much tanned by exposure to the glare of the sun from the surface of the snow, they were in much better health than when they set out on their hunt. The use of snow glasses as a protection from the glare of the sun does not appear to be very common among these natives, neither does it appear that they blacken their faces as the Eskimo do to lessen the effect of the sun's intense rays at this season of the year. It is probable that the danger of snow blindness is not so great, however, in a forested country as it is on the coast where there are no trees, and this may account in a measure for the fact that the natives of the interior neglect to take these precautions. On April 27 a sudden rise of the temperature to 44 : above zero caused the snow to melt in an astonishingly rapid manner, and during the afternoon the water could be heard running underneath the river ice for the first time in months. On the 29th the sky was partially covered with flying masses of soft cumulous clouds and at night a heavy rain took the place of the usual fall of snow. As if awaiting a signal to appear the willow buds burst into bloom, the woods all at once resounded with the gladsome sound of innumerable song birds, and as conclusive evidence that the long winter was at last over and spring was at hand, on the last day of the month, far over head, a flock of geese trailed harrow-like across the sky, winging their way toward the north. The natives who had returned from their hunting camps now began to dig their boats out of the snow drifts in which they had lain all win- ter and to transport them by sled farther up the river to favorable points among the islands of the Yukon where the geese and ducks would congregate as soon as open water showed on the river. No time was to be lost as even now the trails were impassable except during the night and early hours of the morning. The rest of the day the trails were rushing rivulets of water which cut minature gorges in the hard, thin, packed snow and formed little lakes on the surface of the ice where hollows were. The mailman passed us during the night and took our letters for the outside. He informed us, however, that they would probably not go out until the resumption of steamboat travel on the river. But what did we care? Spring was coming, spring was here! A sort of mad joy seemed to possess us all. The irritation caused by long waiting disappeared, and the men went about their duties singing and laugh- ing. Even the dogs scampered up and down the shores now bare of snow and dug great holes in the soft, warm earth, with no other object in view, apparently, but to show their joy. It was amusing to note with what amazement the little puppies, which had been born during the winter, made their first acquaintance with running water. At first 96 they were evidently very much afraid of this new substance, but their curiosity soon overcame all other feelings and they would spend hours at a time watching the tiny rivulets which coursed over the surface of the ice. As the snow melted it was seen to be literally alive with millions of minute insects which we identified as the common snow flea (Aehoreutes nivicola) of the United States. In some places the surface of the snow was almost covered by the insects. The doctor secured a quantity of them for the collection. Although the first week in May was marked by the recurrence of several heavy falls of snow and for a few hours at a time the land- scape once more was decidedly wintry in appearance, the hot sun soon melted it away again, and spring fairly rushed in on us. On the 16th of the month the water in the Dall rose high enough to float the vessel, and four days afterwards the ice began to break away from the bottom and melt rapidly. The breakup in the Dall occurred somewhat later than it did last year and was not accompanied by any run of ice. It simply melted where it lay or slowly drifted down toward the mouth of the stream as the water rose. On the 24th of May the ice in the Yukon broke opposite the Dall and for three days ran past in a mighty stream of broken fragments, completely filling the river from bank to bank. The water in the Dall rose 15 feet above its normal level, and I was informed by the Indians that as long as the high-water stage prevailed there would be no danger to us from the Yukon ice. I quote from my journal of May 27: Overcast cloudy weather, with occasional snow flurries. Temperature ranging from 28° at night to 44° above zero during the middle of the day. Ice running very strong in the Yukon, but as yet has shown no signs of backing up into the Dall. We are lying with steam up, ready to move at the first appearance of danger, which would be indicated by a cessation in the movement of the ice in the main river. A close watch was maintained at the mouth of the Dall night and day while the ice was running, and it was a magnificent sight. Most of the ice was pretty well broken up, but now and then a huge cake an acre in extent would come lumbering along, grinding and crushing everything in its path, whirling in circles, and ramming the banks with such tremendous force as to cause the solid earth to tremble and the trees to shiver from bottom to top. Quantities of driftwood and bits of wreckage — the flotsam and jetsam of winter travel on the river — floated past. A broken sled or snowshoe, the blackened remains of an old fire, showing where a camp had been made, a child's moccasin, and the crushed fragments of a birch-bark canoe whirled past as I watched the progress of the ice. Now and then huge masses, carrying tons of earth, would be pressed upwards a distance of 10 or 12 feet and then sink back again with a sullen roar. And again a clean green berg would suddenly shoot up into the air, and catching the rays of the sun would send forth a perfect cascade of many colored scintillations. The rapid, irresistible movement of the ice, its great volume and immense power, as it swept past at the rate of 8 or 9 miles per hour, all combined to make a most awe-inspiring spectacle. Unfortunately the day was too much overcast to enable us to get good photographs of the scene. c# i- 2 < o. uj 2d 2 «£ tx:o tr * uj .s. > g cc 5' z o S ? 8 > | o S 97 On May o<> the Yukon was almost clear of ice but still running large quantities of driftwood. Captain Moore of the Alice was anxious to get away at the earliest possible moment, and left at noon of this day. But after getting as far as Fort Hamlin he was compelled to seek shelter from the masses of drift material coming down the river, and tied the Alice up at the lower end of an island near bv to wait for a better chance to proceed. On May 31, the river being almost clear, we got under way and steamed out into the Yukon, with hearts full of gladness at being once more under way, and with a joyf ul sense of freedom of movement after our long imprisonment in winter quarters. The second winter of the command in the country had passed with- out serious accident to ai\v member of the party, and the opening of navigation found us all ready to resume our duties on the station. CHAPTEE TIL The lateness of the season and the information I had received in regard to the unusually large quantity of snow which still remained on the ground in the mountains caused me to delay our departure from the vicinity of Dall River for a few days, as all the conditions were favorable for a period of exceptionally high water in the Yukon, and in that event the Indian villages would most likely be washed away. I caused it to be generally known among the Indians that, in case of danger from the threatened flood, they would be received on board the Nunivak and transported to a place of safety; but fortunately the water did not reach the danger point, and after it began to subside we made our final preparations for the journey to the coast. On June 3, having taken on board everything belonging to the ves- sel, at Fort Shoemaker we dropped down the Dall and swung out into the Yukon. As we passed the village all the natives were gathered on the bluff to witness our departure. A long blast of the steam whistle and the liring of a blank cartridge from one of our 1-pounders was answered by a chorus of farewell yells b}- the Indians, and as a further demonstration of their good feeling for the Nunivak they ran along the shore waving their hats and handkerchiefs until a bend in the river hid us from their sight. As I looked back for the last time at the motley collection of natives on the shore and recalled many incidents of our association during the past two years my heart went out to them in sympathy. I wondered what changes would take place in the little community before I should see it again. In my mind's eye I could almost foresee the ones who would be next to succumb in the terrible struggle for existence which they are compelled to maintain, and as we sped swiftly on our way the recollection of their faults faded away and left only the memory of their childlike simplicity in many things and their unquestioning reliance in our ability to help them in time of need. Poor, weak, obstinate, pleasure-loving creatures! Civilization is sapping their energies, and in the rapid march of progress they And it impossible to keep in line. As a distinct people their day is done. The night of their complete obliteration from the scene is not far off. 100 We stopped at Fort Hamlin to finish the work of painting the vessel before proceeding farther, and to get rid of some of our dogs which were the source of constant annoyance and discomfort while on the vessel. We found the agent of the Alaska Commercial Company very busy getting the affairs of the station into shape for a transfer of prop- erty to the new company, which had been formed during the winter by the merging of the several trading companies doing business on the river into one corporation, to be known as the Northern Commer- cial Company. The news of the change had been brought down the river by the steamer Alice, which had passed a few days previous to our arrival at Fort Hamlin. On June 5 we left Fort Hamlin and ran to Rampart City, a distance of 81 miles, in four and a half hours. The river was very high and the current much stronger than in its normal condition. Upon our arrival at Rampart City, Lieutenant Rogers, IT. S. Army, in command of the post at this place, informed me that a quantity of stores were needed at Fort Gibbon, which were on hand here, and requested our assistance in getting them down the river. The sup- plies were taken on board the JVunivak, and on June 9 we left Ram- part and proceeded on our way. Five destitute persons were received on board for transportation to the coast while we were at Rampart, it being agreed that they would work their way down the river. On June 10 we arrived at St. James mission, and stopped to call on Bishop Rowe and see if we could be of any assistance. A large num- ber of Indians from the Tannana River were encamped near the mis- sion, and the bishop informed me that he had had some trouble in preventing unscrupulous white men from trading whisky to the Indians for their furs, but his firm attitude in the matter had evidently been effectual in abating the evil, for at the time of our visit the natives appeared to be in a very orderly condition. After a day's sojourn with the bishop we dropped down to Fort Gibbon and delivered the supplies we had brought from Rampart City for the post. All the officers of the post were in good health and gave us a hearty welcome. Captain Wright, who was in command, tendered the facil- ities of the post to us in case any repairs were necessary to the Nimi- vak, and the crew were giv T en the privilege of purchasing any small articles of which they might stand in need out of the commissary. We received on board five more destitute persons at Fort Gibbon for transportation down the river, and Bishop Rowe also came on board as a guest of the commanding officer for passage to Anvik. After spending two very pleasant days visiting our kind friends at Fort Gibbon, we left that place on the 14th of June and continued^on our way. While at Fort Gibbon, Thomas McKatchney, one of the seamen of the vessel, showed signs of violent insanity and was with difficulty 101 controlled. His mania seemed to be a fear that a conspiracy had been formed by some of the crew to murder him. His actions during the winter had been somewhat peculiar, but until our arrival at Fort Gibbon his real condition had not been suspected. After the first violent outbreak he quieted down, and under the doctor's directions he was released from confinement and set at work where he could be constantly watched. During the passage down the river McKatchney showed no further signs of becoming dangerously insane. Upon our arrival at St. Michael he was kept on board the vessel until the surgeon pronounced him fully recovered. McKatchney was an old deep- water sailor, and it is more than likely that the isolation of our life while in winter quarters was the cause of his temporary mental derangement. One of our destitute passengers, a man named Daniel O'Connell, developed signs of acute mania shortly after our departure from Fort Gibbon, and he attempted to kill himself, but was prevented by the prompt action of one of his companions. During the balance of the time he was on board it was found to be necessary to maintain a con- stant guard over him to prevent him from injuring himself or others^ and when we reached St. Michael he was turned over to the civil authorities for transportation to the outside. Our journey down the river to Kokrines Station, where we made our next ,stop, was much delayed by large quantities of driftwood which the prevailing flood in the river was bringing down. Fortu- nately for the purposes of navigation the largest amount of drift material seemed to collect in the sloughs and eddies of the stream and out of the main channels. Otherwise it would have been impossible to proceed. As it was, we were compelled to make frequent stops to clear the wheel and rudders from debris, and at times we were in great danger of being driven ashore by the current while so engaged. Fortunately, however, we got through the worst portion of the river without any serious mishap, and reached Kokrines on June 15, and stopped to communicate with the trader, a half-breed Russian, who has a store at this place. A number of Indians were gathered at Kokrines for the purpose of exchanging their furs for supplies, and everything was in an orderly condition. During the night Bishop Rowe held services on shore and a large number of the natives attended. On June 15 we reached Kaltag and stopped to communicate with Maj. Frank Greene, U. S. Army, who was in charge of the construc- tion of the arnw telegraph line along the river. The line was in operation between this point and St. Michael, and through the kind- ness of Major Greene I was enabled to get news from that place that the ice was still intact in the harbor of St. Michael, and that it would probably be ten days before it would break up. 102 While lying at Kaltag the steamer Leon arrived from Dawson with a large number of passengers for St. Michael. Upon boarding the vessel it was found that she was carrying more passengers than allowed by law and I reported the matter by telegraph to the collector of cus- toms at St. Michael. The banks of the river in this locality showed the effects of the recent run of ice to a remarkable extent. For miles along the shores the trees had been cut down by the ice, and even at this late date large masses still remained unmelted where it had been stranded by the flood. At Nulato the village had been nearly washed away and the inhabitants had been compelled to seek safety b} T moving to a high bluff near the village until the period of high water had passed. The houses were flooded, and at the time of our visit the main street of the village was tilled with mud and melting masses of ice which had been deposited there when the river broke up in the spring. On June 17 we reached Anvik, and Bishop Rowe left the vessel. At the request of Rev. Mr. Chapman, who was in charge of the Epis- copalian mission at this place, he was received on board the Nunivak for passage to St. Michael. The children attending the mission school were suffering from an epidemic of whooping cough, and the arrival of the Nunivak had been anxiously looked for by Miss Sabine, the superintendent of the school, who stated that the supply of proper medicines had become almost exhausted. Surgeon White spent the most of the time we were at Anvik in attending to the wants of the little community and before leaving, prepared a quantity of medicine for the sick children and left it with Miss Sabine. Proceeding on our way, we reached Holy Cross Mission at 6 p. m. and tied up for the night. A visit was paid to the Catholic mission, where we were received with the customary welcome by the Rev. Father Crimont and the Sisters of Charity in charge of the school. Everybody was well, and we spent a pleasant evening talking over events of interest which had taken place during the winter. The vegetable garden was very backward, owing to the exceptionally late season; and I was much interested in the novel manner in which Sister Mary Winifred had attempted to protect the young plants from the frost. Each tiny plant was carefully covered with an empty tin can every night, and the garden looked as if a crop of cans were expected rather than vegetables. On June 18 we ran from Holy Cross to Andreaf ski, stopping on the wa}^ at Russian Mission to make inquiries. At the latter place the natives were found to be in good health, and I was informed by Mr. Belkoff, the trader at this place, that the suppty of provisions which had been put under his charge last fall by Colonel Evans, special agent of the Treasury, had been distributed to the natives during the winter, and had been the means of preventing much suffering. He did cr *J 103 not think that any further help was needed at the present time, but recommended that a supply of provisions and clothing be placed here and elsewhere on the river, to be used in case of absolute need at any future time. We reached Andreafski at 11 p. m. and found Mr. Fredericks and his family well. The natives in the vicinity of this place had been helped through the winter by the distribution of sup- plies left with Mr. Fredericks, but were now all right again, and he had still a quantity of unexpended stores on hand. It occurred to me that it would be a good plan to distribute some of these stores to other stations along the river where the stock had been exhausted. At Andreafski all signs of the river Indians disappear, and their places are taken by the coast Eskimos. The latter natives are not as clean or honest as the river Indians, and Mr. Fredericks reported several instances of petty thefts committed by them during the winter, as well as several cases of inhuman treatment of their sick neighbors. The presence of free stores of provisions and clothing might easily have caused these natives to have fallen into the condition of beggars had the distribution of the supplies been left in the hands of a less experienced man than Agent Fredericks, but under his able manage- ment a great deal of suffering was prevented, and at the same time the natives were not encouraged in taking up a life of idleness after they were able to return to their ordinary pursuits. Mr. Fredericks also reported that he had been greatly annoyed by the acts of unscrupulous white travelers along the river during the winter, who had taken advantage of the prevailing sickness among the natives to rob their caches and commit other acts of malicious mischief. As an instance of the unnatural depravity of some of the white people who are encountered in this country, Mr. Fredericks related the case of a party of three men whom he had taken into his house and furnished with free food and shelter for several days. One morning he awoke to find that his guests had taken their departure without a word of thanks and carried off with them several of his best dogs. Before leaving they had deliberately broken in the sides of a boat which was lying on the beach, evidently with no other object in view than to show their utter contempt for even the ordinary decencies of life. We remained at Andreafski long enough to give the engineer depart- ment a chance to wash out the boilers, which were very foul from using the muddy water of the Yukon, and to take on board a full supply of drinking water. Having completed this work, we left on the 25th of June and proceeded on our way toward the coast. A da} T 's run brought us to Kotlik, 7 miles from the mouth of the Yukon, and here we tied up for the night, or rather for that portion of the day which in more southern latitudes would be night. In this locality at this season of the } T ear daylight is continuous, and in order to obtain sleep 104 it is necessary to darken the quarters artificially and forbid all loud talking or the making of any unnecessary noise during certain hours. In spite of these precautions it was not always possible to obtain the proper amount of rest, and the faces of nearly everyone showed the lack of it. A number of vessels had already arrived at the mouth of the river and were awaiting the opening of ocean navigation. These were all boarded and examined in accordance with law. Several of the vessels from Dawson were found to be carrying an excess of passengers over the number allowed by law and were duly reported. On June 22 we dropped down to the mouth of the river and found the ocean ice intact as far as it could be seen offshore. From its appearance I felt sure that it would be several days before it would be possible for us to start for St. Michael. 1 therefore ordered the fires to be hauled in order to save fuel, and made other preparations to lay here until navigation should be opened. Meanwhile the number of vessels at the mouth of the river steadily increased with fresh arrivals from up the river, and as all of them were more or less short of provisions it became evident that unless relief was afforded in a short time the situation would become serious. The steamers Leon and Monarch were both overcrowded with passen- gers and were the first to run short of provisions. We furnished both these vessels with what could be spared from the Nunivak to help them out, but as we had some 15 destitute persons on board, in addition to our own men, to feed we could not spare as much as would have been desirable. The passengers of the Leon were mostly of the class that had been forced to leave Dawson by the authorities in the spring, and under the stress of their detention at this place became very unruly, and finally their conduct was so objectionable to the respect- able portion of the people on board that a complaint was lodged with me in regard to their misconduct. I sent for the master of the Leon and told him a complaint had been made of the noisy, obscene, and generally disorderly manner in which the majority of the passengers on board his vessel were allowed to conduct themselves, and it must be stopped; if he could not control his passengers it would be my duty to interfere for the protection of the peace, and I should certainly do so if any further complaints were made to me. During the afternoon I caused the Nunwak to be hauled alongside the Leon for the purpose of being at hand to preserve order if our services were required, but, much to my relief and that of the respectable persons on board the Leon, the rough element concluded they had gone far enough, and no necessity for us to interfere took place. On June 24 one of the passengers on board the Monarch died during the night. He was a soldier who had been stationed at Fort Gibbon and was on his way to St. Michael for medical treatment in the army hospital at that place. Major Greene, of the Army, who was a pas- 105 senger on one of the other steamers, called on board the JVumvak, and we had a conference as to the best disposition that could be made of the body. It was decided to have it carried to St. Michael if possible, and with that end in view a coffin was made by the carpenter of the Nunwdk and sent on board the Monarch. A quantity of ice was also furnished to preserve the body of the dead soldier until the arrival of the Monarch at St. Michael. While lying at the mouth of the river we received information of the discovery of some dead bodies lying exposed on the tundra, and a burial party was sent out from the JVunivak in charge of Lieutenant Camden to give the remains decent interment. Mr. Camden found the bodies and identified them as being a family of Eskimos who had evidently perished of starvation during the winter. A grave was made and the bodies buried, while Rev. Mr. Chapman read the services for the burial of the dead. On June 26 the weather was overcast and squally, with a rapidly falling barometer, indicative of southerly winds. During the latter part of the day the wind increased in force, and the ice offshore for the first time showed signs of weakening. On the 27th, under the influence of a strong southeast gale, the ice moved offshore during the flow of the ebb tide, and several of the smaller vessels ventured out, but were forced to return by the inflow of the ice on the flood tide. It was, however, pretty well broken up, and at 1 a. m. of the 28th we left the river and stood along the coast toward St. Michael. The departure of the Nunivah was the signal for the whole fleet of delayed steamers to follow. When we arrived off Cape Romanoff, a quantity of drift ice was encountered, through which the vessel was carefully worked until the vicinity of Stephens Pass was reached, at 5 a. m. The pass was completely filled with ice, and, finding that it was impossible to get through, we turned and ran for the canal, this being the nearest place where shelter could be obtained. Our change of course was noted bj- the rest of the fleet, which by this time were stretched out in a long line as far as the eye could reach in the direc- tion of the mouth of the Yukon. The most of the vessels followed the direction taken by the Nunivdk, and at 8 a. m. some 10 or 12 vessels reached the entrance to the canal. The mouth of this estuary was almost choked with ice, which the ebb tide was carrying out to sea, but as there was scarcely water enough over the bar for the Nunivah to enter at low tide, I decided to attempt to work the vessel through the drift ice rather than take the chance of being caught by the sea ice should we remain outside until the flood tide should make. We accordingly entered the canal, and after an hour of hard work suc- ceeded in working through the drift ice and into the clear water beyond. Several of the fleet followed the Nunivak, and we finally reached a sheltered position near the winter quarters of the steamers lying in the canal and made fast alongside the bank. 106 At this time there were upward of 20 steamers lying in the canal, some of which were all ready to leave for St. Michael as soon as ocean navigation should be open, while others had been so badly injured by the ice when the canal broke up in the spring as to be practically worthless. I was informed by persons who had wintered here that the place was not fitted for winter quarters for a vessel on account of the violent movements of the ice both at the time when it was forming in the fall and during the spring breakup. Most of the vessels had suffered considerable damage by having the oakum pulled out of the side seams by the action of the ice, and in some cases whole planks had been torn off by this means. All of the vessels which had been left without full crews to care for them were either sunk or forced far out on the flat marsh land bordering the canal. The place was otherwise objectionable on account of its unsheltered situation. Constant gales during the winter swept in from the sea, and for days at a time it was impossible to stir out of doors on account of the inclement weather. On June 29, on complaint of Capt. P. C. Rickmers, in charge of the steamers belonging to the Empire Transportation Company which had wintered in the canal, I caused the arrest of two men for selling liquor to the crews on the vessels in port without a license. After a pre- liminary examination of the accused parties on board the Nunivak, at which conclusive evidence of their guilt was adduced, I decided to send them to St. Michael by small boat, under guard, to be turned over to the United States commissioner at that place for trial. Lieu- tenant Wheeler and Seaman McGrath, of the Nunivak, were detailed to perform this duty, and left the ship on June 30 with the prisoners. They returned from St. Michael on July 2, Lieutenant Wheeler reporting that he had delivered the two men into the custody of the United States commissioner, as ordered. Mr. Wheeler reported that the harbor of St. Michael was still closed by ice, but that it was open alongshore, and all that was needed was a strong southerly wind to drive it out to sea. It was possible for small steamers to reach St. Michael by way of the canal, and at the request of Capt. J. E. Han- sen, superintendent of transportation for the Northern Commercial Company, permission was granted him to transfer a number of the passengers on the large steamers to smaller craft for transportation to their destination. This measure was necessary on account of the scarcity of provisions and the impossibility of getting a fresh supply at this point until the opening of navigation. The steamers City of Paris and Rock Island, both light-draft vessels, were accordingly dis- patched through the canal with passengers from the other vessels. Lists of passengers so transferred were furnished by Captain Hansen for the information of the collector of customs at St. Michael? so as to enable that official to keep an accurate record of the number of passengers which each vessel had brought down the river. 107 A strong southwest gale sprang up during the night of July 3, and by noon the ice, which had clung persistently to the shore in the vicinity of the entrance to the canal since our arrival, suddenly broke away and drifted off to sea. At 2 p. in. a steam launch arrived from St. Michael with the welcome news that the harbor was at last open. We immediately got under way and dropped down the canal to its mouth, with the intention of starting for St. Michael, but a dense fog shut in and we did not get away until 9 p. m. By this time nearly all the detained vessels were under way, and with the Nunivak in the lead the fleet started across the open stretch of ocean which lay between us and our destined port. Stephens Pass was found to be clear of ice, and although there was still a large number of detached bergs in the sea beyond we made our way safely through the open leads, and at 2 a. m. of July 4 the Nunivak dropped anchor in the inner harbor, with the honor of being the first of the river fleet to reach its destination this } T ear. The harbor was crowded with ships of all descriptions, which had arrived from the outside, and the town, with its many new buildings which had been built during the winter, seemed to our eyes a veritable metropolis. A large quantity of mail matter, some of it nearly a year old, was received shortly after our arrival, and for several days we were kept busy reading letters and catching up with the news from the outside. Among other letters received from the Department at this time was one in which I was informed that it was not the intention of Department to keep the Nunivak in commission during the ensuing winter, but that after the summer's work in the vicinity of St. Michael had been finished the vessel was to be laid up at that place, and the crew, with the exception of enough men to look out for her while in winter quarters, discharged. In pursuance with instructions contained in Department letter of the 3d of May, 1901, 1 informed the collector of customs at St. Michael that the Nunivak would remain in the harbor during the summer and I should be glad to render him any assistance possible in the execu- tion of the laws for the protection of the customs revenue and in the enforcement of the navigation laws. 1 am glad to state that the official relations between the officers of the customs service and this command were at all times cordial and pleasant. On July 13 I left St. Michael on the steamer Dora and visited Nome for the purpose of conferring with Lieut. D. H. Jarvis, R. C. S., in regard to matters of official business, and returned to St. Michael on the 17th instant. On August 5 the U. S. S. Thetis arrived in port with a supply of coal and stores for the Nunivak, and also brought me further instruc- tions from the Department in regard to the disposition of the vessel and command. The U. S. S. Manning arrived several days later, bringing us an additional quantity- of coal, all of which was in due course taken on board the Nunivak. 108 The Department has already been fully informed of the failure on the part of Lieutenant Jarvis to dispose of the Nunivak by sale and of the manner in which the vessel was subsequently hauled out on the beach under my directions and placed in winter quarters. It only remains for me to tender my sincere thanks to the commanding officer of the U. S. S. Bear, Capt. Francis Tuttle, R. C. S. , for valuable assist- ance given this command in the work of getting the vessel safely into winter quarters, to Lieut. D. H. Jarvis, R. C. S., who as special dis- bursing officer, settled the accounts of the command at various times during our stay in the North, in many cases at great personal incon- venience, and to Lieut. D. P. Foley, R. C. S., purchasing officer of the Service at San Francisco, to whom fell the onerous and most impor- tant duty of selecting and purchasing supplies for the vessel as needed from time to time. The work done by all these officers contributed in a great measure to our comfort, and, what is of more importance to the economical and successful management of the command in its isolated situation. To other officers of the Service to whom we were indebted for many acts of thoughtful consideration, I desire to extend my thanks and assurances of my sincere appreciation. The mere enumeration of their names would comprise almost the entire list of officers who dur- ing this period were attached to the several vessels of the Service in Bering Sea, and, under the circumstances, m} r failure to give personal credit for every act of kindness done for us will I feel sure be under- stood and pardoned. On the 15th of September the work of hauling the Nunivak out on the beach at St. Michael was completed, the members of the crew who were to remain by the vessel selected, and the remaining members of the crew transferred to the U. S. S. Bear for transportation to the States. Lieutenants Camden and Blake were detached and ordered to pro- ceed to their homes via the Yukon River route, and directed to obtain the necessary data for the construction of a chart of the upper por- tion of the river while en route. Lieutenant Wheeler and Assistant Engineer Lewton were transferred to the U. S. S. Bear for duty on that vessel, and Surgeon White, who had volunteered for the duty, was left in charge of the Nunivak for the winter. On September 16 I bade good-bye to Dr. White and the little band of men left with him to take care of the vessel, and with a sincere feeling Of regret at parting with my first command I took passage for the States in the steamer Roanoke and arrived at my home in San Fran- cisco, Cal., on the 2d of October, and reported my arrival to the honorable Secretary of the Treasury as directed in my orders of detachment dated May 3, 1901. PAET II. Chapter I. DESCRIPTION OF THE STATION. Chapter II. TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION. Chapter III. WINTER TRAVEL. Chapter IV. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. Chapter V. SOCIAL CONDITIONS. Chapter VI. LAW AND ORDER. 109 I- 0. CHAPTER 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE STATION. THE CRUISING GROUND. The cruising ground of the Nun \ fathoms of water and in case of sudden gales shelter may be UNIVERSITY OF 113 obtained in several coves on Stuart Island. The shores of this island are usually covered with quantities of driftwood from the Yukon, but landing is difficult except when the sea is smooth. Once through Stephens Pass the water rapidly shoals to 8 feet, and when off Cape Romanoff, a solitary rounded headland of crystal- lized schistose rock about halfway from the pass to the mouth of the river, the water decreases in depth to 6 feet. This depth is maintained with great regularity until the mouth of the Pastoliak River is reached. Here close inshore is found a narrow and somewhat winding chan- nel with from 8 to 10 feet leading across Pastol Bay and into the Aphoon. The distance from St. Michael to the Aphoon entrance to the river by the sea route is 60 miles. Small steamers and boats some- times make this journey by way of the Canal, a narrow and tortuous channel which separates St. Michael Island from the mainland, in order to avoid the rough water encountered on the way through Stephens Pass. Both entrances to the Canal are obstructed b} T bars, over which 5 feet is the most that can be carried at high tide. Once over the bars, there is plenty of water through the Canal, but the channel is strewn with rocks and in many places difficult of navi- gation. Passing up the Aphoon mouth the country on each side of the river is low and uninteresting. The immediate banks of the stream are clothed with a dense growth of willow and alder bushes, and back of this the country stretches away for mile on mile in dreary expanses of level tundra plains. To the southward these plains join the sky in an unbroken line, but toward the north a low range of mountains having a general northwest-southeast trend marks the northern limit of the flood plain of the Yukon Delta, and serves to relieve the monoto- nous character of the landscape. Generally speaking, there is plenty of water through the Aphoon, but at several places the channel is obstructed by sand and silt flats. About 33 miles above its mouth we pass out of the Aphoon into what may be called the main part of the Yukon. This is called the Kwik- pak Mouth, and is almost a mile wide. The channel winds in and out amidst a labyrinth of low sand islands, some of which are completely covered at high tide, and navigation through this portion of the river is tedious and perplexing until the head of the delta is reached. The course upstream to this point has been in a general southeast direction, but now the river sweeps around the base of a mountainous headland in a great curve to the northward, and for the first time a view of the noble river in all its beauty, confined on both hands by high com- manding banks, is obtained. Andreafski, the first white settlement of any importance to be seen on ascending the river, is situated on the Andreafski River near its junction with the Yukon at a distance of 120 miles from the mouth of 114 the latter stream. Here are located the regular winter quarters of the Alaska Commercial Compaq and its trading post. The company has erected a commodious two-story building for the accommodation of the crews of its vessels while in winter quarters, and has installed a fine machine shop, electric plant, etc. , for the use of the station. A marine railway is at the present time in process of construction, which is designed to haul out the largest vessels owned by the compan} T , thereby doing away with an immense amount of expense and trouble incurred while looking out for them if left in the water and allowed to freeze in. The water in the Andreafski River is beautifully clear and this is a favorite place for vessels to call in and fill up their tanks before proceeding further up the Yukon. From Andreafski the Yukon carries from 5 to 10 fathoms of water in the channel, and this depth of water may be said to continue for 1,000 miles upstream, or until the island system of the river is reached, just above Dall River. So far as known there is not in all this dis- tance a single hidden rock or snag to menace navigation. The channel is in many places somewhat intricate, but our experience leads me to believe that it is subject to very few changes in the main portion of the river. A deep channel through the lower portion of the Yukon and across the bar which obstructs the Aphoon entrance could be easily made by systematic dredging at comparatively little cost. The wooden ranges at present in place on the tundra at the mouth of the river could be replaced by lighted range beacons to great advantage for the use of vessels entering the river, especially during the latter part of the season of open navigation, when darkness makes it impos- sible to see the wooden marks. It is impracticable to maintain buoj^s in position except during a portion of the open season on account of the action of the ice, but it is perfectly feasible to maintain lighted beacons on shore, which would answer the. same purpose. With these aids to navigation the Yukon for at least 1,000 miles of its length would be one of the easiest and safest rivers in the world to navigate. THE CURRENT. The strength of the current in the Yukon is very variable. During high-water or flood periods it attains its greatest force, and at such times and in certain localities — as, for example, at the lower entrance to the Ramparts — it has a velocity of from 8 to 9 miles per hour. In general, however, the force of the current from the Aphoon mouth to the Andreafski River averages 2£ miles per hour, from Andreafski River to Anvik 3£ miles per hour, from Anvik to the Ramparts 5£ miles per hour, and through the Ramparts to Dall River 6£ miles per hour. From a reconnoissance made of the Yukon between DaW River and Circle City by Lieutenant Camden, in the spring of 1900, it was ascertained that the strength of the current in this part of the river SHORE LINE OF YUKON RIVER, SHOWING TO SOME EXTENT THE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE RIVER LEVEL. The photograph was taken at a medium low-water stage of the s'tream. 115 attains a velocity of 7 miles per hour, and I am informed by local steamboat men that this force is maintained all the way to Dawson. There are many places in the Yukon, locally known as " rapids," where for a short distance very swift water is encountered, but, on the other hand, there are long stretches of the river, especially in its middle sec- tion, where the current does not exceed 3 miles per hour. HIGH AXD LOW WATER STAGES. The mean annual succession of high and low water stages in the Yukon is quite uniform, but so man}' exceptions are noted that it is not safe to make any definite predictions in regard to the height of water for any short period. In general it may be stated that the river is at its highest stage at the time of opening of navigation and lowest just before the river closes in the fall. After the subsidence of the spring Hood, which usually occurs in a week or ten days after the breaking up of the ice, the river maintains its normal height until the summer rains begin, in the middle of July, when it oscillates with the amount of rainfall, which is a very variable quantity. A long-con- tinued period of dry weather will cause the water in the river to fall rapidly, and it is doubtless true that during such periods the volume of the river is much decreased by rapid evaporation. Steamboat men and others whose observation of the river has extended over a period of several years state that there is always an increase in the height of water during the month of September, locall} T designated "the September rise." This may easily be attributed to the melting of the first fall of snow in the latter part of September. But this rise is of short duration, and is soon checked by the freezing of the small tributary mountain streams, which takes place usually by the first week in October. After this the river falls rapidly until the ice begins to form and navigation closes. SEDIMENTARY MATTER. The percentage of sedimentary matter carried in suspension varies greatly at different seasons, but apparently does not depend so much on the stage of water as it does on the character of the tributary from which it flows. It is also largely influenced by the caving of the river banks, which is always greatest while the river is falling after the spring freshets. During the first part of summer the sedimentary matter is to the water by weight as 1 to 1,600, and when in this con- dition is unfit for domestic use except after it has been boiled and filtered. Drinking water in large quantities is rather difficult to obtain except at two or three places on the station. Vessels engaged in traffic on the river find it necessary to carry fresh-water tanks, which are filled from the Andreafski, Anvik, or Kaltag rivers, all of which 116 are easily accessible and furnish an abundance of clear, pure water, free from all impurities. Immediately after the first ice forms in the Yukon the water in the river becomes perfectly clear and so remains until spring. VEGETATION. Under the influence of the long, sunny days of April and May, while snow is yet on the ground and the rivers are still icebound, vegetation of all kinds bounds into life with a rapidity which is astonishing, and by the middle of June the whole face of the country is abloom with the fervid life of innumerable plants and flowers. In July the grasses are waist high and the foliage of deciduous trees so dense as to be almost impenetrable to the eye. In August the berries ripen, and by the 20th of the month the leaves of the birches and poplars begin to take on the gaudy coloring of autumnal decay. Gardens are planted out of doors in May, and by the end of June some of the more rapidly growing vegetables are ready for the table. Radishes, spinach, parsley, and lettuce are first to mature. After these, in rapid succession, come green peas, kale, turnips, and cabbage. With proper attention to location and drainage excellent potatoes can be raised, and in addition to all these vegetables I have seen a very good quality of celery which was grown at Holy Cross Mission. Several varieties of vegetables were planted in boxes on board the Nunivak for experimental purposes, and it was found that lettuce, radishes, parsley, and kale could be raised in this way in from six to eight weeks. The soil used in conducting these experiments was taken from the top of one of our log houses on shore, where it had been lying since the preceding fall, and to a certain extent it had been dried out by exposure to the sun and air. A small amount of lime was used to counteract the natural acidity of the soil, but with this exception no fertilizing material of any kind was added. Several species of indigenous wild plants which can be used as vege- table food grow abundantly along the banks of the Yukon and its tributary streams. Among them we noted the parsnip, onion, a spe- cies of rhubarb, and a kind of spinach which when properly prepared was fully as palatable as the cultivated plant. At numerous places along the river I noted the presence of natural meadows of various kind of grasses, which no doubt would furnish excellent hay; but the local demand for this article has not as yet become great enough to encourage its cultivation as a marketable product. THE SOIL. The soil of the Yukon Valley is a rich alluvial, composed of fine sand, mud, and vegetable matter. In many localities, where erosion had exposed a section of the river bank, large deposits of marl were 117 observed, and the soil appeared to be free from frost. This was not found to be the case in the treeless, moss-covered country near the coast. Here the cut banks showed large quantities of ice, and it is doubtless true that it never thaws out to a greater depth than a few inches from the surface. In the interior an entirely different condi- tion exists. Early in the spring, in digging a hole in the ground at Fort Shoemaker, much to our surprise the earth at a short distance beneath the frozen surface was found to be comparatively dry and free from frost. This condition of the soil doubtless obtains in all localities where land has been formed by alluvial deposition, and where it is not covered by the moisture-absorbing, nonconductive mantle of moss. The agricultural possibilities of the Yukon Valley are yet to be determined by systematic and intelligently conducted experiments. Efforts have been made in the past to grow some of the cereals at different places along the river, and it is true that the results were not very encouraging. But it must be remembered that these experiments were made by traders in a more or less perfunctory man- ner, and should not be accepted as final proof that the country is not suited to agriculture. During the last decade many vegetables have been added to the list of those which were known to be possible of cultivation in this region, with the result that the meager fare of fish, wild fowl, and venison, which formed almost the only source of food supply for the early settlers, has been greatly diversified and improved. There seems no good reason to doubt that in many parts of the inte- rior, especially in sunny, well-drained alluvial valleys, with deep plow- ing and proper preparation of the soil, barley, oats, and wheat of the hardier variety would reach maturity. It is to be earnestly hoped that the Government will undertake the work of making some systematic experiments along these lines at an early day. TIMBER. It has been truly said that the first reo^isite for habitation in any country is timber. In this particular the Yukon Valley is well sup- plied. With the exception of the treeless tundra plains of the region near the coast, which extend inland to the first range of mountains, the country is well forested throughout its length and breadth. The heaviest growth of timber is found along the small tributary streams draining the lateral valleys of the Yukon system and on some of the sloughs of the main river. It is probable that the mean annual tem- perature is higher in these localities than it is directly on the shores of the main stream, and it is certain that the valleys are more sheltered from the wind. This will no doubt account for the larger growth attained by the trees in these localities. The most important of all the forest trees found in this region is the white spruce {Abies alba). This beautiful conifer attains a height in 118 some favored localities of over 100 feet, with a diameter of over 4 feet at the butt. The stump of one tree which I examined at Dall River measured 3 feet across the top, which was 4 feet above the ground, and the annual rings showed that the tree had reached the age of 90 years. The average size of the spruce trees found along the Yukon is, however, considerably less, and in exposed situations show signs of climatic repression. Great inroads have been made in the spruce forests along the imme- diate banks of the Yukon to supply fuel for the steamboats ptying on the river, and in certain localities the shores have been almost entirely denuded of timber. The spruce furnishes the only source of supply for lumber for build- ing purposes in the country, and in the vicinity of the large mining camps and military posts, where a demand for lumber has arisen, the forests have been almost depleted of the larger-sized trees. At the present time it is found necessaiy to leave the main stream and go some distance up the small tributaries of the river or on some of its outlying sloughs in order to find any considerable stands of timber suitable for the manufacture of lumber. During the winter of 1900-1901 Mr. George Sharpe undertook to furnish the military authorities at Fort Gibbon with 600,000 feet of saw logs, which, according to the terms of his contract, were to measure not less than 12 inches at the butt, 8 inches at the top, and to be 12 feet in length. Mr. Sharpe made a thorough examination of the Yukon River banks from the Ramparts to a point 75 miles above Dall River, and informed me that in all this region he did not find enough timber of the size required to warrant him in set- ting his men at work. In order to fill his contract he was compelled late in the season to go up the Tanana River a distance of about 80 miles from the mouth of that stream to find a suitable place to begin operations. What has been said of the scarcity of large-sized trees, however, should not be understood as applying to trees of smaller growth. There is in every lateral valley and along the shores of the Yukon, as well as upon nearly every island in the river from Russian Mission to Dawson, an ample supply of spruce timber to last for years to come; but as I have before stated, the forests along the margin of the steam- boat channels have been -greatly depleted, and very soon tramways or some other means of transportation will become necessary in the work of laying down the wood within reach of the steamers. Next in importance to the spruce for commercial purposes comes the birch, of which two varieties are found in this region, namely, the white or paper birch {Betula papyracea) and the red birch (B. lento). Both of these varieties attain a size sufficiently large for us^as fuel, and in some localities, as in the vicinity of Nulato, it forms the pre- dominating feature of the forest growth. Its principal use, however, 119 is for the manufacture of canoes, snowshoes, and sleds by the Indians, and to a more limited extent in the manufacture of native baskets and household utensils of various kinds. Two species of poplar. Populus halmmifera and P. tremuloldes, were noted. The former frequently grows to a height of 60 to 80 feet, with a diameter of 2 feet at the butt. Both species are used in the construction of log houses when spruce logs can not be readily obtained, and to a limited extent for fuel. For the latter purpose, however, it is not at all satisfactory, owing to the excessive amount of moisture it contains. Willows and alders grow in the greatest abundance along the banks of the main river and its tributaries. The- former is most generally seen in the form of low-spreading bushes along the water courses, and is seldom over 12 feet in height. In some sections of the lower and middle river, however, a slender variety is found which attains a height of 60 or TO feet, and except at the extreme top is entirely devoid of branches. The trunk is seldom larger than 6 inches in diameter. The timber is of no use as an economic product, as it is invariably rotton at the heart. In open situations a species of larch (Larix Americanos) is some- times seen, but it is comparatively rare, and is seldom more than 15 feet in height. A dwarf variety of juniper {Juniperiis communis) was observed at one or two places on the river, but aside from the value of its berries as a diuretic agent it has no commercial value. The list of trees as above given comprises all the known varieties indigenous to the region. COAL. At several places along the Yukon coal of a fair quality has been found, and as authentic reports of its- presence on the Koyukuk River have been received, it seems most probable that the deposits of coal which are known to exist on the Kowak River and the northwest Arctic coast form a part of a vast coal-bearing region extending from the Yukon Valley northward to the Arctic Ocean. The full value of the Yukon coal has as yet not been satisfactorily determined. A considerable amount of money has been spent in the work of developing several of the most promising veins along the river, and while some very fair coal has been obtained, its use as a substitute for wood as fuel has not been general. The coal when first taken from the mines has the appearance of the best form of lignite, but it has a decided tendency to " slack" after exposure to the open air, and in this condition it is of very little value as fuel. By analysis it compares very favorably with any of the coal found west of the Rocky Mountains, and if it could be prevented from "slacking" it would undoubtedly be a very valuable product. 120 The veins of coal are usually found inclosed between thin layers of shale and brown Miocene sandstone. The widest and best-defined seams of which a personal examination were made by the writer were at the Pioneer Coal Mine, situated on the right bank of the Yukon, 25 miles upstream from Rampart City. Here there are three dis- tinct seams, the largest of which was nearty 3 feet wide. At a dis- tance of a thousand yards upstream from the Pioneer Mine there was observed a vein of coal interbedded with the shales, and sand- stones forming the stream bluffs; and along the slopes of the hills lying north of the river dark bands, parallel to the bedding, were observed, and are probably the outcrops of coal beds. There seems to be no doubt that further exploration in this locality will disclose a vast deposit of the mineral, which may prove of great value in the future. GRASSES. The treeless plains of the coast and the lowlands of the interior are covered in spring with a luxuriant growth of many varieties of grasses which would furnish the best of pasturage for cattle for at least six months of the }^ear. The depth of snow on the level ground is never so great as to completely cover up some of these grasses, and even in the winter season horses have been subsisted on these natural meadows by shoveling off the surplus snow, so as to give the animals a chance to graze. Among the most common and valuable grasses noted and identified were the Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis), the meadow foxtail {Alopecurus pratensis), and the redtop (Agrostis vulgaris), all of which grow luxuriantly in the open swales and uplands all over the countiy. The redtop and blue grass grow to a surprising height during the hot summer months, often waist high and in several places along the river give the impression of cultivated fields. The blue joint grass (Agro- pyrum glaucum) was also noted in many places, and would furnish abundant pasturage for cattle. Among the undersirable grasses noted is the squirrel tail {Hordeum jubatum), which might cause some trouble to feeding cattle, but fortu- nately it is not common among the other grasses, and could be easily avoided. With the building up of the country and the introduction of cattle there will be a large demand for hay, and there seems to be no doubt that the cultivation of this article would prove a profitable form of employment if energetically and properly conducted. CLIMATE. The climate of the Yukon Valley differs very materially from that of the coast in the same latitude. On the coast the summer months are characterized by excessive precipitation, and cold, disagreeable 121 rains are of frequent occurrence. The average summer temperature of the air on the coast is some 25 degrees lower than that of the inte- rior, and to this fact may be attributed the occurrence of frequent fogs in the delta region of the Yukon. The influence of the warm water of the river in producing fogs is felt for a long distance from land in Bering Sea. but it is a rather remarkable fact that at times when the whole northwestern portion of the sea may be shrouded in impenetrable mists, the harbor of St. Michael is generally free from fogs. Its immunity is the result, most probably, of its situation cut of the line of the fluvial path of the Yukon where it empties into the sea. The cold, misty weather of the coast during the summer season is not experienced in the interior. Beyond the first range of mountains, which forms a barrier between the treeless plains of the coast and the Yukon Valley, the summer climate is tropical in character. Tempera- tures of 90° in the shade are not infrequent, and authentic records #bow that at some times the temperature has been as high as 110 c in the shade for short periods. The warmest months are June and July, when the sun is practically in sight all the time. During seasons of small amount of rainfall, which are by no means uncommon in this district, the fierce heat of midsummer causes much suffering among the inhabitants of the river settlements, and if long continued may result in considerable sickness. The greatest amount of rainfall occurs in the Yukon Valley during the month of August and the first part of September. In the absence of any authentic statistics on the subject, it is impossible to state the amount of annual rainfall. Our own movements were such that the necessary data could not be collected, as we were absent from the river during the month of July and the most of August. From the opening of navigation in May until we left the river in the latter part of June we experienced very little rainy weather: that is. very little as compared with the amount encountered on the coast. The winter climate of the interior is much colder than that of the coast, but, owing to the excessive dryness of the atmosphere inland and the absence of wind when the temperature is very low, it is much more endurable. As a matter of fact, the consensus of opinion of those who have lived in the country long enough to be competent judges is that the winter months are the pleasantest ones of the year. The approach of winter is gradual, and as a general thing free from gales or other objectionable features which usually mark the change of seasons in other localities. The opening of spring is likely to be more disagreeable, owing to the melting of the winters snow, which renders travel very difficult for a few weeks, and also on account of the sudden changes of temperature which take place at this season. Work in the open air can be carried on during the entire winter witn 122 very little discomfort or danger. The periods of cold weather which render it unsafe for travel or work in the open air are of very short duration, seldom lasting over a week, and these exceptionally cold periods seldom occur more than twice in the same season. During the winter of 1901 the temperature fell as low as 72° and for two weeks did not go higher than 66° below zero (Fahrenheit), as registered by a standard spirit thermometer. This is probably the longest period of excessivel} T cold weather that has ever been recorded in the country. In order to dispose of the fallacy that life in the open air under these circumstances is attended by any great danger, it may be of interest to know that, in company with Lieut. EL J. Erricksen, United States Army, and a party of men under his command, Lieut. W. J. Wheeler, of the JVunivak, and myself spent the whole of this time in camp on the banks of the Yukon with no other protection from the weather than that afforded by thin drilling tents. It was of course impossible to move camp under these conditions, but aside from the enforced deten- tion we suffered no serious discomforts. The crew of the Nunivah were required to work in the open air all winter cutting wood for the use of the vessel, and aside from a few cases of frostbite caused by imprudent exposure of the hands or feet they suffered no inconvenience. During the progress of the stampede to Nome, which took place in the winter of 1900, upward of 2,000 persons of both sexes made the long journey by sled from Dawson to the coast. It is doubtful whether a similar journey could have been performed by as many people with less amount of actual suffering from exposure in any part of the world. From our experience in the country, covering a period of over two years, and from information gathered from various authentic sources, I am irresistibly drawn to the conclusion that the winter climate of the interior of Alaska is superior in many respects to that of many of our Northern States. With cheaper means of transportation, by which the necessaries of life can be procured at less cost, and better facilities for communication with the outside world, there is no good reason why this little known and greatly misrepresented country should not become the abiding place of a large and prosperous population. As I write, the press of the United States is filled with reports of the problematical riches of our recently acquired possessions in the Torrid Zone. The benefits and profits to be reaped from trade conces sions and political affiliation with the peoples of these far-away lands are eagerly discussed. The National Government is pouring out a stream of blood and treasure, first to subjugate and then to develop these alien islands. Meanwhile Alaska, with its hundreds^ of thou- sands of square miles of virgin forests, its countless rivers and far- reaching seas teeming with the most valuable food fishes known to 123 man. with its millions of acres of pasture lands, capable of sustaining flocks and herds of sheep and cattle large enough to feed the world, and with its mountains in which the buried treasures of ages lie wait- ing for the miners' pick and shovel, Alaska stands at our doors ignored, neglected, and almost despised, because it is "cold."' God grant that the day is not far distant when the youth of this country, whose fore- fathers hewed from the ice-bound shores of Maine and Massachusetts the foundations of the great Republic, will awake from their lethargic dream of life under the tropic skies of the land of maiiana and set their faces toward our northern province. Here, amidst sterner but healthier surroundings, may they make their homes and perpetuate a race of fearless, self-reliant, and strenuous men and women of the type which — Born of the hills and nurtured by the winds, Knows only Freedom's mighty song of life. R y V OF wAh< CHAPTER II. COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION. HISTORY Prior to the acquisition of the Territory of Alaska by the United States in the year 1867, traffic between the Russians and the natives of the interior was maintained by means of trading posts or stations located at convenient points along the Yukon River. These stations were supplied with goods brought up the river in large pulling boats, called bidarras, which ascended the river every summer after the opening of navigation, and after delivering the supplies and collecting the furs which had been procured by the traders during the previous winter they returned to the headquarters of the company at St. Michael, on the coast, before the close of navigation in the fall. Com- munication with the several stations was kept up during the winter by means of dog teams, and small quantities of supplies were some- times sledded over the portage to the near-by stations after winter travel set in. The amount of material that could be transported in this way was ver\ T small, however, and the area of operations was limited to the stations in the immediate vicinity of St. Michael. The more remote posts were compelled to depend upon their own resources entirely in case of a shortage of supplies during the winter. Following closely the cession of the Territory to the United States, a trading company was incorporated by a party of Americans, under the title of the Alaska Commercial Company, for the purpose of engaging in trade in our new possessions. This company at once set about the work of reorganizing the business methods which had hitherto been in vogue, and among other innovations they built and put in operation a small 60-ton stern-wheel steamer for the trans- portation of merchandise from the coast to points on the river. This little vessel, which was christened the Yukon, was the first steam vessel ever to pl\ T on the river, and from its advent may be dated the begin- ning of a new era in the development of the countiy. The Yukon continued to run for several years, making trips from St. Michael as far upstream as Selkirk, a distance of over 1,500 miles, 5661—03 19 125 126 with more or less regularity each season, until it was accidentally destroyed by fire, when a second and somewhat larger vessel bearing the same name was built by the company to take its place. Mean- while business at the several trading stations, under the better man- agement of the Americans, increased to such an extent that more transportation facilities were needed, and the steamer Arctic was built. After the Arctic came the Beaver in due course of time, and from this small beginning the present splendid fleet of more than 100 mag- nificent river steamers has been evolved to meet the demands of the steadily expanding commerce on the river. For nearly twenty years the Alaska Commercial Company remained in almost undisputed possession of the commercial field. Now and then competing companies would be formed for the purpose of secur- ing a portion of the business, but either through lack of enterprise or because the business of trading with the natives was never really important enough to warrant competition, opposition companies were not successful in maintaining a foothold in the country until the dis- covery of gold caused an influx of white men and a sudden demand was made for supplies and transportation immensely greater than the old company could meet. Until this period the business of the Alaska Commercial Company was confined to the exchange of merchandise for the furs collected by the Indians of the interior almost exclusively. There were but few white people, with the exception of their agents, in the country, and of these it may be said they were more frequently a source of expense and worry than of profit to the company. The discovery of gold for the first time in paying quantities in Alaska was in the year 1886 in the Stewart River country and in the vicinity of Fortymile River. When the news reached the outside, it was received with varying degrees of credulity, but from this time on the population of the Territory slowly but surely increased. Many prospectors came into the country ignorant of the existing conditions, and speedily found themselves destitute and without means of returning to their homes without assistance. Many small traders followed the first movement of the gold seekers equally ignorant and equally unfortunate. Left alone in the vast interior without help, it is certain that these early pioneers would have suffered incredible hardships had it not been for the generosity and forethought of the Alaska Commercial Company. Orders were issued from the home office to the agents of the company throughout the Territory forbidding any of its employees to charge any more than the regular market price for any article in its stores, under any circumstances, and an additional quantity of supplies were hurriedly sent into the country at one time when it became known that an unusual number of prospectors had resolved to winleivin the interior, and orders were given to the agents of the company to use 127 every effort to see that no one suffered for lack of food on account of the lack of money. In cases of actual destitution the agents were authorized and directed to furnish food and shelter to all who applied for help under these conditions free of charge. There is no doubt but that this generous and large-minded policy of the Alaska Commercial Company encouraged prospectors to enter the country and persevere in the hunt for gold, and has in this way been one of the most important, if not the most important, factor in the growth and marvelous development of the country. From the year 1886 until 1891 the population of the valley of the Yukon steadily increased, and new discoveries of gold throughout the region made the prospects of a still larger population so probable that a new trading company, composed of Chicago capitalists, under the direction of Mr. Portus B. Weare, was organized, and preparations were made on a scale never before attempted to enter the field for the purpose of competing with the Alaska Commercial Company for a por- tion of the now rapidly increasing business on the river. The new company was incorporated under the name of the North American Transportation and Trading Company, with headquarters at St. Michael. During the summer of 1892 a steamer of 100 tons was completed at St. Michael, christened the P. B. Weare, loaded with a full cargo of merchandise, and late in the fall of that year was dispatched up the river to engage in traffic in the country. This initiatory step was followed by the erection at St. Michael and at various points on the river of stores, warehouses, and dwellings of a size and style hith- erto unheard of in the territory. Meanwhile the Alaska Commercial Company had not been idle. New steamers were built, new posts established, warehouses enlarged, and, in fact, everything possible was done to keep pace with the busi- ness energy of its younger rival. For nearly ten years these two com- panies remained alone in the field. But with the discovery of the rich gold-bearing placers of the Klondike River and its tributaries a rush of people into the country took place, which for a time absolutely overwhelmed the transportation companies. To meet the demands of the new commerce new vessels were built by both the Alaska Com- mercial Company and the North American Transportation and Trading Company and put in commission as quickly as possible, and new com- panies were formed and preparations made to enter the field with astonishing rapidity. Many of these new companies never survived the first throes of organization, that is to say, after the first issue of the capital stock had been foisted onto a gullible public the '* company " disappeared from existence and the stockholders were left to console themselves as best they might with the possession of a lot ot worthless certificates of stock, while the promoters of the enterprises quickly withdrew from 128 sight to enjoy in seclusion the fruits of their ill-gotten gains. Others succeeded in reaching St. Michael with their vessels in a partially wrecked condition or found upon arrival at that place that, through ignorance of existing conditions, the vessels forming a part of their outfit were unsuitable for the work to be performed. Still, others there were who, with more persistence or greater intelligence in the work of preparation, actually succeeded in getting their vessels started up the river only to find themselves beaten at the very outset in the race for the new business by the older and more experienced com- panies in the field. Hundreds of abandoned vessels, with their outfits of machinery and supplies, can be seen at the present time lying on the shores of St. Michael Harbor and scattered along the Yukon from its mouth to Dawson, the mute but convincing evidences of misdirected efforts and disappointed hopes. Among the many unsuccessful ventures none seemed so gad as those in which farmers and mechanics, with no experience whatever either in the handling of a vessel or in the details of business affairs, formed small cooperative companies and embarked their entire fortunes in various desperate schemes for making money in the country. The record of these ill-advised ventures is one of complete failure. Not a single one of them met with even partial success. One instance which came under our personal observation was that of an old man who had mortgaged his farm in one of the Middle States and with the funds obtained in this way had joined a party of gold seekers bound for Alaska. A small steamer was purchased and fitted out with sup- plies, and the expedition after undergoing almost incredible hardships finally succeeded in getting up the Yukon as far as Nulato. Here the machinery of the vessel broke down, winter overtook them, the sup- plies became exhausted, and the members of the party were compelled to seek employment wherever it could be obtained to avoid starvation. The old man was too feeble to work and was left with a scant supply of provisions to take care of the vessel during the winter. But the terrible strain had been too much for him. Worn out by excessive labor, weakened by the lack of proper food, and harassed by fear in the midst of his strange surroundings, he lost his reason and finally ended his life by committing suicide. Not all of the companies, however, that sprang into existence at this period were doomed to failure. Several corporations were formed and under the careful management of shrewd business and professional men succeeded in obtaining a foothold and a share of the immensely profitable business of furnishing supplies and transportation to the thousands of eager people who were now pouring into the territory. Among the corporations which were formed at this time ano^»which succeeded in establishing a profitable business, those that are men- tioned below were the most important, viz: 129 The Alaska Exploration Company, the Seattle-Yukon Transporta- tion Company, and the Empire Transportation Company. From the year 1898 until the opening of navigation in the year 1901 these three companies and the two older concerns, namely, the Alaska Commercial Company and the North American Transportation and Trading Company, were all independent corporations, each operating- separate lines of ocean and river steamers, and each maintaining at the principal settlements in the interior stores where merchandise of every kind suitable for use in the country could be purchased. Meanwhile the Canadian business men had not been idle in Dawson. Lines of fast steamers were built and put in operation between Daw- son and the termination of the trail over the mountains from the coast, and every effort was made to induce people to enter the country by this route and to purchase their supplies from British business houses. The completion of the railroad from Skagway to White Horse, in British territory, was a severe blow to the transportation business on the lower river. In order more effectively to compete with the railroad and steamboat transportation companies of the upper river a tempo- rary arrangement was entered into during the winter of 1901 between all of the American transportation companies by which a new com- pany was formed under the name of the Northern Navigation Com- pany for the transaction of all the transportation business in the American part of the territoiy, and another company was formed at the same time for the transaction of all the mercantile business under the name of the Northern Commercial Company. All of the com- panies also entered into this merger with the exception of the North American Transportation and Trading Company, which maintained its separate organization. In so far as the arrangement for the combina- tion of the transportation business interests of all the companies under one head relates to this latter company it is understood that it termi- nated at the end of the open season of navigation in the summer of 1901. It will be thus seen that at the present time the mercantile and transportation business of the Yukon Valley is in the hands of the following corporations, viz, the Northern Commercial Company, the Northern Navigation Company, and the North American Transporta- tion and Trading Company. In addition to the above-named transportation companies there has been recently organized an independent line of steamers under British ownership to ply between Dawson and St. Michael. Terminal facili- ties at the latter place have been granted the company by the United States Government, and although by law these steamers will not be allowed to engage in any local traffic on the river they will no doubt prove active competitors with the American steamers in the transpor- tation of passengers and freight between the terminal points in the 130 district A complete list of the vessels, including barges, which were in use on the Yukon River during the season of 1901, together with the tonnage of the same, is shown in the appendix. METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION. In a general way it may be said that transportation of passengers and freight throughout the American portion of Alaska begins when nav- igation on the Yukon opens in thespringand ends when the river freezes over in the fall. Winter transportation by sled over the trails at the present time is confined to the movement of individuals and has as yet not been taken up as a business to an extent which renders it worthy of discussion. Sled traveling as a means of communication will be mentioned under another heading later on in this report. The Yukon usually breaks up in the latter part of May, is open for navigation during the summer months and closes by the first week in October. The harbor of St. Michael is seldom free from ice before the 20th of June. It will be seen therefore that the traffic on the river may be going on at least a month before communication is pos- sible by boat between points in the interior and St. Michael. On the other hand the upper waters of the river are the first to freeze over and the lower portion and the sea may be open for navigation two weeks after all movements of boats in its upper portion has become impossible. Advantage has been taken of this by some of the companies to send steamers fully loaded into the river from the coast late in the fall, and lay them up for the winter in some suitable place on the lower river. By this means they are enabled to send these vessels on their way upstream immediately after the river is clear of ice in the spring. Goods intended for stations in the interior are purchased in the States during the winter months and shipped in ocean-going vessels to St. Michael on the opening of navigation in the spring. Here they are transferred to the river steamers and by them transported to the several points of destination. In the early days of transportation on the Yukon passengers bound for the interior of the territory also came by way of St. Michael, but with the completion of the railroad connecting Skagway, on the coast of southeast Alaska, with White Horse, on the upper waters of the Yukon, by far the greater number of passengers choose this more convenient and expeditious method of reaching their destinations. The trip by rail over the mountains is made in a few hours, and upon arrival at White Horse passengers can make close connection with a line of fast and commodious steamers plying between that point and Dawson. From Dawson to places still farther downstrearfl ample means of transportation are furnished by the fleet of American steamers, and delays en route are of infrequent occurrence. 131 The class of vessel universally in use on the Yukon is the stern- wheel steamer, similar in construction to those in use on the rivers of Vhe States. The older boats were designed more as freight carriers than for the accommodation of passengers, but later additions to the fleet are furnished with every appliance for the comfort of passengers usually found on first-class vessels of this kind in any section of the country, and in point of speed and accommodations will compare favorably with other boats of this kind anywhere. All of the larger vessels and most of the smaller ones are lighted b} T electricity, heated by steam, and have all the other accessories which modern ideas of comfort demand. The large packets have refrigerating plants installed and are by this means enabled to furnish passengers with fresh meat, vegetables, and fruit throughout the trip up or down the river. The cooking and service is good — in fact, very much better than one would be led to expect in such an out-of-the-way locality. The shortness of the open period of navigation on the river and its tributaries and the great distances over which it is necessaiy to trans- port supplies make it necessary to load the vessels as deeply as possible on each trip. In addition to its own load all of the vessels, with the exception of the large passenger packets, are frequently called upon to take one or two, and sometimes as man}^ as three, loaded barges in tow. When two barges are towed, one is taken on each side of the steamer, but if only one is taken it is lashed firmly to the steam- er's bow directly in line ahead, and in this position is pushed rather than towed up or down the river. It is claimed by old steamboat men that this method of handling barges is far superior to the usual custom of towing them astern. In order to conveniently handle a barge in this way, however, it is necessary to have the bow of the steamer con- structed in a peculiar, manner the details of which can readily be understood by reference to the accompanying photograph of the bow of the steamer Leah. All of the river steamers have as a part of their equipment a set of heavy spars and tackles in place on the forward deck, technically termed " the sparring outfit." These spars are used to assist in getting the vessels off sand bars or shoal places and into deep water in case they should get aground. With skillful handling of the sparring out- fit by an experienced steamboat man, a vessel can be almost lifted bodily over a sand bar or " crutched" into deep water by setting the spars on the bottom at a slight angle, making the tackles fast, and then working the vessel either ahead or astern, as may be more advisa- ble, with the wheel. For simply pushing the bow around in any direction so as to get into deeper water one of the spars is set on the bottom on the side opposite to the direction in which it is desired to have the vessel moved and then taking the hauling part of the tackle attached to the spar to the capstan, a strain is put on it until the 132 desired end is accomplished. Anchors, the usual resort of seamen in case of the grounding of their vessels, are of but little use on the Yukon for getting a boat off shore. Aside from the difficulty and danger of laying out a heavy anchor in a rapid current, the poor quality of the river bottom as holding ground usually makes such attempts ineffectual. In the navigation of the "flats'- it sometimes happens that the channel is very narrow and tortuous, while at the same time the current may be very strong. In these cases there is great danger that a vessel in attempting to make its wslj through these places will be swept b} T the current onto the bar or reef forming the lower side of the passage. To overcome this difficulty an appliance called a "deadman" is very generally brought into use. The "deadman" is a short spar not over 15 feet in length and light enough to be handled by one man. When the vessel is approaching one of the narrow channels a man is landed on the upper end of the shoal and works the lower end of the " deadman" down into the sand a distance of 6 or 8 inches. A long line is then run from the steamer and the end made fast to the "deadman" about a foot from the ground. When the line is hauled taut aboard the steamer and all is ready the man on shore holds the free end of the spar and by "giving and taking" in on the line as the vessel drops down stream it can be held taut enough to prevent the vessel from swinging out of the channel while making the short turn. The proper handling of the " deadman " requires con- siderable skill on the part of the man on shore, and, as a rule, when undertaken by a novice is liable to end in failure. FUEL. The steamers plying the Yukon are fitted with furnaces designed for burning either wood or coal to make steam. While the former is used almost exclusively, it sometimes happens that a vessel leaving St. Michael is compelled to use coal for fuel until the wooded section of the river is reached, a distance of about 200 miles from the coast. The Eskimos living in the delta region collect driftwood in the spring for sale to passing steamers, but this supply is limited as to quantity, bad in quality, and exorbitant as to price. During the summer of 1901 a number of steamers were unexpectedly dela3'ed at the mouth of the river by the presence of ice in the harbor of St. Michael where they were bound. Fuel became somewhat scarce before the opening of navigation, and the thrifty Eskimos met the increased demand for wood by steadily increasing the price for what they had on hand. The original price per cord had been fixed by them at $8, but when they learned that some of the vessels were short it gradually rose until it reached $45 per cord! The average cost of wood along the river is $8 per cord. After \ 133 Andreafski is passed the wooded section of the river is entered and wood-choppers' camps are found at convenient distances apart all the way upstream. The commercial companies have their own wood yards, where a supply of wood is constantly kept on hand, and for which wood choppers are paid a fixed price per cord as agreed upon from year to year by contract. Each company has in its employ agents whose sole duty it is to travel up and down the river throughout the year making contracts for the cutting and storing of wood for the use of the steamers during the season of open navigation, keeping an account of the supply on hand and the location of bodies of timber from which future supplies of fuel can be obtained. It is hardly necessary to say that this duty calls for the exercise of business ability of a high order and can be filled only by men capable of enduring a life of almost con- stant exposure. In addition to the wood yards maintained by the several trading companies, there are a large number of men engaged in cutting wood for sale in open market. Most of these independent wood choppers orignally entered the country to search for gold, and failing to find the precious metal have resorted to this means of gaining a livelihood. Very little wood is now cut by the natives of the interior for sale. The more energetic white man has almost entirely driven the indolent and easy-going native from the field. Wood } T ards are usually located conveniently near to some place which is accessible to vessels and at the same time has facilities in the way of high banks on which the wood can be piled out of the reach of high water. In a number of places the timber is cut high up on the steep hillsides and corded where the trees are felled. It is after- wards run down to the water's edge in chutes and taken on board ves- sels in whatever quantity that may be desired. In other places the use of chutes to get the wood down the hills is dispensed with. By cutting away the prop which supports the lower end of a long pile of wood, the whole mass is started and comes thundering down the steep bank to the water's edge like an avalanche. It is then picked up stick by stick and carried on board the steamer. The question of fuel for vessels engaged in traffic on the Yukon is one of the most important ones to be considered. The expense for this item alone is enormous, as can be easily understood when the amount required by the steamers is known. The average daily consumption of wood for fuel during the active season on one of the smaller sized vessels is about 30 cords and from 45 to 50 cords on the large packets. The cost of fuel alone used on one of the larger vessels while making the trip from St. Michael to Dawson and return will approximate $15,000, and in the case cf steamers towing barges this cost will be still greater. 134 Considerable loss and anno} T ance is suffered by the owners of wood yards along the river as a result of the dishonest methods of some of the masters of independent steamers plying the stream. Unless a constant watch is maintained over their movements, wood will be taken by them and no attempt ever will be made to pay for it. If the bill be presented it may be paid, but if, unfortunately, as sometimes occurs, the owner of the wood can not tell what steamer took it, the chances of his being paid are very poor. This reprehensible conduct on the part of dishonest steamboat men is one not easily guarded against, and will be more fully commented upon under another subheading of this report. As has been already stated, the development of the coal measures of the Yukon Valle}^ has as yet not reached the stage where it may be predicted with certainty that its use will supersede that of wood for fuel. It is probable that in the future coal of good steaming quality may be mined on the river, or within easy reach of the line of steam- boat travel by short lines of railway. The substitution of coal for wood would tend to simplify questions of transportation of vastly greater importance than the mere difference in cost of the two articles. The use of wood for fuel necessitates frequent stops and long delays to take on fuel, and a great deal of valuable space, which, under pres- ent conditions, must be reserved for the stowage of wood, could be used for the transportation of freight if coal were used. Good steam- ing coal would probably command a price of $15 per ton, if laid down within reach of the steamers on any part of the river. In order to sell it at this figure, however, it must be found in the country. The cost of transportation effectually prevents its importation. CREWS. In the early days of traffic on the Yukon the crews of the steamers, with the exception of the officers, were almost exclusively made up of natives, but with the beginning of the new commercial era on the river the more exacting duties and harder work required of the crews of the competing steamers soon caused the indolent and pleasure-loving natives to be driven out of this ffeld of employment and their places were filled by white men. At the present time no natives are employed on the river steamers except in the capacity of pilots, and even as such they are not satisfactory, and their services are being dispensed with as soon as white men can be found with a sufficient knowledge of the river channels to take their place. The hard and almost continu- ous work which the crews of the vessels are called upon to perform during the active season makes it necessary to employ a much larger force of men than would suffice on vessels of a similar character in other localities. From the opening of navigation until its close the 135 vessels are kept going night and day, and in the absence of the usual facilities for handling freight at the several stations along the river every article to be landed must be carried by hand from ship to shore and transported up the steep banks to the stores and warehouses. Wood for fuel is also brought on board in the same way, and in order to save time a large number of men is indispensable. The complement of the crew usually carried by the larger vessels comprises the following: One master, 2 mates, 1 chief engineer, 1 assistant engineer, 1 purser, 1 freight clerk, 1 steward, 2 pilots, 8 firemen, 25 deck hands, 3 cooks, and 17 waiters. It will be seen from the above list that the complement of the crew for the larger vessels is about 60 men. The smaller vessels have the same number of officers but a smaller number of subordinates. The full complement usually carried on these boats is about 30 men. In the past the officers of the steamers have been generally engaged under contract for a term of from one to three years, but the condition of the labor market on the river is now such that this will probably not be necessary in the future. The salaries given by all the companies are liberal enough to induce the best class of men to seek employment on the steamers, and there is no lack of material from which to choose. The result of this state of affairs is that the steamers plying the Yukon are officered by as fine and as intelligent a bod} T of men as can be found in similar employment anywhere in the country. The crews are engaged by the month. The average salaries paid by all the com- panies to its employees on the river boats is as follows: Per nionth. Masters $200 Mates 100 Chief engineers 150 Assistant engineer 100 Pilots 150 Pursers 100 Freight clerks 60 Steward 100 Cooks 90 Waiters 50 Firemen "5 Deck hands 60 All the employees of the companies, both ashore and afloat, receive, in addition to their pay, board and lodging. The privilege of pur- chasing any^ article from the stores of the companies at San Francisco cost price, with 25 per cent added to cover cost of transportation, is also given all the employees, and leaves of absence, with free trans- portation to and from their homes in the States, are granted the officers of vessels on an average of once in every two years. 136 AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. The amount of freight transported from St. Michael to points on the Yukon River and its tributaries during the season of 1901 can not be given accurately, but from the data which are available the following- statement is made and is approximately correct: Vessels, exclusive of barges, employed on the river. . .number. . 35 Freight transported upstream from St. Michael tons. . 25, 000 Passengers transported from Dawson number. . 500 Passengers transported to Dawson do 350 Passengers transported from way points upstream do 500 Passengers transported from way points downstream do 1, 200 The amount of freight transported downstream is too small to be taken into account. For a schedule of freight and passenger rates on the river, see appendix. WINTER QUARTERS. As has been already stated, the period of open navigation on the Yukon begins about the 26th of May and usually ends before the middle of October. After the first week in October it is unsafe for a vessel to attempt to make the run through from St. Michael to Dawson. The trip upstream takes from fifteen to twenty days in midsummer, when all the conditions for quick transit are most favorable. Toward the latter part of the season the decreasing hours of daylight and lower water in the river make progress slower, and the fastest vessels of the fleet would require at leat twenty days to make the run. Should a vessel be caught and frozen in the main river, the chances of its escape in the spring during the annual break-up would be very small. The movement of the ice is so sudden and violent at this time that no vessel can escape either serious injury or total wreck. Forthis reason as soon as the first ice forms on the upper river all traffic is suspended, and the vessels are taken into some safe haven and laid up for the winter. There are several places on the river which furnish safe quarters for vessels during the winter and several methods of laying them up. A brief description of these methods may not be out of piace at this time. Vessels which are wintered at St. Michael or anywhere on the coast where the tidal movement of the ice is felt are usually hauled out on the beach above high-water mark, blocked up level, and left in this position until the opening of navigation in the .spring, when they are again launched. In order to haul out a vessel in this way, it is neces- sary to construct "ways" of heavy timbers, upon which the vessel is floated at high water as far up as possible, and then, by means of very heavy tackles attached to crabs or winches on shore, hauled*\ip out of reach of the highest storm tides. By means of jacks the vessel is then mmmas^m mmmmm 137 lifted up and securely placed on blocks in a level position. The outer ends of the "ways" are taken up to prevent them from being washed awa\ T b\ T the waves and also to prevent injury to the vessel in case they should be torn up by the sea and dashed like battering rams against the hull. Stern-wheel steamers being perfectly flat on the bottom, are for convenience sake almost invariably hauled out broadside to the beach. In order to fully appreciate the labor and power needed to haul out a steamer in the manner above described, it may be stated that when the Xunivak was hauled out at St. Michael seven tackles formed of triple 24-inch blocks and 4-inch manila cordage for a fall were used. One of the blocks of each tackle was hooked into a sling made from a 6-inch hawser passed around the vessel's hull and the other block was hooked into a long wire pennant, which in turn was secured to a heavy piece of timber buried in the ground to a depth of 6 feet to serve as an anchor. The hauling part of each tackle was led to a crab set up on shore, and the serv- ices of 60 men were required to move the vessel even with this immense purchase. The material for the construction of the "ways'' for hauling out the Ximivak was as follows: Thirty pieces lumber 8 \>y 12 inches by 50 feet; 60 pieces lumber 4 by 6 inches b} T 24 feet, surfaced; 60 pieces lumber 2 by 12 inches by 20 feet; 20 pieces lumber 2 by 4 inches by 16 feet; 4 pieces lumber 4 by 12 inches by 24 feet, for "deadmen;" 50 pieces lumber 8 by 8 inches by 20 feet, for blocking; 1 keg of 6-inch spikes; 1 keg of 4-inch nails. Up to the present time no attempts have been made to haul out vessels which are wintered in the interior. They are simply taken into some place where they will be out of danger from the running ice in the spring and allowed to freeze in. The safest and most con- venient places for wintering a vessel in the interior are found on some of the small tributary streams of the Yukon, but they are not always accessible, and in such cases vessels have safely wintered in some of the slack-water sloughs of the main river, where as a usual thing but little danger exists from the movement of the ice when it breaks up in the spring. This statement is, however, not to be accepted as implying an entire absence of danger from this source, as experience has proved that the movement of ice in the spring varies so much from year to year that hardly any dependence can be placed upon prophecies as to its action for any given season. A jam in the main river when the break-up takes place may cause the water and floating masses of ice to back up into a slough to such an extent that when it goes out it will be with such a rush that everything movable will be taken with it. In such an event a vessel wintering in the slough would be no better oft' than if she had remained in the main part 138 of the river. In some of these slack-water sloughs — as, for instance, in one near the mouth of the Tozikakit River — vessels which have passed the winter in the slough may be able to enter the mouth of the river before the ice begins to move in the main stream, as it is a fact worthy of note that the tributary streams and sloughs are always open before the Yukon is in the spring. The most preferable and by far the safest method of wintering a vessel in the interior is to enter some small tributary stream of the main stream at the close of navigation and spend the winter there. The ice invariably breaks up in these small streams before it does in the main river. The movement of the ice in breaking up is seldom so violent as to cause any great amount of damage. The danger to vessels wintering in the small streams from ice backing up in them from the Yukon if a jam occurs in the latter at the time of the annual spring break-up, a contingency by no means of unusual occurrence, can be avoided by moving the vessel farther upstream and keeping clear of the ice until the jam is broken and it runs out and leaves the river clear again. After the ice in the tributary streams breaks up in the spring, and some days before the main river is clear, the water in the former rises rapidl} 7 and in some seasons overflows the high banks. Care must be observed in moving a vessel from place to place during this stage of high water not to get aground, as the sub- sidence of the flood is as rapid as its rise, and serious injuiy may result from being caught by the falling water and left high and dry. This danger ma} r be better understood by an examination of the photograph of the Dall River, taken just before the annual flood period, shown on the opposite page. The mass of debris seen in the foreground of the picture was entirely submerged at the time of high water, the river having risen 22 feet above its normal stage before the Yukon broke and allowed the flood to subside. In laying up a vessel in winter quarters care must be taken to see that the bottom of the river over which it is purposed to lay is level and free from any obstructions; otherwise when the vessel settles on the bottom and freezes in, the hull will be subjected to severe strains and most likely badly injured by lying in this position through- out the winter. All hogchains and iron braces of every kind should be slackened to avoid having them broken by the action of the extreme cold of midwinter. If the vessel is to be used as a living place for the crew during the winter, a false roof made of board lumber should be placed in position over the hurricane deck as an additional protection against the cold. The roof need not be air-tight. In fact, it was found to serve its purpose more satisfactorily on the Nunvcak when small spaces were left for ventilation. The top of the roof should* be cov- ered with builders' paper, and this in turn covered with a thin layer of dirt, to prevent snow from drifting through the cracks. The heaviest 139 fall of snow during the winter occurs in October and November. It should not be allowed to accumulate on the roof-, as the heat from the interior will cause it to melt and leak into the quarters. After Novem- ber and until April the fall of snow is very^ light and gives but little trouble. All of the approaches to the living quarters, except those absolutely necessary for ingress and egress, should be closed up and covered with canvas so as to exclude the air. Sufficient ventilation can be secured by opening up the quarters for a short time once or twice a day and requiring everybody to vacate them long enough for the air to be completely purified. In addition to this general airing, which was a part of the daily routine on board the JVunivak, the living quarters of the vessel were all supplied with stoves, which were found to be admirably adapted to the purpose of securing ventilation. Even when not used to heat the vessel the drafts could be so arranged as to carry off the vitiated air, and in this way they were of great assistance in preserving a healthy state of the atmosphere. Before the ice forms around the vessel the lower part of the wheel and the rudders should be removed, both to prevent injury b} T the ice and to avoid the labor of cutting them free in the spring. It is very important in laying up a vessel that arrangements be made by which a good supply of water can be readily obtained for general use on board and to guard against the danger of fire. The plan adopted on the JVunivak, and which proved to be very satisfactory in operation, was to sink a number of large barrels, through the sides and bottoms of which were bored holes, close alongside the vessel and allow them to freeze in. Each barrel was supplied with a small steam pipe con- nected with the boiler, and by means of these a constant supply of water was kept ready for instant use throughout the winter. The place selected for winter quarters should have an abundant supply of timber from which fuel for winter use can be readily obtained, and if practicable it should be in the vicinity of a native village, in order that a supply of fresh moose or deer meat can be obtained from the Indian hunters. The following places on the river, named in the order of their loca- tion from the mouth of the Yukon upstream, have been used as winter quarters at different times by vessels plying the river: A lagoon entered from the river at Fort Hamilton, Andreafski, a slough oppo- site Russian Mission, Beaver Creek, a slough at the mouth of the Tozikakit River, Dall River, a slough near Fort Yukon, a slough near Circle City, and Stewart River, a short distance from Dawson. There is no timber from which fuel can be obtained either at Fort Hamilton or Andreafski, and vessels wintering at these places must cany with them a supply to last them through the winter. The difficulties of wintering a vessel in a slough have already- been described and, taken 140 altogether, it is probable that Dall River offers the safest and most desirable place for winter quarters that can be found in the country. A Government vessel intended for patrolling the Yukon should by all means winter as high upstream as possible. In this way only is it possible to intercept and examine all of the vessels engaged in traffic in the district. As has been previously shown, the movement of ves- sels during the season of open navigation begins on the upper waters of the river some three or four weeks before the mouth of the stream is open to entrance from sea; hence vessels engaged in illegal traffic are enabled to descend the river from Dawson as far as the confluence of the Koyukuk and Tanana rivers and many other less important streams with the Yukon before they could be examined by a vessel of the Government service which would be compelled to reach these points by coming upstream. Once off the main river such craft would be reasonably safe from any interference or examination by our officers. Reference will be made to this matter in another part of this report. SETTLEMENTS AND TRADING POSTS. Beginning at the mouth, of the river and extending upstream to the limit of the cruising ground of the Nunivak, the permanent settle- ments on the station, with a brief description of the same, are as follows: Kotlik, a small trading post in charge of an old Russian trader named Komkoff, is situated 7 miles upstream from the Aphoon mouth of the Yukon. This station is not on the immediate banks of the steamboat channel, but stands a short distance back on the tundra and can be reached only with the smaller class of steamers or boats. The goods for the station are purchased by the agent, Mr. Komkoff, from the Northern Commercial Company at St. Michael and traded to the Eskimos of the delta region in exchange for their fish and furs. Twenty miles above Kotlik is New Fort Hamilton, built by the North American Transportation and Trading Company more as a depot of supplies than a trading post. There are at this place a large ware- house and store, built of corrugated iron, but neither have been occupied recently. Pitkas Point is a native settlement of Eskimo fishermen and hunters situated at the mouth of the Andreafski River. The settlement has a population of about 75 Eskimos. There are a dozen huts made of driftwood covered with sods, a few log cabins, a small chapel, a store, and trader's dwelling. The trader is a half-breed Russian, named Pitka, and his store is a branch of the Northern Commercial Com- pany's station at Andreafski. Besides fishing and hunting for^a living, the native population at Pitkas Point collect driftwood during the spring freshets and cut it up into cord wood for sale to passing steamers. They appear to be rather more energetic than most of the 141 natives, probably owing to the influence and good example of Pitka, who is a man of considerable intelligence and business ability. Andreafski, the most important trading post on the lower river, is situated on the right bank of the Andreafski River, about 2 miles from its junction with the Yukon. Here are located the various ware- houses, stores, and dwellings comprising the plant of the Northern Commercial Company, the successors of the Alaska Commercial Com- pany, which previous to the incorporation of the new company had maintained a trading post here ever since the transfer of the territory from Russia to the United States. A mile above Andreafski, on the same side of the river, is situated the extensive winter quarters of the Northern Commercial Company. There Ls a good machine shop at this place equipped with all the modern appliances for making ordinary repairs to the machinery of the river boats, a large hotel for the accommodation of the officers and crews of vessels laid up in winter quarters, and a good electric plant to furnish light for the buildings. Lumber and materials for the construction of a marine railway at this place have been laid down here, and it is expected that the "ways" will be completed and ready to be put into operation by the begin- ning of the season of open navigation in 1902. The purpose of the company in building the "ways" is to enable it to haul out its vessels instead of allowing them to remain afloat all winter, as has been the custom heretofore. By this means a much smaller force of men will be required to look out for the vessels during the winter than would otherwise be necessary. Mr. Fredericks, the agent of the compam- at Andreafski, has been an emplo} T ee of the Alaska Commercial Company ever since the sta- tion was established, and is well known throughout the Yukon Valley as a man of sterling integrity and great ability in the matter of trans- acting business with the natives. Russian mission is 112 miles above Andreafski on the right bank of the Yukon, and from the river it presents the appearance of being a compactly built little town. The large church of the Russian Greek mission at this place with its gaily painted minarets and towers lends an imposing air to the settlement which, however, is not sustained by a closer inspection. At the mission there are about 350 native Eskimos, whose log houses are crowded together near the water's edge, and they are looked out for and advised by a resident priest and assistant of the Russian Greek Church. Mr. Belkofl', the trader at this place, is one of the few men who were in the country at the time of the transfer of the Territory to remain and take an active part in the organization of business under the new conditions. He has a very comfortable home and a family of intelligent, well-educated children and is always most hospitably inclined toward visitors and strangers. 142 Russian mission is chiefl} 7 interesting as being the site of the oldest church mission on the river. The remains of some of the old native underground houses are still to be seen side b} 7 side with the more modern habitations, and there is an old native dance house or kashim here which is the largest structure of the kind in the country and is still in a good state of preservation. The round-shaped doorwa} 7 , which is a characteristic feature of Eskimo architecture, is still to be seen in the native houses, but it is not common, and farther upstream it disappears altogether, being replaced by the square frame doorwaj 7 of the white man. The native women at Russian mission make a very fair quality of basket from the grasses which are found in this region, and also from the twisted fiber of the inner bark of the spruce trees. It is somewhat remarkable that the art of basketry appears to be unknown or to have been long since discontinued among the natives of the interior farther up the river. After leaving this point basket weaving by the natives is not again seen. The men cut a little wood for sale to passing steam- ers when they have nothing else to occup} 7 their time, but the greater part of the year is spent by them in the more congenial labor of hunt- ing and fishing. The finest quality of red foxes and minks are taken in the region which is tributary to the mission. Pimute village is situated 38 miles above Russian mission, on the same side of the river. The population consists entirely of natives and numbers about 50 souls. It is a typical dirty, evil-smelling Eskimo fishing village, and is of no commercial importance whatever. The natives do their trading at the Russian mission for the most part, but in some instances the} 7 travel upstream to Koserefski to get their supplies. Koserefski, or Holy Cross Mission, is 28 miles above Pimute vil- lage, and its situation on the right bank of the Yukon is very similar to that of Russian mission. The similarity of the situation, however, is all that is alike in the two places. There is at this place a mission school in charge of Sisters of the Catholic Order of St. Anne for the instruction of native children. The pupils are instructed in the fun- damental rudiments of an English education, and in addition to their other duties the girls are required to learn how to sew, cook, and take care of a house generally. The boys are taught gardening and the use of simple tools. The school is usually very well attended and the pupils seem to be verj 7 much attached to their teachers. There is an excellent garden alwa} 7 s maintained at Holy Cross by the sisters in which the finest vegetables seen on the river are raised. Two or three cows are also kept, which furnish fresh milk for the school, the only place in the district where this article can be obtained. The set- tlement has a resident population of about 350 souls and a very much larger population of natives living in the region lying between the NATIVE FISH TRAPS ON THE ANVIK RIVER. The town of Anvik is shown in the background. 143 Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers make this their headquarters during the trading season and are under the spirtual charge of the resident Catholic priest, Father R. J. Crimont. The natives on this part of the river are mostly of the Ingalik or Indian tribes of the interior, and are far superior in point of looks and manner of living to the coast Eskimos seen farther downstream. Their houses are kept in much better condition and their general appearance shows the result which has been attained here by the per- sistent and patient instruction of the good priests and sisters of the mission. Anvik, which is 17 miles from Koserefski, is the next white settle- ment to be seen on the way upstream. It is situated on the right bank of the Anvik River about 3 miles from the junction of that stream with the Yukon. Here is located an Episcopalian mission under the charge of the Rev. J. W. Chapman and a school for the instruction of the native children in connection with the mission under the superin- tendence of Miss Bertha W. Sabine. The mission was founded by the Rev. O. Parker in the year 1887, and called Christ Church Mis- sion. Mr. Parker was followed by Mr. Chapman shortly after the founding of the mission, and succeeded the former minister as super- intendent in the year 1889. The native children are taught in a day and boarding school. In the day school the scholars are taught the rudiments of the Christian religion and given instruction in the primary branches of secular knowledge. In the boarding school they are taught in addition to the above housekeeping, cooking, sewing, and the like. A small sawmill owned by the mission furnishes all the lumber re- quired for building purposes, and as it is operated entirely by native labor it favors the instruction of the boys in the use of tools and machinery. The native arts of iishing and hunting are encouraged, and under the advice of Mr. Chapman the products of native labor in these occupations are disposed of to a much better advantage than is the case of natives who act independently. Most of the work of caring for the mission buildings, garden, etc., is done by the pupils of the school, and in this way the expense of maintainence of the establish- ment is materially decreased. The annual expense of caring for one scholar in the boarding school is about $100. The Anvik River heads well over toward the coast of Norton Sound, and its valley furnishes an easy means of winter communication by dog-team travel with St. Michael. This trail is frequently used by the missionaries and traders whose stations are in this vicinity. It was by this route that the Russian explorer Glasanof first reached the Yukon from St. Michael in the year 1833. At the time of his visit he found a large Indian village at the present site of Anvik. There is a post-office and money-order station at Anvik, and the 144 Northern Commercial Company has a store and trading station on the right bank of Anvik River a short distance below the village. The Indians living on the Anvik River and in the immediate vicin- ity catch large quantities of salmon during the fishing season and dry them for winter use. In the height of the season the nets of the natives can be seen for miles set along the banks of the stream, and in some years the quantity of fish taken is enormous. Should the can- ning of salmon on the Yukon ever be attempted for commercial pur- poses Anvik River would be one of the best sites in the country for the erection of a cannery. The water of the Anvik is clear and sweet, but of a very dark red- dish-brown color. This is no doubt caused by the fact that it comes from the moss-covered plains of the interior country, where the soil is never thawed out except for a short distance from the surface, and the water has never been cleared of the vegetable coloring matter it contains by filtration. An analysis of the water showed that it was free from any deleterious matter. Grey ling, which is next passed on the way upstream, is 22 miles above Anvik on the right bank of the Yukon. There is at this place a store and dwelling occupied by Mr. O'Shea, who maintains -one of the largest independent wood yards on the river here. There are about 75 Indians in the vicinity who are employed from time to time by Mr. O'Shea in cutting wood, when hunting or fishing does not occupy their attention. There are half a dozen white wood choppers also employed by Mr. O'Shea, and from 1,200 to 1,800 hundred cords of wood are annually put up for sale to passing steamers. The first coal mine to be seen on the Yukon is situated 90 miles above Greyling on the right bank of the river. This property was developed by the Alaska Commercial Company and a considerable amount of coal has been procured. Several comfortable dwellings for the use of the employees of the company, a coal bunker, loading chutes, etc. , have been built, and although the quality of the coal has not as yet proved to be very satisfactory for use as fuel for the steam- boats, the work of development is still going on, and it is expected that a better quality of coal will be obtained later on. Kaltag, 54 miles farther upstream, is important as being the point on the river where is situated the first station of the Government tele- graph line, which is intended to connect St. Michael with the outside world. The line is already in operation from St. Michael across the country to Kaltag and along the Yukon as far upstream as Fort Gib- bon, and it is expected that it will be completed through to Fort Egbert at Eagle by the spring of 1902. From the latter place a line is already in operation which connects it with the outside. »* Kaltag is the river terminus of the winter sled trail which connects the Yukon Valley by the shortest route with St. Michael. In the I i 145 early days of the Territory the Eskimos of the coast were accustomed to use this means of communication between their settlements on the coast of Norton Sound and the settlements of the river natives of the interior during their annual trading expeditions. Kaltag marks the highest point on the Yukon usually reached by the Eskimos on these trips. From this point they either returned to the coast over the portage or proceeded downstream to the coast. At this period the natives of the coast and the interior were frequently at war, but since the advent of the whites a new system of traffic has been established which effectually separates the two tribes and war is unknown. Nulato, which is 40 miles above Kaltag, on the right bank of the river, is one of the oldest trading posts in the country. Its situation, some 10 or 15 miles from the mouth of the Koyukuk River, makes it easy of access to the natives of that region, who have been accus- tomed since the early days of occupancy of the country by the Russians to make the place a sort of rendezvous, where each year the} 7 brought their furs to be exchanged for ammunition and supplies. The early history of this post is filled with accounts of bloody con- flicts between the white settlers and the fierce and treacherous Koyu- kuns. In the year 1838 Malakoff, an officer of the old Russian trading company, ascended the Yukon and built a blockhouse and stockade near the site of the present settlement of Nulato, but it was quickly burned while he was absent on a trip to St. Michael, and his native care-takers were foully murdered by a predatory band of Koyukuk Indians. Malakoff never returned, but his place was taken by Lieutenant Zagoskin, of the Russian navy, who reached this point in the year 1842, rebuilt the fort, and attempted to establish friendly relations with the natives. Zagoskin was recalled shortly after com- pleting the new post, and in his place came one Dershavin, who under- took to carry on the work. His administration of affairs was marked by many acts of extreme cruelty to the natives, and in the year 1851 the ill feeling between the whites and Indians culminated in the infamous massacre of the entire garrison b^v the Koyukuk Indians under the leadership of the notorious Larriown, a medicine man of the tribe, who lived many years afterwards to boast of his crime. Among the white men to lose his life on this occasion was Lieutenant Barnard, of the English navy, who had been sent out by his Govern- ment to search for the lost Sir John Franklin. A portion of the head- board marking the grave of this officer is still one of the objects of interest in connection with by-gone days that are to be seen at this place. In later j r ears the post was moved 2 miles farther upstream from its original site to where it now stands, at the mouth of a little tributary of the Yukon called by the natives Klat-kahatna, or "Stop abit"' River. It was at this place that Mr. Robert Kennicott, the naturalist, lost his life as a result of disease brought on by exposure 5661—03 22 146 and hardships incurred in the prosecution of scientific research. His death may not have been as violent, but he is none the less entitled to be remembered as a martyr to duty with the victims of the earlier tragedies. Nulato at the present day consists of a well-built collection of log houses, stores, and warehouses, a Catholic church and school, under the charge of Father Ragaru, a Jesuit priest, and several sisters of the Order of St. Anne. Some attempts have been made to maintain vegetable gardens at Nulato, but owing to the lack of proper drainage these efforts have not been as successful as at other more favored places on the river. The importance of Nulato is due to its position as a trading post. It is still the annual rendezvous for hundreds of natives from the Koyukuk River and the adjacent regions, who come here for their supplies. Some years have now elapsed since they have shown any signs of violence, and the influence of Father Ragura has done much toward taming their former fierce and treacherous natures. The growing population of whites and the presence of law officers in the country has also contributed to render them less liable to out- breaks, but they are still years behind the natives of the Yukon in point of civilization. They will probably never again rise against the whites in any organized attempt at resistance, but sporadic cases of violence will doubtless occur from time to time, especially if they think they are being cheated or abused. One of the interesting features of Nulato from an ethnological point of view is the native cemetery, which crowns a high bluff just above the village. The strange combination of Christian and heathen emblems placed over the graves form a striking object lesson of the social progress of evolution among these people. In the photograph of this burial place it will be seen that the cross is a prominent feature over all the graves. But side by side with the cross, emblems of the old heathen beliefs hold an equally prominent position. On one of the crosses a mirror has been nailed to ward off evil spirits, and at the base of another a glass-covered box contains a number of presents which have been given by the friends of the dead as offerings to propi- tiate his departed spirit. Still another grave has at its foot a cross as a symbol of the influence of the church, while at the head is a larger piece of timber surmounted by the carved figure of a bear. The com- bination of heathen and Christian emblems in this case was evidently intended as a sort of compromise by the friends of the deceased. The second coal mine in operation on the river as we ascend is situ- ated 12 miles above Nulato, on the right bank of the Yukon. It is owned and operated by Mr. Frank Pickarts. The coal, like that found farther down the river, is a kind of lignite, and developmeafe work has not yet reached the point where it can be said with certainty that it will ever be used as a satisfactory substitute for wood as fuel. The 147 owners of the mine, however, are hopeful that as further progress is made and a lower level is reached in the mine the coal will be found to be of better quality. Six miles above Pickarts's mine is a small trading station operated by the Northern Commercial Company, known as the Koyukuk Station. The main steamboat channel at one time passed directly by this place, but at the present time it follows a right-hand branch of the river some 1 miles farther south of the old channel. In consequence of this change, Koyukuk Station has ceased to be of any commercial impor- tance. Should, however, the Koyukuk country prove to contain valu- able gold-bearing ground, this station may yet be a convenient depot of supplies for the miners in that region. The Koyukuk River enters the Yukon 20 miles above Nulato from the north. The mouth of the river is concealed from view of passing vessels by a large island, but its location can be determined by the position of a large rounded hill locally known as Sopka Mountain. There is a small settlement of Indians near the mouth of the Koyukuk, with a population of about 20 people. The Melozikakit River enters the Yukon 60 miles above the Koyu- kuk, and just above the junction of the rivers there is a large native fishing village, with a population of from 75 to 100. The winter home of these people is situated on the banks of a slough of the Yukon about 5 miles from the summer village. This place is a favorite fishing ground of the Indians during the summer, and large quantities of salmon are usually caught and dried for winter use. The next trading post to be seen after leaving Koyukuk Station is at Korkrines. This place is 120 miles from the Koyukuk and is situ- ated on the right bank of the Yukon. The highest mountains along the river lie to the north of Korkrines and form the watershed between the Yukon and the Melozikakit rivers. A winter trail leads from Kork- rines over the mountains into the valley of the Melozikakit and fur- nishes an easy means of communication with the natives of that region. Reports of gold-bearing ground on the upper waters of the Melozi- kakit have induced several parties of prospectors recently to visit this country, and I have been informed by some of these men that the trail from Korkrines over the mountains is an easy one and practicable for horses at any season of the year. The mouth of the Melozikakit can not be entered by vessels drawing over a foot of water, and for tnat reason its waters have not been explored. The character of the country which it drains is very similar in formation to that of the gold-bearing country in the vicinity of Minook Creek, and it is the general opinion of practical miners who are familiar with both local- ities that the upper portion of the Melozikakit Valley will prove to be as richly mineralized as the former region. If this surmise should prove to be correct, Korkrines Station will undoubtedly become one 148 of the most important depots for miners' supplies on the Lower Yukon, as it is the most convenient place on the river from which to ship such supplies into the Melozikakit Valley. The Tozikakit River joins the Yukon 125 miles above Korkrines Sta- tion. Just above the mouth of this river there is a collection of log* houses which were built in the year 1898 as winter quarters for a num- ber of vessels which laid up here during the closed season. The houses have since been abandoned, but could be made habitable with very little trouble and they would afford good shelter in case of necessity. About 5 miles above this point is the original site of St. James Episcopalian Mission. Some of the houses are still standing, but the mission has been removed to a point 13 miles farther upstream, as will be noted later. Fort Gibbon, the largest army post on the river, is situated on the right bank 10 miles above the Tozikakit. Here a number of commo- dious frame buildings have been erected for the accommodation of the officers and men forming the post. There is a good-sized sawmill, blacksmith and machine shops, laundry, stables, warehouses, and stores, and in fact all the accessories which go to make up a well- ordered town. Gardens have been started in which all the hardier kinds of vegetables are planted, underbrush cleared away, plank walks and wagon roads constructed, and other improvements projected b} 7 the army authorities which when completed will transform what was at one time a bleak bit of moorland into an attractive and comfortable little town. A short distance beyond the limits of the army post the North American Transportation and Trading Company has a trading station called Weare. Here there is a large and well-suppiied store, ware- houses, and agent's dwelling. The Government maintains at this place a post-office and money-order station. A considerable amount of business is transacted at Weare with the natives of the Tanana River, which enters the Yukon from the south a short distance above this point, and also with prospectors who make this place their point of departure when leaving the Yukon for the Tanana country. What has been said of Weare as a business center is also true of Tanana Station, which is a mile farther upstream and is conducted by the Northern Commercial Company. Tanana is on the site of the old Indian settlement of Nuklukyet, and has for years been the rendezvous of the Tanana River Indians who came here to meet the traders in the spring every year. The natives of the Tozikakit Val- ley also make this their headquarters during the trading season, and at its height there are sometimes assembled in the vicinity the^ largest number of natives to be seen at one time on the river. St. James Mission, which is conducted under the auspices of the 149 Episcopalian Church, is situated 3 miles above Tanana Station on the same side of the river. The mission is directly in charge of Mr. Selden, a lay minister of the church, but is frequently visited by the bishop of the diocese, the Right Rev. P. T. Rowe, whose influence over the Indians is very great and beneficial. Through his efforts the Indians have been induced to make their summer camp near the mission instead of around the trading posts, and in this way they are in a measure shielded from the temptations which are thrown in their way by a certain class of unscrupulous white men who are engaged in selling liquor in the vicinity of the army post, and who do not hesitate to trade it to the Indians if they can do so without detection. The new church at St. James Mission is beautifully situated in the midst of a cluster of spruce and birch trees, and is a credit to all who have contributed bj T their labor to bring it to completion. Through the picturesque lower ramparts, 75 miles brings us to the mining camp of Rampart. This town is the most important white settlement on the lower river, and is situated on the left bank of the Yukon just below the junction of Minook Creek with the main stream. Rampart is a typical mining camp, and owes its existence to the discovery of some very rich deposits of gold on the creeks which take their rise in the mountains in the near vicinity. The richest of these placer diggings have been found on Little Minook, Hunter, Alder, and Big Minook creeks, all of which are within easy reach by trail from the town. All of the trading companies and a number of independent concerns have stores at Rampart, where almost every article likely to be required b\ r a person living in the country can be procured. Besides the regular trading stores, there are an ample number of saloons, restaurants, boarding houses, drug stores, and the miscellaneous catch- penny concerns usually found in such communities. Rampart boasts a weekly newspaper which is edited with consider- able ability, a church and hospital supported by the Episcopalian board of missions, a post-office and money-order station, and -a jail. Law and order is represented by a commissioner and deputy marshal of the circuit court of Alaska, and there is a small detachment of soldiers in charge of an officer of the United States Arra\ T stationed here to assist the civil authority to preserve order in case of necessity. At one time the town had a population of about 2,000, but the extent of territory in which valuable gold-bearing ground has been located is limited, and at the present time many of the early settlers have left the place to search for gold in some other more promising field. At the present time there not over 400 persons who make this their home. Good trails lead from Rampart over the mountains in nearly every direction, and constant new discoveries of gold are being made or 150 reported. There seems no good reason to think that the town will not continue for some years at least to be the distributing point of sup- plies for the country of which it is the geographical center. The Pioneer coal mine, 25 miles above Rampart, on the right bank of the Yukon, is the third place on the river passed on the way upstream where coal is being mined for sale. So far this mine has produced some of the best coal found on the lower river. A shaft has been sunk 75 feet deep, and from 500 to 600 tons have been taken out. Fort Hamlin, a trading post operated by the Northern Commercial Company, is situated on the left bank of the Yukon, 65 miles above the coal mine. It consists of two good-sized log warehouses and a dwell- ing for the agent. Besides the buildings of the company there are several neat log houses occupied by three or four families of Indians, a road house for the accommodation of passing travelers, and a mail station for use of the mail carrier during the winter. Fort Hamlin is the last trading station to be seen on the lower river. Above this point the Yukon Flats begin, and there is no other store until Fort Yukon is reached. The station owes its importance to the fact that it is the most convenient place for the purchase of supplies by miners bound into the Koyukuk country over the Dall River trail. It has also had a considerable trade with the natives living in the vicinity previous to the building up of Rampart. The advent of the whites at that place caused a considerable number of the Indians to change their place of abode so as to be more in touch with the white population, and for this reason Fort Hamlin is not as nourishing as it was in former days. A short distance above Fort Hamlin the river is divided into two channels by a large island, the right-hand channel being the one usu- ally taken by steamboats bound up the river, while the left branch leads directly to the mouth of Dall River, in which stream, at a distance of a mile from its mouth, is situated Fort Shoemaker, the winter quarters of the JVunivak and the termination of our cruising ground. For a more complete itinerary of the station showing the location and distance apart of the settlements on the river see appendix. MERCHANDISE AND TRADING GOODS. From what has already been written in regard to the products of the interior of Alaska, it will be seen that nearly everything necessary for life must be brought into the country by the prospective settler or else purchased from the trading companies on the ground. Generally speaking, it may' be said that persons whose occupations will be such as to permit of a permanent habitation will find it cheaper and more satisfactory to purchase supplies on the outside and ship them to their destination by some of the transportation companies. But in the case of prospectors, whose movements are likely to be uncertain, it will %fc INDIAN CACHES AT FORT HAMLIN. 151 probably not be advisable to bring in a large amount of food sup- plies, as the labor and expense of caring for them would amount to more than the extra cost of the articles when purchased from the stores on the inside. Until a paj'ing claim is located, the prospector will find it greatly to his advantage to be ready to travel as quickly and with as little impediment as possible. With a supply of cash on hand, it will be found that almost any article which may be required can be purchased from the trading companies. The prices asked for the ordinal necessities of life by the companies are not exorbitant when the long distance of transportation and the enormous expense entailed in handling the goods are considered, and the cost of living in the country is not excessive. Small articles of personal comfort or convenience and the luxuries of life are comparatively much higher, and it will be wise for the new comer to provide himself with these articles before leaving the States. Subjoined is a list of articles of food and clothing which experience has proved to be all that will be actually needed by one person for a year. The prices of the same are those quoted by the trading companies at Circle Cit}^, and may be taken as the average cost of similar articles at any of the stores in the Yukon Valley previous to the year 1901. The merger of the companies which was effected in that year will most probably tend to reduce the cost of all these articles very materially in the future; at least, that is the intention and expectation of the managers of the new combination of the companies. One year's outfit for one person in Alaska. 400 pounds flour $40. 00 80 pounds beans 10. 00 25 pounds peas 6. 25 25 pounds rolled oats 6. 25 25 pounds germea , 6. 25 20 pounds corn meal 4. 00 1 case condensed milk, 4 dozen 1-pound cans 18. 00 1 case cabbage or sauerkraut 12. 00 1 case roast beef, 1 dozen 2-pound cans 9. 00 1 case corned beef, 1 dozen 2-pound cans 9. 00 1 case sausage meat, 2 dozen 2-pound cans 16. 00 1 case turkey, 2 dozen 2-pound cans 12. 00 1 case tomatoes, 2 dozen 2J-pound cans 10. 00 1 case string beans, 2 dozen 2-pound cans 10. 00 75 pounds bacon 22. 00 50 pounds ham 15. 00 25 pounds dried apples 6. 25 25 pounds dried prunes 6. 25 25 pounds dried peaches 7. 50 25 pounds dried apricots 8. 75 25 pounds raisins 6. 25 100 pounds granulated sugar 25. 00 152 1 keg (5 gallons) pickles $5. 00 5 gallons sirup 12. 00 25 pounds evaporated potatoes 12. 00 15 pounds cheese 7. 50 20 pounds coffee 10. 00 5 pounds black tea 6. 25 5 pounds cocoa 5. 00 6 bottles Worcestershire sauce 4. 50 30 pounds lard 9. 00 30 pounds butter 15. 00 12 pounds macaroni 2. 00 12 pounds mince-meat 12. 00 1 case baking powder, 2 dozen half-pound cans 12. 00 15 pounds salt 1-50 1 dozen bars washing soap 2. 00 1 dozen cakes toilet soap 1. 00 10 gallons coal oil 10. 00 4 boxes candles 24. 00 1 lamp 1. 50 4 lamp chimneys - 1-00 4 pairs moose-hide moccasins 6. 00 2 pairs native water boots 6. 00 2 pairs moose-hide mitts 6. 00 1 fur cap 5. 00 1 pair snowshoes 8. 00 1 hand sled 7. 00 1 drill parkie hood, fur trimmed 4. 00 1 Yukon stove 10. 00 1 set cooking utensils 5. 00 1 wash basin 1. 00 6 towels 3. 00 Contingent expenses 19. 50 Total 500.00 The above list does not include the ordinary outfit of clothing, medicines, tools, rubber boots, blankets, arms, and ammunition, etc., which a man would naturally require in any locality. It should be borne in mind that the ordinary clothing worn in any of our Northern States suffices for Alaska. A fur coat is a luxury and not a necessity. For traveling a fur robe is indispensable, but can be purchased outside to better advantage than in the country. The total weight of a year's outfit of food and clothing will approxi- mate 1 ton. Should the intending settler decide to purchase his sup- plies on the outside, the original cost of the same will be from 250 to 500 per cent less than the companies' prices; but the cost of trans- portation will amount to 1117 per ton to land them at Circle City, which is situated in the center of the mining country, adjoining the boundary line; $91 per ton if landed at Rampart, the center of mining operations on the lower river, or $125 per ton to land them at Berg- man, the point on the Koyukuk River nearest the diggings* in that region. Even with this high rate of transportation, it will be seen that it would be a saving of money for the settler to bring all of his sup- 153 piies with him, if he will be able to take care of them after reaching his first point of destination. But nine out of ten men who come into the country have no settled place of habitation, and the very nature of a prospector's vocation makes it necessary for him to be constantly moving from place to place until a paying location is discovered. Under these circumstances, as has been already stated, it will be more advisable for him to bring into the country only his clothing and such articles of personal convenience a* he may require, and purchase his other supplies from the stores in quantities as needed. The class of merchandise carried by all the companies in their stores is the same as that usually found in a "general store" in the States. The quality of the goods, especially in the line of food supplies, is the the best that can be obtained, and the selection of the various articles is made by men whose long experience in the field renders them expert in the matter of placing on the market only such articles as will best meet the requirements of life in the country. To a very large extent, business with the Indians is conducted on the basis of barter and exchange. While it is true that the natives are rapidly learning the use of money, and almost invariably demand a cash price for their furs, game, and special articles of domestic manu- facture, it is equally true that when dealing with the traders they sel- dom receive full payment in money for their goods. If an Indian has, for example, a bearskin which he wishes to sell, he takes it to the trader and states the price for which he will dispose of it. Let it be assumed that this price is $10. The trader agrees to the price, takes the skin, and then asks the seller "what he will have." A list of articles in trade goods is soon made up, with the assistance of the trader, and when it is filled there is seldom any change coming to the Indian from his $10. This method of trading satisfies the native's growing desire to transact business on a cash basis, and at the same time, by placing a fictitious money value on the product of the Indian's labor, effectually prevents the purchase of his goods by outsiders for cash. This system may at first sight appear likely to work a hardship to the white settler. But in the present condition of the country it is better for the Indian that all his trading should be done with responsible firms, whose interests are common with his own, than to have him made the victim of unscrupulous and irresponsible persons who have no such interest in his welfare and prosperity. The law forbidding the sale of liquor to the Indians has always been strictly observed by the large companies, but it is feared that others who have attempted to enter into this traffic have not been actuated b}^ the same conscientious scruples. This subject will be touched upon in another part of this report. The articles of trade most in demand with the Indians are the staple groceries, particularly flour, tea, sugar, lard, baking powder, and 5661—03 23 154 bacon; calico, drilling, cheap clothing, shoes, hats, and stockings. Around the white settlements the taste for bright-hued underskirts for the women, shirts and neckties for the men, and any kind of cheap jewelry for both sexes is rapidly on the increase. Nearly every buck purchases a watch as soon as he can do so, and all of the men are pro- vided with rifles and shotguns. Scissors, needles, and thread find a ready sale with the women, but, strange to say, they do not take kindly to pins, except the kind known as u safety pins." In the spring, at the beginning of the fishing season, there is always a demand for twine for the manufacture of their nets, and mosquito netting and straw hats are among the novelties which are growing in favor. Among the better educated class of native women, those Tvho have been under instruction at the missions, dark-hued fabrics only are used for clothing. The gaudy-colored garments which usually attract the savage eye can only be sold to natives living at a distance from the white settlements on the Yukon. Beads of the smallest and finest quality for embroidery command a high price, but the larger kind, which are preferred by the Eskimos of the coast, are not salable on the Yukon. Tobacco is used by both sexes, that kind known to the trade as "Indian leaf" being perhaps the most generally used. In exchange for these articles the Indian men offer for sale the fresh meat of the moose, caribou, bear, and deer; grouse, ptarmigan, and the various kinds of fish found in the region. They also make snow- shoes, sleds, toboggans, and birch-bark canoes, but, with the excep- tion of the snowshoes, all these articles are now manufactured better on the outside and sold by the companies. The women make moose- hide moccasins, gloves, and mittens, tastefully decorated with beads; fur caps and socks, and a variety of small articles, such as purses, watch fobs, etc. , which are also decorated with beads, but are valuable only as curios. The art of woven basketry is not pursued by these people, and would furnish them a remunerative means of earning a living if it could be learned. CHAPTER III. WINTER TRAVEL. DURATION. Winter travel begins on the river as soon after the close of steam- boat navigation as the ice is sufficiently strong to bear the weight of a sled, and lasts until the warm weather of spring makes the trails impassable. It frequently happens both at the beginning and ending of winter that there is a period of time varying as to length from two to three weeks, when all travel is practically suspended. The condi- tions which cause this cessation of movement will be explained later. In general it may be stated that winter travel on the river trails begins about the middle of October and ends by the 1st of May. The overland trails into the interior are not lit for travel until the ground is well covered by snow, which is usually some two or three weeks after the river is frozen over, and by the middle of April these trails are in such bad condition, owing to the rapidly melting snow, that progress by sled is very difficult, and only short trips are under- taken except in cases of extreme necessity. AMOUNT OF TRAVEL. Under ordinary circumstances one may spend weeks on the trails awa} 7 from the immediate vicinity of the river without encountering a single human being outside of one's own party. An occasional party of Indians ma} T be seen on their wa} T to their hunting grounds after the Christmas holidays, or returning to the river with moose meat for sale at the settlements, or a wandering prospector may be encountered on his way in for supplies after spending the summer on some interior creek. But as a usual thing, after the main trail which follows the Yukon is left by the traveler, he can not expect to see many strange faces. Even on the main trail travel is very light during the greater portion of the winter. With the exception of the mail carriers, who pass up and down the river once a week, there are no regular travelers. Occasionally a wood agent of one of the trading companies on his annual tour of inspection, an officer of the court bound on some errand 155 156 of the law, a party of Government officials on a reconnoissance, or a special courier from some far-away mining camp on his way to the outside with the news of some important "strike," passes along the trail, stops long enough at the different places of call to exchange items of news and then trudges on again and is lost to view in the midst of the dreary expanse of ice-covered river. At times informa- tion of rich discoveries of gold which have been made in new fields causes a stampede to take place from the settlements, and until the excitement subsides the trail may take on the appearance of a busy highway. During the great stampede to Nome, which took place during the winter of 1900, the Yukon River trail from January 15 to April 1 was the road over which thousands of eager gold seekers made their way to the newly discovered diggings. There was at this period an almost continuous line of travelers, with their dog teams and loaded sleds stretching from Dawson to the sea. The constant passing of the sleds wore the surface of the trail down as level as a table; there were frequent brushes between rival teams for the right of way; the road houses at night were crowded with a clamorous throng of adventurers of both sexes from all over the world, and the hungry bands of dogs howled and fought outside throughout the night. These were busy days and restless nights on the trail, and while the} 7 lasted were full of interest to the onlooker. But as a usual thing the sight of a soli- tary traveler winding his way through the fields of ice hummocks and followed by his team of steaming dogs, looking like a procession of black ants crawling slowly over the white surface of the river, is an event of sufficient importance to attract the attention of every unem- ployed person in a settlement. The cry u that some one is coming" never fails to cause a crowd of interested spectators to gather at the point where the newcomer must stop to communicate, and excitement runs high until, with much barking of dogs and jingling of sleigh bells and cries of the driver to his team, the outfit finally pulls into camp and the identity of the traveler is revealed. MEANS EMPLOYED IN WINTER TRAVEL. Up to the present time dogs and sleds furnish the only means of transportation throughout the interior of Alaska during the winter season. At some of the settlements, and to a very limited extent on well-made trails, horses have been employed in packing goods and in the various kinds of work in which the services of draft animals are required, but it can not be said their use for ordinary purposes of transportation has been altogether successful as yet. With the build- ing of wagon roads throughout the country will come, no doubt, the opportunity to use horses and mules, and as experiments have already proved that they can be safely wintered in the countiy, it is only the lack of good roads which prevents their general use. 157 Other things being equal, the relative cost of maintaining dogs and horses or mules is probably in favor of the latter. In this connection due weight must be given to the fact that with good roads horses can be used throughout the year, whereas the use of dogs and sleds is necessarily confined to the winter season. The following facts in connection with dogs and their use as draft animals have been collected from observation of the work and behavior of some 50 or 60 dogs which from time to time formed part of the equipment of the Nunivak and from information obtained from all other available sources during our sojourn in the country: The best dogs for use in the country are undoubtedly those bred from the native stock found in possession of the Eskimos on the coast. There seems to be no doubt but that these animals are the direct descendants of the wolf, which is common throughout the region, and indeed their resemblance to that animal is so strong that little room for conjecture as to their origin is left. In color the Eskimo dog varies from a perfect white or dusky gray to black. The hair is long and rather coarse and in a healthy animal stands well off from the body, and the hide is covered with a heavy but not dense underfur. The head is small, nose pointed, eyes large and intelligent in expression, legs rather long and well muscled, and the neck and shoulders exceed- ingly well developed. A good dog for team work should be short in the barrel, lean in the flank, and carry his tail high when in action. The feet should be large and well padded and free from an overabun- dance of hair growing between the toes. The weight of a good dog averages about 60 to 70 pounds, but mere weight is of secondary importance in judging the value of an animal, as many light-weight dogs do better and more satisfactory work than others that may be twice as heavy. The introduction of dogs of all kinds from the outside by people recently coming into the country has done much to lower the stand- ard of the native animal by allowing them to interbreed. It is claimed, not without good reason, that the dog of mixed parentage is more liable to be vicious, has less endurance, and is more subject to disease than the pure-bred native animal. For these reasons the Eskimo or Mahlemute dogs as a general thing command the highest price. The cost of dogs varies with the seasons. In the spring, after winter travel is over, good working dogs can be purchased for from $20 to $30. Young untrained dogs, which will be ready for sled work by fall, can be had for from $10 to $20. These prices advance rapidly after winter travel begins, and by Christmas a fairly good working dog will cost from $50 to $75, and any stringency in the local market will send the price up to §100, and even $125 is not considered an extraor- dinary price to ask for a really first-class animal. In the composition of a team there should be a least one dog trained to act as a "leader," 158 and the strongest and most reliable animal is usually placed next to the sled to act as a "wheeler." All the dogs in a team should be as nearly of a size as possible, as the speed and endurance of a team will depend upon the weakest member. A good leader will pick out the trail even though it may be covered with snow and will obey signals of direction given him by the driver from the sled, but dogs which are not thoroughly broken to act as leaders will not do satisfactory work unless some one runs ahead to point out the trail. An animal trained to obey signals is called a "gee" and "haw" dog, these being the terms adopted to indicate the direction, either right or left, which it may be desired to go. One of the most important things a team should be taught is to stop at the command of the driver. Serious and even fatal accidents have happened to men alone on the trail by having their team run off and leave them without means of reaching shelter. In most of these cases the animals simply followed the leader, and never having been properly trained, paid no attention to the command u whoa" given by the driver, who may have accidentally fallen off his sled and have been too tired to catch up with the running dogs. The word in universal use throughout the country to start the dogs in motion is "mush," evidently a corruption of the French verb "marcher" to march or walk, and has been obtained from the old Hudson Bay voyageurs. In Alaska the term "to mush" means to travel and a "musher"is a traveler on foot. The individual character of dogs is as variable as that of human beings, and in order to get the most out of them their dispositions and eccentricities must be just as care- fully studied. The most of the Eskimo dogs are exceedingly affec- tionate, fond of play, and easily trained. They are courageous and often pugnacious, and their disposition to fight is too well known to require more than passing mention. In a team or collection of any number of dogs belonging to one person this disposition to fight can be easily overcome, but when a strange team is met on the trail, or if the dogs belonging to a stranger venture on the ground of the home team, it seems almost impossible to prevent the two from engaging in a pitched battle, in which event even the young puppies will join. It is a singu- lar fact, however, that these dogs seldom attack a man unless under great provocation. Their affection for their master can be easily alienated, and they have only to be fed one or two days by a new owner to be as loyal to him as though no other master had ever been known. On this account every traveler in the country makes it a point to feed his own dogs. In this way, and this way alone, can he be certain of their allegiance. Ordinary dog teams are composed of from 5 to 7 dogs. A large number makes the team unwieldy, with hardly any additional benefit in the way of increased speed or hauling power. For very heavy work over a good trail a large number of dogs can sometimes be used WINTER TRAVELING DRESS, COMMON THROUGHOUT THE YUKON VALLEY. 159 to advantage, but not so on the ordinary trails over the rough surface of the river or through the brush-obstructed trails of the interior. Here quick, snappy work is required, and the smaller the team having strength enough to haul the load the better. Under ordinary conditions of travel one dog will haul 100 pounds a distance of 40 miles per day for from three to four days without showing any amount of fatigue. If the trail is bad half that distance will be a good day's work, and in any case no team should be worked continu- ously more than four days without a rest of at least one da} T before proceeding on the journey. Great care must be taken to see that their feet are in good condition, as they are liable to become sore after three or four days' hard travel and, unless attended to, the dog ma}' be made permanently lame. The harness used for dogs in the interior consists of a padded collar, made to slip on over the head and fit snugly around the neck, to which are attached on each side traces fitted at the ends with snap hooks. The traces are supported by loops attached to a wide band passing around the body of the dog just behind his forelegs. The harness is made either of leather or wide cotton webbing, and the dogs are invariably driven tandem. The method in vogue on the coast and in the timberless country of driving the animals two abreast would not do in the interior, where the trails are mostly through dense brush and very narrow. Experience in handling dogs has shown that the best time to feed them is at night after the work of the day is over. They do not work so well after a full meal as they do if a sufficient time has elapsed after eating to allow the food to become thoroughly digested. And, furthermore, by following the custom of feeding the dogs at night they soon learn to recognize the fact that after being harnessed up in the morning they will not be fed again until camp is made at the end of the day's run, and this knowledge is supposed to act as an incentive for them to get through with the work as quickly as possible. How- true true or mistaken this belief in the intelligence of the dogs is, it is undoubtedly a fact that they invariably brighten up after a long day's travel when signs of a stopping place are seen ahead, and toward night the scent of a camp-fire smoke will be detected by the dogs long before its presence is observed by the traveler, and the leader of the team usually transmits the news down the line by a series of short, shai-p barks, which seems to put new life into the entire team and to cause every drooping tail to be elevated — a sure sign with these dogs that the}' are feeling well. The best food for dogs in Alaskan work is composed of a mixture of dried salmon, lard, or any other kind of grease, and corn meal, to which enough water is added to make of the whole when cooked a kind of thick soup or mush. In the absence of these ingredients dogs can be fed on almost any kind of food which is used by man, but they seem to require a certain amount of fish and 160 the oil which it contains in order to be kept in good condition and healthy. The principal diseases with which the Alaskan dogs are afflicted are the mange, sore eyes, and a species of rabies which makes its appear- ance periodically once in every three or four years. When suffering from the latter disease a dog will abstain from all food and gradually grow irritable and quarrelsome, and as a bite from the afflicted animal will transmit the disease to the object of his attack, the best means of protecting the team and to prevent the spread of the disease is to kill the dog which first shows signs of sickness from this cause. It is believed that the rabies can be transmitted through the means of excretions of the salivary glands from diseased animals being allowed to contaminate the food of the healthy dogs, and as a matter of pre- caution every dog in the team should be closely watched in the spring, which is the season of greatest danger, and at the first appearance of sickness which causes it to reject its food the animal should be isolated from the rest of the team and kept as quiet as possible until the cause of his indisposition can be determined. There is no known remedy for the cure of the rabies, and in the event of its appearance the most humane act to save the afflicted animal from useless suffering is to mercifully shoot it at once. So far as known, there is no case on record in Alaska of the disease having been transmitted to man, but with the introduction of dogs from the outside it is possible that some other form of the disease may become common which will be as dangerous to man as it is known to be in the States. Mange is the result of low and restricted diet, and sometimes becomes so virulent in character as to be incurable. As a usual thing, however, the disease yields readily to local treatment of the affected parts by application of soothing ointments, and by the administration of purging medicines to the dog, followed by a generous diet of fresh food in which a small amount of sulphur should be mixed until the patient shows signs of recovery. During the early part of spring the dogs suffer considerably from sore eyes, which is caused no doubt by the glare of the sun's rays on the white surface of the snow during the almost continuous hours of daylight at this season. Another source of trouble in this direction is caused by the irritating effect of small particles of snow, which is as dry as sand and almost as cutting, being blown into the eyes. The annoyance of the animals from this source can be easily imagined when one observes the amount of flying snow particles whirling along just above the surface whenever the wind blows. And if more convincing proof is wanted, all one has to do is to expose the hand to <^ie impact of the flying particles of snow. The resulting sensation will be found to be anything but agreeable. •5* i *■■! 41111 I ■ ■« ',J 161 On long trips, and especially in loose snow, the dogs' feet frequently become very sore and lacerated. At frequent intervals the loose hair which grows between the toes should be trimmed off even with the pad, and the feet given a good hard rubbing with a mixture of boiled linseed oil and kerosene. Dog moccasins, made of dressed moose hide and fitted with thongs for lashing them on above the first joint of the leg, are in common use throughout the country, and no prospector who has the proper care of his team at heart should ever start on a journey with- out a full supply of these articles. It has been found that the native-made sleds, which are fastened together with moose rawhide, are not as well adapted for the transpor- tation of hea\ r 3 T loads as those made by white men and fastened with screws and nails. On this account most of the sleds seen in use at the present da}' , both b}^ the whites and Indians, have been made on the outside and shipped in for sale by^ the companies. These sleds are made of oak or hickory trimmed with ash, and are from 8 to 12 feet long by 17 to 20 inches wide. The runners are li to 2 inches wide, one-half inch thick, and protected from wear by thin strips of steel or brass fastened to their lower sides. The larger sleds are provided with a pair of handles at the rear for steering, and when these are not used a "gee-pole" is attached to the forward end for the same purpose. When a " gee-pole" is used the driver walks in front of the sled and steers it with one hand, and in order to allow him room to walk without interfering with the dogs a long line is used to attach the rear dog of the team to the sled. Where the trails are not good or in deep snow, toboggans are gen- erally substituted for sleds with runners. The toboggans are made of long, thin strips of birch wood, which is first whip-sawed out and then dressed down to a smooth surface by the Indians, and the forward ends are bent upward and backward and held in place by a covering of rawhide secured by moose-hide lashings. The sides of the toboggans are formed of canvas or dressed moose skin, to hold the load in place. A good idea of the different kinds of sleds and toboggans in use in the country can be obtained by reference to the accompanying photographs. For short trips across the snow-covered country snow shoes are a necessary part of the equipment of the traveler. The snowshoes made by the natives of the interior of Alaska are probably the best articles of the kind manufactured in any part of the world. The frame is made of well-seasoned birch and is from 5 to 6 feet long by 12 to 16 inches wide. The front and rear portions of the shoe are filled in with a webbing made of very fine twisted sinew, and the middle section is formed of strong rawhide twisted together so as to furnish a good foundation for the foot. A smaller kind of snowshoe is used for 162 breaking trail for a dog team to follow, and is called a "trip shoe." The smaller area of the " trip shoe " allows the foot to sink. deeper into the snow, and by this means packs it down into a more solid mass and furnishes better footing for the dogs. In use the snowshoe is confined .to the foot by^ means of a thong of dressed moose hide, so arranged that it passes around the ankle and is crossed over the instep, thus holding the toes tightly against the shoe while allowing the heel to be freely moved in any direction. The novice in snowshoe practice should never venture into deep snow unless the foot lashing is so secured that it can be instantly cast off in case of necessity. Accidents sometimes happen by which a person just learning to walk on snow- shces will be thrown headlong- into the deep snow. In such an event the new beginner will find it difficult, if not impossible, to free himself from the snowshoes unless the foot lashing- is so secured that it can be quickly released. In case no one is present to render assistance, serious results may follow. WINTER TRANSPORTATION OF THE MAIL. There is no public service more arduous and hazardous and at the same time more faithfully performed in Alaska than is the transporta- tion of the mails during the winter season. The men employed on this duty are without doubt the hardest worked public servants in the Territory, and no words can be too strong in praise of the manner in which their duties are performed. Immediately after the cessation of steamboat travel on the river, and long before travel on the trails is either safe or practicable, the car- riers begin to move the mail. The rough, bowlder-strewn beaches of the river furnish the only road over which travel is practicable at this season, and as sledding is impossible under these conditions the mail is made up into packs and transported on the backs of dogs instead of being hauled on sleds. When a tributary stream of the main river is encountered the mail man frequently finds it impossible to procure a boat, and in the absence of any such means of crossing the stream the mail man must depend upon his own resources and ingenuity to get himself and dogs safely past the obstacle. If the stream is too deep to ford, a raft must be built or else a long detour made to find a shallow crossing. It is not surprising that the mail men take advantage of the first opportunity furnished by the formation of ice on the Yukon to abandon the difficult and tedious road along the river shores for the easier but much more dangerous method of travel over the level sur- face of the river ice. Long before it is really safe to do so, the mail men take to the river and do not abandon it until all other travel on the trails has ceased in the spring. They take desperate chances to get the mail through on time, and the wonder is that the fatal acci- 163 dents which sometimes overtake them are not of more frequent occurrence. During the first part of the season the transportation of the mails is necessarily somewhat irregular and subject to delays, but after the river is fairly closed and the trails are open for travel, the arrival and departure of the carrier with the mails become events of such regu- larity throughout the season that their failure to appear as expected at any given point is a matter of general comment and anxious specu- lation. The mail route through the Yukon Valley follows the course of the river from the terminus of the White Pass Railway, at White Horse, to Kaltag, 570 miles from its mouth. At this point the trail leaves the river and crosses the tundra plains to Unalaklik, on the shores of Norton Sound, and from thence southward to St. Michael and northward around the head of Norton Sound to Nome and the other settlements to the westward. The entire route is divided into districts or "runs" of from 50 to 75 miles in length, and a carrier is assigned to each district who is responsible for the proper transportation of the mail while under his charge. Small log cabins are located at convenient points along the route for the accommodation of the carriers when they meet to exchange the mails coming into and bound out of the Territory and to serve as storehouses for surplus supplies and material necessary for the maintenance of the service during the winter. These cabins are intended only for the use of the mail men and are otherwise unoccu- pied. When the carriers arrive at the stations they have to cut their own wood for fuel and prepare food not only for themselves, but also for their dogs. This work after a hard da}^'s run is exceedingly irk- some and frequently occupies their attention until late in the night. With the first appearance of daylight in the morning they are again on the way. Although ordinary travelers find it better policy to remain in camp during excessively cold weather, the feeling among the carriers that the mail must not be deteyed is so strong that delays on this account are hardly worthy of consideration. In case one carrier fails for an3 T reason to make connections on time the other one does not wait, but pushes right along until the delayed carrier is encountered. This may, and frequentl} T does, occur late in the day at a point on the trail where there is no shelter but the woods. In that case a camp is either made in the open air or, if the weather be too cold, the mails are exchanged and both carriers return as best they may through the darkness to the nearest place where shelter can be obtained. Snow- storms which obliterate the trails, overflows which make it necessary to break a new trail, and sudden thaws which render the road impas- sable except during the colder hours of nighttime are among the commonest causes of delay in the winter transportation of the mail. 164 But in spite of the many difficulties, dangers, and hardships of the duty, there appears to be a certain fascination attending its perform- ance which sustains the hardy men whose lives are spent in this valuable service, and once having entered into the work it seems hard for them to give it up. The pay of the carriers is entirely out of proportion to that received by laborers in other forms of employment in the country, and it should be increased. After deducting necessary expenses for dogs, dog feed, and other supplies, the mail men seldom receive more than $125 per month for their winter's work. The time occupied in transit of the mails during the winter varies with the season. During the short days of midwinter the carriers make an average distance of 25 miles a day, but later on, when the trails are in good condition and the days are longer, from 35 to 45 miles are made. At Fort Shoemaker, which is situated at a point which is approximately one-half the distance from the terminus of rail- road communication with the outside and the coast of Bering Sea, let- ters were usually received from the States in from forty to forty-three days during the midwinter months. Later on this time was reduced to an average time of thirty-five days, and letters have been received from the outside which had only been on the road thirty-one days. The time usually taken for mail to reach St. Michael from Fort Shoe- maker was from twenty-eight to thirty days, and to Nome the distance was covered in about four days longer. The distance from our win- ter quarters to the coast by way of the trail is about 700 miles, and from that point to the upper terminus of the mail route on the river about 900 miles. A comparison of the time in transit of the mail over the two sections of the route will show r that much better time is made in the upper section of the river. This may be accounted for by the fact that after leaving the river at Kaltag the trail crosses a mountain range where progress is necessarily much slower than on the level river trails, and the mail stations are farther apart, thereby making the "runs" more difficult. Special couriers with light loaded sleds have made the run from St. Michael to Dall River inside of twenty- five days, but the conditions under which this time was made were exceptionally favorable, and it can not be accepted as a standard for estimating the time required for the transportation of the mail under ordinary circumstances. Sleds or toboggans, according to the condition of the trails, are used in the transportation of the mail during the winter. A team com- posed of five of the best dogs that can be procured is used to haul the load, and from 350 to 500 pounds of mail matter is the average amount of weight carried on each trip. The letters are inclosed in regular mail sacks, and only first-class mail is accepted by the carriers for 165 transportation in this way. All other mail intended for the interior is held at White Horse or Skagway until the opening- of steamboat navigation in the spring. It would be a great boon to the settlers of the Yukon Valley if arrangements could be made whereby newspapers and second-class mail matter could be transported during the winter months. But this measure of relief can only be afforded by an increase of the appropria- tion for the transportation of the mail in the Territory. Under pres- ent conditions the carriers have all the work they can possibly attend to in the transportation of first-class mail matter only. "U BR * ftp OF THE UNIVERSITY CHAPTER IV. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. DWELLINGS. The most common form of dwelling used by both the white and native inhabitants of the Yukon Valley is made of spruce logs, hewn by hand to fit together as closely as possible and made tight by chinking the crevices and seams of the wall with moss or mud. The introduction of sawmills and the manufacture of board lumber has been followed in several places by the erection of frame houses, but experience has shown that the old-fashioned log house, if properly constructed, is better suited to this climate. The roof of a log house is formed by two or more logs laid length- wise of the structure parallel to the ridgepole, and if a porch or vesti- bule is desired these roof logs and the ridgepole are cut long enough to project be} r ond the building so as to form the roof of the porch. Smaller trees are then split, and laid with their flat sides down across the roof logs from the eaves to the ridgepole on each side. The roof is then covered with grass or builders' paper, and over this is thrown a thin layer of dirt, which is tramped down smooth and level. This makes a warm and water-tight roof. In a well-built house the large logs used to form the walls are squared on their inner side with a whipsaw, so that when the house is completed the interior presents a smooth and level surface. Light is secured by means of windows, if glass can be obtained; otherwise arti- ficial light must be depended upon during very cold weather. Venti- lation is secured in some cases by means of large augur holes bored through the logs and fitted with plugs, which can be inserted or removed at pleasure, or a square box, fitted with a slide to be worked from the interior, is built into the roof. The Indian method of securing ventilation in former years was to leave an aperture in the center of the roof, through which the smoke from the fire escaped and fresh air was admitted to the interior. Of late years, however, they have adopted the more rational plan of the white man in the construction of their houses. Many of the modern log houses are lined with wall 167 168 paper, but in former years white drilling was used for this purpose, and it is an admirable substitute, as it is much more serviceable, can be whitened with paint or whitewash when it becomes soiled, and serves to lighten up the interior much better than the ordinary colored wall paper. The doors are made from boards or hewn out of the solid timber, and should be set up at least 6 inches above the level of the floor to prevent drafts. The floors of the older houses were usually of dirt, but in the later houses they are made of boards nailed to joists. The space between the floor and the ground is filled in with dry moss packed down solid, and the outer part of the walls is banked up with dirt to a distance of a foot or two for warmth. The interior is heated by means of small wood-burning stoves, upon which all the cooking for the household is also done. A good bed can be improvised from long pliant poles secured at the ends to a frame and the whole covered with a layer of small spruce boughs. In all of the settlements modern furniture is now used, even in the houses of the natives; but the cruder methods of pioneer days can still be observed, and in fact are the rule in the wood-choppers' cabins and dwellings hastily erected by the miners while prospecting the country. Corrugated iron has been of late years introduced and used to some extent in the construction of warehouses, stores, etc. It has not proved altogether satisfactory for use in building dwelling houses, for the reason that houses of this material are either too hot or too cold for comfort. The heat from an ordinary sheet- iron stove will raise the temperature of the interior of a house of this kind to an uncomfortable height in a very short time, and it is difficult to regulate on account of the fact that the temperature will fall to what it is on the outside if the fire is allowed to die down. Where it is possible to maintain a steady fire the corrugated iron houses are habitable in the coldest weather, but they will not retain the heat as a log house will. The chief disadvantages of a log-built house are that the logs are liable to early decay unless they- have been thoroughly seasoned before being used, and the cumbersome material does not adapt itself to anything but the crudest forms of architecture. They are com- fortable, but can not be made as convenient as the lighter frame houses with the same amount of labor. The cost of frame houses at the present time is much more than that of a log house of the same size, but with the rapid growth of the country and with more sawmills in operation this feature will doubtless become one of less importance for consideration by the intending builder of a home. It would appear from the experience of the army authorities in building their dwelling houses at the several posts in Alaska that an ideal house to suit all the requirements of life in this regior**is a frame structure made with double walls and floors, lined with builders' paper, fitted with double windows, vestibule entrance, and inclosed o S -I 3 Z ~ < 2 9= 73 2 * WINTER COSTUMES USED FOR SHORT EXCURSIONS IN THE OPEN AIR IN THE YUKON VALLEY. The coat is made of tanned reindeer fawn skins, with a hood, trimmed with wolverine fur. It is too warm for use on sled trips. 169 kitchen. The space between the floor and ground should be filled with some nonconducting material, such as sawdust or dry moss tightly packed, and the exterior of the house should be banked up with sods for a distance of a foot above the level of the floor. One- storied houses are preferable, on account of the difficulty of heating the upper rooms of houses having more than one story, but in the case of large buildings, such as the hotels at St. Michael and the bar- racks for the accommodation of the soldiers at the several posts, the upper rooms can be made perfectly comfortable during the coldest weather by heating them with stoves. The temperature which should be maintained in houses during the winter in order to make them comfortable is largely governed by individual choice. As a general rule, it should never be higher than 60° F., and it would probably be better from the standpoint of good health to have it even lower. The houses of the natives are invariably kept too warm, with insufficient attention given to ventilation, the result being that they suffer greatly from colds and diseases of the respiratory organs. Contrary to the usually accepted belief, we found no inconvenience or difficulty in passing from a heated room directly into the open air, even during the coldest weather. In fact, it was frequently a relief to step out of an overheated room or tent into the outer air, where at times a difference of over 100 c of temperature would be instantly experienced, with no bad results whatever. CLOTHING. It is a mistake to think that fur clothing is necessary, or even advis- able, for use in the interior of Alaska. A newcomer is instantly recognized by the heav}^ fur coat, and sometimes other fur garments, which he wears upon his first visit to the country. A short experi- ence will, however, convince him that such clothing is unnecessary except under special conditions, and after a short residence all fur gar- ments will be discarded for the more comfortable clothing of civilized communities. During the very coldest da} r s of midwinter we found that good woolen clothing of the kind usually worn at that season in our North- ern States was amply sufficient to keep us comfortable. While travel- ing on the trail one must be provided with heavy German wool socks reaching to the knee, a pair of fleece-lined or deerskin socks reaching to the ankle, and the whole covered with moose-hide moccasins for foot covering. The hands are protected by woolen mittens during moderately cold weather or when the blood is in rapid circulation. In very cold weather additional protection must be given the hands by using the native-made moose-hide hand warmer, which is a gauntlet- shaped mitten large enough to be drawn over the ordinary woolen one. They are usually lined with fur and attached to straps worn over the 170 shoulders, so that they can be thrown off or used as occasion may require. The head is covered by a cap made of some light-weight material faced with fur and having flaps attached sufficiently large to protect the ears and tie under the chin. Masks to cover the exposed portion of the face, such as are worn on the arctic coast, are not used in the interior, but in their place a small strip of fur or a silk hand- kerchief is folded and worn across the nose just below the eyes. In ordinary winter temperatures this protection is not necessary, and as it interferes with the sight it is not worn. In windy or stormy weather the traveler puts on over his ordinary clothing a long, hooded shirt or " parkie" made of drilling, with the edge of the hood trimmed with some long-haired fur to prevent the snow from driving in on the face. This ''parkie" is made to put on over the head, and is an effectual protection against the hardest kind of wind. The photograph facing this page shows the style of winter dress in general use in the country by travelers. In all essential particulars the natives dress as the whites do through- out the year. The native women wear short woolen or calico skirts reaching to the ankles, a lined waist, underwaist of unbleached muslin, and drawers made of some heavy material reaching to the ankles. The foot and hand covering worn by the women is similar to that of the men. Shawls or blanket coats are worn during the winter, and the head is almost invariably protected by a large handkerchief, usually of silk, which is folded diagonally and tied under the chin. Light- weight fur coats made of mink, muskrat, or tame Siberian deer skins are useful to slip on when one is going out of doors for a short walk, but for the arduous work of the trail all fur garments are too warm for comfort. FOOD AND WATER. At all of the settlements on the Yukon nearly everything in the shape of food products can be obtained either in cans or put up in the form of dried, evaporated, or smoked goods. The great variety of articles so put up and the excellence of the goods makes it possible, with the exercise of a little judgment, to have an almost constant change of fare. Fresh moose, caribou, deer, and bear meat is brought into the settlements by the Indians for sale to the whites regularly throughout the winter. Grouse of several varieties and ptarmigan are also shot and trapped in large numbers by the natives and sold at very reasonable prices. Ducks and geese which are shot late in the fall can be kept frozen all winter simply by allowing them to hang in the open air. Fish treated in this way^ can also be kept through until spring in as good condition as when first caught. At all of the settlements where there is a sufficiently large popula- tion of whites to warrant the importation of fresh meat from the USUAL DRESS WORN DURING THE WINTER IN THE YUKON VALLEY FOR SHORT WALKS IN THE OPEN AIR. FOR LONG TRIPS OR SLED WORK THE HEAVY COAT IS TOO WARM. 171 States, depots have been established for the storage of refrigerated beef, mutton, pork, turkeys, chickens, and eggs, which are brought into the country in vessels specially fitted up with refrigerating plants. The average price of refrigerated meats on the river is from 30 to 50 cents a pound, according to the amount purchased. Turkeys and chickens cost 35 to 50 cents a pound, and eggs are sold at from 50 cents to $1.50 a dozen. Moose meat is an excellent substitute for beef, and one does not grow tired of it, as in the case of most kinds of wild meat Caribou is very tender and sweet, but is too gamey for a steady diet. The flesh of the muskrat is much esteemed by the natives, but is repulsive to most civilized palates, more on account of association of ideas than from anything objectionable either in the taste or odor of the meat. When properly prepared it is really delicious and without the slightest disagreeable feature. The Indians sell all of their meats at prices varying from 25 to 75 cents a pound, according to the local demand. Fresh potatoes can be kept in good condition throughout the winter by allowing them to freeze solid and keeping them in this condition. Only sufficient for immediate use should be thawed out at a time, as they will spoil soon after thawing unless* they are cooked. Some kale which had been planted in a box on the upper deck of the JVunivak was found to be fresh and in good condition in the spring, after it had been exposed to the intense cold of winter with no other protection than that afforded by the covering of snow, which had not been disturbed. The opportunity of making further experiments did not occur, but it would be a valuable fact to know that such vegetables as kale and cabbage can be preserved through the winter by banking them up with straw and allowing them to remain covered with snow until spring. It will be seen by the above enumeration of the different articles of food which can be obtained during the winter in Alaska that no one need suffer from a monotonous fare who has the means of purchasing what is wanted and who is within reach of am T of the settlements. The traveler by dog team, however, must restrict himself to the pur- chase and consumption of only what is absolutely needed to sustain life while on the trail. Every additional pound of weight is a hin- drance to progress, and for this reason the fare of the traveler during the winter season is necessarily of the plainest kind. Beans, bacon, tea, sugar, flour, dried fruit, germea, condensed milk, salt, and baking powder are essentials. Anything else is a luxury, and seldom finds place in the outfit of the experienced traveler. Water for household use is somewhat difficult to obtain both winter and summer in the Yukon Valley. The river water during the season of open navigation is too muddy for use until it has been allowed to settle, and this takes a long time The small brooks and tributary 172 streams furnish all the good drinking water along the river, but these can not be utilized at the settlements for sanitary reasons, and in the absence of wells all the water for household purposes must be either caught in barrels when it rains or else hauled from the nearest stream of clear water that is free from contamination. During the winter season the water in the Yukon becomes as clear as a mountain brook, and it is used exclusively by everyone within reach of the river. When the ice forms in the fall a hole is cut in it and kept open until spring. This is a work of considerable magnitude, as the ice reaches a thickness of 6 or 7 feet, and if the hole is not kept constantly open by cutting away the new ice it will close up entirel}- in a very short time. Water from the ice hole is hauled on sleds to the house, and in an ordinary establishment this necessitates two or more trips each day. While on the trail water is obtained by melting ice or snow. The former is preferable on account of the much larger bulk of snow required to produce the same amount of water. It is astonishing how- thirsty one gets while on the trail, and it frequently happens that a stop must be made to build a lire so as to get a drink of water. SERVANTS. Intending settlers in the interior of Alaska must either make up their minds to do their own work or else must import their servants. The natives do not take kindly to domestic service, and outside of the missions, where such work is considered as a part of their education, I have never seen a single native who was steadily employed in this vocation. They are not devoid of intelligence in domestic matters and readily imitate the customs of the whites in the manner of keep- ing house, but they are too independent to act as servants, and proba- bly never will be different. A few white women are to be seen in some of the larger settlements acting as waitresses at the restaurants and as housekeepers for fam- ilies, but as a rule there are no household servants in the country except those who have been brought in for that purpose from the outside. At St. Michael the servants of the Northern Commercial Company's hotel are all white, while those of the hotel conducted by the North American Transportation and Trading Company are all chinese. The pay of a servant of any kind is from $40 to $60 per month, and that of a good cook is from $75 to $100 per month. COST OF LIVING. Board may be obtained at the hotels at St. Michael at $4 to $6 per day for transients. Special rates are given to anyone desiring board by the month, and it may be stated that the cost of living under these circumstances is about the same it would be at any first-class hotel in the smaller cities of the States. < z > - I u I- 2 co g u a 2 "a D. X < « z £ £ * 2 = co 5 173 The charge for single meals at the restaurants in Rampart City aver- ages $1 each, while monthly board without lodging costs from $50 to $75 per month. In the case of persons who do their own cooking the cost of living, exclusive of house rent, can not be reduced much below $40 per month. A saving of from 25 to 35 per cent can be made by two or more persons living together and combining their stores. These estimates do not include other expenses necessarily incurred if any traveling is done. In this event dogs must be obtained, and the additional expense for dog feed amounts to an average cost of 50 cents a day for each dog. A prospector can hardly travel any distance away from his base of supplies with less weight than 500 pounds on his sled, and in order to make anything like reasonable progress he must have at least one dog for each hundred pounds of weight carried. Referring to the estimated cost of a year's provisions for one man in Alaska, previously given, and adding the cost of dogs, dog feed, tools, etc., it will be seen that the cost of living for one person for one year, if any traveling is to be done, will be as follows: Cost of one year's living in Alaska for a prospector. One year's provisions $500 Five dogs, at $40 each 200 Six months' dog feed for 5 dogs 450 Miner's outfit of tools and implements 25 Arms and ammunition 30 Tent, blankets, and clothing 100 Add for incidental expenses, including medicines, fresh meat, etc. 50 Total 1, 355 The estimate for dog feed covers only the portion of the year in which traveling by sled is possible. After that time the prospector will have no need of dogs, and they may be disposed of at an average loss of 75 per cent on their cost. It is cheaper for the ordinary indi- vidual to sell his dogs at the end of the season even at a loss of 100 per cent than to keep them over summer. It will be seen by the above estimate that no one should enter the country for the purpose of engaging in no other form of employment than that of prospecting with a capital of less than about $1,500. Day laborers around the settlements are paid at the rate of $5 per day. In the mines laborers are paid from $5 to $8 per day, with board. Packers average 25 cents per pound for distances less than 100 miles. Over that distance the cost of packing during the winter season is based on a figure that will net the packer $10 per day. CHAPTER V. HOME LIFE AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS. SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS. It is but natural to suppose that in a country where the inhabitants are to a great extent cut off from communication with the outside world social distinctions are not very strictly drawn. This is found to be the case in a marked degree in Alaska. Here, true hospitality, born of an instinctive desire for companionship, is seen at its best. The latchstring of every dwelling, be it the humble cabin of the lonely wood chopper or the more pretentious home of the prosperous mer- chant or trader in the settlements, is always hanging on the outside, and everyone is welcome to enter and share whatever comforts may be had with the owner. With the advent of so many adventurers into the country during the last two or three years, the old customs of perfect freedom of intercourse have been somewhat modified to suit existing and prospective conditions, but it is still true of Alaska to say that society is in its primitive and democratic state. In all of the larger settlements and at the army posts the presence of refined and educated women who have followed their husbands into the country has done much to mitigate the loneliness and discomforts of life in the far-away Territory. Since their coming the bare walls of the soldiers' quarters and the rude interiors of the civilian's log house have been transformed into homelike appearance by the addition of draperies and pictures. The customary pile of tin cans and refuse which marked the abode of the batchelor has been effaced, and in its place neat little kitchen gardens are to be seen, while in every house in which a woman has come to live the windows bloom with potted plants and the rough casements and doorways are overrun with climb- ing vines. It is due to the influence of these good women that men who had grown careless in dress and speech again assumed the garb of respectability and once more took up the habits and customs of civilization, so that to-day the visitor at any of the settlements will see nothing extraordinary either in the dress or conduct of the better class of the community. 175 176 AMUSEMENTS AND RECREATION. Throughout the long winter months entertainments of various kinds — amateur theatricals, readings, card parties, dances, and festi- vals — are not of infrequent occurrence, and while there is a certain amount of laxity in the observance of strict social rules on the part of the participants, as a general thing these affairs are conducted with the same amount of decorum as would be observed at similar affairs in respectable communities on the outside. The weather is seldom too cold to prevent those who are fond of outdoor exercise from spending a portion of the day in the open air. Short trips are made into the hills after grouse or ptarmigan, and for those who do not fear to undergo a little hardship on the trail, hunting for large game, such as moose, bear, or caribou, furnishes abundant and exhilarating sport. Dog-team driving is a common form of recre- ation after the winter traveling has begun and the trails are in good condition, and it is by no means uncommon for a party of two or more congenial friends to start off in the middle of winter to pay a visit to some other settlement, perhaps entailing a journey of several days duration. The Christmas holidays at all of the larger settlements are usually celebrated by a round of indoor and outdoor entertainments and games, in some of which the natives take a part. Snowshoe races, dog-team races, and various kinds of athletic contests suited to a cold climate take place at this season and are thoroughly enjo} T ed by all. During Christmas week the natives always have a big feast, to which their white friends are asked to contribute gifts in the shape of food, and the feast is usually followed by a dance, which all are welcome to attend. At this season the Indians spend whole days tossing each other in blankets, and the incautious white man who ventures too close to the scene will find that their attentions are not entirely con- fined to each other. But while he will no doubt get a good tossing, and afterwards may be rolled in the snow by the squaws, it is all done in such a good-natured way that it is impossible to take offense. After the trails are worn smooth by winter travel, bicycle riding is not only possible, but thoroughly enjoyable. The smooth surface of the trails forms an ideal track, and as there is an almost continuous absence of wind during the winter season it is hard to conceive of a healthier or more exhilarating form of exercise. When ice first formed on the Dall River in the fall, we had splendid skating for several weeks until the surface was covered b} T snow. During this period several of the party made daily excursions into the interior on skates, arid on one or two occasions extended their trips to a distance^of 25 or 30 miles upstream. 177 I should feel better pleased if I could end at this point the descrip- tion of the different methods of passing the time during the long winter months in Alaska; but candor compels me to state that there are other forms of amusement and recreation indulged in by a certain class of persons in the country which are not so innocent or harmless. Both at Rampart and at Tanana dances frequently occur which are attended by a mixed assemblage of white men and Indians of both sexes. Respectable white women seldom or never attend these dances, and in the absence of any such restraint the conduct of the white men is too often a disgrace to our boasted civilization. Left to themselves the native women are not essentially lewd or immoral: but in the larger settlements where they have been brought into contract with a certain class of white men, their easily influenced natures have been corrupted, and experience has show T n that in the case of young native girls years of careful, tender, and Christian instruction at the missions may prove more a curse than a blessing if b} T means of their superior education and cleanliness they attract the attention of the lecherous and unscrupulous portion of the white com- munity. Once having departed from the paths of virtue, the progress of the native woman is swiftly downward until the lowest depths of sordid licentiousness and repugnant vice is reached. It is no exag- geration of the condition of the relations between the whites and natives of the interior of Alaska to state that nine-tenths of the immorality and social degradation of the native women can be directly traced to the evil influences with which they are surrounded at these mixed dances. MORALITY AND THE LIQUOR QUESTION. There is no question which more intimately connects itself with the morality of any community than does the sale and use of intoxicating liquor, and when it is examined as a part of existing social conditions in an isolated region like the interior of Alaska it forms not only an important element, but is the very essence of the problem. The licensed sale of liquor in Alaska has been defended by some moralists on the ground that in this way the illicit manufacture and sale of the article has been stopped. In other words, an act which was declared to be reprehensible and punishable by law if committed under certain conditions is made right and proper by legislation. I doubt very seriously the truth of this form of reasoning, and 1 am confident that, so far as the native population is concerned, more harm than good has been done by the enactment of the present law. The sale of liquor to the Indians of Alaska is still strictly forbidden, but it goes on to-da}' in defiance — almost in contempt — of the law. The truth of this statement is evidenced by the frequent appearance on the public streets of the settlements where liquor is exposed for 5661—03 26 178 sale of intoxicated native men and women. Evidence sufficiently strong to convict parties guilty of this crime is very difficult to obtain, and the singular omission in the law for the government of the Terri- tory of any provision for the arrest and punishment of an Indian for drunkenness makes it almost impossible for the officers of the law to act. The influence of the several church missions along the river over the Indians is good so far as it goes, and to the careful, painstaking instruc- tion which has been given them by the Christian men and women who are devoting their lives to this service may be ascribed whatever improvement in the condition of the native tribes that has taken place since they have been in contact with the whites. At the missions and in the isolated settlements the Indians are found to be honest, good- natured, and generous as a class, but improvident, fond of pleasure, and extreme^ credulous. With such characteristics and dispositions, and when free from the restraining influence of the missionaries, they become easy victims of the white man's rapacity and lust. Until very recentty illicit intercourse between white men and Indian women in the country was by no means uncommon. The social posi- tion of the white trader or trapper who had a native "wife" was in no way injured by his illicit and unlawful manner of living. This con- dition of societ}^, always disgraceful and demoralizing, is no longer tolerable in a community in which virtuous men and women have come to form a part. The firm hand of the law must be used to put down the lawless and degenerate element which has taken advantage of the previous laxit}^ of public morals to attempt to perpetuate a social condition which is at once destructive of all progress and a foul disgrace to humanity. Both at Rampart and at Tanana, the only settlements on the river where liquor is exposed for sale, drunken orgies, in which white men and native women openly participated, were of frequent occur- rence during the winter months. On one occasion a native woman became so intoxicated by liquor which had been given her by white men that in attempting to reach her home, a short distance from the scene of the debauch, she left her baby on a sled in the trail and it froze to death. No one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever been arrested for complicity in this crime, nor have I ever heard that any attempt whatever was made to fix the responsibility for the death of the child. On another occasion, at Rampart, during the progress of one of the mixed dances of which mention has been made, one of the white men, whose relations with a native woman of the town were notorious, seized the woman and carried her out of the building into the principal street of the town, where he was joined by half a dozen boon companions, and with their assistance the struggling and shriek- ing woman was borne off to some convenient house where their revels 179 could be continued without fear of interruption. This occurrence was witnessed by a score of people, and was town talk for several days, but I have yet to learn that any notice was taken of it by the local officers of the law. In a conference that I had during the winter of 1901 with the Hon. James Wickersham, who was at the time the presiding judge of the third division of the district court of Alaska, the present condition and future prospects of the natives were very freely discussed. Judge Wickersham agreed with me that the promotion of their best interests, as well as the interests of the whole community, morally and physically, demanded the immediate suppression of that portion of the white pop- ulation whose vicious conduct if allowed to continue, will undoubtedly end in the ruin of the Indian and in the destruction of all law and order in the country. I am glad to be able to state that subsequent action taken by Judge Wickersham in line with the opinion above expressed had a most salutary effect throughout the Territory, and it is to be regretted that other duties called him to another field of action before the good Avork so well begun could be carried to successful completion. GAMBLING. In all communities in which the majority of the members are men of the kind that usually go to make up a mining camp, gambling of some form or other is usually prevalent. To a certain extent this is true of Alaska, although the vice has never reached a larger scale in most of the settlements of the Yukon Valley than the indulgence by a party of friends in an occasional game of cards, with moderate stakes, more with the object of passing away the time than as a means of obtaining a living. During the first rush of gold seekers to Rampart, when a large population was attracted to the place by the supposed richness of the adjacent gold-bearing country, it is true that a few professional gamblers opened establishments in that town and for a while conducted a flourishing business. But later developments showing that the area of valuable ground in the vicinit} T was limited, the floating population of adventurers deserted the place to seek for gold in some more promising fields, and with them departed the gamblers. At the present time the only evidence of gambling to be seen along the Yukon, in that portion of the stream covered by our observations, is an occasional table in a saloon, where cards are some- times played for small stakes or to decide who shall pay for the drinks. The business men of the community are singularly free from the vice, and the miners-*who have been successful in locating a paying claim are too bus}' to spend their time in this form of amusement. Public gambling on board the steamers plying the river is strictly forbidden by the managers of all the regular companies. It is some- times seen on A^essels operated by independent parties, but is by no 180 means a common occurrence. During the two years that 1 was on duty on the station I saw gambling going on openly but once on an American vessel. The occasion referred to was at the time when the authorities at Dawson compelled all of the so-called "sporting ele- ment" to leave that city, and about 200 of them took passage on one steamer for the outside. As a special concession to them, and in view of the fact that there were very. few passengers outside of their class, the master of the vessel allowed games of chance to be played on the way down the river. When the matter was reported to the office of the company at St. Michael, the master and every one of the officers of the vessel who had been responsible for this leniency in enforcing the rules made by the company in regard to gambling were summarily dismissed. CHAPTEK VI. LAW AND ORDER. THE COURTS AND THE COURT OFFICIALS. For the purpose of maintaining order and for the punishment of crime bj^ civil process in the country, the Territory has been placed under the jurisdiction of the United States district court for the dis- trict of Alaska which is subdivided into three divisions, each one hav- ing its own judge, marshal, and district attorney, who are appointed by the President, and other court officers who are appointed by the jud^e, marshal, and district attorney, respectively, as is customary in other United States courts. The Yukon Valley and adjacent regions comprise the third division of the United States district court for the district of Alaska. The court is required by law to hold at least one term each year at Eagle, and the judge is authorized to hold such additional terms at other places within the district over which he has jurisdiction as he may deem necessary and expedient. Commissioners of the court and deputy marshals are appointed to act as representatives of the court at places where it is considered advisable to have a resident peace officer. The commissioners so appointed are authorized to try cases and render decisions in affairs of minor importance, and the duties of the deputy marshals are to pre- serve order, arrest anyone accused with the commission of a crime, and to serve the processes of the court. The district court of Alaska is embraced in the ninth judicial cir- cuit, and appeals from the decisions of any of its judges are taken to the United States circuit court of appeals, either at San Francisco, Seattle, or Portland, Oreg., as may be most convenient for all con- cerned; the only exception to this course of procedure being in the cases in which appeals may be taken to the United States Supreme Court at Washington, direct. miners' meetings. Prior to the organization of the district courts of Alaska a semblance of law and order was maintained and disputes were settled between 181 182 contesting parties by resort to a sort of public tribunal called a ' ' miners' meeting." The composition and proceedings of some of these quasi- judicial bodies were often eminently respectable and dignified, but it more frequently happened that the miners' meetings were assemblages of disorderly persons whose decisions were manifestly unjust and the whole proceedings were so irregular as to cause them to be little better than examples of mob rule. This method of settling disputes, espe- cially as to ownership of mining claims, has always been a favorite one in mining communities on the frontier, and is still in vogue in some of the outlying settlements. Its influeuce is gradually becoming weaker, however, and the custom is dying out with the extension of the operations of the regular courts. THE INFLUENCE OF THE ARMY. The presence of army posts along the river and at all of the princi- pal settlements has been an active factor in the preservation of good order. The policy of the army authorities has been, however, appar- ently to assist the civil authorities rather than to initiate proceedings for the prevention of erime, and in this way its influence has been more of a negative than a positive character. The legal status of the Army in the Territory differs from that it has in other parts of the country in this respect: The officers of the district court and their deputies, or the chief executive officer of any municipal government, are authorized by law to call upon the military authorities at an} T time for a posse comitatus composed of as many soldiers as may be deemed necessary to assist the civil officer in the execution of his duty. I am informed that this course of procedure is peculiar to Alaska, it being forbidden by law to use the Army as a posse comitatus in any other State or Territory of the Union. It is possible that the exclusion of Alaska from the operation of the Federal statute in regard to the employment of the Army for this purpose may have been a wise and beneficial provision to meet existing conditions at the time of the sud- den influx of population which followed the discovery of the rich gold diggings of the Klondike region in 1897, and before the organization of the present form of civil government. But with the increase of population and the assumption of civic responsibilities by the people in all of the larger settlements, it is questionable if the necessity of maintaining the present status of the Army any longer exists. With more liberal appropriations for the support of the civil authority and for the employment of a larger force of civil officers foi the execution of the laws, it is probable that the Army could be relieved of a duty, which, to say the least, is inconsistent with the general plan of gover- nment of the American people. 183 INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH MISSIONS. It can not be said that the influence of the several church missions along the river has, as yet, done much to elevate the moral status of the white population of Alaska. The class of people which to a large extent go to make up the population of a mining community do not as a rule take an active interest in religious matters, and in fact many persons who may have been members of the church on the outside, tind it more convenient to drop all semblance of religion when they enter the country. This lax condition of public morals will no doubt be improved later on with the development of the country and the consequent increase of population. The influence of the missionaries over the Indians, however, has been far-reaching and beneficial. Long before the advent of the officers of the law, the lessons of love and forbearance taught these people by the missionaries had taken deep root in their naturally affectionate and generous natures, and wherever the Indians have been brought into contact with the mis- sions, they have become law-abiding and peaceful. There is no fear that these inoffensive people will ever rise against the whites in any organized revolt, and even individual cases of premeditated crime are so rare among them that they may be passed unnoticed. I am informed by the prosecuting officer of the circuit court of the third division in Alaska, that out of some 50 cases of crime which were on the docket of the court at its last term, not one case was against an Indian. To the influx of white people and to that circumstance alone can be attributed the necessity for any legal restraint on the native inhabitants of the country. GENERAL CONDITIONS. In the first part of the gold-hunting epoch in Alaska, from the year 1885 to 1895, crime of any kind was almost unknown in the interior. But with later developments a horde of irresponsible adventurers have entered the country and there is now danger that unless the strong arm of the law is kept over it, this region, which in the past has enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most law-abiding portions of our national possessions, may yet be the scene of violence and blood- shed. There is no disguising the fact that crime of all kinds is at pres- ent rapidly on the increase. Ten years ago the contents of a cache or unoccupied cabin were inviolate, while to-dav petty robberies of their contents are of common occurrence. Not only are thefts of food com- mitted, but in many cases coming under our observation depredations on property had been committed apparently with no other object in view than to gratify the desires of some moral pervert. Numerous complaints were made to me of persons who had broken into caches 184 and unprotected cabins, and, after appropriating to their own use what- ever they wanted, had deliberately thrown articles of food and cloth- ing which they could not use out of doors to be ruined. The cabins of the mail carriers were frequently broken into and the supplies of food stored there for the use of the carriers stolen. In many cases after robbing the house of everything of value it contained, the robber would end his work by the commission of some act of vandalism which could be explained in no other way than as the expression of his con- tempt for all the laws of common decency. Dog stealing during the winter is rapidly on the increase and the Indians are the principal sufferers. In the majority of the cases the animals are enticed away from their owners by travelers who pass by the Indian settlements on their way up or down the river, and before any action by the authori- ties is possible all trace of the thief has disappeared. When the river opens in the spring many of the travelers by sled are left without means of continuing their journey, and much com- plaint is heard of the loss of small boats. As in the case of the loss of dogs, it usually happens that before communication can be had with the authorities to apprehend the thief, he has gotten beyond reach of capture. Wood stealing by unscrupulous masters of passing steamers has been mentioned in another part of this report. This crime was more com- mon in the past than it is to-day, and with the more effective manner of keeping account of the wood along the river b}^ the large companies it is becoming easier for the owners of wood to tell what steamer took it. It frequently happens that a prospector who has been unsuccessful m locating a paying claim will devote a portion of the winter to cut- ting wood for sale, and by this means obtain sufficient money to pur- chase supplies to continue the search for gold. Ever\^ effort should be made by the Government to protect this class of settler from the depredations of dishonest persons, as it is to the prospector and miner we must look for the future development of the country. The illicit sale of liquor to the Indians is not only carried on at the settlements, but is also practiced by men who drop down the river from Dawson in small boats and peddle liquor to the natives at the several settlements and fishing camps. It is almost impossible to detect this class of lawbreakers, as the Indians will not act as inform- ers, and as long as the law is in its present state they can not be arrested for drunkenness or punished in any way. The peddlers of liquor can not be arrested for having liquor in their possession, and the only way to check this illicit traffic is to require a more stringent observance of the law in regard to licenses for the sale of liquor in the Territory and to restrict the entry of liquor from Canadian terri- tory in such a way as to prevent small importations. In the absence of any effective surveillance of the river at the boundary line, it is 185 verv easv for small boats loaded with Canadian liquor to pass our Wom-house without examination, and once in our part of the Terri- * Kl " * "-- :hj 6 to prevent the sale of this liquor to the tory it is almost lmpoefea*. - of the ]aw barged with the preven- natives. The number of office/ ^ nt[ve \ y too small for the purpose, tion of crime in the Territory is^ gr^ f\ hite men a g a i ns t each other Offenses against the law committed by w\ c * ^ marshals of the courts are steadily on the increase, and the few dep^-r^-* ^* means of ready scattered through the districts, and lacking suitable. A o trending to transportation from point to point, are kept too bus} t ; . : the their duties at the larger settlements to pay much attention t« ^'^ isolated communities. For this reason the Indians are left at thv. mercy of the unscrupulous traders. In my opinion the only effective wa} T of breaking up this traffic, which is at once a source of imminent danger to the moral and physical well-being of the natives of Alaska and a disgrace to our government of the Territory is by the employ- ment of a number of small steam launches stationed at various points along the river, and placed under the command of active and energetic officers of the Revenue-Cutter Service. One of these launches should have its headquarters at Eagle to guard the boundary line which crosses the Yukon near this point, and to compel all vessels and boats arriving from Canadian territory to report at the custom-house before proceeding any farther into the territory^ of the United States, and from two to three other launches should be stationed at convenient points farther down the river to board and examine all vessels and boats and to supervise all traffic in the districts covered by them. In addition to the examination of all vessels and boats plying on the river, these launches would .furnish ready means for the transporta- tion of the officers of the law from point to point when necessary to apprehend criminals. The length of the Yukon River and its many small tributaries makes it impracticable for the whole station to be properly patrolled by one vessel, and this duty could be much better and more economically performed by small launches. Up to the present time the Federal laws requiring that all holders of public lands shall be citizens of the United States, or shall have declared their intention of becoming citizens, have not been enforced in Alaska. It is probable that the precedent established b} T the Cana- dian authorities in permitting locations of its mining ground in the Klondike region to be made by persons without regard to their citi- zenship created a sentiment in favor of a similar concession to be made to the prospectors who entered our territory during the earlier days of the search for gold. If this sentiment ever prevailed to any extent it is now rapidly dying out, and public opinion is now decidedly in favor of the strict enforcement of the United States land laws governing the acquisition of parts of the public domain. 186 It is probably not an exaggeration to state that fully 75 per cent of the litigation over mining claims in Alaska, and especially so in tV JNome district, has been caused by disputed ow "' r- /." "'^ i i were originally located by aliens: Since ^ ershl P ot *«" whlch United States required afl holders of - * the J6ar 1865 the W ° f the the United States or to havr ^ ** * Hhe publlC knds t0 be cltlzens of becoming such. Congress U declared their intention in due form of lation confirmed r oJ — J tn nas ^ numerous subsequent acts of legis- retain for its . ia ^ nd emphasized the intention of the Government to Cour f fr- *ui .^citizens all of the public domain. But the Supreme i' wire nas recently rendered a decision which for the time being prac- tically nullifies the evident intention of the law as far as Alaska is con- cerned. In the case of Tornanses v Melsing et al. , being a question of ownership of a claim in the Nome district, the circuit court of appeals decided that the fact that a locator of a mining claim is an alien can not be made the basis of an action against him by a subse- quent locator to recover possession of such claim ; the question of the effect of his alienage on the validity of his location being one which can not be raised between private persons to which the United States is not a party. In the present condition of affairs in Alaska it is not likely that the question of title to a mining claim will ever be brought up for settlement by the courts in such a way as to make the United States a party to the case. This would only come up where a survey and actual title in fee to the land would be desired, but the very nature of placer mining makes such title unnecessary. A possessory title obtained by observance of the regulations in regard to the location of mining ground is all that is sufficient to permit anyone to hold the property in undisturbed possession until all of the valuable material can be extracted, when the land may revert to the United States. It is believed that conditions in Alaska have now arrived at the state as to make it no longer necessary to encourage immigration by a relaxa- tion of the laws in regard to citizenship, in order to develop the country, and the more thoughtful portion of the community agree in the opinion that some action on the part of the Government is now necessary to protect its interests and the interests of its own citizens from the encroachments of alien adventurers. Alaska is a country of unknown possibilities. Its mineral resources are inconceivably great and as } r et but hardly touched. Throughout the length and breadth of this wide domain almost every stream carries its burden of gold and its mountains are seamed with nearly every precious metal known to man. In the short space of four years marvellous changes in the way of increased facilities for transporta- tion have taken place and the end is not yet in sight. In a year's time Nome and the settlements of the great Yukon Valley wil> be in telegraphic communication with the rest of the world. New trails are being cut through the dense forests, and wagon roads are 187 beifig built in every direction; and where a few years ago even a summer^ trip feeggh this country was undertaken with tear and trembling, men now start *">«» their homes in the out^de world at - , , , . -vnev into the very heart of Alaska with any season ot the year and iom ^-> 111LU L * ',•,,1 • j- '-fort as they would encounter on a as little inconvenience or discom lult rt ° - - , . . . • ., i at • \i j 7-oad has been built and is in trip through Mexico. Already a ram v. . . , 41 . ., , ^ ^ j v '^' th«' Alaskan Alps, and operation oyer the snow-crowned summit ^ ... . . v fu u i • * ^ + ±u 1.1 i 4. xches ot barren others nave been projected to cross the bleak stre«> . „ country which lie between the coast and the great im/ . , . * iin a It requires no effort of the imagination to predict that witt very few more years thousands of people will be able to reach an , part of the country, where gold can be found, in a few days, where it now takes weeks to make the journey. The population of the country will undoubtedly rapidly increase with the improvement in the meth- ods of communication and transportation, and with that increase there will come the necessity for better and more stringent laws, to be enforced by intelligent, upright, fearless, and incorruptible public officials. Would it not be advisable to anticipate this necessity and to have the machinery of the law on the ground and in good working condi- tion before the field is occupied by the element which requires this legal restraint? rif dr ,,r PAET III. MINES AND MINING. Chapter I. MINERALS: OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION. Chapter II. METHODS OF LOCATION OF CLAIMS, ETC. 189 CHAPTER I. MINES AND MINING. MINERALS. Gold, silver, copper, and coal are the minerals which have been found in Alaska in sufficient quanity to pay for the labor and expense of extraction. Platinum, isinglass, argentiferous galena, and cinnabar are known to exist, but the field has not yet been sufficiently examined to show whether these are in sufficient quanities to pay for the work of development. Within the field of observation covered hy this report gold is the only one of the above-named minerals which has seriously attracted the attention of prospectors up to the present time. The distribution of this metal and the methods used for recovering it from the mineralized sands and gravels throughout the Yukon Valley may not be out of place in this report. OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION. The mineralization of the Yukon anticline, where the ancient schists with their inclosed quartz veins are found, is intense and widespread. Exploration of this vast region has shown that gold depositation in paying quantities has occurred chiefly in the districts drained by the Klondike, White, Stewart, and Forty mile rivers, all of which flow in the Yukon east of the international boundary line between the United States and Canadian territory, and in the districts drained by Birch and Minook Creeks, the northern side streams of the Tanana, and the upper waters of the Ko} T ukuk River, flowing into the Yukon within the territory of the United States. Recent exploration by prospect- ors of the Seward Peninsula shows beyond a doubt that almost the entire portion of this part of the territory is intensely mineralized, and the latest authentic reports from the districts contiguous to the Arctic Ocean in the vicinity of Good Hope Bay would point to the fact that some of the creeks in this locality are likely to prove as rich as any which have made Nome, on the southern side of the peninsula, so famous. The Kougaruk River, which flows into the eastern extension of Port Clarence harbor and drains a large portion of the northern 5661—03 27 191 192 part of the peninsula, has proved to be a well mineralized district, and gold in paying quantities has been found on nearly all of the creeks which flow into Golof nin Bay in the eastern part. Good prospects have also been obtained from the creeks which flow into Bering Sea in the vicinity of Cape York, but owing to the difficulty of getting supplies into the region, and the fact that more flattering prospects were reported from other portions of the country shortly after the Cape York district was opened up, but little has been done in this locality to develop these claims. During an exploration made by the writer in the year 1884 of the Kowak River, which flows into the Arctic Ocean at Hotham Inlet, gold was discovered in the sand bars of the river by the party and reported. Subsequent search for the precious metal on this stream has shown that the northern side streams carry gold in considerable quantity, but like other remote regions it has not been well prospected. The upper waters of the Kuskokwim have recently attracted consid- erable attention among the mining prospectors, and during the winter of 1901 a stampede to this region took place from St. Michael and the Yukon Valley. But little prospecting was done at that time, and the suffering of the stampeders was so great that for a time nearly every- one deserted the region Later reports from the few remaining pros- pectors on this stream state, however, that very good prospects have been found on the upper waters of the north fork of the river in the foothills of Mount McKinley , and there is a well-defined belief among those who are familiar with the country that this region will ultimately prove rich ground for the placer miner. A glance at the map will show from the above summary that the distribution of gold in central Alaska is known to embrace all that portion of the territory included between the sixty-third and sixty- sixth degrees of north latitude, and the one hundred and thirty -eighth and one hundred and sixty-eighth meridians of west longitude. Within this region there are many localities where geological conditions are similar to those in which gold has been found but which as yet have not been prospected owing to the lack of transportation facilities. There seems to be no reason why these localities should not under different conditions prove to be as richly mineralized as the districts adjacent to Nome or the Klondike. On the contrary, there is every reason to suppose that with the growing up of the country many of these districts which are now inaccessible will prove to be immensely rich in the precious metal. In support of this statement the present and past conditions in the Koyukuk River region may be cited as an example. Long before the discovery of gold on the Klondike a few hardy prospectors had found gold in the sands of the Koyukuk, but in such small quantities that the richer fields of the Upper Yukon had caused almost everyone to 193 abandon the Koyukuk diggings and stampede to the newer fields. The more persistent ones who remained worked on with very little encouragement and in the face of obstacles which would have appalled any but the most determined and courageous seeker after the hidden wealth. After almost ten } T ears of search news has just been received that coarse gold has been at last discovered on some of the creeks and tributaries of the middle fork of the Koyukuk lying well within the Arctic Circle, and from authentic sources comes the report that in one or two districts, notably so on Hammond and Emma creeks, a large number of claims have proved to be as valuable as any claims in any other portion of the territory. METHODS OF PROSPECTING AND LOCATING A CLAIM. Except in a few favored localities, the labor of prospecting for gold in Alaska is arduous in the extreme, and should not be attempted by anyone who is not physically able to undergo a prodigious amount of hardship and exposure. Contrary to the usually accepted belief, the intense cold of the Arctic winter months is not the chief obstacle to be overcome by the prospector. As a matter of fact, travel across the country is more difficult and arduous during the summer months than it is in winter. It is almost impossible to make any progress over the moss-covered tundra plains of the Seward Peninsula or any of the districts contiguous to the coast except where trails have been made, and in the interior the most of the country is traversed b}^ small streams, dotted with innumerable shallow lakes and overgrown by impenetrable thickets, which makes traveling even without a load extremely difficult. For this reason, travel during the summer season is almost exclusively confined to movement by water. As will be explained later, the most favorable localities for prospecting are, as a general thing, situated on the small tributary streams and in the vicinity of the head waters of the large rivers, and in order to reach these places and at the same time carry in a sufficient quantity of sup- plies to enable the prospector to spend some time on the ground he must journey to them during the winter season. It is neither safe nor advisable for anyone to go on a prospecting trip of any extent alone. A partner is not only desirable but is almost a necessity in this country, where the slightest kind of an accident is likely to prove fatal unless immediate help is at hand. For this reason prospecting in Alaska is usually done on the cooperative plan, and the party may consist of from two to a dozen members. Having settled upon the district within which it is proposed to search for gold, the party starts for the scene of its labors as early in the winter as possible, so as to be on the ground before the short days of midwinter set in. 194 The first thing to do after reaching the district in which work is to be done is to build suitable houses for the shelter of the party and to serve as a base for future operations. Then the real work of pros- pecting the ground begins. This is usually deferred until the cold weather sets in and freezes up the streams and springs solid. Select- ing the most likely looking locality for operations, a hole is sunk through the frozen muck and gravel to bedrock, generally near to the banks of some stream where a good supply of water can be obtained for washing out the sand and gravel in case good ' 4 pay dirt " is discov- ered, and as the work of excavation goes on samples of the excavated dirt are examined from time to time by thawing it out and washing it by hand in a miner's pan. If sufficient gold is recovered in this way to indicate that the ground will pay to work, a claim is staked out by each one of the party as hereinafter described and the rest of the winter is spent in getting out as much of the "pay dirt" as possible before the opening of spring unseals the streams and renders further work on the "dump" impossible. Should bedrock be reached with- out discovering sufficient gold in the dirt to make it a paying proposi- tion, another location is selected and the work of excavation and exam- ination of the ground is continued. Success in this kind of work does not always follow because one is simply persistent. There is probably no other profession in which the element of chance or good luck enters so largely as in that of the prospecting miner; but, on the other hand, failure to find gold in paying quantities in the first location made should not be accepted as proof that no gold exists in the imme- diate vicinity. The richest claim on little Minook Creek was not developed and its possibilities discovered until after some forty holes to bedrock had been sunk by the locaters. In this case sheer per- sistence and indefatigable labor won fortune for the prospectors, but on the same stream and but a short distance separated from the paying claim other parties worked equally hard and apparently with an equal amount of good judgment and never obtained enough gold to pay for their "grub stake." If a prospector desires to lay claim to placer mining ground, he must first of all satisfy himself that gold is present, as this is a necessary legal qualification in order to insure title to same. Having satisfied himself in this particular he proceeds to set stakes at the four corners and at the center of the claim, as required by law, to define its limits, and within thirty days after the original location he must enter the claim at the nearest land office, giving an exact description of the locality as far as may be possible, and must produce witnesses to prove all of the statements made by him as to the location, date of discovery, actual presence of gold, etc. After paying the fees demanded by the recorder of the district he will be in a position to hold his claim for one year after the 1st of January next after the date of his location, MINERG STARTING OUT ON A PROSPECTING TRIP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ANNUAL BREAK-UP OF ICE IN THE SPRING OPENS THE RIVER TO BOAT NAVIGATION. PROSPECTING FOR GOLD ON A RIVER BAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SUBSIDENCE OF THE SPRING FLOODS. v ° fTrt «iTf TYPICAL MINERS' WINTER QUARTERS ON A MINERALIZED GULCH OF THE YUKON ANTICLINAL. The photograph is a view of Wolverine Gulch in the Tanana country. if I l f Iff ill I H: «****. P«^. TYPE OF SMALL RIVER STEAMER, USED BY PROSPECTORS, IN WINTER QUARTERS. 195 without any further work on the claim. If, however, he neglects to put a certain amount of development work on the claim after the lapse of the time specified, his title to it becomes forfeited and the claim is open to reentry or, in other words, it may be "jumped." The original discoverer of gold on any stream is allowed to enter two claims in his name, but all subsequent locators are allowed only one claim in sa\y mining district. The original locator's claim is called "discovery claim," and the others are numbered 1, 2, 3, etc., "above discovery " or " below discovery," as the case may be. Besides his own claim, any person is entitled by law to enter claims for others by power of attorney, and as the number of claims that may be entered in this way by one person is unlimited, the custom has given rise to an immense amount of dissatisfaction to the mining fraternity in Alaska owing to the abuse which has been made of the privilege. In order to form a mining district there must be at least six per- sons present duly qualified by law to locate mining ground. If six or more persons desire to form a district, a recorder must be chosen from among the persons present, a set of books opened, and all the requirements of law as regards the entering of claims for title ob- served in the same way as if the proceedings were held before the recorder of a regularly established land office. The size of claims in any mining district is determined by the majority of the miners forming the district, but in no case can they be larger than allowed by the Federal statute, nor can any regulation made by the miners as regards the holding of title to or working the claims which will conflict with the United States laws be legally enforced. As a general thing a placer mining claim is 1,000 feet long, measured along the bed of the stream, and its end lines extend from "rim rock" to "rim rock" across the valley of the stream upon which the location is made. Bench claims are situated on the sidehills above the valley claims, and are numbered consecutively up and downstream from discovery claim to coincide as to length with the latter. The amount of development work which a locator must do each year on his claim is determined by the miners themselves, but must not be less than an amount which will cost $100. In some cases the development work includes the labor and cost of building houses and other necessary work outside of actual development of the ground, while in other places a miner must sink one or more holes to bed rock each year in order to hold possession of his claim. As has been already stated, travel overland during the summer sea- son is attended by so many difficulties that summer prospect work throughout the country is almost exclusively confined to those sections which are accessible by boat. The best time for this kind of pros- pecting is immediately after the subsidence of the spring freshets in the streams has left the bars and beaches bare for examination. When 196 this period arrives, the prospector, after loading a boat with supplies to last hini during the trip, enters the stream to be prospected and works his way upstream by pulling or poling his boat against the cur- rent, meanwhile carefully "panning out" the sands and gravels found on the bars and beaches for evidences of gold. As a usual thing if the region drained by the stream is mineralized, gold in the form of minute particles or "colors" will be found mixed with the fine sand after it has undergone the process of washing in the pan. Some of these "colors" are hardly larger than a pin point and the novice might easily allow them to pass off with the waste material as worthless. Other small particles of scarcely appreciable thickness, which from their small bulk as compared with their surface subside very slowly when suspended in water, are readily carried off by the action of the current or the movement of the water in the miner's pan, and so are lost. This is called "scale" or "float" gold by the miners, and is very difficult to save except by the use of quicksilver. If "colors" continue to be seen as progress is made upstream and the size of the particles increase, it is safe to assume that the prospector is on the right path which will ultimately lead him to the locality from which the gold originally started on its journey downstream. If, however, the "colors" disappear from the sands of the main stream, some other source of its origin must be sought. The tributary streams entering the main river immediately above the position where "colors" were discovered should now be examined, and if they are found to be "blank," or barren, the prospector must bring to his aid any knowl- edge of geology which he may possess in order to account for the presence of gold in the main stream. Local conditions must be care- fully studied, and it is possible that an examination of the local topog- raphy will result in the discovery of some old channel of the river far removed from its present bed and that an investigation of its old sand and gravel beds will show that the greater portion of the mineralization of the region took place prior to the change in the course of the river. In this connection it must be borne in mind that the occurrence of gold in the sands of a river does not necessarily mean that its origin is close at hand. As a matter of fact it may be of somewhat remote derivation. Many of the old gravel terraces and glacial deposits con- tain gold, and when these are dissected it finds its way into the river bars and is concentrated in the usual way. As the river channels have been subject to various changes of position throughout the ages of geological evolution and the old terraces often bear no relation to the present system of drainage, it is evident that the mere presence of gold in the bars can not be accepted as conclusive evidence that the region drained by the present river channel is mineralized. A fair knowledge of geological conditions, past and present, is undoubtedly of value to the prospector, and while it is true that in the 197 search for gold a person perfectly ignorant of the subject may and frequently does stumble on a rich deposit of the metal, while his more intelligent competitor may never discover anything of value, this should not deter anyone from acquiring knowledge of certain well established geological laws, and in the end the better informed searcher will prove the more successful in his work, other qualifica- tions being equal. The best conditions for the deposition of gold in placers are usually found in the narrow valleys of mountain streams, where the work of erosion has been most thorough, and where the more rapid movement of the water has carried off the lighter portions of the eroded material and left the heavier particles of mineralized matter deposited on the floor or "bedrock" of the valley. In time these intensely mineralized deposits are covered with successive layers of silt and debris, which act as constant screens or seives through which the heavier portions of later accretions are gradually sifted to the bottom. The rapid current of the torrential streams which are strong enough to carry down the channels large bowlders naturally also bears away with it a'l but the coarsest kind of gold. This in time is either formed into u nuggets" of a more or less rounded shape, which find lodgement in the crevices and reefs of the bed of the stream, or else is reduced by attrition into the form of "dust," and is finally deposited on the bars and beaches of the larger and less rapidly flowing rivers. The fact that gold is never found in the sands of rivers where the current is sluggish is proof positive that its origin is in the quartz veins of the mountain ranges, and it is simply a waste of time for the prospector to search for gold except in the near vicinity of the more elevated por- tions of the country. In prospecting a stream it follows, from what has been stated in regard to the action of the current in bearing away the eroded mate- rial which has been derived from the adjoining hills, that the actual bed of the stream is not likely to contain any gold except the very heaviest kind of nuggets. It is therefore customary to sink holes to bed rock through the muck and gravel deposits which form the banks of the stream where indications of the presence of gold have been discovered. If the character of the gold is coarse enough to warrant a search of the bed of the stream, its course may be changed by a method called "wing damming," which will be hereafter described. The character of the gold found on bed rock of a stream will show the experienced miner what it is likely to be in its channel bed, and from this he will be able to determine the advisability of undertaking the labor of recovering the precious metal by diverting the channel in the manner indicated. Throughout Alaska two chief kinds of mineralized deposits are found, namely, auriferous quartz veins travering slates of Silurian age 198 which are in close relation with masses of diorite and other eruptive rocks, and gold-bearing drifts of Pleistocene date derived from the degradation of the older strata. In the gold-bearing sands and gravels, magnetic quartz, platinum, garnet, hematite, and chromic iron are com- monly found, and in most of the alluvial deposits the remains of the mastodon and other mammalian fossils are often discovered at depths of from 40 to 60 feet below the surface. On some of the sea beaches, notably so at Nome and Topkok, the mechanical action of the ocean waves on the comminuted material which has been derived from the adjacent hills has resulted in the formation of well-defined strata, from one-half to two inches thick, composed almost entirely of garnet or the so-called "ruby" sand, carrying a large percentage of free gold, while the overlying and underlying strata of common sand are devoid of mineral. So much has, from time to to time, been said in regard to proposed plans for dredging the bottom of the sea in the vicinity of the gold-bearing beaches of Nome, that it may be as well to state that there seems to be no doubt that the presence of gold in the sands of the beaches at this place can be accounted for in no other reasonable way than that it has been brought down from the interior by the streams flowing into the sea, and as the land in the vicinity is gradually increasing in elevation instead of decreasing, there is no good reason for supposing that there is any gold whatever beyond the reach of the present stages of low water. The fact that the gold-bearing sands are only found fronting the present and past flood plains of the Snake River is additional proof that the gold originated in the hills and mountains drained by that stream and its tributaries. It is there- fore my opinion that any project for dredging the bottom of the sea in the vicinity of the gold-bearing beaches will result in failure to secure any appreciable amount of the metal. CHAPTER II. PLACER MINING. LOCATING THE " PAY-STREAK." After locating a placer mining claim and securing title to it by hav- ing* it properly recorded, the first work to be done is to locate the O " THE or 225 They are essentially honest as regards the keeping of contracts, but apparently do not consider it wrong to foist off on an inexperienced or unwary purchaser an inferior article for one that is supposed to be first class. They do not understand the laws of supply and demand, and a price of an article having once been fixed, becomes a matter of general knowledge in a remarkably short time, and it is very difficult to change. They are rather fond of going into debt, and the amount of material which they will take on credit is in the majorit} T of cases only limited by the traders' discretion and judgment of the natives' ability to meet their obligations. During our residence in the country we were frequently called upon to advance supplies of food to the Indians living in our immediate vicinity, to be paid for at some future time by the delivery of fresh meats or fish, and it can be said to their credit they never failed to pay their debts. They understand the use of money, and in disposing of their wares they usually demand a part at least of the purchase price in cash. Apparently this desire to handle mone}^ is not for the purpose of hoarding it, for as a general thing they end in spending the last cent they have obtained from the trader before leaving the store. Instances of the accumulation of money or wealth of any kind are comparatively unknown. The prices at which the articles generally sold by the natives were fixed during our stay in the country were about as follows: Beaded moccasins, from $2 to $5: without beads, Si. 50. Fur caps, from 82. 50 to $10, according to the quality of fur used. Mittens, from $2 to $10, according to the amount of bead work put on them. Dog moccasins were held at 50 cents each, and any other work which was done by the women in the way of repairs usually was charged for at the rate of about Si. 50 per day for labor and material. Fresh meat sold by the hunters brought from 50 cents to $1 per pound; grouse and ptarmigan were 25 cents each. Dried salmon cost on the average 25 cents each, but when there was a scarcity of the article the price rose to 50 cents. Native-made snowshoes were from $8 to $12; birch- bark canoes cost from $5 to $15, basket sleds from $20 to $30, and fur robes were held at prices varying from $15 for one made of muskrat or rabbit skins to $50 and $75 for a first-class one made of red fox or wolf skins. The prices asked by the Indians for their furs were generally about the same as those for which similar articles can be purchased in the States for cash. For instance, a wolf skin was valued at from $6 to $8; marten from $2 to $6, according to quality; red fox, $2 to $3; lynx, from $2 to $4; bear, from $8 to $12; muskrat and rabbit skins sold for 25 cents each, and silver-gray fox, which is the most valuable of all the furs found in the country, commanded a price of from $75 to $200. 226 From the above it will be seen that, even at the high rate at which goods are held by the trading companies, the prices paid for the prod- ucts of their labor are such as to furnish the natives with ample means of support if they could be taught to practice only the simplest methods of economy, and if they can be protected to a certain extent by law from the encroachments of the whites in the prosecution of their native employments. NATIVE MANUFACTURES. One of the most noticeable features of native life in the Yukon Valle} T is the gradual substitution by them of articles of domestic use made by the whites for similar articles made by themselves previous to their contact with civilization. In this particular they differ in a remarkable degree from the Eskimos of the coast, who still cling in a large measure to their original methods of living. Among the articles of common use which experience has shown to be best for use in this countiy, and which are still manufactured by the natives, the following are the most important: Snowshoes, canoes, basket sleds, toboggans, fish traps, bows and arrows, snares for small game, and paddles, which are made by the men; and moccasins, mit- tens, gloves, fur socks, caps, sinew thread, and rawhide lashing mate- rial called "remni" are the articles of principal manufacture by the women. In the manufacture of snowshoes the men first make the frame out of half -seasoned birch and bend it into shape by lashing the two shoes together sole to sole and then forcing the front portion of the shoes outward to the desired angle by means of a wedge-shaped block of wood and then allowing them to dry over a moderatery hot fire or by hanging them overhead in the house near the stove until they will retain their curved shape. The women then take the frames and "string" them with deer sinew and fill in the foot space with remni. The forward and back sections of the shoe are filled in with a very fine mesh made of twisted deer sinew, and when completed it is as tight as the webbing of an ordinary tennis racket, but much finer. The square space in the middle section of the shoe is filled in with a much coarser netting of heavier material made of rawhide, and finally soft-tanned moose hide foot lashings are added and the shoes are ready for use. With the exception of snowshoes all other articles of native manufacture are made separately by the men or women, as above stated. The beadwork of the native women is not as fine as that of some of the Indian people living farther south, and the designs are as a rule simple reproductions of conventionalized flowers or plants, and except in the matter of selection of colors of the beads used show but little variation or originality. In doing this kind of work the women first 227 cut out a pattern of the design from a piece of stiff paper or cardboard and lay it down on the smooth surface of the moose skin, and carefully trace the outline of the proposed design on to the skin with a pencil or small piece of charcoal, after which the design is filled in by sewing on the beads. In some cases a considerable amount of skill is shown b\ T them in getting the parts of a design in well-balanced order and symmetrically placed, and there is a wide variation in the amount of skill manifested by individuals in the work of sewing on the beads, but on the whole their work shows lack of artistic instruction in the making of designs and carelessness of execution in the work itself. In sewing, the women invariably use what is commonly known as the "backstitch,*' and work in an opposite direction from that to which we are accustomed, but although at first it appeared to us as being an awkward method of working, and we attempted to show them how white women sewed, while they were alwa}s very much interested, they could not be induced to change, and with later knowledge of the quality of the work they did we came to tne conclusion that one way was as good as another as long as the object to be accomplished was equally well performed. The preparation of the moose hide for the manufacture of the several articles of domestic use falls to the lot of the women entirely. After being removed from the animal the skin is first allowed to soak in water and is then rolled up and allowed to sweat until the coarse hairs can be readih' removed. Next it is scraped on the flesh side of the hide until the remaining hair and under fur can be plucked out, and after this is done the skin is hung over a pole set up in a horizontal position and is thoroughly scraped with a round-bladed knife or bone scraping implement. When the skin is soft and pliable it is tanned by smoking it over a smudge fire made of decayed wood, which causes it to become a delicate straw color, and it is then ready for use in the manufacture of moccasins, mittens, gloves, etc. The art of tanning by the use of acids is not practiced by these Indians at the present day. The only way in which they preserve their fur pelts is by drying them in the sun. Birch-bark canoes are made b} r covering a lightly constructed frame with strips of birch bark, which have been previously soaked in water to render them pliable, and sewing them to the frame with a kind of lashing stuff made from the inner bark of spruce or willow trees. The seams are made water-tight by applications of melted spruce gum. Baskets made of grass and a kind of twine made by twisting together the young roots of spruce and willow trees are still to be seen on the lower river, but in the upper portion of the stream where birch bark is obtainable the natives do not practice the art of weaving baskets at all. 228 Their fishing nets are made of cotton seine twine purchased at the trading stores, the floats being made of wood and the sinkers of stone wrapped in birch bark or secured to the nets with twine. The natives still hold to their original methods of making their toboggans and one form of sled, locally known asa" basket sled," which has a light frame held together by means of rawhide lashings and is much lighter and better for ordinary use than the more rigid and heavier sled made on the outside and imported into the country by the whites. The latter sleds are, however, better suited for the transportation of heavy loads, and are coming into more general use with each year's improvements, which are being made in their construction to suit them to local conditions. CONCLUSIONS. In the manufacture of the several articles used by them the natives show a considerable amount of structural skill in the handling of materials, and readily acquire the use of mechanical tools. The ordinary saw, plane, hammer, files, and chisel have been almost universally adopted by the men, and the women use scissors instead of their native knives for cutting out their work, and sewing machines are rapidly coming into general use. The use of measuring rules, squares, and levels is not so common, and in the construction of their houses the lack of knowledge of the use of these tools is seen in the rather poorly finished joints of door and window frames and, in fact, wherever exact measurements are required to finish a piece of work in a workmanlike manner. The readiness with which all these people learn the use of tools and the anxiety they display to acquire this knowledge would seem to make it highly desirable that some means be taken by the Government to give them the necessaiy instruc- tion in manual training. The mission schools are not sufficiently well equipped for this purpose, and it would be a matter of trifling cost to the Government to place at each of these institutions a small but com- plete outfit of tools and all the equipment necessary to carry on the work of instruction of the pupils. I would also recommend that the same sort of help be extended to the native women, so as to enable them to learn the art of basketry, of which they are at the pres- ent time comparatively ignorant, but which would undoubtedly furnish them with a most profitable means of support. Unless the natives are taught some such forms of industry, it is feared that the day is not far distant when they will lose their identity as a people and become a community of paupers and beggars, as almost every field of labor which has in the past yielded them a means of support is being filled up by the more energetic and better equipped white population, which is steadily on the increase. The Government owes it to these 229 people, first, to protect them as far as possible from competition in the fields of labor which are their natural heritage, namely, in the pursuit of game and the fur-bearing animals of the Territory; and, second, to extend to them the benefits of our educational system, especially on the lines of manual training. If, in addition to this form of help, the laws governing the intercourse between the Indians and whites are strictly enforced, I believe that the condition of these simple and harmless people will be vastly improved, and that ulti- mately they will be raised to a high plane of civilization, and instead of becoming a source of annoyance and trouble they will be a blessing and a help in the upbuilding of the Territory. oFT Hf ry TYPE OF INDIAN WOMAN OF THE YUKON VALLEY. CHAPTER II. LANGUAGE. DIALECTS. The language of the Indian inhabitants of the Yukon Valley is com- posed of numerous dialects more or less similar in construction, and an examination of the several vocabularies (vide Appendix D) will show that most of the words in common use are so much alike that there seems to be little reason for doubting the theory of a common origin. Verbal variations and the introduction of foreign words in certain localities have, however, made such changes in the original language that at the present time each well-defined section of the river has its own dialect, which as a general thing is not thoroughly under- stood by the natives of the other localities. Roughly speaking, the river region may be divided into six linguis- tic districts, which, beginning at the mouth of the river for the sake of convenience, may be enumerated as follows: The first district is that part of the river from the coast to the head of the delta, and its upper limit is in the vicinity of the Russian mis- sion. Within this region the Egomute dialect of the Eskimo language is used, and in spite of the fact that these people have for centuries been in close contact with the Indians of the interior while carrying on their intertribal traffic, their language has remained unchanged, and even at the present time the services of an interpreter is needed when the two tribes meet to transact business. After leaving the lower portion of the river the language of the Eskimo entirely disap- pears and is replaced by successive forms of the native Ingalik or Indian tongue. The second linguistic district may be said to begin at Koserefski and extends to Anvik, the third from Anvik to Nulato, the fourth from Nulato to Tanana, the fifth from Tanana to Fort Yukon, and the sixth from Fort Yukon to the international boundary line. With the exception of the language spoken by the Eskimos of the delta region, the several native dialects of the river are undergoing the process of gradual assimilation, more rapid during the last decade on account of the more constant communication between the different tribes, and in the course of time a form of speech will doubtless be 231 232 adopted which will be common throughout the region. This will probably take place before English is generally adopted as the language of the natives, as it has been observed that they seem to prefer to use their own language when conversing among themselves, although all of the parties to the conversation may understand English perfectly. The grammatical construction of the Indian dialects is very com- plete, and I have been informed by Father Ragaru, at Nulato, and Mr. J. W. Chapman, at Anvik, both of whom have devoted years of study to this subject, that the verbal variations of the native language are sufficiently complex to express even the finest shades of meaning. Our own experience while in contact with the Indians at Dall River, while not long enough to enable us to do am r more than acquire the use of a limited vocabulary and a few phrases to express simple ideas, still showed us that in conversing with each other the Indians never seemed to lack words to express their ideas on an\ T kind of subject. This was particularly noticeable when they were engaged in looking over our stock of magazines and listening to the explanations given in English of the various subjects therein illustrated, and in noting the apparent ease with which these explanations could be translated by some of the Indians who understood English to the rest of the party. This is rather remarkable when the extent of the field of information which was covered b} r this means is considered. Some of these impromptu language lessons extended over a period of several hours, and I very seldom heard the interpreter make use of an English word to express his meaning when he was engaged in the work of translating into the Indian dialect what was read or spoken to him in English. The sound of the native dialects is not at all unpleasant or harsh. In fact in some cases, as, for instance, in their songs, it is distinctly musical. The native dialect at Dall River was rather difficult to acquire on account of the many elided sounds, particularly of the let- ters n, 1, g, and m. The sounds of the letters m, b, and v were frequently confused, and it was found that different members of our party who sought to acquire a correct pronunciation of the Indian words were frequently at variance with each other as to the proper pronunciation of certain words in which these letters occurred. It is probable that the Indians themselves used the sounds of m and b indis- criminately. Our efforts to properly pronounce some of the native words was a never-failing source of amusement to the Indians, and in the case of a particularly hard combination of semi-elided sounds and gutturals, which sometimes barred the way toward linguistic progress, the children at the village took delight in a constant repetition of the difficult word or phrase whenever we chanced to visit their houses, and were highly entertained by our efforts to imitate their pronun- ciation. The language of the natives of the interior is an inflective one, and 233 in this way it differs radical^ from that of the Eskimos, which is agglutinative. This difference of form alone is sufficient evidence that the two forms of speech are of an entirely separate and distinct origin. SIGN LANGUAGE. Among the Indians living in the vicinity of our winter quarters, and with whom we were brought in contact, were several deaf mutes, and all communication between them and the other Indians was main- tained by a system of signs which we soon learned to understand, and as the knowledge was general among the natives of the locality these signs were frequently made use of b} T our party to converse with the Indians when our stock of native words was found to be inadequate for the purpose. In fact, this system of arbitrary signs had come into such general use by the natives at this place that we found it more satisfactory in many cases to communicate our ideas and receive infor- mation by this means than to attempt to do so by means of verbal conversation. Among the signs in general use by the natives of this community the following were noted as being the most important and generally used: Sleep: Place the open palm against the side of the face, incline the head as if to rest it on the hand, and close the eyes. Death: Grasp the throat with the thumb and index finger of one hand, place the other hand fully extended over the chest, close the eyes, and allow the lower jaw to become relaxed and fall to one side. Hunger: Place both hands, with fingers just touching, over the pit of the stomach and press inward to indicate that the stomach is empty. Fatigue: Grasp the muscles of the legs with the hands and with the compressing movement used in massage rub each leg alternately from the groin to the knee several times. Pain: Touch the affected part with the tips of the fingers, close the eyes, contract the muscles of the mouth and eyebrows, and at the same time draw in the breath with a sibilant sound through the partially closed lips. Pleasure: Slowly nod the head and smile. SmTow: Place the tips of the index and middle finger under the eyes and slowly draw them downward to the chin, at the same time slowly move the head from side to side. Assent: Slowly nod the head. Negation: Shake the head from side to side with a quick, energetic movement of dissent. Bo you understand? Touch both temples with the tips of the fingers. I do not understand: Touch the ears with the tips of the fingers and give the sign of negation. 234 Salutation : Lift one hand above the head and wave it to and fro. Caution: Lift one hand above the head, palm to the front, and hold it perfectly motionless for an instant. Moose: Place the balls of the thumbs on the sides of the head above the ears and extend the fingers upward, to simulate the horns of the animal. Caribou : Make sign for moose, then bring one hand held in vertical plane directly in front of and close to the forehead and drop it down- ward in a slight curve to the front, to indicate the shovel horn of the caribou. Bear: Place the closed hands on the chest, flex the knees, and slowly turn the head from side to side. Babbit: Lift the hands, palms downward, with the thumbs close to the fingers and move hands forward and back through a slight curve in a horizontal plane, to simulate movement of the animal when run- ning. Dog: Hold both hands in front of body, palms down and thumbs close to the fingers, then move each hand alternately forward and back with a slight up-and-down motion, to simulate the movement of a dog trotting. Fish: Hold one hand with the fingers in a vertical plane at the height of the waist and close to the body, then slowly move it forward in a sinuous line made by slowly flexing the fingers, to simulate the movement of a fish in the water. Goose: Partly extend the arms with palms of hands down and simu- late movement of wings of bird in flight. Duck.: Hold the hands at height of the chest and close to the body and simulate rapid movement of bird in flight b} T rapidly flexing the hands at the wrists. White man: Grasp the chin with one hand and draw the lingers and thumb downward to simulate the action of a man in stroking his beard. Indian: Pass the open hand over the face to indicate the absence of a beard and simulate action of depilation, which was a common prac- tice among these people. Indian woman: Make sign for Indian; then place the palms of the hands on the forehead, with the tips of the fingers just touching in the center, and draw them downward to the ears, to indicate the man- ner of arranging the hair by the native women. Baby: Flex both arms to indicate manner of holding a child and slowly sway the bod} T from side to side. Steamboat: Hold the open hands in front of the body slightly over- lapping each other; then give them a rotary motion to simulate the movement of a wheel turning. Canoe: Hold the arms at full length close to the body; then swing 235 them forward and back through parallel vertical planes to indicate the shape of the sides of a canoe. To travel hy canoe: Make sign for canoe; then simulate action of a person paddling first on one side then on the other of the body. Snowshoe: Extend one foot and indicate outline of a snowshoe b} r moving the extended hands forward and inward until they touch in front of the foot. Steel trap: Hold the hands vertically with palms together; then, still keeping the w T rists together, open the fingers and bend the hands backward to indicate the appearance of a trap that has been set. Native trap or deadfall: Hold the hands fully open in a vertical plane and place one across the other at right angles. Far: Hold the hand at height of the eye with palm down; then slightly flex the fingers at short intervals to indicate movement of progression over distant hills. Near: Hold the open hand in a vertical plane a short distance in front of the body; then move it several times toward the body with a short, sweeping motion. Deep water: Lift the hand to the height of the eyes, with index and middle fingers extended downward; then move the hand down- ward almost to the knees and back again to its original position. Shallotv water: Hold the hand with palm down in front of the body and slowly move it in a horizontal plane from left to right several times. A fathom: Place the hands together on the chest and then extend the arms outward horizontally as far as possible. Snow or rain: Hold the hand palm down at the height of the eye; then simulate appearance of falling snow or rain by a fluttering motion of the open hand as it is allowed to descend to the height of the knee. To see: Touch both e} r es with the tips of the index finger. To speak: Touch the tongue with the tip of the finger. To hear: Touch one ear with the index finger. To listen: Place the open hand behind the ear. Tea: Hold the left hand palm up and slightly flexed; then simulate action of picking up some small particles in the palm of this hand with the fingers of the other. Sugar: Hold the left hand partly closed to simulate a cup and use the index finger of the right hand to indicate the movement of a spoon in stirring sugar in a cup. Butter: Hold the left hand in horizontal plane, palm up, and with the index finger of the right hand simulate action of spreading butter over the palm of the left hand. In addition to the above signs, which is only a partial list of those in common use by these natives, they had many others which were 236 used among themselves when communicating with the deaf mutes, and which, for obvious reasons, were not always understood by us. Written sign language: The total absence of anything like a system of written sign language is a remarkable characteristic of these people. In no way did I see any evidence of the employment by them of this means of communicating information. In this respect they are infe- rior to the Eskimo, who preserve records of their hunting trips, con- vey information generally, and to some extent perpetuate their legends and superstitions b} r means of graphic art in the shape of carvings and etchings. But aside from a few examples of the use of written characters learned by them in the mission schools, I observed nothing which would lead me to believe that the natives of the interior ever had any form of written language. I 1 < - o s PAET V EXPLORATIONS Paper I. Reconnoissance of the Koynknk River. Alaska. By Second Lieut. B. H. Camden, R. C. S. Paper II. Reconnoissance of the Dall River-Koyukuk Trail. By Third Lieut. Bugexe Blake, R. C. S. 5661—03 34 23; PAPEE I. 4 RECONNOISSANCE OF THE KOYUKUK RIVER, ALASKA. By Second Lieut. B. H. Camden, R. C. S. 17. S. S. Xunivak, Fort Shoemaker, Doll River, Alaska. Sir: Herewith is inclosed a report of the reconnoissance of the Koyukuk River made by me in obedience to your orders of June 5; also, the names and conditions of the vessels boarded on that river and all the information pertaining" to the mining region that I was able to obtain. Very respectfully, B. H. Camdex. Second Lieutenant, Revenue- Cutter Service. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Cf/rnmanding TJ. S. S. JVunwak. Sir: In obedience to your orders of June 5, I took passage on the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Leah, Captain Young com- manding, bound for the headwaters of the Koyukuk River, with pas- sengers and freight from Dawson, Northwest Territory. The following morning we stopped at Koyukuk Station, one of the eompanj- stations, 6 miles below the mouth of the Koyukuk, on the Yukon River, and loaded the vessel and two barges in tow with wood. Pilot Hastings and two Indians came on board to pilot the steamer up the river to her destination. At noon we cast off and steamed up the Yukon, entering the mouth of the Koyukuk about two hours later. The first view of the river is disappointing, the water being muddy and the current sluggish, while the banks are low and marshy. After the first day, however, the sur- rounding country became more attractive and interesting, although the scenery does not equal that along the Yukon. The second day after entering the river, June 8, we met the British steamer Florence S. coming down the river, returning from a trip to 239 240 Peavy, where she had landed passengers and freight from Dawson under the supervision of Special Custodian S. Pond. I hoisted a rev- enue flag, called her to the bank, and went on board. After satisfying myself that she had complied with the law, and upon receiving Mr. Pond's statement that he had no complaint to make, the vessel was allowed to proceed to Circle City. On our way up the river we were forced to land two or three times each day to take on wood, which appeared to be scarce and piled in small quantities; hence we were unable to procure much fuel at one place. June 10 we passed Arctic City, reported as having been the previous year the most populous and thriving camp on the river. Two vessels in winter quarters near there loaned their electric light plants to the settlement, so that the 200, more or less, inhabitants had their cabins and streets lighted by electricity. The camp is now deserted; its departed glory and prosperous days are only attested by an array of 14 deserted cabins of fair size and structure. Two hours later we arrived at Bergman, 5 miles above Arctic City, the metropolis of the river. At this point a store owned by the firm of Pickart & Bettles supplies the inhabitants of the surrounding- country with provisions, etc. The population of Bergman is variable, but averages about 15 whites and 100 Indians. The steamers Victoria and Edith M. Kyle, 15 tons, were tied up to the bank here, the latter vessel being out of commission. Upon boarding the Kyle^ I learned that she had been bought the previous day by Pickart & Bettles, and was in charge of a licensed master, but that her papers had expired. Mr. Charles Pickart stated that the vessel had been inspected at Nulato the previous year by the Govern- ment inspectors, who had promised to send her papers by the first mail, which was then on its way to Bergman, but that it was not their intention to run the vessel, as they had purchased her for her machin- ery, which they desired for mining purposes. They requested per- mission to run her, light, up the river as far as possible and there gut her of her machinery. This I gave them permission to do, provided that only licensed men were employed to run the vessel and that they took no passengers or freight. At 11 p. m. on the 10th instant, it now being broad daylight during the entire twenty-four hours, we cast off from Bergman and headed up the river, with the steamer Victoria ahead to act as pilot, her draft being but 20 inches, while the draft of the Leah was 5 feet. Although we were favored with an unusually high stage of water, yet, on account of the sinuous channel and many submerged bars, we grounded many times before reaching Peavey, 50 miles above Bergman, once remaining on a bar five hours, where we were forced to leave our 241 two barges. However, we landed at Peavey the next evening. The camp, consisting of some 15 to 20 cabins, is deserted, with the excep- tion of the land office, which is occupied by Mr. Rose, the land com- missioner. Peavey is 1 mile from the river on Peavey Slough. While the Leah was taking on wood at the junction of the Middle and South forks of the Koyukuk, I visited Union City, situated on the south fork about 2 miles from the junction. The settlement, which is deserted, consists of several good, substantial houses and one sawmill. After leaving Peavey our objective point was Bettles, the new station where Pickart & Bettles have a store, 28 miles from Peavey, up the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River. The river at Peave} T had now narrowed to 150 feet in width, or less, with numerous short and sharp bends, while the current ran fully 6 miles an hour, making it almost impossible for the vessel to make any progress upstream and also rendering her most difficult to manage. For four hours we made strenuous efforts to stem the current — dashing from one side of the river to the other, smashing into snags and bars — but only made 5 miles. At last we reached a point where the river made an abrupt turn and the current increased, which proved our Waterloo. We tied up to the bank to await the return of the Victoria from an expedition upriver to ascertain the depth of water, to make a recon- noissance of the channel, and to judge of the advisability of making the attempt to proceed farther with the Leah in case she succeeded in stemming the current. The Victoria, on account of her size and light draft, was able to make the sharp turns of the channel and also keep closer to the shore and avoid the swiftest water. On June 13 the water dropped rapidly, leaving the Leah hard aground in 3 feet of water, her draft being, as I have mentioned, 5 feet. The same evening a canoe came down the river with a message from Captain Hill of the Victoria, saying that the Victoria was stuck fast 15 miles up the river and unable to move. Captain Young then decided to make no further effort to reach Bettles, and notified the passengers, numbering 110, of his intention to land them, their effects, and all his cargo, consisting of 160 tons of provisions, on the bank where the vessel was then tied up. This was accomplished the following day, the passengers putting up tents, so that by evening quite a village was standing on the shore. This settlement was called Youngs City, in recognition of the ability shown by Captain Young in reaching this advanced point on the river, many of the miners not expecting to get above Bergman, 56 miles below. From Youngs City it will be necessary for the miners to pole in small boats to their destinations, about 75 miles. 242 Mr. Bettles, owning the store at Bettles, from which station the miners procure their provisions and supplies, stated that their stock of provisions was very nearly exhausted at Bettles, there being only a sufficient quantity to last the miners then in the country until July 1 (about two weeks). In order to prevent this scarcity of food he requested that the Dorothy, a small steamer of light draft, lying about 22 miles above Peavey, abandoned and placed in his hands for sale, be allowed to transfer his stock landed by the Leah to Bettles. To this request I acceded, stipulating, however, that the vessel should only make the necessary number of trips to transport his cargo, and that they should not cany passengers for hire. At midnight on the 18th instant the water rose rapidly, rising 2 feet in four hours, and floated the Leah. We cast off, but were obliged to back down the river below Peavey before the river widened sufficiently to permit us to turn the vessel's head downstream. Stopping at Peavey, I boarded the American steamer James Dietrich, New York, laid up in charge of the land commissioner, Mr. Rose. Just below Bergman the Leah cracked her shaft, and for the remainder of the trip was forced to steam slowly with the current. A steamer built to be employed on the Koyukuk River should not be over 100 feet in length, with a draft of not over 2£ feet loaded, and should have extra rudder power. Provision should also be made for clarifying the water for the boilers. The following vessels are laid up on the Koyukuk River: American steamers Edith M. Kyle, Boston, Bergman; Dorothy, Boston, 22 miles above Peavey; Luella, Chicago, 30 miles above Peavey, sunk — frozen to the bottom; James Dietrich, New York, at Peavy. The American steamer Citj of Paris, owned and operated b} T the Alaska Commercial Company, is the only steamer plying on the Koyukuk at the present time. THE KOYUKUK RIVER. Upon entering the mouth of the Koyukuk River, after steaming up the Yukon, one is inclined to believe that the vessel has headed up a slough, for the water is muddy, narrow in width, and the current sluggish. However, notwithstanding its appearance, the river drains a large extent of territory, the area of which is approximately 30,000 square miles. Its course is constantly changing, frequently turning through 180° and heading in a parallel but opposite direction, so that the river is not only difficult to navigate, but very tedious to follow on account of the many sharp turns in the channel. At one point on the river (see Part 1, chart,) the river makes a 3-mile bend and the two channels approach within 50 feet of each other, only a narrow high- cut bank intervening. This is only one of its many similar turns, as a glance at the chart will show. 243 The width of the river varies from a quarter to a third of a mile at the lower end, widening to a half mile in a few places, and gradually narrows to 150 feet at Peavey. nearly 600 miles from the mouth. The depth of water can not be relied upon, as the river is subject to many rises and falls during the summer, especially on its upper por- tion. I was informed by a man of experience that a vessel drawing 4 feet of water could safely count on reaching Bergman at any stage of the water. All that I can add to this information is that during low water no vessel drawing over 3 feet of water should attempt to go through the cut-off (Part II, chart), as the depth of water at either end will not exceed that. The water being high at the time we started up the river, the Leah went through the "cut-off,"' which I was assured was about 50 miles long, and cut off about 54 miles, or, in other words, the distance by the Suskita channel was 104 miles. Mr. James Adamson, C. E. , a passenger on the second trip of the Leah, at which time the Suskita channel was followed, sketched the river and sent me his notes. From this data, after connecting the two channels, I find that the lengths of the cut-off and Suskita channel are 35 and 47 miles, respectively, so that while the percentage of distance ;?aved b}^ the cut-off is considerable, yet on account of the narrow and wind- ing channel — the width of the cut-off being not over 150 feet — I am of the opinion that the Suskita channel is preferable for steamboats of any size, judging from the information and data sent by Mr. Arm- strong. The current in the lower part of the river is very sluggish, the strength varying from 1 to 2 miles per hour, but increases rapidly after passing through the cut-off until it has attained a velocity of 6 miles at Peavey. The cut banks, some of which are glacier, as a rule indicate the channel. Generally speaking, to follow the channel a vessel must keep close to the cut banks and avoid the points. One of the most noticeable features of the Koyukuk River is the formation of its bars, which are, almost without exception, composed of gravel, differing materially from those of the Yukon River, which are sand. Gold is reported to have been taken in quantities from some of these bars, the most noteworthy of which is Hughes Bar, near Mountain City, at the upper end of Part III, as shown in the chart, where it is said three men took out $9,000 in one summer. As we passed the bar I saw the sluice boxes, but the camp was deserted. Considering the latter fact, I am inclined to believe the geld scales were inaccurate. Mastodon Bank, or, as it is sometimes called, Stink Bank (Part I), is of glacial formation and seems to be the graveyard of quite a number of mastodons, for the natives have found many teeth and bones belonging to that animal, while in warm weather an unpleasant 244 odor (to put it mildly) pervades the atmosphere, due to decaying" carcasses. It is probable that a herd of mastodons was overtaken by some disaster, the remains being preserved in the ice in which they are embedded and the carcasses becoming exposed from time to time by the current cutting into the bank during an unusually high water. I could not make a close examination of the bank, as we did not stop, but I saw a projecting bone, while the odor needed no closer inves- tigation to prove its existence. The timber along the river consists of spruce, birch, cotton wood, and willow. Below the cut-off the timber is of sparse growth, and consequently fuel is scarce, although this is probably due in some measure to the small number of natives living on the river and to their inborn reluctance to wield an ax. Cord wood is worth from $10 to $15 per cord. On the upper river spruce is more abundant, and fuel is much easier to obtain. The principal tributaries along the navigable portion of the river are: On the right bank, the Manillaratsitah, Gissakakat, Cotillakakat, Hodatic, Dogitskakat, Hosyekakat, Little Hogatsikakat, and Hogat- sikakat rivers; on the left bank, the Dulebekakat, Katillakakat, Kota- chikakat, and the Batskakat rivers. Upon comparison with the general chart of the Koyukuk River, I find that there is quite a difference in the names and locations of a few of the rivers. The Batskakat River, as pointed out to me by the native pilot, flows into the Koyukuk on the left bank, while the general chart shows it on the right bank of the river. The pilot also informed me that this river heads in the Melozikakat range of mountains, which is on the left bank. 1 have made no attempt to make the two charts agree and have spelled the names phonetically. " Kakat," the termination of the names of most ol the rivers, is a native word signifying "the mouth of;" thus, Dulebekakat means the mouth of the Dulebe. The Koyukuk River skirts the Manillaratsitah, Malamute, Suskita, and Kowak ranges of mountains lying in the northwest and the Yukon Hills and Melozikakat to the southeast of the river valley. The ele- vations of these mountain ranges vary, approximately from 2,000 to 4,000 feet. The Suskita Range has a cone-shaped mountain in its range which has a very sharp peak; this mountain is approached nineteen times by the river before it is finally rounded. Red Mountain (upper end of Part III, chart) contains some iron formation from which its name is derived. The town of Bergman is painted with paint made from a mineral substance obtained from this mountain, and it is said to make an excellent red paint. The low ground adjacent to the rive/ is marshy and is dotted with lakes and sloughs, which are, in the open season, the homes of num- OF THE 245 I un *versity OF berless ducks and geese; large game, such as bear, moose, caril^ and wolves, is plentiful, the caribou being most numerous in the coun- try contiguous to the Melozikakat Range, entered through Spellacy Gulch (noted on Part III, chart). No authentic reports of the discovery of quartz or coal along the navigable portion of the river have been received, although Pilot Hastings claimed to have discovered a coal mine about 3 miles above the mouth of the Batskakat River, on the right bank, which I was informed by other parties was not coal, but slate. The ice breaks about the same time as the Yukon ice, but does not run out with an} 7 great force, I imagine, and so it would very likely be a good place to winter a vessel. The natives along the river do not differ from the Yukon natives, except in their language. The total population residing on the river is not over 300. Fishing in the summer and hunting and trapping in the winter is their chief occupation and means of subsistence. THE CHART. In sketching the inclosed chart I have endeavored to make it as accurate as the instruments employed — viz, a watch, liquid compass, and a United States Coast and Geodetic Survey sketchbook — would permit. The distances are calculated from the revolutions of the wheel, mak- ing due allowances for the depth of water and the current, which I observed frequently. The sketch is, however, sufficiently accurate to enable anyone with a knowledge of river navigation to follow the channel, providing it has not shifted, and avoid the larger shoals and obstructions to navigation. The map is drawn to a scale of seven -eighths of an inch to 1 mile and shows the channel followed by the Leah and its magnetic bearings, the natural bends of the river, the names and mouths of its tributaries, the names, approximate positions, and distances of the adjacent moun- tain ranges and lakes, the prominent landmarks, the location of all points obstructing or dangerous to navigation, the distances between all points on the navigable portion of the river and their distances from the mouth, the names and locations of the various settlements along the river, including deserted mining camps and Indian villages, the comparative quantity and kinds of timber, the location of wood yards, the width of the river, the depth of the water in shoal places, and the strength of the current. The notes and information concerning the country were gathered from Mr. Hastings, pilot (to whom I am much indebted), the Indian pilots, and the experienced miners on the river. 246 Table of distances. [From mouth of river through the Cut Off channel— add 12 miles to obtain the distance by way of Suskita channel.] Miles. "A" (sheet 1, break in river) 139 Whirlpool (sheet 1) 196 Cut Off (sheet 2, lower junction ) 240 Cut Off (sheet 2, upper junction) 275 Hog River (sheet 2) 300 Batskakat River (sheet 3) 374 Argonaut City (sheet 3) 422 Mountain City (sheet 3) 457 Arctic City (sheet 4) 498 Bergman (sheet 4) 504 South Fork Junction (sheet 4) 556 Peavy (sheet 4) 560 Total length of river by chart, 572 miles via Suskita channel. THE KOYUKUK MINING DISTRICT. The mining district includes all the territory lying north of Berg- man and south of the Davidson Mountains, drained by the Allenka- kat River and North, Middle, and South forks of the Koyukuk River and their tributaries. The accompanying chart and data were com- piled from information received from one of the most experienced miners of this territory — a man who has considerable interests in the country and is thoroughly familiar with the explored portion of this region. The "prospects" here given were found previous to or during the spring of 1900. The Davidson Mountains extend from the headwaters of the Kowak to the Mackenzie River, their elevation being from 3,000 to 7,000 feet. North of this range no mineral indications have been discov- ered, although a few miners crossed the range last summer to explore and prospect the valleys of the Colville River and its tributaries. Along the southern border of these mountains is a clearly denned channel; its surface is of washed gravel and its elevation about 400 feet. This washed gravel has been traced from Rapid Cit} r , on the Allenkakat River, to the North Fork of the Koyukuk, where it is subdivided into four divisions, as shown by the dotted lines on the chart. A careful study and examination of this peculiar formation has led to the general adoption of the theory that the now elevated channel once formed the bed of a river, changed by some upheaval of the earth. From its general direction it is believed to have flowed into Bering Sea near Cape Nome, the new gold field of Alaska. 247 Most of the prospects found and most of the development work performed have been in this channel. The following creeks and bars have been prospected and worked to some extent: Tributaries of the Allenkakat River. — On Rocky Bottom Creek a 75-cent nugget was found. Also good prospects on Sudden Creek. The Little Malamute River, Rocky Bottom Creek, and Dead Dog Creek have not been prospected or even explored at their headwaters, which rise near the center of the district. Tributaries of the Middle Fork. — On Wild Creek good prospects were found running from 1 to 2 grains of platinum to 15 grains of gold. Bettles has a coal mine on this creek. Tramway Bar is a high point in the washed gravel channel, and the latest reports are that Bettles is extracting considerable gold with a hydraulic plant. On Myrtle Creek 200 men were at work last summer making good wages. Slate Creek is also considered good property and is being developed. The amount of gold taken from these two creeks is unknown. Two Swedes jumped "No. 9,"- Myrtle Creek, and, it is said, took out $5,000 before the return of the owner. Later this claim was aban- doned, as the pay streak ran into a glacier. Tributaries of the North Fork. — Alder and Florence creeks are being developed; the prospects found considered good enough to warrant the work. Bettles has a quartz claim on Chicken Creek. Tributaries of the South Fori'. — Gold Bench and Eagle Cliff bars are similar in formation to Tramway Bar. Development work last summer showed 6 cents to the pan. On Davis Creek 10 cents to the pan was found before reaching bed rock, but was abandoned on account of the scarcity of food. In June, 1900, the number of miners at work on these creeks was estimated to be 360. This number was probably increased to 500 dur- ing the summer. The result of their work is not yet definitely known, although very encouraging but not thoroughly reliable reports have been received from there this winter, and man}' parties have started from Fort Yukon by the Chandeleur route to verify them. The great obstacle to be overcome by the miners of this district is the scarcity of food and other supplies. Up to the present time the Alaska Commercial Company is the only company that has made an effort to supply the miners of this district with provisions. Qn account of the remoteness of the gold-bearing creeks, the nearest source of supplies, Bettles, is some 75 miles away. The cost to the Alaska Commercial Company of getting these provisions to this station is enormous, and hence flour, bacon, and the actual necessaries of life must not only be hauled 75 or 100 miles by the miner to his camp, but can only be purchased for an enormous sum. 248 As soon as this obstacle is removed it is possible that the Koyukuk mining district will rank with any of the gold fields known in Alaska at the present time. Respectfully submitted. B. H. Camden, Second Lieutenant, JR. C, S. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Commanding TJ. 8. S, Nunivak. PAPER II. RECONXOISSANCE OF THE DALL RIVER-KOYUKUK TRAIL, ALASKA. By Third Lieut. Eugene Blake, R. C. S. IT. S. S. Nunivak, Fort Shoemaker, Doll River, Alaska. Sir: I have to submit the following account of the proceedings of the expedition from this vessel, for the exploration of the Dall River trail, during the months of January and February, 1900. In accordance with your verbal instructions the expedition left the Nunivak about 9 a. m. on the morning of Januaiy 11, all preparations having been previously made. First Assistant Engineer H. N. Wood, R. C. S., of this vessel, and myself made up our party, and accom- panying us were Messrs. Godley and Dyer, two prospectors bound for the Koyukuk, who had been stopping aboard for several days. It was intended that we should travel together and be of mutual assist- ance to one another in any difficulties that might arise. None of us had ever been through this part of the country before, but as much information as possible had been obtained from the natives in this vicinity, and as there had been considerable travel over the trail during the early winter, little trouble was anticipated in being able to follow it. The outfit, which was limited to such articles as were absolutely necessary, consisted of an ordinary amount of camping gear — tent, cooking utensils, Yukon stove, etc. (the stovepipe being fitted to tele- scope and stow inside the stove, together with the cooking utensils), a sleeping robe apiece, one sack of extra clothing each, rifles, shotgun and ammunition, two pairs of snowshoes, and provisions for two men and five dogs for twenty-one days. The different articles of provisions were each placed in a separate sack, made for the purpose, and the whole stowed in a mess chest made to fit the sled. A small pocket compass, an aneroid barometer (pocket), and a thermometer were the only instruments taken. The weight of the sled when loaded was about 450 pounds. 249 250 After five hours of exceedingly heavy traveling over a rough and crooked trail, we are compelled to camp on account of darkness, at a point not more than seven miles from the ship. One of the steering handles of the sled had been broken off soon after the start, in conse- quence of the heavy heaving to which it had been subjected, and the sled was otherwise badly strained. Mr. Godley reported soon after camping that he had broken a runner during the day, and that it would be necessary for him to return to Dall River for repairs before he could proceed farther. The following morning was cold, the thermometer having fallen to 46° below zero. The day was spent in making such repairs to the sled as were possible with the tools and materials at our disposal. The thermometer showed a temperature of 56° below zero the next morning, January 13, and in view of this extreme weather it was deemed best not to break camp. Not wishing to remain idle, however, and since we had found our load rather bulky for the size of the sled, about 1 50 pounds of provisions were gotten together and conveyed to a point 10 miles out the trail and there cached. Mr. Godley returned with his sled to Dall River. On January 11 the cold weather showed no signs of breaking (thermometer, —55°), and I decided to return to the Nunivak with the sled in order to replace the provisions that had been consumed during this unlooked-for delay. Upon my arrival at the ship 1 reported to 3011 what had been done, and received your orders to return to camp the next morning, secure the tent and cache the sup- plies, and to bring in the whole party to await some change in the weather. This was accordingly done, and at 5 p. m. on January 15 the party returned to the JYunivcd'. On January 16, IT, and 18 the coldest weather of the winter was experienced, the thermometer never getting above —52°, and reaching a minimum temperature of 63° below zero. The weather broke on the 19th instant, and on the 21st Mr. Wood and I left the vessel at 9 a. m. with four dogs and the empty sled to pick up our camp and proceed with the expedition. Mr. Godley and his partner had in the meanwhile become discouraged by the recent unfavorable reports of the Ko} T ukuk country, and had brought in their outfit and departed in another direction. We experienced the same difficulty in keeping the trail as we had on our first start, and on the morning of the second day out rigged a "gee pole" to the sled. This is a sort of shaft lashed to the sled and by which the sled is steered; one man being harnessed ahead with the dogs. It is in general use in this part of the country, and we found that it greatly facilitated the handling of the sled. On the morning of the third day after leaving the Nunivak, we reached the point where the trail crosses the Dall for the first time 251 after leaving its mouth. Between the mouth and this point we had followed, in a general north-north-westerly direction, a system of lakes. 13 in number, separated by distances varying from a few hun- dred yards to 2 or 3 miles. The trail from lake to lake is generally well blazed and easy to find, there being enough timber to prevent its drifting badly. After crossing the Dall the trail again follows a suc- cession of small ponds and sloughs, too numerous to be taken into account, which finally end in a large lake, on the right of which the first foothills commence to rise. The course of the Dall can be easily traced on the left by the dense growth of timber along its banks. The whole region between the river and the large lake is evidently dotted with hot springs. We passed quite a number, the water from which had glaciered over the trail, forming a slush under the snow wherever it could gain its covering, but, of course, freezing where exposed. 1 noticed the same effect produced by the overflow of water near the heads of streams, and we were inconvenienced not a little by this later on. The most remarkable of these springs had formed, where it crossed the trail, a stream about 6 feet in width, and registered a temperature of 40° above zero, although there was no appreciable current and notwithstanding the recent severe weather to which it has been subjected. The source of this stream was evidently at some distance. The end in sight disappeared under the snow, which had formed a natural bridge over it, and the other wound its way through a dense growth of willows toward the foothills on our right. As such phenomena are common in high latitudes, I did not consider it necessary to investigate further. About 5 miles beyond the large lake the trail again descends into the bed of the Dall and follows it for a little over a mile. After leav- ing the river we commenced to ascend a low divide, or, rather, sidehill, and on the other side of this we again crossed what we took at the time to be the Dall, but subsequently proved to be the right or north fork of that river. At the top of the divide mentioned we had come to a point where the trail forked, and had followed the one which showed the latest signs of travel. It happened that the expedition that had preceded us had taken the wrong trail, and we naturally made the same mistake. They had been good enough, however, to leave some signs in the trail, and on reaching these we immediately saw that something was wrong and camped to investigate. The next morning, January 25, we spent in locating ourselves, and it was not until late in the afternoon that we had made sure of our position. Feeling reasonably certain that we were on the north fork, and as it had been included in my orders to look into this creek on my way back from the main divide, I decided that it would be best to finish this matter at once, being already a number of miles upstream and a day's travel from the main trail. 5661—03 35 252 January 26, 27, and 28 were devoted to exploring this creek. We found a number of prospectors' holes on the right-hand branch (see chart) and some traces of quartz and ruby-bearing rock, but had no means of ascertaining anything definite. At the " forks" of the other branch we found two prospectors. They were not very enthusiastic over their winter's work, and intended to return to Fort Hamlin as soon as they reached bed rock in the hole they were then sinking. We obtained from them what information we could regarding the Koyukuk trail, and confirmed our supposition that the side trail on the divide was the correct one. On the morning of January 29 we set out to return to the main trail, intending to follow the north fork until we should strike the Dall proper, but we were prevented from doing this by the water which had glaciered over the ice, and were finally compelled to back track and take the side trail down the divide. The main trail, after leaving the north fork, follows the bed of the Dall, making only a few portages. We were inconvenienced very much by water and our progress was slow. At a number of points the trail forked, and some time was wasted in each case in determining which was the right one. Four days after leaving our camp on the north fork we entered what is known as the " Box Canyon " of the Dall. The name is misleading, there being nothing in the nature of the sur- roundings to warrant the designation "canyon," the place itself being merely what is locally known as a ' 4 draw " in the hills. At the entrance of this so-called canyon the river divides, f ormin^an island about a mile in length, on which are two cabins formerly occupied by prospectors. The water was very much in evidence all along the trail above this point, but the cold snap of the night of January 31 had made it passa- ble in most places. At 1.30 p m., having traveled up this draw about 8 miles, we reached a cabin, the fourth since entering the "canyon" and last on this side of the divide, and decided to camp there for the night and go the remaining 13 miles, which we estimated separated us from the top, in the morning, The next morning, February 2, as soon as it was light enough to see the trail we started out on snowshoes, leaving our outfit secured in the cabin. The day was comparatively warm (thermometer +5°), with a strong easterly wind, which increased as we got above the timber line to a strong gale, whirling the snow in clouds and thus making any observations of the country through which we had passed impossible. About 11 a. m. , having reached a point within a mile or two of the top, we were both suddenly made to realize what would have to be faced to return to camp by being almost simultaneously knocked down by the wind. We then decided that it would be unwise to proceed farther, particularly as nothing more could be seen than from our present point of observation. We climbed the side of the gulch on our left, 253 hoping to get some general idea of the lay of the mountains, but could see nothing of importance. The aneroid showed an elevation of 900 feet above our last camp, and from subsequent comparison with the instrument on board, an elevation of 1,500 feet above the Yukon at the mouth of the Dall. There was still a strong breeze the next morning, with every appear- ance of another stormy day, and as our provisions were not sufficient to allow us to wait for better weather, to make another attempt, we set out for the Nunivak. The return trip was without incident worthy of note. We had become by this time hardened to the unusual exertions necessary to "mushing," and had gained some knowledge of how to travel and handle a sled. Knowing the character of the ground ahead of us, we were able to travel longer than we otherwise would have done, and we reached the ship on the evening of February 5, three da} r s after leav- ing our camp in the cabin at the head waters of the river. The weather throughout the trip had been comparatively good. We had been bothered b}- snow a little at times, but the day on the divide was the only one that could be complained of. The thermome- ter had ranged from a few degrees above zero to 50° below. No large game whatever was seen. Ptarmigan were plentiful, and enough were shot from the trail while traveling to furnish fresh meat for ourselves and dogs every day Several coveys of grouse were seen, and a few shot. A chart of the trail is at present in preparation, and will be sub- mitted to you as soon as it is finished. Very respectfully, Eugene Blake, Jr., Third Lieutenant, Revenue- Cutter Service, in Charge of Expedition. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Commanding U. S. S. Nunivak. PART VI REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE U. S. STEAMER NUNIVAK ; YUKON RIVER, ALASKA, MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FIRST LIEUT. J. C. CANTWELL, R. C. S., COMMANDING. BY Surg. JAMES T. WHITE, R. C. S. 19G1. 255 PAPER III. REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER IT. S. STEAMER NUNIVAK. By Surg. James T. White, R. C. S. IT. S. S. Nunivak, St. Michael, Alaska, /September 30, 1901. Sir: In obedience to verbal instructions, I respectfully submit the following report for the year ending June 30, 1901, taken from the records of the dispensary as kept on this vessel. Respectfully, yours, James T. White, Surgeon, Revenue- Cutter Service. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S., Commanding. Sir: Upon the arrival of the IT. S. S. McCulloch at St. Michael, June 25, 1900, in obedience to Department orders (dated May 21, 1900), I reported for duty on board this vessel, and the following da} T relieved my predecessor, Dr. H. E. Pratt. Everyone on board was bus} T attempting to restore order out of the confused mass of provisions and ship chandlery that had been dumped on our decks from the cutters bringing our supplies. This, with the granting of discharges and shipping new men, kept all hands well occupied until the vessel was placed on quarantine duty. In the latter part of June of 1900, during the height of the rush to Nome, two vessels arriving there from Seattle, the Oregon and the Ohio, were found to have smallpox on board. The passengers on the former vessel were landed before the fact was discovered, but the latter vessel was detained by the authorities and three of the passen- gers, who showed symptoms of the disease at the time, were placed on Egg Island. The vessel, with the remaining passengers on board, was kept in quarantine until all danger of other cases developing had passed. Egg Island, where the smallpox patients were placed, is a 257 258 small rocky islet in Norton Sound, some 10 miles from St. Michael. Here a camp of tents was established and placed in charge of a physi- cian. Within a week following the arrival of the last-named vessel smallpox appeared in the town of Nome. At this time numbers of people, disappointed with their prospects, were returning to St. Michael on their way to the several places on the Yukon River, and, the reports from Nome becoming so alarming, it was feared the disease would be brought to St. Michael and from here spread to the interior. Should smallpox once have become estab- lished on the river, with the then existing complications of measles and influenza, it would have swept the Yukon Valley like wildfire, and not only would the natives have suffered, but also the several mining camps of white people. To prevent any such spreading of this dis- ease, the general commanding the Department of Alaska, by order (July 2, 1900) established a quarantine against all vessels from Nome and all other points on the coast to the westward. The army authori- ties at this time having no boat which could be utilized to efficiently board incoming vessels, the commanding officer of the Nunivak ten- dered the services of his command to General Randall for this duty, and his offer was accepted. The Nunivak was accordingly anchored in a position where all vessels or boats entering the harbor could be observed, and a constant surveillance and patrol of the port were maintained as long as the quarantine lasted. The steam launch of the Nunivak was used in boarding vessels and overhauling small boats, and when occasion made it necessary to lay the launch up for repairs it was replaced by pulling boats and by the Alaska Commercial Com- pany's steam launch, which was kindly loaned for the purpose by the manager of that company. At first the length of time that vessels were to be restrained in quarantine was left to the surgeon of this vessel, and was by him placed at fourteen days, but on July 21, by order of the General com- manding the department, the time was reduced to eight days, just long enough to cause considerable inconvenience to commerce and insuffi- cient to prevent the landing of smallpox. This order was met with a protest from myself, and which was sustained by the commanding officer of the Nunivak. Fortunately, however, at this juncture the disease had been so far controlled at Nome, and as no new cases appeared on the vessels detained at Egg Island, the quarantine was raised and the Nunivak resumed her usual duties. At Nome the disease at first appeared to spread and at one time 18 cases were reported, but through the efficient and untiring efforts of the authorities there all fear of an epidemic was soon allayed, and no new cases having developed for some time, the quarantine against Nome was raised July 24. But in the meantime reports were received that smallpox had appeared in Dawson, Y. T., among people arriving 259 from the States via Skagwa}% whereupon all boats from up the river were ordered to be inspected. Only one vessel from this point was boarded, the steamer Oudaky, having on board a number of people belonging to a variety troupe bound for Nome. Her bill of health showed that the Dawson authorities were taking all precautions neces- sary, so on the evening of July 25 quarantine against all points was raised and pratique given to all vessels. The quarantine had existed twenty-four days, and during that time all vessels entering St. Michael Harbor, 39 in number, were boarded, and 21 of these were detained at Egg Island. The first vessels to arrive from Nome after the establishment of the quarantine were crowded with passengers, and all were clamorous to get ashore. No one, however, was permitted to land, and all communication with St. Michael was absolutely forbidden. No smallpox appeared among those detained on the quarantined fleet and none was reported in the town. There was but one suspect case, which was soon proven to be measles. All mail originating at Nome or that had lain in the Nome post-office was fumigated on board this vessel before being delivered to the St. Michael post-office, the fumugation being accomplished by first perforating the letters and then subjecting them to the fumes of burning sulphur, burned in a box with a crated bottom for want of a better apparatus. In this way four lots of mail was fumigated. The summer of 1900 was an exceptionally warm and dry one throughout the Bering Sea and arctic coasts. Having no records at hand, comparisons with former years can not be made, but the records kept on board this vessel while in St. Michael this summer (1900) give a mean temperature of 54.71° F. for the month of July, with a maxi- mum of 72° F. , and for the first two weeks of August at the same place a mean of 50.60° F., with a maximum of 62 c F. At first glance these figures would appear to indicate rather cool weather, but it must be considered that St. Michael is in latitude 63 c 28' north, and on a coast exposed to a continuous arctic current, so that the mean tem- perature would be rather low. The precipitation for the month of July was 1.17 inches, which was said to be considerably below the average. Early in the summer influenza appeared among the natives at St. Michael and those living around Norton Sound. This soon became epidemic in character and the death rate was very high, for in some cases the influenza was followed b} T a fatal attack of pneumonia. The epidemic rapidly spread, and finally included the white population as well as the native. Following closely on this, about the 1st of July, measles in a mild form appeared among the natives and rapidly spread through their quarter of the settlement, a few cases among the infants proving fatal. At first the measles was confined to the native popula- tion, but on August 11 it appeared among the white people. 260 It was difficult to keep a record of cases on board this vessel at this time, as the crew was changing from day to day. Most of those who had served during the past winter were leaving and new men being enlisted. But during our stay in St. Michael there were on board but four cases of influenza and one of measles, though there were a number of cases of sore throat at the same time. The one case of measles was peculiar in that the patient, though of Caucasian parent- age, was born at Andreaof sky, on the Yukon River, not far from its mouth. About the middle of July reports were brought in of great destitu- tion, sickness, and death among the natives of the surrounding coun- try. From Surgeon Hawley, of the U. S. S. Bear, it was learned that this same condition existed along the coast as far north as Cape Prince of Wales and on the Siberian side from Indian Point to within the neighborhood of Cape Serdze Kamen; that on St. Law- rence Island the natives were dying so fast, and so many of the remaining were sick, that the dead were left where they lay or simply removed out of doors, out of the way, and there left to the mercies of the dogs. Reports of about the same nature also came to us from the Yukon River and from the coast south of the delta. Similar epidemics have appeared in past years among the coast natives, each time leaving them fewer in numbers than before. The natives claim that the present epidemic is due to the unusually dry and warm season, and this, no doubt, is the principal factor. It does not seem reasonable to believe, as some claim, that the cause is to be found in the sudden influx of white people to this region, for influ- enza in epidemic form is not new to these people. The number of deaths among the coast tribes could not be ascer- tained. At St. Michael 30 were reported to August 12. Many bodies were found out on the tundra and along the beaches unburied. In one instance 8 bodies were found together on the tundra within half a mile of the settlement. Across the harbor were two or three camps containing some 15 people. These I attended at different times, but most of the cases were looked after by the army post sur- geons and the physician in the employ of the Alaska Commercial Company. The necessity for this vessel remaining at St. Michael no longer existing, preparations were begun for the trip up the Yukon River and for the arctic winter to come. Considering the nature of the reports from that part of the country through which we would pass, it was deemed advisable to take an extra supply of provisions to be distributed among such people as we might find in want, and numbers of such were found before we reached our winter quarters. Everything now being in readiness, the Nunivah left St. Michael on 261 the evening of August 13, and after an uneventful trip across Pastolik Bay entered the Aphoon mouth of the Yukon River. The first natives met with on the river are families of Eskimo living on the coast, but who in summer come into the delta for the salmon, seal, and waterfowl which are here in great numbers. This great treeless tundra of the delta, a desolate waste cut up into islands of every size and shape b} 7 sloughs that run in every direction, was once well peopled, but is now almost deserted. Some have moved to the coast and some up the river, but most of the former inhabitants have died. At Kwikpak Crossing we found a fishing camp of 11 people, mostly children. Their story was the same as that told by the natives at St. Michael. They had all been too sick to fish and they were now with- out food. We found ± of the men quite sick with pulmonarj^ conges- tion following influenza, and learned that 6 had recently died. This was a typical Eskimo fishing camp — a camp that may be seen in summer on any part of the coast from Point Barrow south. The tents are made of white drilling, in shape usually like our wall tents. A few boards, if they can be found, are laid on the ground inside, and on these are laid straw mats or deerskins. This is their workshop, their loafing place, and their bed. Around the sides of the tent and piled up in the corners is a miscellaneous assortment of domestic and hunting implements and boxes of all sizes filled with treasures valu- able only to an Eskimo. In front of the entrance is a smoky fire of driftwood, almost smothered with black, soot-covered kettles. On one side are frames where salmon hang drying in the sun. Near by is the family omiak, or large skin boat, turned on its side and used partially as a storehouse. On the beach is a ka}^ak or two. Here and there, hanging up to dry, are fish nets and lines, and sometimes a dozen or so yards of seal entrails are hung up with them. And every- where, mostly under foot, are dogs and children, and in seasons of plenty the latter are lively, noisy, fat, and greasy. Andreaofsky, on the Swetlaretchka River, about 2 miles from its mouth.and some 125 miles from the mouth of the Yukon, is one of the oldest trading posts on the river. This is the inland border of the tundra. In the ravines are a few spruce, the first straggling outpost of the forests, but around the mouth of the river are the same wil- low-covered flats as before. At one time Andreaofsky was quite a settlement, but now there are only two traders, their families, and a few native assistants, some 25 in all. Nearly all of these were suffering from either influenza or measles. Measles had only recently appeared and was of rather a mild type, but influenza appeared early, before the fishing was half over, and in quite a severe form. 262 According to Mr. Fredricks, agent of the Alaska Commercial Com- pany, the spring and summer had been excessively dry and hot, the temperature going as high as 80° F. in the shade on several occasions — a degree almost unknown in this country so near the coast— and to make it more sultry and oppressive, the country was covered with smoke, though no fires could be seen. Six deaths were reported up to this time (August 16), one occurring the day after our arrival. Mr. Fredricks being quite ill himself, and having no one to assist him, at his request the carpenter made a coffin, and a detail of men was sent ashore to attend to the burial. While here a native came in a kayak from the village at Petkas Point, some 3 or 4 miles down the Yukon, requesting us to come to their assistance, for, as he put it, "Everybody sick; plenty people die; one man die pretty soon, I think." At Petkas Point is a village of some 65 people, and named after Petka, a Russian creole, as the Russian half-castes are known in this country, who is the headman, church deacon, and trader. This vil- lage is one of the worst we saw on the river. The people appear to be in abject poverty, their houses and tents are filthy, and no effort seems to be made to have either order, cleanliness, or comfort. On the point is a large encampment of people who have come from the delta and from the coast to the south, and whom we were told were here to get away from sickness then prevailing in their homes; but they had not bettered themselves, for the}^ were all sick. They had had measles and were then suffering mostly from pulmonary complications. At this village 12 had died to date (August 17), including the visitors. In one very small tent we found a man very sick with pneumonia, and covered up beside him was the body of another native who had been dead several days. No arrangement for the burial of the body had been made, and it was only after considerable coaxing and threats that two boys were induced to assist in the work of giving the body burial. The houses here are one-room structures built of logs. Along two sides, built against the wall, are wide shelves or platforms, on which they sit, "tailor fashion," to do their sewing, mending, or carving in the daytime and which serve as their beds at night. Several families live in the same house, and these shelves are divided into spaces by boxes, trunks, or bags containing the personal property of the occu- pant. These spaces are not long enough for an adult to lay at full length, so these people sleep doubled up. The beds consist of a straw mat laid on boards that have been hewn from logs, and are none too smooth or even, and their bed covering is usually a blanket of rabbit skin. The floor is the hard, well-trodden earth, and in the center is the open fireplace where all the cooking is done. The ceiling is low, and the rafters are hung with dried fish and other food stuffs, so low 263 that they brush against one's head unless great care is observed in moving about the house. At the back is usually a framework on which is piled the miscellaneous implements and utensils of the household. At this place there is a native bath house, often called a Russian bath, not an uncommon object in all the villages of the lower river, for these people delight in taking steam baths during the winter. This house was built of logs and covered with turf, the only openings being a smoke hole in the roof, which is usually covered with a skin, and the entrance a low doorway that can be tightly closed. Along the sides are shelves built against the wall at about the height of a table, with a log under- neath for a foot rest. In one corner is the fireplace, built of stones and covered over with a pile of slabs of shale-like rock. Under this a fire is built, and when the stones become heated buckets of water are thrown over them, filling the room with vapor. The bathers sit or lie on the benches, and when they have had enough steaming wash them- selves with soap and water. At some of the places it is the custom, after being thoroughly steamed, to rush out of doors and rub off with snow, when they return and resume the steaming. We were told that they used soap, and in fact we saw some in this bath house, but from the general appearance of most of those seen in the village soap and water baths had not been particularly popular for some time. A young woman who was said to belong: to the coast south of the delta was observed to be wearing labrets in the lower lip. Among the Eskimos north of here this form of personal adornment is confined entirely to the men, but it is said that between the delta and Bristol Ba} r the labret is worn only by the women. In this case the labret consisted of a string of four beads fastened to a brass button which was inserted into a hole in the lower lip, one string on either side, about halfway between the corners of the mouth and the median line. About 20 miles above Pitkas Point we stopped at a village of 5 houses occupied by 20 people, most of whom were sick with either influenza or measles. In one small house were found 5 or 6 people, some of whom were very sick. The place was dark, damp, and dismal, the fireplace was cold, and an odor of rotting fish permeated everything. The inmates were lying about on their beds, some covered, some uncovered. In one corner was a girl of about fourteen years, entirely nude, whose body was covered with the red rash of measles. Food and medicines were left for the use of these poor people, and we hur- ried on. A quarter of a mile above here was another village of 3 houses and some 10 people. All of these were sick with measles and influenza, and many had died. The surviving members of this community were half starved and helpless, and after burying the dead and leaving food and medicines for the living we were compelled to proceed on our way up the river. During the evening of Augfust 18 we met the steamer 264 Louise bound down the river. Medical assistance was rendered a white man suffering with pulmonary tuberculosis who had been " prospecting" the country and who was a passenger on board. At Ikogmute is a mission under the charge of the Russian Church. This is one of the oldest places on the river, the old church having been built in 1851. There were only some 35 or 40 people here when we stopped, but in the winter the place has about 250 inhabitants. Most of the people at this time (August 19) were away fishing at various places on the river. The fishing usually lasts until the latter part of September, and though salmon have been very plentiful this season, the great amount of sickness prevented the people from taking advan- tage of the run. Fish is the customary and best-liked food, though the abundant supply of game in this region is also utilized as food. A varietjr of woodland caribou, a smaller animal than is found either up the Yukon or on the more southern rivers, is hunted by these natives, and also a small black bear, which is quite numerous in the neighbor- hood, especially in the late summer, when it comes down from the mountains to the rivers for berries and fish. Edible berries are very plentiful, especially the red raspberry, in every way like the cultivated fruit, the red and black currant, and the salmon berry. These are all gathered in great quantities by the natives and eaten fresh. They do not appear to have any method of preserv- ing these berries for use in winter. A few of the plants are used as medicines, the virtues of which were taught them by the Russian priests, and this is the only place on the river, so far as our observa- tion showed, where the natives use any of the plants as drugs. The astringent fruit of the high-bush cranberry- is eaten to stop hemor- rhage from the lungs, and the stems, in winter, are made into a tea which is drunk for the same purpose. They also use a variety of cam- momile for colic in children, making a tea of the green leaves, and the dried petals are used as an astringent dressing for wounds. Most of the native houses are of good size and are occupied by two or more families. They are built of logs, the front being finished with the logs smoothed and placed perpendicularly. In the center of this front, about 2 feet above the ground, is the entrance, an oval hole just large enough to admit one's body. Neither the sides nor the roof are tight. The wind blows through and the rain comes in, and they are wet and cold, dark, evil smelling, and decidedly uncomfortable. The rafters are hung with the usual assortment of dried fish, dried entrails, strings of thong, and other valuables. On either side are the benches on which the family beds are made. In the center of the dirt floor is the fireplace, over which hang kettles and pots, black with ages of accumulated soot and grease. In some of the houses, however, the fireplace was occupied by a modern cook stove. The summer here, as elsewhere, had been one of the hottest known, 265 and the great amount of sickness was attributed in a great measure to this. The natives all had measles early in the season, but in quite a it ild form, and there were but few deaths resulting. Father Korchin- skr, the parish priest, was of the opinion that the measles was intro- duced by the whites, as the centers of contagion from which it spread along the river were the more important places where all the boats stopped, but so far as is known no case of measles arrived at St. Michael on the steamers from the outside. When we were there influenza with its various complications was raging. Besides this there were seen 3 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, 5 cases of chronic conjunctivitis, 3 cases of purulent conjunctivitis, 1 deaf and dumb man due to an injury received in infancy, and 2 cases of hemiplegia due to injury. Both of these cases were women, one being a cripple through the brutality of her husband. During the month previous to our arrival there were 24 deaths, only 4 of which were children, for, as at other points on the river, the worst cases and the majority of deaths were among the older adults. During our short stay there were 3 deaths, making 27 in all to date. Fifteen miles above Ikogmute is Dog Fish, the most miserable little village imaginable. There were only 8 people here, all that were left of 30 or 40, the original population. The rest had either died or moved away. These 8 all claimed to be too sick to move about and attend to their own wants, but this inability to work was not alone due to sick- ness,, but also to discouragement, a giving up, a generally demoralized condition. In one house were some half dozen people l} T ing on their beds, or benches which serve as such, apparently awaiting their end. They seemed utterly indifferent to our presence, and did not appear to care whether the}^ were helped or not. Some food left for them was placed on the floor, when one of the men called us back and asked us to move the stuff onto a shelf, for, as he said, it might get wet where it was. In another house was a family of four, all lying on their beds, wet and dirtv, too sick or discouraged to move or even build a fire. What they had eaten recently we did not know, for nothing cooked could be seen and the only food in the house was some moldy dried fish. In a little tent, wet and cold, was a man alone and very sick, the last of his family. After all of the others had died he moved out of his house to end his days in this miserable little tent, without fire or wood or even food. When we gave him some flour and bacon he smiled and asked us how he was going to eat it, for he had no way to cook, and of course none of his neighbors would assist him, even if they were able to do so, as they never do. In many of the houses and caches were salmon, recently caught, but from want of care they were rotting. We did not learn how man} T had died during the summer; but 5 had died recently, and had remained unburied until the steamer Margret 266 came, when the crew performed that office. Most of the graves made by the natives were very shallow, and the dogs played sad havoc with the bodies. On the beach was a human foot, where the dogs had left it; and on the hillside were found various pieces that had been dis- interred by these animals. AtKoserefsky, 75 miles above Russian Mission, are some 150 natives; and about 300 more in the immediate vicinity, most of these latter living on Shagaluk Slough. Located here is Holy Cross Mission, under the charge of the Jesuit Fathers and the Sisters of St. Anne. The mission occupies a small sheltered valley facing the river, and here have been built some very comfortable houses. The most attrac- tive part of the mission to a traveler, however, are the gardens. The fields of cabbages, cauliflower, potatoes, and turnips show what may be done in this country in the way of raising the more hardy vege- tables. One of the sisters had a garden of old-fashioned flowers, to remind her of home, as she said. ,In it were blooming sweet peas, petunias, marigolds, asters, pansies, and candytuft. Measles and influenza were particularly severe here, and the mor- tality was great, with all the care given to the natives by the mission people; and then following this were a number of severe cases of d3 T sentery. There had been, to the time of our arrival (August 22), 12 deaths, and 45 more in the neighboring villages, some of these latter being almost depooulated. About 15 miles above here is a small vil- lage where some of the Fathers went to attend the sick, and there found 15 unburied bodies. Many similar cases were reported to us from other villages. The following cases were seen: One case pulmonary tuberculosis, 2 cases dysentery, 2 cases pneumonia, 1 gunshot wound of foot (ampu- tated), 1 injured hand, caught in sawmill (amputated two fingers), 1 boy totally blind from some purulent inflammation in infancy. Forty-seven miles beyond Koserefsky the Anvik River flows into the Yukon, and just within its mouth is Christ Church Mission, under the auspices of Grace Church of New York City. Here they have a schoolhouse, dormitories for both boys and girls, a church, and a saw- mill. This last has lately brought the mission considerable revenue. There are some 150 natives here, including both those at the mission and in the village opposite. They had all been sick, and man}? were so when we were there. In the mission hospital were 10 girls with measles in all stages, and 3 bo} r s, 2 convalescent from measles and 1 with pneumonia. In the village were 3 cases of pneumonia. Measles appeared about the middle of July, followed by influenza and in many cases by pneumonia. There had been but 5 deaths reported to the time of our arrival (August 23) — 2 from old age and 3 from influenza, being one of the smallest death rates for any of the villages, and due in a great measure to the cleanliness of both the mission and the native village. 267 At Grayling, 22 miles above Anvik, were only 32 people, tnough the census gives 65 as the population. This place is more of a ren- dezvous where the natives from the surrounding country come in summer to fish and in winter to trade. Measles and influenza appeared among them early in the season, and after several deaths had occurred the natives became alarmed. The shamans advised them to leave, telling them that if they did not they would all die; so many moved over to Shagluk Slough; but they did not appear to fare any better there, for reports were received saying there were a great many sick and without food and in a bad way generally. At Grayling we found 10 sick — 2 with dysentery, 3 acute conjunctivitis, and the remaining suffering from pulmonary complications following influenza. There .had been 6 deaths to date (August 23). Grayling is one of the central way stations for native travel, and there is always quite a transitory population here: but it is in the winter that the big gatherings take place. As in all villages in this section of the country, they have a kazhim or village club. It is not used in summer, but the men live in it during the winter, sleeping and working, the married men sometimes going to their homes for their meals and sometimes having them brought to them here. Only men are admitted, women, girls, and boys being excluded except on certain festive occasion* when dances are held. Here the custom is, during the winter when the kazhim is being used, for the married men to sleep in it one night and in their own houses the next, and so alternating through the winter. This custom is general throughout the country. The kazhim at this place was about 15 feet square and 6 feet high on the sides, rising to 10 feet in the center. It was built of logs calked with moss, and with a roof of split logs covered with a layer of straw, and on top of this about a foot of earth. The floor was of bare earth, smooth and hard from the pressure of many feet. In the center was a hollow, some 4 feet square and about 2 feet deep, for the fireplace, and in which a roaring fire is kept all winter. Around the three sides are wide transoms or benches, made from hewn logs, blackened by smoke and dirt and grease, and polished by generations of trouser seats or naked bodies. They also use the kazhim as a bath house if the3 T have no other. When a bath is desired large stones are placed in the fire, and when they become heated water is thrown over them and the usual steam bath ensues. Some 60 miles above Grayling we stopped at a small village of 14 people, living in tents and makeshift houses of split logs. Measles had just appeared among them, and there were 7 sick — tt measles, 2 bronchitis, and a baby with ophthalmia neanatorum. The number of deaths could not be ascertained. Here we saw examples of the only native therapeutic measure observed — puncturing and bleeding — resorted to on any and all occa- 5661—03 36 268 sions. One woman had her neck and shoulders covered with scars, and a young man was scarred all over his chest. In puncturing the skin is pricked rather deep with a knife, or more usually with a sharp stone, and the wound kept open by frequent irritations until the patient is well. When bleeding is resorted to a vein is opened with a similar instrument. In performing these operations they appear to have no method, but puncture or bleed over the part affected. They use no plants or roots as medicine, and in cases of sickness their chief reli- ance is placed in the incantations of the shamans. The tattoo marks seen here on the women differ from those found among the coast Eskimo. Instead of two or more narrow lines they have here a broad band from a quarter to half an inch wide, extending from the edge of the lower lip to the point of the chin. About 10 miles farther on we stopped at another village of 18 peo- ple. Here we found 11 sick — 5 with measles, 2 with bronchitis, 1 with pneumonia, 1 with corneal ulcer, and 2 blind. The number of deaths could not be ascertained. At Nulato a Roman Catholic mission (St. Peter Claver's) is located, where there is a church and a school for boys and another for girls. There were about 50 people here at the time of our visit (August 28), 20 of whom were sick, most of the sickness being dysentery and pul- monary troubles. Nearly all had had measles, which appeared early in July, and most of the cases seen were relapses, due to the careless regard of even the simplest laws of health on the part of the patients. A detachment of the Signal Corps of the Army was here, and the hos- pital steward attached had been attending the natives, and was kept busy. Our short stay prevented our seeing all of the sick, but the following were among the principal cases attended: One case pulmo- nary tuberculosis; 4 cases dysentery, quite severe; 1 purulent conjunc- tivitis; 1 hernia of iris from injury; 1 vesico-vaginal hernia in a girl of 4 years, caused by a kick from some male member of the f amity; 2 cases of acute vaginitis in girls of 3 and 4 years, said to be quite com- mon and due to exposure, want of cleanliness, and a scrofulous condi- tion generally; 1 case hemiplegia in a boy of 18, due to spinal injury when an infant. There had been 27 deaths to date (August 28). On leaving Holy Cross Mission we took with us Rev. Ragaru, who has been connected with the missions of the Roman Catholic Church on this river for the past thirteen years. During the trip it was our pleasure to consult him regarding the distribution of food and medi- cines, and before leaving us at Nulato he made certain suggestions, as may be noted in the following letter: Nulato, August 21, 1900. Over 800 Indians are attended by St. Peter Claver's Mission, Nulato. About 600 of these are dependent upon Nulato for their supplies. This summer the grip, shortly afterwards followed by the measles, spread among the natives from St. 269 Michael and up the Yukon, diseases imported, as it were, by the steamers coming up the river. On account of sickness the natives have been unable to work, and will be destitute this winter. Up to date there have been 27 deaths at Nulato, and over 220 are now sick. Some of them are expected to die. This proportion will probably hold for all neighboring villages. The general sickness has been so prevalent and so pros- trating that at Nulato the white men have had to dig the graves and bury the dead for the Indians. In some neighboring villages it is reported that the dead are left unburied, as none of the tribe are physically able to perform such office. As an illustration, the vil- lages around Holy Cross Mission (some 200 Indians) had 49 deaths to date. And in a village 15 miles above Holy Cross Mission a father and two brothers had to make a trip from Holy Cross to the village in order to bury 13 corpses that the sur- viving Indians were unable to care for. The worst feature of the situation is that now should be the time for the Indians to catch and cure their yearly supply of fish, and to fix up their winter houses and make them habitable, and being thus prevented by disease they are looking forward to a winter without food, clothes, or suitable houses. Of course some few have been catching fish, and they will catch some more during the winter, but this will be totally inadequate to support them and their families. Twenty-five per cent has been the average of deaths at Holy Cross. Ten per cent has been the average of deaths at Xulato. The needs are as follows, to be forwarded as soon as possible: Food — Flour, tea, lard, sugar, bacon, milk (for infants), rice, pilot bread. Clothing — Drilling, blankets. Shotgun ammunition for breach and muzzle loading guns. As to distribution, the only practical way it seems would be to have the supplies sent to the different missions. 1. Ikogmut, Russian mission. 2. Holy Cross Mission, Koserefski, Catholic mission. Over 300 destitute people, including Shageluk (partially) and Pimut. 3. Anvik, Episcopalian mission, Rev. J. W. Chapman. About 200, including some of Shageluk. 4. Nulato, St. Peter Claver's. Over 450 destitute people, including villages located 70 miles below Nulato up to 70 miles above Nulato and some Koyukuk River Indians. 5. Kokrine's Station, connected with Nulato mission. (No report yet received from this place.) About 220 Indians. Some supplies could be sent there as an annex to Nulato if necessary. 6. Tanana, Episcopalian mission. Aloys A. Ragaru, S. J. At Big Bend is a village of 65 people, fully 50 of whom were sick. There were 16 cases of measles, 1 of pneumonia, and the rest were either convalescent or suffering relapses. One medicine they knew, several asking for it, and that was castor oil. These people suffer from constipation and any cathartic medicine is welcome, but they are especially partial to castor oil and will drink all they can get of it. It was here we saw a man and a girl with blood smeared over their foreheads. The only explanation given was "because sick." They appeared to have plenty of fish at this village and, though so many were sick, they seemed in a more prosperous condition than at most of the villages on the river. This village, for a strictly native one, was the cleanest we had seen. 270 Not far above Big Bend we stopped at a woodcutter's camp, where we found three Xanana Indians sick and destitute. One little girl had just broken out with measles and an old man had influenza. At both Tanana and Rampart there are military posts, and the sur- geons attached to the two commands treated such of the natives as needed their services, so we did not make an inspection of the native villages. Considering the number of Indians living in the two places, there was little sickness and few deaths. In fact, the neighborhood of Nulato seemed to be about the limit for the epidemic that had so ravished the lower river. At Tanana is St. James mission, of the Episcopal Church. Living here and in the neighborhood are some 200 Indians. Late in the year we received from Mr. Selden, attached to the mission, the following: There had been, to December 1, 11 deaths— 2 consumption, 3 pneumonia, 2 dysentery, 2 measles, 1 woman in childbirth, 1 child frozen, and, as was noted elsewhere, the proportion was 7 adults to 4 children. At Rampart there is another mission of the Episcopal Church — St. Andrews. Here there are some 100 Indians, and to June 1. 1901, there had been 16 deaths, including 3 white men. Few were sick last fall, most of the deaths occurring early this spring. Opposite the mouth of Mike Hess Creek is the Pioneer Coal Mine, and here we found a number of women and children in camp while the men were away hunting. Six were sick — 2 with influenza, 2 pulmo- nary tuberculosis, 1 pneumonia, and 1 infant suffering from starvation, the mother not having sufficient milk to feed it. This is not an uncom- mon condition among these people, as we afterwards found. At Fort Hamlin, where we arrived September 12, we saw the first white person with measles since leaving St. Michael. He had come from some place down the river, probably Rampart, some two weeks before, and was then cooking at the Alaska Commercial Company's station. Fortunately there were no natives living at Fort Hamlin then, and no measles appeared in this section, though many suffered from severe attacks of influenza. When we first came to Dall River we found a number of the natives sick, all with some pulmonary complication following influenza. Up to that time (September 13) there had been 7 deaths out of a popula- tion of 60. Later in the year there were more deaths due to other causes. We arrived at Sixmile on September 26. There were only 15 people there then, though the population is something over 40. Nearly all of these 15 were sick, 3 women being seriously so with pneumonia. There had been 3 deaths— 2 children and 1 man. On the 27th of September we came into Dall River and tied up to the bank, when all hands were at once made busy getting the boat 271 read} T for the eight months' winter siege to come. The trip up the river had been a most interesting and instructive one. We had visited 20 villages and stations with a total population of 925, and had per- sonally attended 245 sick people, both native and white. Treating natives medicinally is most unsatisfactory in many respects. In the first place, not speaking their language, it is hard to make them understand what you wish to convey. In reply to your questions the answer would be almost always, "Me sick inside.'- They expect to be cured with the first dose of medicine they take, and if the medicine is not to their liking the3 r will refuse to take it, or if it is agreeable to their palate they will empty the bottle at a dose. Great care must therefore be taken not to give them any drug that might be injurious in large doses. But the greatest difficulty is to overcome their super- stitious belief in the power of their shamans, or medicine men, a superstition which still exists, notwithstanding the teachings of the missionaries. It was decided that, instead of leaving any considerable amount of supplies with the natives, to leave such food and medicines as they might need with the missionaries, the agents at the several trading posts, and with others equally responsible. In this way we rendered assistance to some 2,500 natives residing on or near the Yukon River, and we were assured by many this spring that if we had not done so the suffering and destitution would have been many times greater than it was. Fort Shoemaker is on the Dall River, 1 mile above its confluence with the Yukon, in latitude 66°.01' north and longitude 149°.14' west, about 30 miles south of the arctic circle. The winter of 1900-1901 was one of average severity for this region, the lowest temperature being —65° F. in January, lasting some ten days, and —50° F. was quite frequent. The climate is not as severe as these temperatures would indicate, for there is very little wind at any time and none at all when the temperature is very low. As soon as the vessel had been made ready for the winter the crew were set at work building two log cabins. The first was the ' ' club- house " for the use of the men, where they could spend their idle time in an} T form of amusement they chose and make as much noise as they pleased, disturbing no one. The other cabin was designated the ' ' gym- nasium." Here were placed various homemade pieces of athletic apparatus, and until the wood chopping began the men made good use of this place. Then, besides the wood chopping and the necessary daily work about the vessel, a regular weekly routine of drills and inspections served to maintain the necessary discipline on board; and it can be said, to the credit of all, that no serious breach of discipline or disorderly conduct occurred that required more than a simple rep- rimand to correct. To this constant employment is due in a great 272 measure the most excellent health of the crew throughout the winter. No serious cases of illness occurred among them, and there were but few accidents. The quarters on the Nunivak assigned to the crew were poorly con- structed for living in during an arctic winter, and in fact the whole boat was so arranged that to go from one part of it to another one had to go out of doors. The crew's quarters were in the after end of the boat, and though piped and furnished with radiators the steam could not be driven through them. The radiators in the wash room, bath- room, and after port side of the berth deck froze and had to be cutout. The radiator in the dispensary could be kept but moderately warm, and unless it was drained once in twelve hours would freeze. All the medicines except the solids and the alcoholic preparations froze. Had this boat wintered at any part of the river where the wind blows as it does in many places it would have been uninhabitable. The clothing furnished by the Government is all that could be desired so far as it goes, but there are many articles of wearing apparel necessary in this country that were not included in the list. Should a revenue cutter be kept on this station the clothing locker should contain, besides the usual underclothing, socks, and uniform trousers and shirts, German socks, moccasins, mittens, parkas made of drilling, and caps with ear flaps and nose pieces. To compel the crew to pay Yukon prices for these necessaries imposes a hardship they can ill afford. The all-fur caps usually sold to people coming into this country are too warm, and when worn will heat the head and often cause dizziness. A cloth cap made after the pattern of those used by the Army, but having fur only over the forehead, across the occiput, and over the ears, was found by us to be all that was neces- sary, and by far the most comfortable. The moccasins and mittens should be of the best moose skin, the mittens to be lined with soft woolen flannel. The parka should have a hood fringed with either wolf or wolverine fur. For those living near the coast parkas made of reindeer skin and " muckluks" or native water boots are necessary. The question of foods and the serving of them is a most important one to those living in the interior of Alaska. Undoubtedly most of the dysentery that has caused so many deaths and compelled so man}- people to leave the country is due to improperly cooked food, and in some cases to poorly preserved canned goods. It is a notorious fact that some of the firms supplying this country ship their oldest and poorest goods when filling an Alaska order, not forgetting, however, to charge the highest prices therefor. The consignee is at their mere} 7 , for he must have the goods to live during the winter, poor as they may be. He can but pay the bill and try and do better next time. The rations furnished this vessel, though better than those supplied to most of the revenue cutters, do not contain enough meat, especially 273 for men living in this climate and performing the work as is required of this crew. Should a new ration list be made it should contain an extra amount of flour, sugar, tea, and hard bread, with which the caterer could purchase from the natives fresh moose and caribou meat, to be issued in place of the canned and salt meats at stated intervals; twice a week would be sufficient. The ration should also contain more fresh potatoes and onions than it does. Evaporated potatoes and onions are good and may be cooked in many wa}^s that is agreeable to the palate, but they do not take the place of the fresh article either as a food or as an antiscorbutic. Potatoes, onions, and cabbages, pro- viding they are of first quality and in good condition when purchased, will keep all winter. Freezing does not hurt them so long as they are kept so, but they must be cooked as soon as they have thawed. The continuous living on preserved foods, whether salted or canned, brings on various disorders of the digestive organs, and, too, will cause a condition resembling a mild form of scurvy, as was seen on this vessel early this last spring. The men at first complained of con- stipation and headaches. Following this there appeared a skin erup- tion, red blotches over the trunk and limbs, accompanied in most cases with diarrhea. This condition was so general that it was deemed advisable to purchase fresh moose meat and issue it as an extra ration. One living in a country where fresh foods are to be had every day of the week can not appreciate the feelings of those living in a country where such things are not to be had; that craving for green stuffs, especially in the spring. Among these last a common remark is: "If I only had some green grass." As has been stated, the crew of the Nunivak remained in most excellent health all winter, and there are few cases from the dispen- sary report worth noting. In the latter part of November, following the first real cold weather, there were a number of cases of sore throat, the throat being simply inflamed and irritable, and due, it would seem, to inhaling the cold air. This same condition of the throat was noted after each cold spell that we had, and was not con- fined to the white people, but the natives complained of it as well. Several times during the winter the temperature would suddenly rise, making it feel quite warm, comparatively speaking. Following each one of these warm spells most of the crew would suffer from colds in the head. Catarrhal conditions of the nose and throat became worse during the winter, and one or two cases became quite aggravated. Frostbites of the nose, cheeks, and ears were common, but no frostbites of a serious nature occurred in our neighborhood. One of the most common complaints, however, was from chapped skin. The skin of the hands and face would become hard and rough and then crack, sometimes causing very painful sores. A common complaint among 274 those traveling on the trail is what might be termed "frosted knee." In such cases the knee joint, from want of proper protection, becomes chilled. After the day's run, and the owner has retired, the knee often causes intense pain, and the next day it is stiff and very sore. There is little to do for this after it is once acquired except rest. The proper preventative is to wear fur or flannel pads over the knees while traveling. Snow-blindness was almost unknown, there being but one case coming to our notice, though no one wore smoked glasses or eye shades. There was but a very short time in the spring that the glare from the snow was at all irritating to the eyes. The first signs of the coming spring were seen early in April in the shape of green moss buds under the snow, but it was not until May 15 that the ice in Dall River broke and it was some two weeks later that the Yukon cleared. The trip down the river was uneventful. We stopped at the more important villages, but most of the natives were away preparing to catch the salmon that would soon come up the river. At Nulato there were three cases of whooping cough and as we proceeded down the river the number of cases became greater. At Anvik nearly all of the mission children were suffering from it. At Koserefsky was seen a young boy whose feet had been frozen the winter previous, necessitating a secondary amputation of four toes on one foot and three on the other. It was impossible to get any data regarding the death rate of the previous winter, but from what we could learn it must have been very great. The conditions of the natives this spring, however, were very encouraging and there was every prospect of a good and profitable season ahead of them. Respectfully, yours, James T. White, Surgeon, Revenue- Cutter Service. First Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, R. C. S. , Commanding U. S. S. Nunivak. PART VII APPENDIX. A. TABLE OF DISTANCES BETWEEN SETTLEMENTS ON THE YUKON RIVER. B. SCHEDULE OF FREIGHT AND PASSENGER RATES ON THE YUKON RIVER. C. LIST OF VESSELS ENGAGED IN COMMERCE ON THE YUKON RIVER. D. COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY OF THE ESKIMO AND INGALIK TRIBES INHABITING THE REGION. E. COMPONENT PARTS OF THE RATION ISSUED TO THE CREW OF THE NUNIVAK WHILE ON THE STATION. F. NATURAL HISTORY: 1. LIST OF BIRDS. 2. LIST OF MAMMALIA. 3. LIST OF FISHES. 4. LIST OF PLANTS. 5. LIST OF FOSSILS. G. METEOROLOGICAL RECORD. 275 APPENDIX A. Stations and distances along Yukon River. St. Michael Yukon River, Apoon mouth Kotlik (trading post) Bill Moor's Old Hamilton New Hamilton T'Click Andreafski (N. N. Company's steamer ways) Russian Mission (trading post).. Pimute Holy Cross Mission (trading post) Anvik Greyling Blackburn Coal Mine No. 1 (A. C. Co. ) Kaltag ( United States telegraph post) Nulato (United States telegraph trading post) Pickerts (Williams coal mine) .. Koyukuk River Melozi Kokrine Station (trading post) . Unklakat River Tozi River St. James Mission Panana, Weare (Fort Gibbon; N. C. Company's store) Tanana River Jackson Creek Spicer Creek Shetlin Rock Island Bear Creek (Rampart Rapids) .. D \v yer Creek Sancho Wolf Trap Rock Quartz and Campbell Creek Stephens Glacier Marshall Russian Creek Rampart City (N. C. Company's store) Miles be- tween sta- tions. 112 38 28 47 22 35 54 54 40 12 8 67 65 80 47 4 Miles from St. Michael. 180 292 330 358 405 427 462 516 570 610 622 630 697 762 842 901 904 910 913 926 941 944 945 948 952 957 960 965 976 978 Miles be- Miles tween from St. sta- Michael, tions. Minook Creek ! Mike Hess Creek (Tom Drew coal mine) ! Salt Creek j Fort Hamlin (X. C. Company's store) Dall River Rampart House Bearer Creek White Eye Camp ! Fort Yukon (Arctic Circle) \ Seventeenmile Island ! Halfway Island Twelvemile Bar Circle Coal Creek j j Charley River i Charley Creek Washington Creek Fourth of July Creek 1 Ivy City j Nation City ; Montauk Point Sheep Creek i Seventvmile River ) Star City J Seventvmile Citv Eagle (Fort Egbert, U. S. Army; N. C. Company's store) Boundarv line. NORTHWEST TERRITORY. Rock (Old Man and Old Woman) Clift Creek Coal Mine (N. A. T. andT.Co.) Coal River Fort Cudahy Fortymile (N. C. Company's store) Fort Reliance (old Hudson Bay trading post) Dawson (N. C. Company's store) 47 33 12 23 33 13 60 15 12 7 24 2 12 10 1 10 983 1,008 1,034 1,072 1,082 1,088 1,148 1,195 1,228 1,240 1,263 1,296 1,309 1,369 1,384 1,396 1,403 1,427 1,429 1,441 1,451 1,461 1,466 1,526 1,537 1,543 1,547 1,548 1,592 1,601 277 278 APPENDIX B. Freight and passenger tariffs No. 2, Northern Navigation Company, Yukon River points between St. Michael and Dawson, July 1, 1901. FREIGHT SCHEDULE— UPSTREAM. [Rates in dollars per ton of 2,000 pounds, or 40 cubic feet, ship's option.] o 2 9 s SI 1. I a < P s 1 P 1 P 3 t-t M 3 | 5 6 a> P o o 1 p 5Z5 a p >. o M 708 P c3 1 t o = a a 33 ft 1 d s S3 W o p 1 p i Si 6 oj I g. § % 03 Distances from St. Michael to Daw- son 90 140 217 354 489 •184 508 WW 684 1.3(18 784 S7I 949 1,0241,224 1,309 1,499 1,5491,601 1 1 I St. Michael Kotlik 17 21 9 22 10 9 30 15 13 10 31 18 16 31 20 17 35 21 18 38| 43 23 28 21 25 44 85 30 71 46 82 29 26 21 18 16 16 13 9 9 51 37 34 31 25 23 21 21 is 13 11 10 51 37 31 31 25 23 21 21 18 13 11 11 9 54 38 38 63 47 40 77 60 54 51 50 48 47 45 43 38 36 34 29 28 26 17 84 66 61 58 57 54 53 62 49 44 43 41 36 85 68 62 60 59 56 54 54 51 46 44 43 38 85 68 United States Sur- vey Camp 28 25 19 16 16 68 66 60 57 51 64 Andreafski 13 15 9 9 161 18 23 in! 19 17 32 38 64 Russian Mission . . . 32 29 28 26 24 37 34 32 32 29 59 Koserefski 9 9 10 15 18 12 10 56 Anvik 9 9 9 54 Grevling 14l 54 11! 52 9 48 54 Coal Mine No. 1 51 Nulato 1 1 19 24 17 22 17 21 10 16 9 46 Koyukuk 1 ' " 45 44 43 38 33 35 32 33 22 24 13 36 Fort Hamlin ...|... 13 35 Fort Yukon 26 Circle i 17 Eagle 13 16 Fortymile 13 1 i Minimum charge, $10. PASSENGER SCHEDULE— UPSTREAM. [Rates in dollars.] B g P 1 -3 M O >> % ■9 a < .2 p a a 9 M i 1 > < bib a V. 8 3 s a a M a >. o M M o 1 < o 93 s 1 i in ft I d 1 o3 ffl *s «-i O P P U 1 6 oj 1 >> B I 03 ft Distances from St. Michael to Dawson M 90 217 354 1:59 184 508 684 708 784 804 S74 949 1,024 1,224 1,309 1,499 1,549 1,601 St. Michael 90 10 •20 15 30 20 16 35 30 20 10 40 86 25 15 10 40 85 25 15 10 5 55 50 40 25 25 20 15 60 55 40 25 25 25 26 5 65 60 45 30 30 30 30 10 10 70 66 50 40 35 35 35 •20 16 10 70 66 50 10 86 86 86 20 20 15 5 75 70 55 45 40 40 40 30 26 20 10 10 80 75 60 50 45 45 45 40 35 30 20 15 10 95 90 75 70 65 60 60 55 50 45 35 30 25 20 105 100 90 80 75 70 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 20 120 115 105 100 90 90 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 40 20 125 120 110 105 100 95 95 90 85 85 80 75 70 65 50 30 10 125 Kotlik 125 Andreaofsky 127 137 85 45 24 176 24 76 80 10 75 75 200 85 190 50 115 Russian Mission 110 Koserofsky 105 Anvik 100 Greyling 100 Nulato 100 Koyukuk 95 Novikaket 95 Fort Adams 85 1 80 ...... 75 Fort Hamlin 1 70 Fort Yukon 60 40 Eagle 20 Forty Mile 10 1 Second class, three-fourths above rates; dogs, one-fourth above rates; excess baggage, 5 cents per pound. Each passenger allowed 150 pounds baggage. 279 Freight and passenger tariffs No. 2, Northern Navigation Company, Yukon River points between St. Michael and Dawson, July 1, 1901 — Continued. FREIGHT SCHEDULE— DOWNSTREAM . [Rates in dollars per ton of 2.000 pounds, or 40 cubic fe< ;t, ship's option.] -_ o a s3 - o 3 1 12 i 6 o o a u o SJ S3 05 JH a - - < o a> M S3 M "> o M M >> z 03 i - a a m s > < M 1 I a o a M 1 8 >> M i 3 i o W I •1 Distances from Dawson to St. Michael M 52 102 .»,.> 377 577 • 1 652727 29 30 27 28 24 25 20 22 12 14 10 12 ...! 10 737 30 28 25 22 15 12 11 10 817 893 1,493 94 91 88 85 78 74 73 72 71 68 58 917 37 34 31 28 21 17 16 15 11 11 10 1,093 42 39 36 33 26 22 21 20 19 18 17 10 1,117 43 40 37 34 27 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 10 1, 162 44 41 38 35 32 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 15 10 1,247 46 43 40 37 34 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 20 15 10 1,384 45 42 39 36 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 24 20 15 10 1,511 54 51 48 45 42 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 28 24 19 14 9 1,601 34 31 28 25 18 14 11 11 10 36 33 30 27 20 16 15 14 13 10 Dawson A 50 190 86 •JdU 75 75 10 80 76 •21 176 21 4.") 85 187 127 . 10 15 13 10 20 18 15 10 28 26 23 18 10 70 Forty Mile 67 64 61 58 55 53 i 52 51 Novikaket 50 Kovokuk 49 48 41 40 Koserofsky .. 1 35 30 21 Kotlik 17 Minimum charge, $10. PASSENGER SCHEDULE— DOWNSTREAM. [Rates in dollars.] V- - i u o 9 >> I i i I > .2 1 - - ■- o3 | i i I - < "S M O S3 >. O = 61 = - M '> < M OS 2 1 s 1 a S3 I a >> M O a O 1 ■a V i CO Distances from Dawson to St. Michael M 52 102 292 377 577 652 727 737 817 S93 01'.) 041 1,117 1,162 1,247 1,384 1,511 1,601 10 10 ... 10 20' 25 20 25 30 35 40 40! 45 50 50 •50 45 40 35 20 15 15 15 15 5 55 55 50 45 40 25 20 15 15 15 in 10 55 55 50 45 40 25 20 60 65 70 65 60 55 50 40 35 70 70 Fortv Mile 52 50 190 30 35 40 40! 45 50 25 30 35 35j 40 45 20, 25 30! 30 35 40 60 60 55 55 50 50 45 45 30 35 25 30 65 70 Eagle Circle 15 20 10 60 65 55 60 85 200 75 75 10 ....... 15' 2f 25 25 10 10 30 35 15 20 50 55 10 45 50 . ..L-- 10 10 5 10 10 5 18 10 10 10 40 45 20 20| 25 30 20' 20 25 30 35 35 30 25 20 15 15 10 10 10 40 Fort Adams 40 80 76 24 176 24 45 85 137 90 20 20 20 25 35 15 15 5 15 15 10 . 10 15 20 15 20 10 15 10 15 30 Nulato 25 Greyling 20 20 .. 10 10 15 10 15 15 Kotlik .. 10 Second class, three-fourths above rates, dogs, one-fourth above rates; excess baggage, 5 cents per pound. Each passenger allowed 150 pounds baggage. 280 APPENDIX C. List of vessels engaged in Yukon River tnade, including harbor boats and lighters at St. Michael, Alaska, during the season of 1900. Name. Class. Official Gross Net No. tons. tons. ALASKA COMMERCIAL CO. Sarah Susie Hannah Louise Margaret Leah Alice Bella City of Paris Victoria Luella Saidie Florence Anna E. Fay Rosaliea St. Michael, No. 2... St. Michael, No. 3... St. Michael, No. 4 . . . St. Michael, No. 5 . . . St. Michael, No. 6 . . . St. Michael, No. 7 . . . St. Michael, No. 9 . . . St. Michael, No. 10 . . St. Michael, No. 11a. St. Michael, No. 12a. St. Michael, No. 13 b. St. Michael, No. 14a. St. Michael, No. 15a. St. Michael, No. 16a. Nomea Somoa a Illinoisa Steamer do.. do.. do.. do.. ....do.. do.. ....do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. Tug do.. Launch. Barge .. ....do.. do.., do... do.. do.. ....do... ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do... ....do... ....do... ....do... NORTH AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION AND TRADING CO. T. C. Power Portus B. Weare Charles H. Hamilton John Cudahy Klondyke Jno. J. Healey I do John C. Barr* I do WillH.Ison do Steamer ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. Michigan New York Jno. H.Dwight Jno. J.Mitchell Charles L. Hutchinson Erie Ontario Huron ALASKA EXPLORATION CO. Steamer , do.. Leon Arnold Linda do F. K. Gustin do Herman ( do Barge . do. do. do. do. do. do. do. Mav D C. H. Bradley Argonaut Meteor Cub Clara Bellea Otter Lvnx Seal Bear Fox Mink Skunka Wrecking barge a. Garbage barge a. . . -Water barge a Tug_ »do ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. Launch Barge .. do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. ....do.. 116856 115855 96428 141572 92890 141556 107253 3759 127219 161820 141540 116831 121068 107339 "'57984' 57985 57986 57998 58051 58094 58053 58054 1,211 1,211 1,211 717 520 477 400 370 300 55 52 328 90 228 228 479 350 240 240 366 240 145790 150646 127290 77334 161114 77238 107853 81758 51303 67380 46537 46538 34331 36957 53314 42857 141533 107353 141561 121071 92853 127254 107403 93031 127373 532S9 48626 57959 31593 37573 51287 819 400 595 819 406 450 546 983 450 450 375 80 80 692 692 718 456 66 29 15 68 19 4 539 539 539 a Not documented. & Garbage; not documented. 281 List of vessels engaged in Yukon River trade, etc. — Continued. Name. Class. Official No. Gross tons. Net tons. EMPIRE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY. St. Michael Seattle Steamer do 116816 116817 145773 116811 107458 136674 718 718 718 718 60 115 5 409 409 do 409 .....do 409 Tug 19 do 65 Ohio a do Barge 51286 35541 59482 65058 31577 31578 111177 116854 157509 92865 383 383 277 277 363 160 523 548 718 396 2 355 do 355 do.... 249 do 248 No. 3 do 334 No. 4 do.... 160 SEATTLE-YUKON TRANSPORTATION COMPANY. Steamer do 336 326 D. R. Campbell do 409 do 219 Josephene a Launch Seattle No. 1 do 116853 57992 445 600 445 Seattle No. 4 do 600 INDEPENDENT. Casca British steamer. do 363 Mono &200 do 250 J. P. Light do.... 409 do &350 Tvrrell do 408 Louise 552 Jean do 621 Margaret do 555 British steamer. Steamer .do... 267 141529 107411 116863 150778 92896 92855 111180 506 74 69 718 134 463 718 396 74 St. Joseph do 69 ...do... 409 ...do... 69 do 269 Robert Kerr do 409 « N" ot documented. b Estimated. APPENDIX D. Comparative vocabulary of Ingalik and Eskimo tribes. Stock Ingalik. . Eskimo. Family Dall River Tanana Nulato .. Egomutes. One Chaylikav ' j Atowchuk. Two Natuka ! Three Torka 1 ! Four Dunchav Five Chets'l tenalo ' Six Nik'l a torka Aguinuleet. Eight Nik'l a dunchay 1... Pinganulit. Kulinolit. Nine Nine Ten Yukht Nohatukuna Tent Howlnevah Klahtait Bed Chair Stulischt Window Hordor ne datorny Tarak. Door Hordor ta tornv Kotorneet honah... Annuk. Stove Belada Lamp 'Nkass bevutalquina Table Butklay kwachetsl 282 Comparative vocabulary of Ingalik and Eskimo tribes — Continued. Stock Ingalik Eskimo. Family Dall River 1 Tanana .| Nulato .. Egomutes. Knite Syah Jessa quilsch i Klaka dohna -1 Klaka dohna Chiwik. Fork Spoon Skol t Plate Klosh lostah L Cup Chelushcha Bucket Noloi Kettle Tsynicht (See Bucket) Tenadakuna G'hun Box Fire Kwotalkwun Smoke Klut Hkhlit Apsik. Firewood Stick j stits . Matches Chuwishcha 1 Candle Candle Coal Lo ohna latkwina j Coal oil Gas Key Cheluth Ax Mk'le klala Mukle kiaia Kolkabuk. Hammer Bacha kwotalkun Saw B. etahdolt Auger B. hotitoil 1 Gimlet B. holwuilt Plane Rule Stellus Square B. hok dahlisch File Hukwo Grindstone Nagl Butkala Nail Jets sukah Window glass . Stak lo Day H'lut . ! K'lut Okhtuk Night Klah tah K'ltahah Kohtohna Kleetakhle Yesterday Kwotorna Ikpuksuk. Day before Kwotorn Kwotorna Kuletohnakuh To-morrow Kwotor 'ntah Day after Kwotorn ho kwo torn'ta. By and by Klah klah Afternoon Syneetsuk Morning Mendorna . ! Forenoon Yolkwoltah This year Ohutlan Last year Or kwah Oghuh . Towunga. Next year Or oo tah Oghutlah... Now Kwah tait Winter Nakhalut Sanuh Ookhl'kohn T'un Hwutaghuh Summer Sant Rain Chuhn Snow Satl Ice Cluh T 'un Tu Water Tu Tu. Muk Cold Ningluktuk. Warm Atzun kulla Fog Orkh Clouds Ee vo kwuilt Yoh . . Thunder Nutl'tuna Lightning K wuhn Aurora Yuro kwohlt Yo ikokhte tan Igoghi uk. Aghi at. Okokhtuk Star Kluhn Sun Saw Moon Tukhtun Aghi aluk. River Kakhat Lake Wuhn Sea White man Gessuk Indian Nunkwat tenah Innuyet. Man Tenah Woman Salta Boy Sakyah Tanigowiluk. Girl Salta Baby Father Aytah * Tuhkalah . . Tuhkalah Mother A vnah Ahkuk Brother Suhchitlah Kingukshuk. Anligut kuh. Sister Sutatsah Statah Aunt Ee tabuhtatsah Uncle Sel ah Head Tenah klish Tenah likh ... Hair T. Kluwah T. lughuh Forehead T. takaddah T. kaduh . . Nose T. sisch . . . Siket chuk Mouth T. lohlt Tenahloht T. loht Eye Eekhka. Lips T. tabana Kiinkah. 283 Comparative vocabulary of Ingalik and Eskimo tribes — Continued. Stock Ingalik Eskimo. Family Dall River Tanana Nulato .. Egomutes. Teeth T. wuh , T. klulah T. 'tsegah T. vatah T. kwohlt T. laghah T. woh T. 1 ""nuh '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. '. T. lottah Hudinka. Tongue '. Ear T. lula Ooluka. T. serah Cheeudik. Chin T. kukhtle Wee akuk. T jetlah 1 T. kwoinah T.but T. konah T. t Slenah T. konah Takhlik. Chest (the).... T. mit Back P'koke. T. lenah T. tle'nuh T. kuh T.na Erukha. Foot T. koh T. kalsaylah T.kuh Toe T. kalwugha T. kah Heel T. kaltolchit.. Hand T. aloh . Ikunka. T. lohtsalah T.ilotlukah Eyelash Eyebrow T notuchlah Kununka va- T. sutah . T. all'tohuga nuk. T lochek T. kutle Kungeluk. Elbow T. suts T. sus T. luka T. sus T. kwoht T. kut Ribs Cheek T. nakluh Cap. Klakataluohna Natchuk. Coat Atkuk. Kukhlik. Shirt Sul chah Alokhtigho Koleruk. Kahtsult Mittens Jets f Tenan kutchin jArektwik. Azigak. Toziswintaga Vest Sutah 'Tsutah 'Tzudah Oolik. Pin Suss Yukuki Takokuk. Tenekah Kuhkowuna Koholkoi Noyuh Suhkuh Takinya Melazin Nilitsikh Wolf. . Kigalunuk. Fox Nakitlah Kohulkoi Kah kah Sucha (1) .. Kagu ishok. Magmuktic. Mink . Otter . Nitsikhtl T'zun Rabbit Koh Koh.... Nuohneegah Kuvuthluk. Mutsikh Mitzikh Klikh'k Anoyah Klikh'k Tuntuk. Dog. . . Kitmuk. Tokak Totkahk Khak 8 Tahkiuk puk. White-fish Tutsunah Nintala Telkumah Toltova Tutsunah Nintala , Telkumah Toltoya Ting'um yuk. Ooksuktuk. Duck Ptarmigan Takho Okuziguk. Toltova Mosquito Money Kleh Klih Muhko khi. Tencha Kho Koh Medoya Koh Khot. Ohsh Osh..'. Tun'g'yuk. Onguk" 'Nchoh Nutsoghur Kitvoza M'kulla N'koh Small 'Ntsutla None Kallah M'kulla Peetuk. Plenty Bokhulan T'sahluh Neeloht Yaksikhtuk. Likhkuta Ooguksi khtuk. Tree Naput. Laugh (to) /(Coward) Cry (to) \Atsik Honalikah Nelukut Okhtle'seh Sorry (to be) .. Frightened Sew (to) Sleep Kuluh Kanukuk. Alingu 5661 03 37 284 Comparative vocabulary of Ingalik and Eskimo tribes — Continued. Stock Ingalik Eskimo. Family Dall River Tanana Nulato .. Egomutes. Sick or to be in pain. Strong Weak Abah N'utl Amahlan Amah N'kkl...! Ohnikhtuk. T'huk. N'utl kallav Good Nazun 'Tzoinklakah Neh See j Nazun Nazun Bad Tazokunioza Tzutklakahulan Ikhlwit. Me Sih Sih Flour Klatz Butter Mastlah Tea Chia Tobacco Where Takwina Hoti Tabah Takuna Hoti Taghwuk. Who What say What for Totenni Jennvun Tohtenni ,... Oh ho .... Ah Hoh N'tyahoh No Wuh lah NutlokaL. Perhaps Same (the) Wilhay Klaw ut zun Ohni Leetoh Anay Bassay So oht 'Rulhay Kuvthluku kantah . Ohni .... Teetoh ; Anee ' Suwatsuh tus sin- tun. i So oht 'Rulhay Ohni Sit down Seetoh Go awav Anee Ayee. Thank you Marsee So oht Speseeba. Nuhlikuh. My girl So chahah i My boy My sweetheart i Conversational phrases in the dialect of the Dall River Indians. Are you hungry? Ma amkat? I will give you something. 'Nklaw je tekl' chekl'. Are you sick? Hokleet abah in lanni? W r here is the pain? Antanay abah in Ian ? I want to see you. 'Nklansik aht. Come to my house. Ohni sek leetoh. Come again. Chukwotk wotin neh dohsh. It will be warm by and by. Klak kwi tinohl chin. Do you like me? See kat dah intah hay? I like you. Nuh kat'stah. I think so. Kuhn' Tah. How many days? Tohkwena nut at enzin? How much? 'Ntahts ah kukah? What have you got? Jenay aytai? What do you want? Jenay kat aintah? Let me see. Nohtl'anay. Do you understand? Huitl' entenay? Hurry up. 'Ntuhwuh. Take off your hat. Nohtsuk tintohsh. Take off your coat. Nochay lilyah. Sit in the other room. Yu chut an yucht leetoh. Come back. Sonen neh doscn. I am going to my house. Kwotan notez dohlt. Are you afraid? Nayn le chetay? Give me your hand. 'Nlo nehtah. Give (it) to me. 'Ntah. That is nothing. (Of no consequence.) Sy lah. That is not true. Kwuhnzait. Take it. Inl'chuyit. 285 APPENDIX E. Special ration issued to the crew of the Xunivak. The following is a list of the component parts of 5,082 rations furnished for the subsistence of the crew of the Xunivak while on the Yukon River station for the year ending June 30, 1901. In addition to the articles enumerated, fresh moose meat and fresh fish were issued to the men from time to time, when these articles could be obtained, in lieu of the salt portion of the ration. Salt beef pounds.. 1,050 Salt pork do 784 Salt fish do 750 Roast mutton, canned do 544 Corned beef, canned do 788 Roast beef, canned do 704 Sausage, canned do 544 Ham do 615 Bacon do 550 Flour do. ... 4, 350 Apples, evaporated do 450 Peaches, evaporated do 450 Cranberries, canned do 450 Raisins do 175 Beans do 650 Peas, split do 150 Soups, canned do 500 Potatoes, evaporated do 260 Potatoes, fresh do 4, 480 Tomatoes, canned do 1, 150 Sauerkraut do 700 Biscuit, ship's pounds. . 500 Rice do 450 Rolled oats do 350 Corn meal do 375 Sugar, granulated do 1, 400 Coffee do 275 Tea do. ... 40 Cocoa do 30 Butter do 650 Condensed milk do 400 Cheese do 250 Lard do... 275 Baking powder do 65 Salt do.... 100 Pepper do 10 Mustard do 20 Pickles do.... 350 Vinegar gallons. . 20 Molasses do 40 Onions, fresh pounds. . 600 Tobacco .do 250 Note. — All perishable articles, such as biscuits, cereals, butter, cheese, etc., were packed in hermetically sealed cans of convenient size for use. The ham and bacon were packed in salt; the sauerkraut and pickles were in wood containers and kept in warm storage during the winter. The rest of the supplies, including the fresh potatoes, were allowed to freeze, and were thawed out as required. APPENDIX F. BIRDS OF THE YUKON RIVER. podicipid.e (Grebes). 1. Colymbus holboellii Holboell's Grebe. 2. Colymbus auritus Horned Grebe. gaviid.e (Loons). 3. Gavia imber Loon. 4. Gavia adamsii Yellow-billed Loon. 5. Gavia lumme Red-throated Loon. LARID.E (Gulls). 6. Stercorarius pomarinus Pomarine Jaeger. 7. Larus glaucus Glaucous Gull. 8. Larus glaucescens Glaucous- winged Gull. 9. Larus Philadelphia Bonaparte's Gull. 10. Sterna paradissea Arctic Tern. axatid^e (Ducks, geese, and swans). 11. Merganser serrator Red-breasted Merganser. 12. Anas boschas Mallard. 13. Mareca Americana Baldpate. 286 14. Nettion carolinensis Green- winged Teal. 15. Querquedula discors Blue-winged Teal. 16. Dafila acuta Pintail. 17. Clangula clangula Golden-eye. 18. Charitonetta albeola Bnffle-head. 19. Harelda hyemalis Old Squaw. 20. Histrionicus histrionicus Harlequin Duck. 21. Arctometta fischeri Spectacled Eider. 22. Chen hyperborea (?) White Brant. 23. Anser albif rons White-fronted Goose. 24. Branta canadensis Canada Goose. 25. Branta nigricans Black Brant. 26. Philacte canagica Emperor Goose. 27. Olor columbianus Whistling Swan. gritid^: (Cranes). 28. Grus mexicana (?) Sandhill Crane. 29. Grus canadensis Little Brown Crane. phalaropodid.e (Phalaropes). 30. Crymophilus fulicarius Red Phalarope. 31. Phalaropus lobatus Northern Phalarope. scolopacid^e (Snipe). 32. Gallinago delicata Wilsons Snipe. 33. Macrorhamphus scolopaceus Long-billed Dowitcher. 34. Tringa canutus Knot. 35. Tringa maculata Pectora Sanpiper. 36. Tringa minutilla Least Sandpiper. 37. Limosa hseraastica Budsonian Godwit. 38. Totanus fiavipes Yellow-legs. 39. Helodromas solitarius Solitary Sandpiper. 40. Actitis macularia Spotted Sandpiper. 41. Numenius hudsonicus Hudsonian Curlew. CHARADRIIDJE (Plovers). 42. Squatarola squatarola Black-bellied Plover. 43. Charadrius dominicus Golden Plover. 44. Aegialitis semipalmata Semipalmated Plover. aphrizid.e (Surf birds and turnstones) . 45. Arenaria interpres Turnstone. tetraonid^e (Grouse, partridges, etc.). 46. Canachites canadensis Canada Partridge. 47. Bonasa umbellus Ruffed Grouse. 48. Lagopus lagopus Willow Ptarmigan. 49. Pedioecetes phasianellus Sharp-tailed Grouse. FALCONID.E (Hawks, etc.). 50. Circus hudsonsius Marsh Hawk. 51. Accipiter atricapillus Goshawk. 52. Falco rusticolus Gyrfalcon. 53. Falco columbarus Pigeon Hawk. 287 buboxid.e (Horned owls, etc.). 54. Asio accipitrinus Short-eared Owl. 55. Scotiaptex cinerea Great Gray Owl. 56. Xyctea nyctea Snowy Owl. 57. Surnia ulula Hawk Owl. alcedixid.£ ( Kingfishers) . 58. Ceryle alcyon Belted Kingfisher. picid.e ( Woodpeckers) . 59. Dryobates pubescens Downy Woodpecker. 60. Picoides americanus American three-toed Woodpecker. 61 . Colaptes auratus Flicker. TYRAXxiD.fi (Tyrant flycatchers). 62. Contopus borealis Olive-side Flycatcher. coRViD.fi (Crows, jays, magpies, etc. ) . 63. Perisoreus canadensis Canada Jay. 64. Corvus corax Raven. icterid.e (Blackbirds, orioles, etc.). 65. Scolecophagus carol inus Rusty Blackbird. FRixGiLLiD.fi (Finches, sparrows, etc.). 66. Pinicola enucleator Pine Grosbeak. 67. Acanthus hornemannii Hornemann's Redpoll. 68. Acanthus linaria Redpoll. 69. Passerina nivalis Snowflake. 70. Calcarius laponicus Lapland Longspur. 71. Ammodramus sandwichensis Sandwich Sparrow. 72. Zonotrichia leucophrys White-crowned Sparrow. 73. Zonotrichia coronata Golden-crowned Sparrow. 74. Spizella monticola Tree Sparrow. 75. Passerella iliaca Fox Sparrow. 76. Junco hyemalis Slate-colored Sparrow. HIRUNDIXID.fi (Swallows). 77. Petroclelidon lunifrons Cliff Swallow. 78. Hirunde erythrogaster Barn Swallow. 79. Tachycineta bicolor Tree Swallow. 80. Tachycineta thalassina Violet-green Swallow. 81. Clivicola riparia Bank Swallow. ampelid.e (Waxwings, etc.). 82. Ampelis garrulus Bohemian Wax wing. laxiid.e (Shrikes). 83. Lanius borealis Northern Shrike. 288 mniotiltidje ( Wood Warblers). 84. Helminthophila celata Orange-crowned Warbler. 85. Dendroica sestiva Yellow Warbler. 86. Dendroica coronata Myrtle Warbler. 87. Dendroica striata Black-polled Warbler. 88. Seiurus noveboracensis Water Thrush. 89. Wilsonia pusilla Wilson's Warbler. motacillid^: (Wagtails). 90. Anthus pensilvanicus American Pipit. parid^: (Nuthatches and Tits). 91. Parus cinctus Siberian Chickadee. 92. Parus hudsonicus Hudsonian Chickadee. turdid.e (Thrushes, Solitaires, Stonechats). 93. Hylocichla aliciee The Gray-cheeked Thrush. 94. Hylocichla ustulata Russet-backed Thrush. 95. Merula migratoria American Robin. 96. Hesporocichla nsevia Varied Thrush. List of mammalia of the Yukon River region. CAKXIVORA. FELID.E. Felis canadensis Canada Lynx. CAXAD.E. Canis familiaris var. borealis Eskimo Dog. C. lupus Gray Wolf. C. lupus var. occidentalis Timber Wolf. Vulpes fulvus Red Fox. V. fulvus var. decussatus Cross Fox. V. fulvus var. argentatus Silver-gray Fox. V. lagopus Arctic Fox. MUSTELIDiE Mustela americana Marten. Putorius vison Mink. P. pusillus Least Weasel. P. erminea Ermine. Gulo luscus Wolverine. Lutra canadensis Otter. URSID.E. Ursus Richardsonii Barren Ground Bear. XJ. americana Black Bear. U. americana var. (?) White-faced Black Bear RODENTIA. SCIURIDiE. Seiurus hudsonicus Red Squirrel. S. niger Black Squirrel. 289 Castor fiber Beaver. Arctomys pruinosus Marmot. Fiber zibethicus Muskrat. MURID.E. Hesperomys leucopus White-footed Mouse. Arvicola gapperi Red-backed Mouse. A. rubricatus Western field Mouse. Myodes hudsonicus Hudson's Lemming. HYSTRICID^E. Erithzon dorsatus epixanthus Porcupine. LEPORID,E. Lepus timidus Arctic Hare. L. Campestris Polar Rabbit. UNGULATA. cervid^:. Alces machlis Moose. Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus Reindeer CAVICORNIA. Ovis montana Mountain Sheep. INSECTIVORA. SORICIDiE. Sorex pachypus W T hite-sided Shrew. S. Cooperi Tiny Shrew. List of fishes of the Yukon River. SALMONIDiE. Oncorhynchus tschawytscha King Salmon. 0. kisutch Silver Salmon. O. gorbuscha Humpback Salmon. O. nerka Blue-back Salmon. 0. keta Dog Salmon. Coregonus quadrilateralis Round White-fish. C. Nelsonii Humpbacked White-fish. C. kennicotti Broad White-fish. Argyrosomus pusillus Small White-fish. Salvelinus malma Red-spotted Trout. Thymallus signifer American Grayling. ESOCID^E. Esox lucius «. Pike. LOTA. Lota maculosa ,... Burbot or "Losh." 290 List of plants. [Note.— The following plants were collected by the author, and have been identified by Miss Alice Eastwood, Curator of Botany in the California Academy of Science. Owing to our absence from the river region during the months of July and August of each year, the list of indigenous plants is only partially complete. 1 Phegopteris Dryopteris, Fee Saxifraga Hirculus, L. Sitamon jubatum, J. G. Smith Poa pratensis, L. Equisetum pratense, Ehrh Potentilla. Erigeron Potentilla anserina, L. Solidago Papaver alpinum, L. Geum triflorum, Pursh Echinospernum Redowskii, Lehm. Sanguisorba Asphidium fragrans, Swartz. Beckmania crucaeformis, Hort Gentiana propinqua, Rich. Chrysanthemum bipinnatum, L Lupinus. Spiranthes Parnassia palustris, L. Bupleurum Dracocephalum parviflorum, Nutt. Galium Potentilla f ruticosa, L. Galium boreale, L Achillea millefolium, L. Epilobium spicatum, Lam Mertensia paniculata, Don. Aconitum delphinifolium, D. C Hedysarum auriculatum, Eastwood. Iris setosa, Pall Arnica. Carex mertinsii, Prese Zygadenus elegans, Pursh. Poa arctica, R. Br Hedysarum Mackensii, Rich. Juncus stygius, L Arnica alpina, Olin. Rubus arcticus, L Aster. Nasturtium palustre, L Empetrum nigrum. Myosotis Palustic, Hoff. List of fossils. PROBOSCIDEA. ELEPHANTID.E. Elephas primigenius Mammoth. Mastodon giganteus Mastodon. Note. — Some confusion seems to exist among naturalists as to the exact differen- tiation between the two species of Elephantidse above noted, but a comparison of the fossil remains of the two animals which are common throughout Alaska would seem to prove that both species were at one time inhabitants of the region. UNGULATA. CAVICORNIA. Bos crassicornus Ox. Note. — The fossil remains of several species of Cavicornia have been reported as having been discovered in various parts of Alaska. The skull and horns of the specimen above noted were discovered in one of the placer mining claims on Little Minook Creek during the winter of 1900 at a depth of 45 feet below the surface, and when examined by the author was in an excellent state of preservation. There is little doubt as to its proper identification. 291 MOLLUSC A. 1. Trigonia leana. 5. Ostra?, sp. 2. Chione varians. 6. Octaeonella oviformis. 3. Mactra ashbumeri. 7. Cucullsea truncata. 4. Honioniya concentrica. Xote. — The above fossils were collected at a point on the right bank of the Yukon River, a short distance above Xulato. They have been identified by Prof. F. M. Anderson, of the University of California, as belonging to the Upper Cretaceous (Chico) fossils, and are chiefly interesting from the fact that the Chico fauna of Alaska has not yet become known to geological science, and this serves to illustrate its similarity to that of Oregon and California. METEOROLOGICAL RECORD. The state of the weather is indicated by the following letters (Beauforts notation): b Blue sky. c Clouds (detached). d Drizzling rain. f Foggy. g Gloom v. h Hail. 1 Lightning, m Misty. o Overcast. p Passing showers, q Squally, r Rain. s Snow, t Thunder. u Ugly (threatening) appearances, v Visibilitv. w Wet (dew.) z Hazv. Record of the weather kept on board the C >'. >'. Xuirivat, Yukon River, Alaska. SEPTEMBER. 1899. [Astronomical time used.] Date. Place. •Jh. 4b. Rampart City 65° 32' X.. 150° WW... do 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W 66° 00' X., 149° 15' W do do Rampart City do * do do do do do do do do do Coal mine 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W do do Between coal mine and Dall River. . . Dall River 66° OO 7 X., 149° 15' W.... do be be be be be be be be c be be be o be be be k P b c be be OS osd be OS be be be be o be o OS be be Sh. Bh. be be be o be be be be o be be o be be be p o OS OS be OS be be be o o s be o OS be b be be lOh. 12h. be o c be be be be be be be be be o o be o be be op o o s OS 1 osp be o be o oc be of be b b be be be be oc o o be o be be be o o OS 1 OS be be o OS o of be b b I be be be b o c o o be be c r be be o o OS c o s be be o OS OS o be b b 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. o c be be be be b oc o o be be cp o o o oh o c OS be be be OS OS of be b b o c be bef bef be be be be o o o be be cp cp op o oh o c O 8 be be be be OS OS of be b b oc be o be be o o o rf be cp o op OS o be c OS be be be OS OS fr be b b be be bef be be or o bef dc or be oc f be k CP bep be OS OS o o OS be be be OS o f be b be o r be be oc o be oc bf be o r be be OS OS o OS o be be be be be o c pr be b b be be be be or be be be o r be o c be be or be be o OS be OS OS be be be be be or o m be be b 292 Record of the weather kept on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Cont'd. OCTOBER, 1899. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. b be be be o c o c o s o s be o o o o s OS OS o OS b be be be be be be be be o o s o s be be b b o be be be o be o o OS OS o s o s be be be b OS s o o o b b b b be be be be o o o OS OS o s o s o c o c s o s OS O S s o s OS O S o s o o be be b be be .0 be b OS be o s o s be be o OS o b b s o s o s 12h. 16h. 18h. o o c be o o s o s s b o 20h. 22h. be o b c s b cs s o s s o s be be be be be be be be be be o s o s o be o s o s be be OS OS s be be bf bf o be be O S s O S o s o o s of be be be be be bef bef be be o S o s 24h. Dall River. do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do. do do do do do o c be o OS be be be be o b be o s be o s o s b be o o c o c o s o s be be be OS be o OS be o o s o o s b be be o s b o o o o s b o o b be o o s o s o s o o be be be o o b o s o o o o s be be be be be o o o o s b o be of be o o o o s o o be be be o o s b o s o be be be o be o s o b o be o o o be o o s o o be be be o o bz o o be o s be o o o s o be o b o o o b c s o s o s o o be o be o o bz o s o be o s o s be be be be be o be o s be o s o be bef o s be be o s o s o o be o s be o be be o s NOVEMBER, 1899. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. ....do ....do 4 do 5 do ..do ..do ..do ..do 10 I do 11 do 12 do 13 do 14 do 15 do 16 do 17 do 18 do 19 do 20 do 21 I do 22 do 23 i do 24 do 25 do 26 do 27 do ..do ..do 30 do o s s s OS OS o be be be o s be be be b b b b be be be be be be b b be b b b b b be o o be b b b b be b be be be b b b b b b be b be be b b b b b b b be be be be be b b b b o be o be o s OS be be bes bes be be b b b b b b b be b b b be b b b b b b b b b be bf bf bf bf bf b b z z be be be be be be be b be be be be b b b b b b b b b b be be b b b b b b b b b bcz bcz bz be be b b bz bz bcz bcz be o o o o o c o c o c oc be be o e o c c be be be o o be be be be be c o o o o s o c o s bes OS o s o c c c c o c o s oc oc oc be be be be be ocs ocs ocs bos o s o s o be be be o c ocs o s be oc o c OS OS o s o s o c o o be be be be o c o c be be be be o c o o o b be be be be be be o o s o s be be be b c o o s o s s s OS o s OS o o o o o be be be be be o s o oc OS OS bes bes bes bes be be be be 1) c s be be be be be be b b be be be be be be be be be bes be b be be b bcz be be o be o o s ocs OS be OS o OS OS OS bes bz OF TH£ 293 Record of the weather kept on board the U. S. S. Xunivak, Yukon Eiver, Alaska — Cont'd. DECEMBER, 1899. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h Fort Shoemaker, Dall River. Alaska, be do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do be be o s o s be be o c s o be be o s OS OS o o o s o be OS be be b be be be be o o be | be be be be o s OS be o c o s o b b o s o s OS , be | be I be bz I b OS be b b be be be be be b cs be be b o c be o s OS be be o o b b be OS o b be b bz b b c s b b b b be b b be be b b be b o c o c o s be s b e s be bes be be o s o o o b be be be be b o o c be be be be be be be be bz o s be be b o b b b b b b b b bo b b b c z b b b be b b b b b b o c OS o o s be be o OS OS be b o c be be be o be be o b b b b b b be b be be b b be OS o be be oc o o s o be b o c be be o be o s be o s bz b b b b b be be be o b 16h. b be OS o b be o o o s o b be oc be be o be o s be be b b b be b be be be b be b 18h. 20h. 22h. b be be b be be s o s o s o s o s be be be be be be o o OS o o O o s o s OS be be be be o o c be be c be be be oc o be c o c o be be be be be OS be o be be be be o o b be be b be be b b b b be be b be be be be be b c s be oc s o OS bes be be be be be be b b b 24h. be be OS OS be be OS o be be o OS be o be o s be be be be be b c z be be be be oc be be be b JANUARY, 1900. 1 Fort Shoemaker. Dall River, Alaska 2 do 3 do 4 I do 5 do 6 I do 7 do 8 do 9 do 10 do 11 do 12 do 13 do 14 do 15 do 16 do 17 do 18 do 19 do 20 do 21 .....do 22 do 23 do 24 do 25 do 26 do 27 do 28 do 29 do 30 do 31 do be o o be be b b b b be o o c b b b be be b be be be be be be o s o s OS o s be be be be bz bz bz bz bz bf be be bz be be bz b c z b c z bz be be bz be be be be be be o s o s o s be be be o s o o o s o s be be be be be bz bz b be b o s o s OS OS o s bes' OS s OS be be be be be b c z o b b be b b be b o s be be b bz bz bz bz bz be be o s be o be be bz b o s o o s be o o o o be be be be b b b b be be be b be be be be bz bz b b bes be b b b b b be bz b bz b b be be b c z b b b b b bz bz b b b b be bes o s OS o s bes OS o bes be be be be be o c o c be be b b be be be bz bz bz b b be be bz bz bz bz bz b c z b c z bz bz b b bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz bz b b c z b c z bz bz b bz bz bz be z b b bz bz bz be b c z OS OS OS OS o s o o s OS o be be o c o bes o o be be be be b c o o s OS o s o o OS 1 be be be be be be be b be be b b be b b b b b bz be b b b o o OS OS o be be o o o O be o be be O o o be be be be be be be be be be be be be o o o b c z be of of be b oz be bz be b ocs bes be b bz b c z bz bz b c z b cz b cz OS bes OS OS be be be OS o OS be be of 294 Record of the weather kept on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Cont'd. FEBRUARY, 1900. Date. Place. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do . . . .do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do 2h. 4h. oc o c be be be be o s be be o s o s be be b C 8 be be be be OS OS o be O c b b b be b b be be be b b b b be o s OS be be be be b b b b b b b b 6h. o be b o s be o s be be o be be o s o o b bz b be b b be o s be be b b b b 8h. \ lOh. 12h. 14h. b be ; b o s be o be o be o o OS o o b bz b be b b be be be b b b b b be b b be be o be o s i be be be o s b c be b b b be b b b o be b b b b b be b b c be o be o be be be O 8 be be b b b be b b b be bz b b b b b bz b o o s be o be o s be be o o s c b bz b b b b b b be bz b b b b b 16h. 18h. be b o s be o be be o s be be o s o c c b b c z b b b b b b be bz b b b b b b b OS be o z be be be be o o o c c b o b be b b b be be be b b b be b 20h. bef b o s be o be be be be o o s o o be of be be be be z be z bs be be be b bz be b 22h. be be OS be o be be be o c b cs OS o s be bz bef be be b b b o be be be b b b b MARCH, 1900. M 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 81 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do. ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....a ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do b b b b b b b be o c be be b b be b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b be be be bz b b b b b be b b b be be be be be b b b be b b b bz b b b b b bef bz b b b b b b bf bf bf bf bf b b b bz b b b b b bz bz b be b be be b b b b b b b b b b b • b b b b bf b b b b bz bz b b b b bz bz be be be be be be be be be o c OS o s o s o o o be be be be be be be o c o c be be be be be be be be o c o c be be be be be be be be be b c p be be be be b be be be be be b be b c z be be b b bz b b b b b be be be be o o be bz b be be be be b be be be be be be be be be o be be be be be be o s f 1) s be be be be be be be be be be b b be be be be be be be OS OS O 8 o o o be o o be be o s OS O S be be be be be be be be be o s O B o s oc o s o OS o OS o s o s o c o s OS OS o o s be be be be be be be be be be o s be be be be be be be be o o s b c s o s o s o o be be be o s s be o c o o s b c s o s OS o o s OS 295 Record of the weather kept on hoard the U. & S. Xunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Cont'd. APRIL, 1900. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Da 11 River, Alaska . do OS o s be be b c s • o s be be be be be be be be be be be be be o be be be be be be o be be OS OS be be o s OS be be be be be be be be be be be be be o be bp s be be be b cs o be be o s be be o s o s b be be be be o c be o c o be be be be o o o bs be be b cm b c p be o be be s be be o o s b be b be be oc be oc be be be be ops o o o b c s b c be be be be be be OS b o s OS OS b be b be be o c b be o be om be be o o o o o s b c be be be OS b be o S b o s OS b be b be b o c b o o r be o s b o o be o o be b be be o b o o s b o s be OS be be z b be b o c be o m OS be o s be o o be be o be b be or o b o be OS OS o s be be b be be o c be o r o o o be o o o be be be be be o b c s b o o be o s o s OS be oc b be be be be be o s be o be be o be be be be be be oq b o be b c s o s o s be be oc be be b be be be o s be be be be be OS be be be be be o be be b o s be be o s OS be be o c be be be be be be o be be be be be o s be be be be be be be o b OS be 3 do be 4 do 5 ....do 6 do be 7 do be 8 9 10 11 do do do do be be be be 12 do be 13 ...do be 14 do be 15 do o 16 do be 17 do be 18 do o c 19 do be 20 do b c 21 do o 22 do be 23 ....do be 24 do b c 25 do be 26 do be 27 ...do ... be 28 ...do be 29 do o c 30 do be MAY, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska . .....Tio do do do , do do do do do .....do do do do do do do... do do do do .....do do do do S-65°55'X.,149°18'W. ^65°40 , X.,149°55 , W. be be be be b b b o o o o OS o o o be bep be be o be o be be be o OS OS bcr be be be be be be be be be be b b b b be be be be be be be o c be be be be be be be be be be be be o r or o be be be be b cz or or be be be o c oc o c oc oc be be be b be be be be be be be be be be be be be be be ! be be be be be be be | be be be be og og og og ; o o be be be be be be J be be be b c o r OS o be be opr be be be O be be be be be be be be be be be be be be be be be be b c b c be be be be i be be be be be bcr be o c be be be be o o be be be be o o o om be be be be be be be be be be be be be o r o r or or be bcr or op op o be o opt be o o r op be be be o r or be be be of of of or be be be be be be o L bc be be be be be be be o o of OS be be be o c be be be be be be b c OS o be be bep o s be be be o sp o o of be be og og b c be b be o c o be be be be oc og be OS be be be be OS be o be be o o be be be OS og be be be b be o s o o be be be og be o be be be be o s be o be be be o e be be be OS o be be be be be be be o b o be og I s be o be be be be os o be beq b c be o r be bcr be '296 ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURES. Readings of the aneroid barometer on board the U. S. S. jYunivak, Yukon River, Alaska. SEPTEMBER, 1899. [Astronomical time used — 29+ inches.] Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 \ Rampart City, 65° J 32' N., 150° 10' W.. fl.20 i .95 1.12 1.10 1.10 1.08 1.05 1.03 1.01 1.00 1.00 0.99 0.98 2 .93 .90 .89 .90 .89 .88 .86 .86 .86 .84 .80 3 .....do .75 .71 .67 .67 .65 .64 .65 .64 .62 .60 .56 .53 4 65° 40' N., 149° 55'W -47 .43 .40 .37 .37 .36 .35 .33 .32 .32 .29 .29 5 66° N., 149° 15' W... .30 .29 .29 .32 .36 .38 .40 .45 .48 .50 .51 .55 6 do .65 .57 .60 .62 .66 .67 .67 .67 .70 .68 .68 .63 7 Rampart Citv .59 .50 .49 .44 .42 .40 .41 .38 .36 .36 .35 .33 8 do .29 .26 .26 .27 .30 .31 .33 .34 .34 .33 .33 .31 9 do .27 .25 .25 .25 .26 .30 .34 .36 .40 .45 .48 .50 10 do .54 .56 .59 .63 .66 .70 .75 .76 .78 .80 .82 .84 11 do .83 .81 .78 .78 .80 .80 .78 .78 .73 .74 .67 .60 12 do .51 .43 .38 .35 .33 .36 .35 .36 .36 .37 .37 .37 13 do .36 .38 .38 .40 .44 .48 .52 .54 .57 .57 .57 .60 14 do .67 .70 .81 .86 .91 .95 .93 .93 .88 .87 .87 .91 15 do .88 .83 .83 .82 .80 .83 .75 .75 .75 .77 .78 .80 16 do .81 .79 .80 .80 .78 .76 .74 .70 .74 .74 .73 .73 17 do .74 .74 .74 .72 .73 .74 .73 .72 .70 .68 .66 .65 18 Coal Mine, 65° 40' N., 149° 55'W.... do .66 .67 .69 .70 .75 .80 .81 .81 .86 .89 .91 .93 19 .93 .92 .92 .92 .90 .89 .87 .83 .76 .69 .60 .52 20 do .45 .39 .34 .31 .29 .30 .32 .33 .40 .43 .47 .48 21 do .54 .51 .57 .58 .61 .66 .70 .71 .74 .74 .73 .74 22 \Dall River, 66° N., J 149° 15' W t .74 \ .61 .72 .71 .70 .67 .66 .64 .63 .62 .62 .62 .61 23 .63 .64 .66 .68 .69 .66 .75 .76 .76 .75 .74 24 .....do .71 .71 .68 .67 .67 .68 .67 .67 .68 .69 .69 .69 25 do... .66 .68 .69 .68 .68 .68 .69 .71 .69 .67 .67 .67 26 do... .64 .63 .60 .59 .59 .57 .58 .58 .55 .53 .53 .52 27 do... .51 .46 .44 .41 .38 .34 .34 .34 .32 .29 .33 .38 28 do... .39 .45 .42 .46 .48 .52 .58 .60 .70 .78 .82 .87 29 do... .94 .99 1.04 1.10 1.16 1.18 1.23 1.24 1.26 1.26 1.25 1.24 30 do... 1.21 1.18 1.16 1.12 1.11 1.10 1.09 1.08 1.04 1.04 1.02 .98 OCTOBER, 1899. 1 Dall River 0.92 0.89 0.87 0.83 0.83 0.82 0.79 0.79 0.77 0.74 0.72 0.70 2 do .68 .66 .64 .62 .62 .62 .64 .64 .66 .67 .63 .62 3 do .61 .59 .60 .60 .60 .60 .57 .54 .53 .49 .44 .36 4 do .26 .18 .20 -.01 -.05 -.07 -.10 -.10 -.11 -.11 -.07 -.04 5 do .00 .02 .08 .15 .16 .22 .30 .32 .37 .40 .44 .49 6 do .50 .52 .54 .56 .64 .67 .70 .72 .72 .72 .72 .73 7 do .71 .75 .77 .80 .87 .90 .93 .92 .96 .96 .99 .99 8 do 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.05 1.04 1.02 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.07 1.10 1.12 9 do 1.16 1.20 1.26 1.28 1.33 1.40 1.39 1.40 1.40 1.41 1.39 1.38 10 do 1.32 1.29 1.28 1.24 1.21 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.18 1.16 1.16 1.15 11 do 1.14 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.10 1.06 1.03 1.00 .98 .98 .94 12 do .84 .78 .75 .71 .66 .63 .60 .58 .55 .53 .54 .56 13 do .59 .62 .63 .72 .78 .77 .84 .88 .90 .89 .89 .88 14 do .86 .84 .83 .84 .84 .80 .72 .75 .73 .72 .70 .68 15 do .68 .67 .68 .68 .69 .72 .74 .75 .76 .78 .80 .83 16 do .84 .86 .88 .89 .90 .92 .87 .91 .92 .94 .95 .96 17 do .97 .97 .98 1.00 1.03 1.05 1.09 1.10 1.12 1.15 1.17 1.17 18 do 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.16 1.16 1.16 1.15 1.13 1.12 1.10 1.08 1.04 19 do 1.00 .96 .93 .93 .90 .90 .90 .90 .86 .81 .80 .78 20 do .74 .75 .71 .70 .70 .66 .65 .65 .66 .69 .69 .70 21 do .70 .70 .73 .75 .76 .76 .78 .76 .77 .77 .77 .75 22 do .74 .74 .74 .74 .73 .72 .70 .71 .71 .70 .69 .68 23 do .66 .65 .64 .63 .63 .62 .60 .59 .58 .58 .57 .58 24 do .58 .56 .56 .55 .55 .55 .54 .50 .47 .45 .41 .40 25 do .37 .34 .32 .31 .30 .30 .32 .29 .26 .22 .22 .19 26 do .16 .14 .10 .09 .08 .07 .07 .06 .06 .06 .07 .09 27 dc .11 .12 .14 .17 .18 .19 .20 .22 .22 .23 .23 .23 28 do .21 .18 .14 .14 .12 .10 .10 .10 .10 .10 .10 .10 29 do .09 .06 .05 .02 .04 .06 .06 .10 .12 .16 .17 .19 30 do .22 .25 .32 .41 .45 .51 .52 .53 .56 .56 .54 .52 31 do .51 .50 .31 .50 .50 .50 .48 .44 .44 .44 .46 .48 297 Readings of the aneroid barometer on board the V. 8. S. Nunivak, Yukon River. Alaska — Continued. NOVEMBER, 1899. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 Fort Shoemaker, DallRiver, Alaska 0.47 0.49 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.52 0.50 0.48 0.40 0.43 0.41 0.40 2 do .38 .40 .42 .46 .50 .55 .55 .56 .58 .62 .67 .66 3 do .73 .78 .85 .90 .94 .98 1.02 1.04 1.10 1.10 1.13 1.15 4 do 1.16 1.16 1.18 1.18 1.17 1.18 1.14 1.10 1.12 1.12 1.10 1.10 5 do 1.07 1.05 1.02 1.01 1.00 .98 .98 .94 .92 .91 .88 .88 6 do .86 .84 .83 .82 .80 .81 .81 .82 .82 .84 .86 .88 7 do .88 .87 .88 .90 .92 .93 .94 .96 .96 .97 .98 .99 8 do 1.00 1.04 1.06 1.09 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.17 1.18 1.18 1.22 9 do 1.20 1.20 1.20 1.16 1.18 1.15 1.16 1.11 1.18 1.08 1.05 1.06 10 do 1.05 1.03 1.02 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.02 1.09 .99 .99 .99 .99 11 do .98 .96 .96 .97 .96 .96 .97 .96 .97 .97 .97 .98 12 do .98 .98 .98 .98 .99 .99 .98 .93 .93 .83 .84 .80 13 do .77 .74 .74 .70 .70 .70 .70 .70 .67 .67 .67 .65 14 do .64 .60 .58 .57 .57 .54 .50 .46 .46 .46 .46 .45 15 do .38 .40 .41 .40 .45 .46 .46 .48 .48 .50 .50 .48 16 do .47 .47 .43 .42 .40 .36 .38 .25 .20 .16 .14 .12 17 do .11 .10 .10 .10 .10 .10 .12 .12 .13 .14 .16 .17 18 do .18 .20 .22 .23 .24 .26 .28 .30 .31 .34 .38 .41 19 do .43 .45 .48 .49 .55 .55 .55 .58 .58 .58 .59 .59 20 do .59 .58 .58 .58 .58 .54 .54 .53 .51 .50 .49 .49 21 do .47 .46 .46 .47 .48 .48 .48 .48 .46 .46 .45 .45 22 do .46 .44 .44 .44 .44 .43 .43 .41 .40 .39 .38 .35 23 do .32 .29 .26 .25 .24 .24 .24 .26 .30 .32 .38 .44 24 do .47 .50 .53 .58 .60 .61 .60 .58 .56 .54 .53 .50 25 do .47 .46 .43 .42 .41 .40 .38 .33 .32 .31 .29 .28 26 do .28 .24 .25 .25 .25 .26 .26 .24 .26 .26 .26 .26 27 do .26 .26 .27 .26 .26 .26 .27 .27 .27 .30 .33 .38 28 do .38 .39 .42 .43 .45 .48 .48 .44 .44 .45 .45 .45 29 do .46 .46 .46 .47 .47 .47 .47 .47 .48 .48 .48 .50 30 do .51 .52 .54 .56 .58 .61 .62 .62 .62 .64 .66 .67 DECEMBER, 1899. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska 0.68 0.68 0.68 0.68 0.64 0.63 0.56 0.51 0.51 0.52 0.54 0.54 2 do .52 .50 .46 .45 .46 .46 .47 .47 .48 .48 .48 .48 3 do .47 .44 .42 .36 .28 .21 .15 .10 .06 .00 -.04 -.04 4 do -.04 -.05 -.01 .00 .02 .04 .10 .10 .14 .18 .24 .27 5 do .31 .34 .37 .40 .43 .45 .48 .48 .46 .46 .48 .50 6 do .50 .51 .53 .54 .56 .56 .57 .56 .57 .58 .60 .59 7 do .50 .60 .60 .60 .61 .62 .61 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 8 do .60 .59 .61 .61 .63 .84 .66 .67 .68 .72 .74 .74 9 do .74 .73 .74 .74 .74 .74 .74 .74 .74 .76 .80 .82 10 .....do .87 .91 .97 1.00 1.06 1.11 1.18 1.24 1.29 1.31 1.39 1.41 11 do 1.44 1.46 1.48 1.48 1.50 1.51 1.51 1.49 1.48 1.46 1.46 1.48 12 do 1.46 1.50 1.53 1.56 1.60 1.64 1.68 1.69 1.70 1.70 1.70 1.71 13 do 1.68 1.66 1.62 1.60 1.57 1.55 1.53 1.48 1.46 1.42 1.37 1.35 14 do 1.30 1.28 1.26 1.24 1.23 1.23 1.21 1.16 1.14 1.09 1.06 1.05 15 do 1.02 1.01 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.07 1.07 1.04 1.00 .95 .91 .89 16 do... .83 .79 .76 .71 .67 .63 .59 .56 .55 .55 .58 .60 17 do .61 .61 .61 .55 .51 .47 .46 .43 .41 .38 .36 .32 18 do .27 .24 .21 *.19 .18 .17 .15 .15 .16 .16 .17 .20 19 do .18 .19 .20 .20 .19 .20 .20 .20 .16 .16 .14 .12 20 do .17 .16 .14 .03 .01 .03 .03 .06 .08 .12 .19 .25 21 .....do .26 .30 .34 .38 .43 .45 .45 .47 .52 .59 .67 .73 22 do .76 .80 .86 .91 .98 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.06 1.07 1.07 23 do 1.03 1.04 1.04 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.03 1.02 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 24 do 1.00 .99 .99 1.02 1.03 1.08 1.10 1.14 1.18 1.24 1.30 1.37 25 do 1.39 1.41 1.47 1.52 1.56 1.60 1.63 1.68 1.71 1.74 1.78 1.83 26 do 1.85 1.84 1.86 1.88 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.91 1.90 1.90 1.90 1.92 27 do 1.90 1.89 1.85 1.78 1.76 1.72 1.70 1.64 1.62 1.58 1.55 1.50 28 do 1.42 1.33 1.28 1.20 1.13 1.03 .94 .86 .79 .75 .70 .69 29 do .70 .72 .71 .73 .74 .76 .80 .84 .87 .92 1.00 1.04 30 do 1.07 1.12 1.17 1.19 1.26 1.31 1.36 1.39 1.43 1.44 1.50 1.52 31 do 1.53 1.51 1.52 1.52 1.53 1.53 1.52 1.52 1.48 1.48 1.61 1.53 298 Headings of the aneroid barometer on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. JANUARY, 1900. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.53 1.52 1.51 2 do 1.47 1.46 1.44 1.40 1.36 1.34 1.33 1.32 1.29 1.26 1.26 1.22 3 do 1.16 1.16 1.14 1.11 1.09 1.05 1.02 .99 .94 .91 .90 89 4 do .86 .86 .86 .87 .88 .90 .93 .95 .96 .97 1.00 1.01 5 do 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.04 6 do 1.00 1.00 .99 1.00 1.00 .99 .99 .98 .98 .99 1.02 1.03 7 do 1.04 1.06 1.05 1.07 1.07 1.09 1.10 1.08 1.08 1.08 1.07 1.06 8 do 1.00 .99 .97 .91 .87 .82 .78 .73 .67 .64 .62 .60 9 do .60 .60 .59 .62 .63 .63 .66 .68 .68 .72 .75 .75 10 do .77 .77 .77 .77 .76 .78 .79 .80 .80 .80 .81 .81 11 do .82 .81 .79 .79 .77 .76 .73 .76 .76 .76 .78 .80 12 do .81 .83 .86 .86 .86 .88 .88 .89 .89 .90 .90 .89 13 do .89 .90 .89 .93 .94 .96 .96 .99 .99 1.00 1.00 1.01 14 do 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.00 .97 .95 .95 15 do .92 .94 .95 .97 .97 .96 .96 .94 .94 .96 .97 .98 16 do .99 .99 1.00 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 .96 .92 .89 .86 17 do .76 .72 .71 .70 .70 .69 .69 .71 .73 .75 .68 .81 18 do .82 .83 .82 .83 .83 .82 .77 .73 .68 .65 .59 .53 19 do .43 .38 .28 .24 .20 .20 .18 .17 .15 .16 .17 .17 20 do .19 .22 .24 .26 .30 .34 .38 .43 .45 .48 .54 .56 31 do .58 .59 .60 .58 .58 .58 .58 .58 .58 .57 ,57 .59 22 do .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .60 .61 .65 .68 23 do .72 .77 .83 .87 .90 .95 .96 1.03 1.06 1.12 1.10 1.18 24 do 1.21 1.23 1.24 1.26 1.29 1.30 1.32 1.34 1.36 1.38 1.42 1.44 25 do 1.47 1.47 1.48 1.46 1.46 1.46 1.47 1.47 1.46 1.43 1.41 1.40 26 do 1.38 1.34 1.30 1.24 1.26 1.11 1.01 .92 .87 .80 .79 .76 27 do .74 .75 .75 .75 .77 .79 .61 .80 .78 .77 .77 .77 28 do .75 .75 .76 .76 .77 .78 .77 .76 .73 .72 .71 .69 29 do .66 .64 .64 .70 .75 .81 .87 .90 .94 .95 1.00 1.02 30 do 1.01 1.05 1.10 1.11 1.13 1.17 1.19 1.19 1.18 1.18 1.22 1.23 31 do 1.24 1.27 1.29 1.30 1.30 1.34 1.33 1.30 1.30 1.29 1.28 1.26 FEBRUARY, 1900. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska 1.22 1.21 1.20 1.17 1.16 1.15 1.13 1.13 1.11 1.09 1.07 1.08 2 do 1.07 1.07 1.07 1.08 1.08 1.08 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.10 1.10 1.09 3 do 1.06 1.04 1.00 .99 .94 .90 .85 .77 .75 .70 .65 .61 4 do .56 .54 .53 .52 .52 .53 .55 .57 .60 .64 .66 .71 5 do .80 .86 .88 .92 .93 .95 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 6 do .99 .94 .91 .87 .83 .79 .75 .71 .66 .62 .58 .57 7 do .50 .50 .49 .47 .47 .47 .47 .46 .42 .42 .40 .39 8 do .38 .35 .33 .31 .29 .28 .26 .23 .21 .19 .17 .17 9 do .13 .15 .17 .21 .26 .30 .37 .45 .51 .56 .63 .76 10 do .81 .89 .97 1.11 1.15 1.21 1.27 1.29 1.33 1.35 1.40 1.46 11 do 1.53 1.49 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.52 1.55 1.60 1.61 1.60 1.67 1.68 12 do 1.65 1.64 1.63 1.63 1.61 1.61 1.60 1.59 1.57 1.58 1.58 1.56 13 do 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.56 1.56 1.58 1.57 1.58 14 do 1.58 1.58 1.58 1.62 1.64 1.64 1.66 1.66 1.66 1.66 1.66 1.67 15 do 1.64 1.63 1.63 1.66 1.65 1.66 1.68 1.68 1.69 1.72 1.76 1.77 16 do 1.71 1.68 1.66 1.72 1.75 1.76 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.74 17 do 1.72 1.68 1.65 1.65 1/62 1.63 1.60 1.58 1.56 1.54 1.53 1.51 18 do 1.48 1.41 1.36 1.29 1.23 1.14 1.06 .97 .92 .98 .90 .88 19 do .85 .89 .96 1.05 1.11 1.15 1.17 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.24 1.25 20 do 1.24 1.22 1.19 1.16 1.12 1.08 1.04 1.00 .96 .93 .90 .89 21 do .89 .90 .90 .92 .95 .96 .96 .97 .99 .99 1.00 1.03 22 do 1.02 1.00 .99 .96 .93 .89 .88 .83 .79 .76 .73 .69 23 do .65 .43 .62 .61 .60 .60 .61 .61 .63 .63 .69 .71 24 do .73 .75 .78 .81 .83 .86 .89 .90 .91 .91 .92 .93 25 do .91 .89 .84 .82 .81 .83 .84 .84 .86 .87 .88 .89 26 do .88 .86 .86 .86 .87 .88 .88 .89 .91 .96 1.01 1.02 27 do 1.04 1.06 1.11 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.16 1.17 1.19 1.22 1.24 1.29 28 do 1.29 1.29 1.28 1.28 1.25 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.28 299 Readings of the aneroid barometer on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska- Continued. MARCH, 1900. Date. Place. U. 4h. 6h. 8h. 10h. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska 1.27 1.27 1.27 1.24 1.22 1.21 1.17 1.16 1.16 1.20 1.25 1.31 2 do 1,36 1.42 1.44 1.46 1.50 1.55 1.56 1.61 1.66 1.70 1.74 1.76 3 do 1.73 1.78 1.77 1.73 1.74 1.73 1.68 1.65 1.63 1.59 1.56 1.52 4 do 1.45 1.39 1.34 1.36 1.25 1.21 1.18 1.18 1.20 1.17 1.21 1.25 5 do 1.23 1.22 1.20 1.24 1.27 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.34 1.37 1.40 1.49 6 ... .do 1.37 1.34 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.31 1.30 1.30 1.29 1.31 1.32 1.32 7 do 1.32 1.30 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.29 1.28 1.26 1.24 1.22 1.22 8 do 1.16 1.14 1.12 1.11 1.12 1.12 1.08 1.04 1.00 .98 .96 .94 9 do .85 .80 .77 .76 .79 .80 .82 .82 .84 .85 .89 .89 10 .....do .93 .91 .90 .90 .85 .81 .78 .78 .78 .70 .75 .71 11 do .65 .63 .61 .57 .60 .62 .66 .69 .73 .78 .85 .88 12 do .89 .89 .89 .86 .85 .84 .84 .78 .74 .70 .64 .55 13 do .50 .49 .49 .49 .50 .51 .51 .51 .51 .51 .53 .53 14 do .54 .57 .61 .65 .71 .70 .73 .74 .75 .77 .83 .89 15 do .94 .93 .96 .98 .98 .97 .94 .90 .88 .87 .84 .82 16 do .70 .70 .74 .77 .81 .87 .92 .97 1.00 1.05 1.11 1.07 17 do 1.08 1.08 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.16 1.16 1.16 1.16 1.17 1.10 1.09 18 do 1.04 1.02 .98 .99 .97 .93 .90 .87 .84 .83 .80 .77 19 do .75 .73 .70 .68 ,70 .70 .69 .68 .68 .67 .68 .69 20 do .64 .64 .66 .66 .68 .68 .68 .68 .67 .63 .59 .57 21 do .56 .53 .53 .56 .57 .57 .57 .57 .58 .59 .59 .60 22 do .60 .60 .60 .60 .59 .60 .65 .65 .68 .69 .69 .68 23 do .66 .65 .66 .66 .67 .67 .68 .68 .69 .69 .69 .69 24 do .67 .65 .64 .65 69 .72 .74 .74 .74 .74 .74 .74 25 do .71 .70 .73 .74 .76 .78 .80 .81 .83 .84 .85 .85 26 do .84 .85 .86 .86 .88 .89 .89 .90 .90 .92 .92 .94 27 do .92 .92 .92 .94 .96 .97 .98 .98 .98 .99 .97 .97 28 do .92 .88 .88 .88 .86 .86 .86 .84 .84 .85 .84 .82 29 do .80 .79 .79 .82 .84 .84 .85 .85 .85 .86 .86 .87 30 do .86 .83 .84 .85 .85 .85 .82 .80 .78 .78 .76 .75 31 do .70 .68 .64 .62 .60 .54 .52 .49 .48 .45 .42 .38 APRIL, 1900. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.40 0.42 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.41 0.41 2 do .42 .43 .47 .48 .53 .56 .60 .64 .67 .69 .72 .72 3 do .72 .74 .75 .78 .78 .78 .79 .79 .77 .77 .72 .67 4 do .60 .55 .52 .50 .50 .49 .48 .45 .45 .43 .41 .40 5 do .36 .34 .34 .34 .34 .34 .34 .34 .34 .33 .31 .31 6 do .30 .30 .32 .34 .36 .39 .42 .46 .46 .60 .66 .71 7 do .75 .78 .79 .81 .84 .86 .90 .92 .94 .97 .99 1.00 8 do .99 .98 .97 .98 1.00 1.04 1.06 1.10 1.11 1.15 1.17 1.18 9 do 1.17 1.18 1.18 1.25 1.25 1.26 1.26 1.27 1.27 1.28 1.24 1.15 10 do 1.12 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.03 1.03 1.01 1.01 .97 11 do .94 .90 .88 .89 .89 .90 .90 .91 .91 .94 .92 .88 12 do .83 .80 .76 .76 .77 .78 .78 .77 .76 .76 .74 .68 13 do .68 .63 .60 .59 .81 .62 .62 .62 .62 .63 .64 .61 14 do .59 .58 .57 .57 .60 .62 .62 .62 .62 .61 .55 .45 15 do... .42 .34 .28 .21 .17 .17 .16 .16 .17 .17 .17 .18 16 do .18 .17 .18 .19 .21 .23 .25 .26 .26 .30 .31 .82 17 do .33 .35 .38 .42 .46 .50 .56 .60 .61 .65 .63 .63 la do .64 .64 .63 .64 .64 .65 .66 .63 .60 .58 .51 .54 19 do .34 .27 .21 .19 .17 .16 .14 .13 .12 .08 .06 .05 20 .....do .05 .04 .06 .07 .08 .11 .16 .24 .26 .24 .24 .25 21 do .22 .21 .20 .20 .23 .26 .27 .30 .32 .35 .36 .37 22 do .36 .36 .36 .38 .36 .36 .48 .50 .53 .55 .56 .56 23 do .56 .57 .58 .58 .61 .64 .65 .65 .69 .72 .70 .65 24 do .60 .51 .48 .46 .44 .42 .40 .39 .39 .39 .37 .36 25 do .35 .31 .29 .28 .30 .32 .32 .32 .36 .38 .36 .35 26 do .36 .38 .41 .43 .45 .47 .51 .53 .56 .58 .58 .57 27 do .56 .56 .56 .54 .54 .53 .54 .54 .56 .57 .58 .62 28 do .64 .67 .69 .74 .78 .81 .83 .89 .91 .95 .96 1.00 29 do 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.07 1,10 1.14 1.17 1.20 1.22 1.26 1.29 1.31 30 do 1.31 1.31 1.34 1.36 1.36 1.36 1.36 1.34 1.32 1.26 1.21 1.15 5661—03- -38 300 Headings of the aneroid barometer on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska- Continued. MAY, 1900. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 Fort Shoemaker, DallRiver, Alaska 1.10 1.03 0.97 0.92 0.84- 0.80 0.73 0.67 0.62 0.57 0.55 0.53 2 do .52 .50 .49 .52 .53 .54 .56 .56 .55 .57 .58 .58 3 do .58 .57 .56 .56 .56 .56 .56 .56 .56 .55 .55 .53 4 do .50 .49 .48 .48 .48 .50 .53 .54 .58 .60 .63 .65 5 do .65 .66 .67 .69 .70 .72 .78 .80 .83 .86 .88 .86 6 do .85 .84 .84 [85 .85 .85 .85 .85 .90 .92 .91 .89 7 do .88 .88 .88 .88 .90 .90 .93 .93 .94 .94 .91 .88 8 do .85 .83 .83 .81 .81 .81 .80 .80 .77 .77 .73 .69 9 do .68 .63 .60 .58 .52 .57 .56 .54 .52 .48 .46 .42 10 do .39 .36 .32 .30 .29 .28 .27 .27 .28 .29 .29 .28 11 do .26 .25 .25 .25 .26 .28 .30 .33 .35 .39 .40 .40 12 do .38 .37 .36 .37 .35 .36 .40 .40 .42 .42 .41 .41 13 do .39 .38 .36 .36 .36 .38 .40 .45 .49 .51 .52 .53 14 do .53 .53 .53 .54 .55 .57 .58 .58 .57 .55 .54 .51 15 do .48 .45 .43 .43 .46 .46 .47 .50 .49 .51 .51 .52 16 do .51 .52 .51 .51 .52 .53 .54 .54 .54 .54 .51 .47 17 do .45 .45 .46 .48 .51 .53 .58 .58 .60 .62 .63 .61 18 do .62 .60 .59 .59 .59 .59 .62 .65 .66 .65 .63 .60 19 do .57 .54 .54 .54 .57 .61 •63 .65 .57 .54 .63 .60 20 do .58 .57 .57 .58 .59 .60 .64 .69 .70 .59 .63 21 do .64 .64 .63 .64 .64 .66 .67 .71 .77 ".'78' .77 .75 22 do .71 .73 .74 .72 .72 .72 .76 .84 .85 .87 .86 .84 23 do .79 .73 .71 .70 .70 .70 .70 .69 .69 .66 .64 .62 24 do .58 .55 .55 .56 .55 .58 .57 .56 .56 .56 .57 .52 25 do .45 .44 .42 .42 .41 .40 .37 .37 .37 .36 .32 .26 26 27 J65 C 55'N.,L49°18'W. f .25 \ .34 .24 .34 .22 .37 .28 .37 .29 .39 .30 .41 .30 .44 .31 .46 .32 .48 .35 .48 .36 .48 .35 .44 28 | f .44 .44 .47 .48 .49 .51 .53 .55 .57 .58 .57 .57 29 30 i65°40'N.,149°55'W. .61 i .89 .61 .89 .69 .88 .70 .88 .73 .89 .79 .92 .83 .93 .85 .99 .89 .96 .90 .97 .90 .93 .87 .92 31 1 [ .90 .91 .90 .88 .89 .89 .88 .88 .80 .78 .76 .71 301 TEMPERATURES. Temperature ofthe air in shade observed onboard the U. S. S. Nunivak (expressed in degrees of Fahrenheit' s scaU), Yukon River, Alaska. SEPTEMBER, 1899. [Astronomical time used.] 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. Date. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. 1 Rampart Citv, 65° 32'N.,150°iO , W.. 55 50 58 50 57 50 45 45 45 44 45 43 2 do 64 66 56 58 66 67 58 59 57 60 52 55 53 51 51 50 49 47 48 46 45 46 45 3 do.. 45 4 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W 65 57 66 56 61 58 55 55 53 53 50 50 5 66° 00' N., 149° 15' W i 54 58 64 54 52 55 55 57 64 55 51 55 53 57 61 53 52 53 49 50 54 49 49 49 46 49 49 46 48 46 45 45 44 45 6 ..do 44 7 Rampart City 43 8 56 51 50 50 55 50 53 48 9 do 10 do 45 40 46 41 46 41 46 42 44 41 44 41 11 do 48 47 51 49 52 50 47 46 43 43 41 41 12 do 56 49 58 49 49 49 53 46 51 48 46 45 13 do 55 49 53 47 53 47 47 46 47 46 49 46 14 do 44 42 47 42 40 40 41 40 37 37 34 33 15 do 45 41 44 40 40 39 40 39 38 38 40 38 16 do 38 29 33 29 37 29 32 29 34 29 30 29 33 29 28 29 33 29 29 29 33 30 29 17 do 30 18 Coal mine, 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W 31 31 32 31 32 32 33 33 34 34 34 34 19 do 39 32 37 32 39 32 32 37 33 35 33 34 33 33 33 33 33 31 33 31 33 31 20 do 33 21 Between coal mine and Dall River . . . 33 32 36 35 34 33 33 32 33 31 33 31 22 Dall River, 66° 00' N., 149° 15' W 38 34 37 34 35 33 33 32 32 31 26 32 23 do 39 37 34 33 39 37 35 34 28 37 32 32 24 32 27 32 24 32 24 31 23 31 23 24 do 31 25 do 37 35 36 34 33 33 32 32 31 31 32 32 26 do 36 36 36 36 34 34 32 32 30 30 30 30 27 do 34 34 34 34 33 33 34 34 33 33 33 33 28 do 34 34 32 32 31 31 30 29 28 28 28 28 29 do 29 28 28 28 22 23 19 19 18 18 18 18 30 do 32 31 31 30 23 30 18 25 15 25 13 24 Place. 14h. 16h. Dry. Wet.! Dry. Wet 18h. 20h. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. 22h. Dry. Wet. 24h. Dry. Wet. 24 25 28 27 28 29 30 Rampart Citv, 65° 32'N.,150°10'W.. ....do ....do 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W 66° 00' N., 149° 15' W ....do Rampart City do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do do ....do ....do do Coal mine, 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W.... do do Between coal mine and Dall River... Dall River, 66° 00' N., 119° 15' W.... do .do. .do. .do. .do. .do, .do. .do. 44 41 45 47 45 -14 48 •jo 20 17 22 22 88 33 32 32 32 32 27 « 27 32 32 80 29 34 33 28 28 18 14 •_'3 & 10 26 43 3-2 302 Temperature of the air in shade observed on board the U. S. S. Nunivak (expressed in degrees of Fahrenheit 1 s scale) , Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. OCTOBER, 1899. Date. Place. 2h. 41, 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. 1 Dall River 31 29 26 24 29 34 31 31 32 35 30 30 28 26 19 24 14 11 2 4 9 11 12 18 20 19 27 26 22 21 12 30 29 26 24 29 33 30 31 32 35 30 30 28 26 "'26' "'27' 26 23 21 29 29 25 24 29 31 30 30 37 34 30 30 28 24 19 24 11 8 2 4 8 10 11 18 20 19 28 20 19 24 12 28 29 25 24 29 30 30 30 36 33 30 30 30 24 "'24' "'26' "'28' 22 19 24 23 27 23 26 27 26 28 28 27 31 28 28 29 18 19 22 2 1 1 3 7 10 11 17 11 18 28 18 17 24 12 23 27 33 26 28 26 28 29 29 33 28 29 31 ""'24" '""'28* '"'24" 22 27 23 26 27 27 23 27 23 29 27 29 29 22 18 22 - 3 - 5 2 4 6 9 12 17 5 18 28 10 16 18 12 22 27 23 26 28 27 23 27 24 31 27 28 29 • 22 '"22" "'28* 22 27 21 25 23 26 16 27 21 27 25 28 29 24 18 22 - 5 - 6 2 4 5 9 12 16 4 15 28 18 16 14 12 22 27 21 25 23 26 "*27" 22 27 25 28 29 24 ' 22' ' ' *28' 22 27 20 25 22 23 15 18 24 26 25 28 27 22 18 15 - 5 - 7 - 1 5 5 8 12 16 2 12 24 17 16 5 11 22 2 do. 27 3 do 20 4 do 25 22 5 do... 6 do 21 do 8 do 9 do 23 10 do 26 11 do 25 12 do 28 13 do... 27 14 do 22 15 do 16 do 17 do 18 do 19 do 20 do ... 21 do... 22 do 23 do 24 do 25 do 26 do 27 do... 24 28 do 29 do... 30 do 31 do Date. Place. 14h. 16 h. 1811. 20h. 22h. 24h. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. Dry. Wet. 1 Dall River 20 21 21 26 21 21 14 23 23 26 23 27 27 17 9 1 - 5 5 5 7 13 15 - 2 10 18 18 16 A 20 21 21 26 21 20 """23" 23 26 23 27 27 20 20 21 26 21 23 12 19 23 26 23 28 ■ 28 17 2 - 2 4 3 8 14 15 - 2 18 22 20 15 3 1 20 20 21 26 21 23 ""23" 26 23 28 28 "'22' 22 18 21 26 21 22 8 20 20 27 24 26 26 12 18 4 - 1 1 5 8 15 15 - 2 17 25 22 18 21 26 21 22 "'26' 20 27 24 26 26 ""25" 25 18 21 25 25 21 11 21 17 28 24 27. 24 14 21 1 - 1 4 6 7 14 17 3 22 20 18 17 17 25 '"21 26 25 21 "'28' 24 27 24 '"2Y "22" 20 27 21 22 27 31 26 20 24 28 28 24 28 26 17 24 6 5 1 7 8 5 16 19 7 26 26 21 15 4 16 27 21 22 28 31 26 20 24 30 28 25 28 26 "'24' '"26" 26 21 28 23 23 28 33 33 31 24 35 28 30 28 27 19 24 11 * 8 2 10 9 10 17 20 14 28 28 22 18 28 2 do 23 3 do 23 4 do 29 5 do 33 6 do 31 7 do 31 8 do 24 9 do 34 10 ....do 28 11 do 29 12 do 29 13 do 27 14 do 15 ...do.... 24 16 ....do 17 do 18 do 19 20 do do 21 22 do do 23 do 24 do 25 do 26 do 28 27 do 28 28 do 20 j 15 l 3 12 22 29 do 30 do 11 31 do... 15 303 Temperature of the air in shade observed on hoard the U. S. 8. Nunivak {expressed in degrees of Fahrenheit' s scale) , Yukon River, Alaska. NOVEMBER, 1899. [Astronomical time used.] Date. Place. 2h. -ih. 6h. 8h. i lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h 18h. 20h. 22h. ! 24h. Fort Shoemaker, DallRiver, Alaska do do do do do do do do do do do do do ....do ....do do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do 15 - 2 -19 - 6 -24 -22 -16 - 2 -21 -32 -27 -18 -22 -28 - 9 - 4 5 3 2 4 2 7 5 3 12 9 5 10 1 12 - 9 -23 -18 -26 -25 -15 -25 -32 i -I -31 -21 -22 -31 -10 - 3 4 2 3 - 1 4 9 12 14 - 1 -24 -24 -27 -25 - 9 - 4 -27 -35 -30 -21 -26 -31 -11 - 2 5 - 2 3 3 - 1 4 DECEMBER, 1899. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska -12 -19 -20 -16 -17 -20 -15 - 8 - 3 - 7 -11 - 9 2 do — 9 - 5 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 7 - 9 - 9 -10 -11 - 5 - 6 3 do -11 -15 - 7 - 6 5 - 1 4 7 8 13 15 15 4 do 14 13 11 9 9 8 7 7 6 5 5 6 5 do 5 5 3 2 3 - 3 — 8 — 6 - 3 — 2 6 do - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 -3 - 8 7 do - 8 - 3 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 2 o - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 8 do - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 1 2 - 4 2 - 3 3 - 1 4 - 1 4 2 9 do 1 10 do - 9 -16 -19 -21 -10 - 8 - 6 - 5 - 5 -16 -24 -25 11 do -27 -32 -34 -35 -36 -37 -37 -38 -36 -27 -25 -23 12 do -27 -18 -18 -17 -25 -27 -29 -27 -27 -24 -21 -18 13 do.. -13 -12 -13 -14 -12 -11 -10 -10 -14 -11 -12 9 14 .. ..do - 7 — 4 20 17 18 20 19 10 - 3 14 11 14 15 do 16 16 14 11 9 8 2 10 12 13 11 16 do 9 3 5 2 - 3 -11 - 5 -14 -13 17 do -15 -21 -25 -31 -31 -17 -13 -20 -20 -33 -35 -25 18 do -22 -24 -29 -30 -30 -32 -32 -31 -30 -30 -32 -35 19 do -35 -36 -39 -36 -40 -40 -42 -39 -41 -40 -36 -33 20 do -29 -28 -28 -34 -33 -26 -25 -33 -37 -32 -33 -32 21 do -36 -41 -44 -46 -48 -50 -51 -47 -47 -47 -48 -52 22 do -53 -55 -56 -56 -56 -56 -57 -57 -57 -57 -56 -51 23 do -57 -57 -56 —57 -56 -56- -56 -56 -55 -54 -54 -53 24 do -53 -52 -52 -52 -52 -50 -51 -49 -49 -48 -48 -45 25 do -43 -41 -40 -39 -42 -44 -43 -45 -45 -44 -44 -43 26 do -42 -43 -42 -41 -39 -36 -36 -36 -37 -38 -37 -36 27 do -36 -37 -38 -36 -34 -32 -30 -29 -28 —28 -29 -25 28 do -23 -25 -32 -35 -38 -39 -31 -29 -27 -25 -27 -24 29 do -24 -24 -27 -34 -35 -37 -38 -38 -39 -36 -40 -40 30 do -38 -43 -43 -41 -42 -42 -35 -34 -35 -37 -39 -39 31 do -40 -41 -42 -41 -43 -43 -43 -43 -42 -42 -42 -39 304 Temperature of the air in shade observed on board the U. S. S. Nunivak of Fahrenheit 7 s scale), Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. in degrees JANUARY, 1900. Date. Place. 2h. 4h. 6h. 8h. lOh. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 22h. 24h. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River,Alaska -40 -40 -40 -39 -39 -39 -38 -37 —37 -37 -37 -36 2 do -34 -35 -36 -36 -36 L -37 -37 -36 -34 -34 -34 -33 3 do -34 -35 -33 -33 -32 r -31 -28 -28 -25 -24 -22 -21 4 do -21 -19 -18 -17 -16 -14 -12 -22 -29 -31 -30 -32 5 do -34 -38 -38 -40 -41 -41 -40 -41 -39 -41 -41 -39 6 do -39 -39 -41 -41 -42 -43 -43 -42 -43 -43 -43 -40 7 do -40 -41 -43 -43 -45 -46 -46 -47 -47 -47 -47 -44 8 do -43 -44 -43 -44 -44 -44 -44 -32 -26 -26 -29 -13 9 do -12 -11 -11 -12 -11 -11 -11 -11 -10 -11 -11 -11 10 do -11 -11 -11 -15 -14 -14 -14 -14 -14 -10 - 8 -11 11 do -13 -12 -12 -12 - 13 -23 -30 -34 -35 —36 -37 -35 12 do..„ -37 -38 -39 -40 -42 -44 -45 -40 -40 -47 -47 -46 13 do -43 -47 -49 -50 -51 -52 -54 -54 -54 -54 -53 -50 14 do -47 -50 -51 -53 -53 -53 -53 -53 -53 -54 -55 -52 15 do -50 -54 -56 -57 -57 -58 -60 -60 -60 -58 -58 -51 16 do -56 -57 -57 -57 -57 -58 -58 -58 -58 -58 -58 -54 17 do -53 -56 -56 -57 -58 -57 -58 —57 -57 -58 -58 -55 18 do -52 -58 -58 -59 -60 -60 -60 -62 -60 -63 -62 -59 19 do -56 -51 -40 -37 -34 -31 -27 -27 -24 -22 -22 -20 20 do -16 -16 -16 -16 -16 -16 -17 -23 -24 -27 -22 •20 21 do -26 -34 -37 -37 -29 -24 -28 -25 -29 -33 -27 -20 22 do -18 -17 -17 -16 -16 -16 -16 -16 -17 -17 -18 -19 23 do -20 -21 -22 -24 -24 -24 -22 -21 -20 -21 -22 -22 24 do -23 -27 -22 -25 -25 -27 -28 -32 -28 -30 -38 -38 25 do -32 -38 -42 -47 -48 -49 -50 -50 -48 -48 -48 -42 26 do -39 -40 -42 -42 -43 -41 -40 -35 -31 -27 -26 -24 27 do -20 -19 -18 -18 -17 -17 -24 -25 -19 -19 -18 -15 28 do -14 -12 -11 - 9 - 8 - 8 -10 - 9 - 9 - 9 - 9 - 9 29 do - 6 - 4 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 4 - 3 - 8 - 5 - 5 - 1 30 do 1 2 - 2 -10 -14 -17 -20 -19 -17 31 do -14 -15 -15 -12 -11 -10 - 9 - 9 - 9 - 9 -'7 - 5 FEBRUARY, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do . . . .do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do . . . .do ....do ....do ....do - 4 - 5 - 7 -11 -13 -n -14 -20 -22 -25 -23 -12 -21 -25 -27 -30 -30 -34 -34 -34 -34 -28 -18 -20 -26 -26 -36 -23 -10 - 7 - 4 - 3 - 2 1 1 1 1 - 2 - 4 3 - 1 2 3 5 10 2 - 5 -12 -12 -16 -19 -15 - 8 - 4 - 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 - 2 - 5 - 7 - 5 - 6 - 4 - 4 -13 -17 -17 -15 -12 -15 -16 - 4 - 4 - 6 - 1 1 - 3 - 2 1 4 4 4 - 1 - 4 - 2 - 2 - 2 4 6 - 3 - 2 - 9 - 6 - 2 - 8 - 3 1 5 5 4 - 1 - 4 - 2 1 2 3 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 2 3 3 2 4 5 10 9 10 9 8 - 2 - 8 -12 -15 -15 -13 3 - 5 -12 -17 -20 -21 -20 -22 -21 -21 -18 - 4 -12 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 -10 -12 -12 -10 - 5 - 9 -21 -22 -27 -29 -31 -32 -34 -33 -23 -10 - 9 - 9 -23 -25 -26 -28 -27 -26 -30 =19 11 1 -10 - 7 -17 -27 -31 -35 -37 -38 -15 -10 -13 -28 -30 -35 -36 -40 -44 -47 -47 -36 -19 -29 -34 -40 -43 -45 -47 -48 -48 -40 -30 -21 -19 -18 -15 -11 -10 -11 -12 -10 -11 - 3 - 4 -15 -20 -18 -20 -22 -23 -22 - 9 5 3 - 9 -16 -13 -16 -21 -23 -26 -22 -20 - 1 - 4 -15 -23 -27 -29 -32 -35 -36 -36 -22 - 3 - 5 -19 -25 -25 -32 -35 -36 -36 -35 -22 -10 -15 -19 -21 -30 -27 -32 -35 -35 -34 -19 - 3 - 6 —15 —23 -29 -32 —34 -35 —35 —34 -17 305 Temperature of the air in shade observed on board the U. S. S. Nunivak {expressed in degrees of Fahrenheit's scale), Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. MARCH, 1900. Date. in 11 12 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Place. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do . ..do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do.. ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do 2b. - 3 20 4 10 5 1 - 7 - 5 — o 2 20 37 42 47 46 42 45 40 33 23 22 15 15 19 27 20 13 23 4h. - 5 - 3 - 5 - 2 3 25 37 42 46 45 40 43 40 30 23 23 16 15 19 6h. h. lOh. -22 -25 - 6 -10 -lfi -20 14 -20 - 7 22 —A 31 -36 -27 -33 -27 -30 23 -26 -24 -29 -18 -24 5 4 8 8 22 17 27 29 28 19 26 19 31 27 24 20 27 21 27 25 18 14 21 16 IS 12 14 14 19 18 15 7 i<; 11 15 14 23 21 Hi. 16h. 18h. 31 -27 - 6 17 -21 -24 24 -26 -27 25 -25 -25 18 -22 -24 06 -30 -41 42 -43 -45 89 -41 -42 34 -37 -39 35 -30 -42 36 -39 -39 20 -22 -17 5 5 4 3 5 11 15 21 19 24 19 16 18 10 7 11 9 6 21 22 21 14 15 17 13 15 19 15 10 6 11 10 11 7 5 2 - 4 - 5 14 11 11 14 10 5 10 11 11 11 11 11 9 2 - 2 21 20 20 20h. 22h. 24h. - 7 -11 - 5 - i -22 -Ml -■Jl -11 -19 -21 - 2 12 23 ; ■29 30 17 - 3 - 1 3 - 1 -12 -13 -13 - 9 -11 - 8 - 1 12 32 35 43 41 38 41 35 31 20 19 15 13 18 22 27 18 20 23 APRIL, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do 10 do 11 do 12 do 13 I do 14 I do 15 do 16 i do ....do ....do ... do ....do ....do ....do ....do 24 do 25 do 26 do 27 do 28 do 29 do 30 do 25 27 26 19 13 17 18 16 13 15 16 15 15 14 13 11 10 10 10 5 10 14 20 17 13 2 -10 -18 -19 -24 -14 - 5 5 13 13 10 5 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 1 7 8 6 5 5 5 3 4 5 6 8 13 14 13 10 10 10 8 6 6 4 16 14 15 15 - 1 -12 -14 -15 -19 -14 9 12 22 23 22 17 10 4 1 2 8 15 23 31 32 32 16 12 7 3 2 24 32 44 45 43 28 20 17 11 9 9 21 34 43 46 43 31 22 16 11 8 10 28 37 46 48 46 43 39 34 30 24 26 34 37 43 44 44 38 34 23 18 14 21 32 38 44 44 43 38 34 34 35 35 35 41 47 48 45 42 39 37 36 34 34 34 37 39 48 47 43 33 32 34 33 32 35 41 43 44 43 42 38 36 84 30 28 28 34 37 40 38 37 31 28 22 18 15 22 28 35 37 40 36 35 32 30 29 28 28 33 34 36 37 36 35 34 33 30 26 24 25 27 32 31 30 29 27 24 23 20 19 21 25 28 29 30 29 28 28 19 19 20 25 31 31 31 29 29 29 28 21 20 22 25 26 33 41 34 43 32 43 30 35 29 29 29 28 29 27 28 26 27 31 28 38 36 40 49 45 46 39 29 26 24 21 28 38 45 50 48 46 39 31 28 25 27 34 39 41 48 48 45 42 36 34 38 34 33 35 37 39 38 37 34 38 32 31 31 33 36 36 39 40 40 37 28 29 22 20 27 35 41 306 Temperature of the air in shade observed on board the U. S. S. Nunivak {expressed in degrees of Fahrenheit' s scale) , Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. MAY, 1900. Date. Place. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do do... do.... do... do... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do.... do... do... do... do... do... do... do... 1 65° 55' N . , [149° 18' W 65°40'N.. 149° 55' W 2h. 4h. ] 6h. St. 44 43 41 37 37 33 37 38 36 44 43 39 46 46 41 44 43 41 43 42 41 42 40 37 41 43 40 47 49 45 56 55 48 61 63 59 56 56 51 52 52 49 56 56 43 43 47 47 50 49 46 50 52 45 60 57 55 62 63 61 65 59 56 53 56 56 49 49 46 46 46 45 42 44 43 47 47 41 51 43 42 53 49 46 38 40 39 52 48 48 58 63 59 )h. 12h. 14h. 16h. 18h. 20h. 37 35 32 31 31 32 m 30 30 30 31 33 27 24 25 26 30 33 35 36 33 34 34 37 30 26 27 29 30 34 80 27 26 27 29 34 35 33 30 29 31 34 33 30 27 26 28 30 :S7 35 32 30 33 33 38 35 28 30 38 44 48 32 29 29 40 53 40 32 39 39 39 44 35 32 38 37 38 40 41 37 36 34 36 37 42 41 38 35 35 36 42 36 34 34 37 41 51 42 39 36 36 36 39 33 31 35 37 42 45 42 35 39 43 48 50 38 37 42 46 44 42 44 42 41 43 48 46 41 34 34 32 44 40 36 34 35 39 40 38 35 33 34 33 36 31 33 32 34 36 86 35 34 34 34 37 89 34 34 33 40 39 45 43 42 43 44 43 37 36 34 88 35 39 47 42 39 38 45 53 49 43 39 40 47 61 22h. 24h. 307 MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES, PRECIPITATION, AND MISCELLANEOUS PHENOMENA. Meteorological record for September, 1899. Station, Yukon River, Alaska. Rampart City (latitude, 65° 32 N., longitude 150° 10' W.) to Dall River (latitude 66° 00' N., longitude 149° 15' W). Astronomical time used. Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Range. Time Time Mean i of be ~ of Mean. ; ^ end ning.a ing.a Amount.^ Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 63 68 70 68 58 65 65 43 36 44 40 42 35 44 20 32 26 28 16 30 21 53 52 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 T. 0.00 0.04 0.03 T. 0.06 0.05 T. 0.08 0.05 0.01 0.25 T. 0.08 0.01 0.09 T. 0.00 0.00 2 Do. 3 57 54 50 Do. 4 6 50 54.5 !-,-— 7 8c display. 9f io 48 57 58 56 48 46 40 34 39 40 36 39 40 41 39 38 38 37 37 29 35 39 40 35 40 32 33 22 26 28 28 31 26 16 13 22 29 31 31 19 6 7 9 17 23 16 16 13 18 8 11 12 5 13 24 28 17 9 7 6 18 23 28 43.5 n 48.5 46.5 48 40 39.5 31 30 33.5 34 33.5 32.5 28 27 30.5 33.5 34.5 34 28 17.5 21 12 Do. 13 14 Do. 15 16 2.5 2.5 3.3 3.3 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.5 3.2 3.9 4.9 4.8 4.6 4.5 4.3 Do. 17 18 19 20 21... 22 23 24 0.00 0.07 0.16 0.01 T. 0.00 000 25 26 27 28 29 30 Do. Sum . . . 1.01 Mean.. « See weather report. b Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. c Painting and fitting shelter for thermometers. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Maximum 70°; date, September 3; minimum, 6°; date, September 29. Precipitation. — Total. 1.01 inches; greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.25; date, September 16. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 15. (See weather report.) Remarks.— Vessel under way 4th, 5th, and 6th, and between 18th and 21st. Observations in precipi- tation probably inaccurate during these periods. All observations made at noon for the twenty-four hours preceding. 308 Meteorological record for month of October, 1899. Station, Yukon River, Alaska; winter quarters, Fort ShoemaKer, Dall River, A±aska. Latitude 66° 00' N.; longitude, 149° 15' W. Astronomical time used. Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- mum. St Ran * e - Mean. Time of be- gin- nings Time of end- ings Amount.** Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 33 29 28 29 33 34 32 ?4 39 37 31 34 31 27 24 25 17 15 4 12 13 11 18 20 21 28 29 34 24 20 17 20 1 13 17 12 20 8 23 6 17 | 16 20 14 7 25 18 16 16 23 22 15 17 14 25 ■ 9 22 i 9 27 16 I 8 - 1 26 - 5 22 - 7 ' 22 - 2 e> 1 26.5 .- T. T. 0.01 0.05 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 T. 0.00 0.18 0.23 T. T. T. 0.00 T. T. 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.16 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.9 5.1 5.1 4.9 5.2 5.0 5.3 5.3 7.1 9.4 9.3 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.1 9.1 9.3 9.7 10.2 11.5 11.2 11.2 10.7 11.0 10.7 10.8 11.0 12.6 2 23 3 24 26 25 27 19.5 26 27.5 29.5 24 29.5 26.5 13.5 20 12 6 I 6 8 8.5 14 17.5 9.5 18 23.5 20 19 9.5 13.5 4 5 6... 7... Do. 8... 9... Do. 10... 11 12 13 14 Do. 15 16 17 Heavy frost. 18 Do. 19... 20 3 6 10 15 - 2 8 18 6 14 - 1 10 12 10 5 8 5 23 20 11 28 10 21 7 21 22 23... 24 25 Aurora. 26 Do. 27 28 29 30 31... i 783 25.2 332 10.7 557. 5 17.9 i 0.94 Mean.. I a See weather report. l> Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Mean maximum, 25.2°; mean minimum, 10.7°; mean, 17.9°; maximum, 39°; date, October 9; minimum, —7°; date October 18. Precipitation.— Total, 0.94 inch; greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.23: date, October 13; total snow on ground October 15, 9 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 14. (See weather report.) Dates of killing frost, October 17 and 18. Remarks. — Dall River closed with smooth ice from 3 to 4 inches thick October 1. 309 Meteorological record for month of November, 1899. Station, Yukon River. Alaska; winter quarters, Dall River, Alaska. Latitude 66° 00' X.: longitude 149° 15' W. Astronomical time used. Temperature. Precipitation. Depth of Time snow on of Amount.* S^** 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Sum . . . Mean . . -18 - 31 13 -10 | - 22 12 - 8 - 28 20 -12 - 32 20 time of I observa- ' tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 O.uO 0.00 T. T. T. T. T. T. 0.00 0.02 T. T. 0.02 T. -120 - 4.0 0.25 14.4 14.1 14.0 13.8 13.8 13.7 13.7 13.9 13.8 13.8 13.8 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.4 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.4 13.4 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.9 13.9 Aurora. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Parhelia in same alti- tude as sun; aurora at night. Aurora. Do. Do. Parhelia in same alti- tude: aurora. fParaselense same alti- tude and above and below moon; au- rora: parhelia at [ 23.30 hours. 11.30 h; lunar halo; 22 h parhelia. Aurora; halo. Aurora. Do. Do. 13.30 h lunar Do. « See weather report. b Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Mean maximum, 2.°8; mean minimum, —10.6°; mean, —4.0°; maximum, 19°; date November 2; minimum, —35°; date, November 10. Precipitation. — Total, 0.25 inch: greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.18; date, November 1; total snow on ground November 15, 13.4 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 4. (See weather report.) Remarks. — Yukon River closed in this vicinity between November 8 and 10. 310 Meteorological record for month of December, 1899. Station, Yukon River, Alaska; winter quarters, Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. 00' N.; longitude 149° 15' W., Astronomical time. Latitude 66° Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Range. Mean. Time of be- gin- nings Time of end- ing.a Amount, b Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 - S -3 15 15 6 - 1 1 1 4 1 -23 -16 -10 21 16 10 -13 -23 -33 -24 -36 -51 -50 -45 -39 -36 -24 -22 -23 -34 -39 -22 -12 -15 5 -10 - 8 - 9 - 4 - 2 -25 -38 -30 -19 -11 2 -16 -35 -35 -43 -37 -53 -59 -58 -53 -45 -44 -38 -40 -40 -43 -44 19 9 30 10 16 7 10 5 6 26 15 14 9 32 14 26 22 12 10 13 17 8 8 "8 6 8 14 18 17 9 5 -12.5 - 7.5 10 - 2 - 4.5 - 4 - 1.5 1 -12 -30.5 -23 -14.5 5 9 - 3 -24 -29 0.02 0.00 0.11 T. 0.05 T. T. T. 0.08 T. 0.00 T. 0.04 T. 0.00 T. T. 0.02 T. 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. T. T. 0.00 0.00 14.1 14.1 15.0 15.3 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.9 16.8 16.6 16.6 17.0 16.9 16.8 16.8 16.8 17.0 17.0 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 Very brilliant display of northern lights. 2 3 4 5 6 Do. 7 8 9 10 11 Do. 12 Do. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 -38 aurora. Aurora; 18 hours lu- 20 -30.5 -44.5 -55 -54 -49 -42 -40 -31 -31 -31.5 -38.5 -41.5 nar halo and par- aselense. 16 hours paraselense. 21 22 Do. 23 24. Do. 25..-. Do. 26 Do. 27 Do. 28 Do. 29 Do. 30 Do. 31 Sum . . . -458 -14. 77 -881 -28.42 -669.5 0.37 Mean . . -21. 59 « See weather report. 6 Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Mean maximum, —14.77°; mean minimum, —28.42°; mean, —21.59°; maximum, 21°; date, December 14; minimum, —59°; date, December 22. Precipitation. — Total. 0.37 inch; greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.11; date, December 3; total snow on ground December 15, 16.8 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 7. (See weather report.) 311 Meteorological record for month of January, 1900. Station, Yukon River, Alaska; winter quarters, Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. Latitude 66° 00' N.: longitude 149° 15' W.; Astronomical time. Temperature. Date. Sum . Mean Maxi- mum. 1 -36 2 -33 3 -21 4 -12 5 6 7 8 -34 -39 -40 -13 9 -10 10 - 8 11 -11 12 -37 13 -43 14 15 16 17 18 19 -47 -50 -54 -53 -52 -20 20 -13 21 -20 22 -16 23 -20 24 -22 25 -32 26 -24 27 -17 28 - 8 29 2 30 2 31 - 5 Mini- Range. -11 -m -43 -44 -47 -45 -13 -16 -786 -25.35 -1,164 -37.55 32 Mean. Precipitation. Time j Time of be- of gin- ! end- ning.n ing,« -38.5 -35 -28 -22 -38.5 —41.5 -43.5 -29 -11.5 -12 975 -31.45 Amcant.b 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 r. 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.15 0.00 0.00 Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. 0.37 17.4 17.4 17.4 17.4 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 18.2 18.3 18.3 18.5 18.7 18.7 18.7 19.0 19.3 19.5 21.0 21.0 21.0 Miscellaneous phe- nomena. Aurora. Do. Aurora parhelia in same altitude. Do. Aurora. 10 hours paraselenae in same altitude; aurora: parhelia in same altitude. 102 hours paraselense. 9th. 8 hours lunar halo. 10th. Aurora. 11th. Aurora. 12th. Aurora. 14th. Aurora. Aurora Do Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. « See weather report. Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature.— Mean maximum, —25.35°; mean minimum, —37.55°; mean, —31.45°; maximum, 2°, date, January 29 and 30; minimum, —63°; date, January 18. Precipitation —Total, 0.37 inch, greatest in twenty-four hours. 0.15. date, January 29; total snow on ground January 15, 17.5 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 9. (See weather report.) Remarks.— The maximum thermometer was broken in setting on January 22. peratures after that date are taken from the highest hourly reading. The maximum tern- 312 Meteorological record for month of February, 1900. Station, Yukon River, Alaska; winter quarters, Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. 66° 00' N., longitude 149° 15' W.; Astronomical time. Latitude, Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- mum. \ Mini- mum. Range. Mean. Time of be- gin- nings Time of end- ing.a Amount. & Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 - 4 -12 9 10 2 - 4 2 4 6 7 8 8 10 3 - 1 - 5 - 8 11 -10 -19 - 1 1 5 - 1 - 2 - 6 -25 -34 -39 - 6 -19 -12 -18 - 9 - 5 -10 - 4 4 1 -16 -22 -17 -35 -31 -40 -48 -49 -23 -23 -27 -36 -38 -36 -36 21 22 39 15 29 14 14 11 9 16 11 4 7 26 25 16 30 23 51 38 30 22 24 32 35 36 30 -33 -14.5 -23 -19.5 + 1.5 - 4.5 - 5 -11 - 3.5 - 0.5 - 2 - 1.5 6 4.5 - 3 - 9.5 - 9 -20 -19.5 -14.5 —29 -34 -12 -11 -11 -18.5 -20 -21 -19.5 0.00 0.01 0.15 T. T. T. 0.00 0.04 0.00 T. T. T. T. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.0 21.1 22.7 22.8 22.8 22.9 22.9 23.4 23.4 23.4 23.5 23.5 23.6 23.4 23.4 23.0 22.8 22.8 22.7 22.6 22.6 23.0 22.9 22.9 22.9 22.9 22.9 22.8 Aurora. 2... Do. 3 4 Do. 5 6 7... 8 9 10 11... 12... 13. .. 14 15 16 . 9 paraselense. 17... 18 19 Do. 20 Do. 21... Do. 22... 23 Do. 24 Do. 25 Do. 26 Do. 27 Do. 28 Do. Sum . . . +10 +0. 359 -653 -23. 321 -321. 5 -11.48 0.25 Mean . . a See weather report. & Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Mean maximum, 0.359°; mean minimum, —23.321°; mean, —11.48°; maximum, 11°; date, February 19; minimum, —49°; date, February 21. Precipitation. — Total, 0.25 inch; greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.15; date, February 3; total snow on ground February 15, 23.4 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 4. (See weather report.) 313 Meteorological record for month of March, 1900. Latitude, 66° 00' N.; longitude, Station, Yukon River, Alaska; Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. 149° 15' W. Astronomical time. Date. Temperature. Precipitation. Maxi- mum. X Binge. Mean. Time of be- gin- ning. « Time of end- ing.a Amount, ft Depth of snow on ground at time of obser- vation. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 17 -31 -24 -29 -27 48 44 33 37 - 7 - 2 -12.5 - 8.5 -10 - 21 -2fi 0.00 ' 22.8 ' 2 20 0.00 22.8 1 Anrnm 3 4 10 5 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 0.10 0.00 0.00 T. 4 5 play. -25 j 30 -43 44 -45 38 22.7 j 6 1 - 7 - 5 - 3 - 5 - 2 12 32 39 43 47 22.6 1 Do. 7... 22.5 i Do 8... -43 38 -24 -41 38 —22 22.4 ! Do. 9 22. 4 Do. 10 -42 37 -23.5 -22 -12 5.5 22.4 11 -42 -24 - 1 40 24 13 22.4 I Do. 12 22. 5 Do. 13 23.6 14 1 | 31 10 29 - 1 44 5 42 5 41 19 23 14 | 31 10 1 30 4 | 29 8 15 3 20 - 7 23 10 8 16.5 24.5 21 26 23. 3 Do. 15 23 Do. 16 :::::::::::;: 23 13.45 hours passing rain shower. 23 17 0.00 00 18 . 46 25.5 30.5 29.5 25 18.5 15.5 13 4.5 14 13.5 16 19 8.5 22 19 42 45 40 33 23 23 16 18 23 28 29 20 26 0.00 0.00 T. 0.00 T. T. T. T. T. T. T. T. .04 22.8 j 20 22.5 ! 21 22. 5 ! Light snowfall. 22 22.5 Aurora. 23 22.5 1 Do. 24 22.5 25 22. 4 Do. 26 22.4 27 4 4 9 - 3 18 19 24 20 23 8 22.4 28 29 noon; 9.30, aurora. 22.2 Anmm 30 22.2 22.6 Do. 31 Sum . . . 620 20 -305 -9.838 158 5.09 .14 Mean.. a See weather report. b Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. MONTHLY SUMMARY, March Temperature. — Mean maximum, 20°; mean minimum, — 9.838°; mean, c.09°. Maximum, 17; minimum. — 45°. March 7. Precipitation.— Total, 0.14 inch. Greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.10, March 13. Total snow on ground March 15, 23 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 2. See weather report. 314 Meteorological record for month of April, 1900. Latitude, 66° 00' N.; longitude, Station, Yukon River, Alaska; Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska 149° 15' W. Astronomical time. Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Range. Mean. Time of be- gin- ning.** Time of end- ing." Amount, b Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 27 16 20 13 11 14 15 27 38 45 46 48 44 48 48 48 44 40 40 37 32 33 31 37 46 52 50 48 39 44 11 4 -24 - 3 2 2 -20 1 - 1 7 8 22 12 32 33 29 27 13 22 23 18 18 19 26 25 19 25 32 28 19 16 12 44 16 9 12 35 26 39 38 38 26 32 16 15 19 17 27 18 14 14 15 12 11 21 33 25 16 11 25 19 10 - 2 5 6.5 0.02 0.07 T. 0.01 0.02 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 r. 0. 02 r.As.0.04 0.00 r A s T 22.7 23.2 23.2 23.3 23.5 24.0 24.0 23.6 23.5 23.5 23.0 22.0 20.6 18.0 17.6 16.0 15.2 13.9 12.5 11.3 10.8 10.0 9.5 7.8 6.8 4.3 M 2 3 Brilliant auoral dis- 4 play. Aurora. 5 6 8 - 2.5 14 18.5 26 27 35 28 40 40.5 7 8 Lunar halo. 9 Aurora. 10 1.00, solar halo; 10.30, lunar halo; 22.00, lunar halo; parhe- lia, above and be- low and in same altitude. 11 12 8.30, paraselenae. 13 14 15 First geese and ducks seen. 16 38.5 35.5 26.5 17 18 0.00 T. 19 31 30 25 25.5 25 31.5 35.5 35.5 37.5 40 33.5 31.5 20 0.00 T. 0.00 T. 21 22 23 24 T. 0.00 00 25 flow over ice in Dall River. 26 27 r. A s. T. .00 T. 0.00 28 29 30 Aurora. Sum . . . 1,081 36.033 429 14.3 755 25.166 0.23 Mean.. a See weather report. & Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. c2 to 5 inches in spots. d On ground in spots. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature. — Mean maximum, 36.033°; mean mininum, 14.300°; mean, 25.166°; maximum, 52°, April 26; minimum, -24°, April 3. Precipitation. — Total, 0.23 inch. Greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.07, April 2. Total snow onjground April 15, 17.6 inches. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 7. 6ee weather report. Remarks. — April 29, 1900, ice commencing to lift in Dall River. 315 Meteorological record for month of yfay, 1900. Station. Yukon River. Alaska; Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska; Latitude, 66° 00' N.; longitude, 149° 15' W. Astronomical time. Temperature. Precipitation. Date. Maxi- Mini- mum, mum. Range. Time ning.a Time of end- ing.a Amount.^ Depth of snow on ground at time of observa- tion. Miscellaneous phe- nomena. 1 46 1 30 38 1 29 43 23 16 ! 38 I s. T. (c\ 2... 9 1 33.5 20 33 s. 0. 10 s. T. s. 0.06 r. T. 0.00 0.00 s. 0. 01 r. T. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 r. as. 0.04 r. 0. 15 C (c) 3 4 45 32 13 38.5 40 26 14 33 44 24 1 20 34 44 28 16 36 6... (d) ■ 5.30, parhelia. 7... 8 42 25 1 17 1 33.5 9 44 53 58 50 56 52 28 16 36 27 26 ! 40 27 31 42.5 31 I 19 40.5 31 25 ■ 43.5 10 w 11 6.00, parhelia. 12 . 13 14 33 ! 19 , 42.5 15 56 34 ! 22 49 32 17 50 33 17 53 29 i 24 60 33 ! 27 64 35 29 65 39 1 26 58 31 45 40.5 16 17 41.5 41 46.5 49.5 52 44.5 18 19 0.00 0.00 20 21 r. T. s. A r. 0. 13 0.00 0.00 0.00 r. T. 0.15 3 23 49 33 46 j 30 45 29 47 33 16 41 24 16 ! 38 16 i 37 14 ! 40 25 26 27 55 31 | 24 | 43 53 41 12 1 47 51 32 19 j 41.5 56 36 20 ! 46 63 37 26 50 Solar halo. 28 0.04 0.26 0.02 0.01 29 :::::::::: 30 31 Sum ... 1,575 962 1,270.5 50. 8 40. « 0.97 Mean . . i « See weather report. ^Including rain, hail, sleet, and melted snow. cSnow on ground in spots. dSnow in sheltered places. MONTHLY SUMMARY. Temperature.— Mean maximum, 50.8°; mean minimum, 31.0°; mean, 40;9°; maximum 65°, May 21; minimum. 23°, May 3. Precipitation. — Total. 0.97 inch. Greatest in twenty-four hours, 0.26, May 29. Number of days with 0.01 inch or more precipitation, 11. See weather report. Remarks. — About 7 hours, May 16, the ice in Yukon River in this vicinity broke and moved down- stream. Eugene Blake, Jr., Lieutenant, Revenue- Cutter Service. 5661—03- -39 316 FACE OF SKY. The amount of clear sky is expressed in tenths, zero denoting a sky completely overcast, and ten a clear sky. The cloud forms are indicated by the following combinations of letters: Ci Cirrus. Ci-S Cirro-stratus. Ci-Cu Cirro-Cumulus. A-Cu Alto-cumulus. A-S Alto-stratus. S-Cu Strato-cumulus. N Nimbus. Cu Cumulus. Cu-N Cumulo-nimbus. S Stratus. The illustrated cloud forms of the United States Hydrographic Office have been used as a guide in making these observations. The sign (") indicates the same entry as that of the hour immediately preceding. Cloud forms and amount of clear sky {expressed in tenths) . SEPTEMBER, 1899. [Astronomical time used.] Date Place. Rampart Citv 65° 32' N., 150° 10' W do ....do 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W.. 66° 00' N., 149° 15' W.. ....do Rampart City '!!!".do!!."!!!.".""!".".\" ....do ....do ....do do do ....do do do Coal mine 65°40'N., 149°55'W do do Between coal mine and Dall River Dall River 66° 00' N., 149°15'W do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do 4h. 4A-CU 7A-Cu 8Ci 3Ci-S ON 4 Cu-N 9Cu 3S-Cu ON IS IS 2 A-S 0A-S 3 Cu-N 2 Ci-Cu IS ON ON 2S-Cu ON 2N lS-Cu 5 Ci-Cu ICi-S OS 3Ci-S ON ON 9Cu 9Cu Sh. 12h. 1 A-Cu 3 A-Cu 5Ci IN ON 3 Cu-N 7 A-Cu lS-Cu ON 06 4S-Cu ON 0A-S 7 Cu-N OCu-N OS ON ON 2 A-Cu ON 5Cu OS 5 A-Cu OS ON ON ON 8 C'i-S 10 10 ON 7 A-Cu ON 4N ON 7Cu 10 ON ON OS 8Cu 2Cu ON 6Ci-S ON OS ON ON OS-Cu ON ON 6S-Cu 4 A-Cu OS-Cu ON ON • ON 10 10 10 16h. 20h. ON 6 A-Cu ON 2Cu-S ON 8Ci 9Cu ON ON IN 3S 8Cu ON 0A-S ON ON ON OS OS-Cu ON 9Ci 4 A-Cu 6'S-Cu ON ON ON 9Ci 10 10 lS-Cu 5 Ci-Cu 2Ci-S ON ON 8 Ci-Cu ON ON 3Cu ON ON 7 Ci-Cu ON 4 Cu-N IN ON ON OS IS ON ON 8 Ci-Cu 8 Ci-Cu 6Ci ON ON ON 7Ci 10 10 24h. 5Cu 8Ci 2 A-Cu ON 3 Ci-Cu 8 Ci-Cu 2N ON 2Cu ON 3Ci-S 6 A-Cu ON 1 Cu-N 2 Cu-N ONi ON 2 Ci-Cu ON ON 4S-Cu 7Ci 6Ci 2S 3N ON ON 6Ci 8 C-Cu 10 317 Cloud forms and amount of clear sky (expressed in tenths) — Continued. OCTOBER, 1899. Date. Place. 4h. 8h. 12h. 16h. 20h. 24h. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do 10 ON 2 Cu-N ON ON 2 Cu-N 5 Ci-Cu 2 Ci-Cu 8Cu OS 8 Cu-N IS ON 4Ci ON ON 10 6Ci OS ON 4Ci-S ON ON ON 2Cu IN ON 5Cu ON ON OS 6A-S ON ON ON ON 2 Cu-N 8 Oi-S ON 10 OS ON OS ON 5Ci ON ON 10 8Ci OS ON ON ON ON ON 10 2S ON OS ON 10 ON OA-S ON ON ON 10 2 Cu-N 8Ci-S ON 10 OS ON ON ON 10 ON ON 10 8Ci OS ON ON ON ON ON 7Cu 7Cu 2S OS ON 10 ON OA-S 5S-CU ON 6N 10 ON 8Ci-S 8S 7S OS 6A-Cu ON ON 8S ON 8Cu OA-S OS OS 4S ON ON ON ON 6Cu 2S 2S OS ON 10 3A-CU 5 Cu-N ON ON 3Cu IN 4S-Cu IS 7 Ci-Cu ON ON ON 5Ci-S ON ON 7A-Cu 2A-S OS OS 6Cu ON ON ON ON 7 Ci-Cu OS 2S OS IS 8Ci ON ON 6 Cu-N 3 do ON 4 ...do... ON 5 do 5Cu 6 do 2S-Cu 7 do 8 Ci-Cu 8 do IS 9 ... .do 4Cu 10 do ON 11 do 2 Ci-Cu 12 ...do ON 13 do 3 Ci-Cu 14 do ON 15 do ... ON 16 ...do... 6 Ci-Cu 17 ...do 8 Ci 18 do OS 19 do 2Cu 20 ...do... 6Cu 21 ...do ON 22 do ON 23 do OS-Cu 24 ON 25 ...do... 3S 26 ON 27 do 3Cu 28 do OS 29 do 3S 30 ....do... 5Ci-S 31 do ON NOVEMBER, 1899. 1 Fort Shoemaker, Dall 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 , 19 : 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 River, Alaska ...do .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. .do. ON IS 5S ON 6Ci 8Ci 4Ci-S OS 3S 10 9Ci 7Ci 10 9Ci 7S ON OS-Cu 4S-Cu ON N ON ON OS-Cu 8Ci OS OS ON OS ON 4S-Cu ON 10 10 ON 10 10 10 OS 10 10 10 8Ci 10 10 10 ON OS OS OS ON 9Ci ON ON OS 10 4S ON 9Ci 4N 8Ci ON 10 10 10 10 10 10 ON 10 10 10 7Ci 10 10 10 ON OS OS OS ON 10 IS ON 2S 5S 88 OS l!S 2N 8Ci 6N 8Ci 10 10 10 10 IS 8N 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 ON OS-Cu 9Cu OS OS 6Ci IS OS-Cu OS 5S OS OS 2S 3N 10 ON 3Ci 10 8Ci-S 9Ci 9Ci ON 2N 8Ci 10 10 7Ci 10 10 7S ON OS-Cu 4S-Cu OS OS OS IS OS-Cu 2S 2S-Cu ON OS OS 8Ci 8Ci IN 7Ci 8Cu 9Ci-S 9Ci 5Ci-S 2S 3N 9Ci 10 9Ci 9Ci 10 7S-Cu 9Ci 2 Cu-N OS-Cu IS ON ON 4Ci-S 2C1-S 5Ci-S OS OS-Cu ON OS ON 3 Cu-N 10 318 Cloud forms and amount of clear sky (expressed in tenths) — Continued. DECEMBER, 1899. Date. Place. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do do do do do do do do do do ....do do do do do do do do do do do -lb. 8h. o 8 10 10 9 4 2 10 10 OS 8S 10 10 8 5 7 Ci S Ci N N S S-Cu s N S Ci S-Cu Ci-S S s Ci-S s s s Ci Ci 8Ci OS ON 7S 6S 4S lS-Cu OS OS 10 9Ci 8Ci OS 4 S-Cu 9Ci 3A-Cu 9Ci 10 8 Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 9S 10 10 10 9Ci 10 10 12h. 10 9Ci ON ON ON 4S 4 S-Cu OS ON OS 8Ci 10 S-Cu 3 Ci-S 9Cu 4 S-Cu OS 4S 8 Ci-S ON 10 10 10 10 10 10 4S 10 10 9Ci 10 16h. 20h. 10 10 ON ON 10 lS-Cu OS OS ON OS 10 3S OS-Cu ICi-S 4Cu OS 9Ci ON 8Ci 8S 10 10 10 9S 10 8S 4S 7S 10 7S 10 7 S-Cu 6 S-Cu ON ON 4S 3S-CU OS OS ON 9Ci OS 1 S-Cu lS-Cu OS-Cu ON 5S 9Ci 5 Ci-S 7Ci OS 9Ci 9Ci 10 9S 8 Ci-S 9S 3A-S OS 9Ci 7S 9Ci 24h. 2 S-Cu 8Ci ON ON 5 Ci-Cu 4 S-Cu OS OS 5 Ci-Cu 9Ci OS OS lS-Cu OS-Cu 3 Cu-N ON 7Ci 5 Ci-S 3 Ci-S 5 Ci-S 9Ci 9Ci 10 9S 9 Ci-S 9S OS 4 S-Cu 8Ci 8 S-Cu 10 JANUARY, 1900. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska. do 10 9Ci 10 OS 10 9Ci 8S 9Ci ON OS 7 Ci-S 10 10 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 6S ON 8 Ci-S ON ON 8 S-Cu 10 8Ci ON ON ON 2Cu 8Ci 10 10 10 2S 10 10 8S * 10 ON 9Ci 7 Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 Ci-S 4S ON 9S ON 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 10 10 ON OS ON 2S OS 10 10 7S OS 10 10 10 10 ON 9Ci 7 Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 OS ON OS ON IS 10 10 10 ON 4S 6S 68 OS 8 Ci-S 10 9S 10 10 10 10 OS 5N 3 S-Cu 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 OS 4S 5 S-Cu ON 3S 7 Ci-S 10 ON 58 4S 4S 6S IS 8 Ci-S 8 S-Cu OS 5 S-Cu 9Ci 9Ci 10 7 S-Cu 3 S-Cu OS 9Ci 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 OS OS 8 Ci-S ON 6 Ci-S 10 10 ON OS OS 7 Ci-S 8Ci OS 6 Ci-S 10 3 do OCi-S 4 ...do.... 7 Ci-S 5 do 10 6 ....do 9Ci 7 do 10 8 do ON 9 do 4 Ci-S 10 ...do 5 Ci-S 11 ...do 10 12 ...do 10 13 ...do 10 14 do 10 15 do 10 16 ...do 9 Ci-S 17 do... 10 18 do 9 Ci-S 19 do OS 20 do IS 21 do... ON 22 do ON 23 do 6 Ci-S 24 do 8 Ci-S 25 26 do do 8 Ci-S ON 27 do OS 28 do OS 29 do 6 S-Cu 30 do.... 9Ci 31 do OS 319 Cloud form? and amount of clear sky (expressed in tenths) — Continued. FEBRUARY, 1900. Date. Place. 4h. 8h. 12h. 16h. 20h. 24h. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ...do OS 8Ci-S 5S ON 4Ci-S ON OS IS-Cu S-Ca IS-Cu IS-Cu ON ON OS 10 9Ci-S 10 2 S-Cu 10 10 10 ON ICi-S 7Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 9Ci 10 ON 9(Ji ON 6Ci-S ON 2Cu OS OS ON 0A-S OS 10 10 10 9Ci-S 10 10 10 5S 9Ci 10 10 10 10 10 4S 10 10 ON 9Ci ON 8Ci ON 2 A-Cu IS-Cu IS ON 3Ci-S 9Ci 10 10 10 9Ci-S 10 10 10 6S 10 10 10 10 10 10 9Ci 10 ON 5S OS 4S 5Ci-S ON 1 A-S OS ON ON OS 10 7Ci-S 10 10 10 10 10 10 6S 10 10 10 10 10 8S IS 10 ON 7Ci OS 6S 5 Ci-S 1 A-Cu 2 S-Cu OS ON ON OS 8Ci OS 8 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 10 8 Ci-S 4S 48 6 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 10 10 10 2S 3 S-Cu 7 Ci 3 do ON 4 ... .do 9Ci I .do... OS 6 ...do 6 Ci-S ...do 7 A-Cu 8 ....do 4Cu 9 ....do 1 S-Cu 10 do 2 A-Cu 11 ...do ON 12 ...do ON 13 ....do lCu 14 do 10 15 ...do 3 Ci-Cu 16 ...do 10 17 ...do 7 A-Cu 18 do ... 9 Ci-S 19 ..do ... 10 20 ...do... 10 21 ...do ON 22 ....do 3 Ci-S 23 do 5 Ci-S 24 do 10 25 ..do... 10 26 10 27 28 do do 10 9Ci MARCH, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do 10 10 10 8Ci 8Ci 10 10 10 10 10 10 6 A-Cu ON 9 S-Cu 2Cu 6 S-Cu 9Ci 10 0A-S 10 OS 4 A-Cu 7 S-Cu 0A-S OS ON OX 5 Ci-S 9Ci ON OX 10 10 10 10 8Ci 10 10 10 9 Ci-S 10 10 9 Ci-S ON 3 Ci-S 9Ci OS 8Ci 10 4S 10 5 Ci-3 3 A-Cu IN IS 3 Ci-S ON ON 6 Ci-S 8Ci ON ON 10 10 10 10 9Ci 10 10 10 10 10 10 6 Ci-S ON 5 Ci-S 4Ci-Ca 7 A-Cu 8Ci 10 10 9Ci 9 Ci-S 6 A-S 5S OS 7S ON ON 2S OS ON OX 8S 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 2S ON ON ON 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 10 OS IS OS 7S ON 2S 7 A-S ON 2 S-Cu OX OS 6 S-Cu OX 2S 10 10 10 8Ci 10 10 10 10 10 10 OS ON 3 A-Cu 3 Ci-Cu 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 6 Ci-S 5 S-Cu ON 8 S-Cu ON ON ON ON 5 Ci-S 6 S-Cu IN ON ON 9Ci 9Ci 10 10 10 10 9 Ci-S 10 10 5Ci ON ON 5Cu 4 Ci-S 9Cu 9Ci 5Ci 9 Ci-Cu 5S lCu 10 OX 5 S-Cu ON OS-Cu 5Ci 7 Ci-Cu ON OX OX 320 Cloud forms and amount of clear sky {expressed in tenths) — Continued. APRIL, 1900. Date. Place. 4h. 8h. 12h. 16h. 20h. 24h. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ...do ON ON 6 Ci-S 3 Ci-S ON ON 9 Cu 7 Ci-S 8 Ci-S 6 Ci-S 1 S-Cu 5 Ci-S 5 Ci 3 S-CU 3 Ci-Cu IS-Cu 2Cu 2Cu 4 Ci-S ON 3 Ci-Cu ON 4 Cu-N 5 Cu-N 4 Ci-S 4 Cu-N 3 Cu-N OS OCu-N 6Cu 8S-Cu ON 9 Ci-S 1 S ON ON 10 2 Ci-S 10 8Ci IS-Cu OS 4 Ci-S OS IN 4S-Cu IS-Cu 2Cu ON ON ON ON ON 2 Cu-N 2 Cu-N 6Cu 5Cu IS-Cu ON 9Cu IS ON 10 2N ON ON 10 OCi-S 10 7Ci 10 3S 10 OS ON 4S-Cu ON 10 OS ON ON 6 Ci-Cu ON ON ICu-N 10 5Cu 4S-Cu ON 10 ON ON IS ON ON ON 9Cu 2S 10 8 Ci-S 9 Ci-S 2S 8S-CU ON ON OS ON 7 Ci-S s ON ON 1 A-Cu 7S-Cu ON 2 Cu-N 9S 4S ON ICu-N 10 ON 2S 4 Cu-N ON ON 2N 8 Ci-S OS 9Ci 3S 10 OS 8Cu 5Cu ON 2S-Cu 7Cu 3 A-Cu 5 Ci-Cn 3 Ci-Cu ON 5 Ci-Cu 8 Ci-S 2 Cu-N 7S-Cu 8 Ci-S OS 3Cu ICu-N 10 ON 4 Ci Cu 3 ...do 5 Cu 4 ...do ON 5 ...do ON 6 do 9 Cu 7 do 6 Ci-S 8 do 7S-Cu 9 ...do 5 Ci 10 ...do 1 S 11 ...do Ci 12 do 4 Ci-S 13 do 5Ci 14 do 7 Cu 15 do ON 16 do 2S-Cu 17 ...do 4 Cu 18 ...do 1 S-Cu 19 ...do 3 Cu 20 ....do 4Cu 21 do ON 22 ...do 4 A-Cu 23 do 9Ci 24 do 5 Ci-S 25 do 8Cu 26 ...do 7Cu 27 ...do... 4 Ci-S 28 ....do 3 Cu 29 do 3 S-Cu 30 do 9Ci MAY, 1900. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do 8Ci ON ON 2Cu 5 Cu-N 8CU 4 S-Cu 8Ci 5Ci 7S OS 9Ci 5Ci 8Ci ICu-N OS OCu-N 3 Cu-N 3 Cu-N 8Cu 7Cu ICu-N 2 Cu-N IS 2S 3S ICu-N ICu-N ON 3 Cu-N 5 Cu-N 4Ci ON 2N 5Cu 7Cu 10 2Cu 8 Ci-S ON ON OS 9Ci 7 Ci-S 8Ci 1 Cu-N 9Cu OCu-N ON 8Cu 9Cu 5 Cu-N 6 Ci-Cu ICu-N ON 3 S-Cu IN ON ON 8Cu 4 S-Cu 7Cu 10 ON 7 S-Cu ON 8 A-Cu 10 7Cu 7 Ci-S ON 3 Cu-N 5S 7 Ci-S 7 A-S ICu-N ON 8S ON 7Cu 7 S-Cu 3 S-Cu ICu-N ICu-N OCu-N ON 8SCu ON ON ICu-N OS 4 S-Cu 8 S-Cu OS ON 2S ON 1 A-Cu 8S lM-Cu 7'S 5Ci 6 A-Cu 5Ci ICu-N 3 A-S ICu-N ON 6 Ci-S ON OCu-N 8Cu 9Cu 3 Cu-N ON 3 S-Cu IS-Cu 9Ci ON 2 Cu-N 2 Cu-N OS OCu-N 9Ci ON ON OS ICu-N 3 A-Cu 10 4 Ci-S ON ON 2Cu 7Ci 2 S-Cu 3Cu OS ON 8Ci ON 8Cu 9Cu 9Cu 4 Cu-N ON 3 S-Cu OM-Cu ICi-S ICu-N ON ON 3 S-Cu 8Cu 7 Cu-N ON ON 3 do 7Cu 4 do 7 Cu 5 do 7Cu 6 do :... 8 Ci-S ...do... 8Ci 8 do... 3Cu 9 do 5Cu 10 do ON 11 do 10 12 do OS 13 do 6 Ci-Cu 14 do OS 15 do OS-Cu 16 do 7 Ci-S 17 do ON 18 do 9Cu 19 do 9Cu 20 do 8Cu 21 do 5 Cu-N 22 do ON 23 do ON 24 25 do do 2 Cu-N 3 Ci-S 26 27 65° 55' N., 149° 18' W.. do ICu-N 2 Cu-N 28 29 65° 40' N., 149° 55' W.. do ON 3Cu 30 do 4 Cu-N 31 do 5 Cu-N 321 WINDS. The force of the wind is estimated and is given according to the following notation: 0, calm. 1, light airs. 2, light breeze. 3, gentle breeze. 4, moderate breeze. 5, fresh breeze. 6, strong breeze. 7, moderate gale. 8, fresh gale. 9, strong gale. 10, whole gale. 11, storm. 12, hurricane. Direction {magnetic) and force of wind observed on board the V. S. 8. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska. SEPTEMBER, 1899. [Astronomical time used.] Rampart City, 65° N., 150° 10' W do do 65°40'N., 149° 55' W.. 66°00'N., 149° 15' \V.. do Rampart City do do do do do do do do do do Coalmine 65°40'N., 149° 55' W do do Between coal mine and Dall River DallRiver66°00'N., 149° 15' W do :.... .do .do .do .do .do .do .do Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 S\V. x S. 1 North. 2 NE. 2 NNE. 2 NNW. Calm. 1 NNW. 2SW. 4 SSW. 2 S. x E. 3 North. 2 NNW 7 . Calm. Calm. INW.xN. Calm. 1SE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 West. 1 WSW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 NE. 2 NNE. 1 N x W. 1 N x W. 1NE, 1SSE. 2 WSW. Calm. 3 NE. x N. 1 NNE. 1 NNE. 1 NNE. 2 North. 2 South. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 WSW. 2 WSW. 2 WSW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 5 NNE. 3 NNE. Calm. Calm. 1NE. 3SE. Calm. 2 South. 3 NNE. 3 NNE. 1ESE. 1NW. Calm. 1 South. 1 South. 1 South. 1 South. 1 South. 1 South. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 NNW. 1NNW. 1 NNW. 1 XX w. 1NNW. 1NNW. 1NNE. 3 North. Calm. 1NW. 1 East. 2SSE. Calm. Calm. 4 NNE. 2 NNE. 1ENE. Calm. Calm. 1 South. 2 SW. 2SW. 2SW. 2SW. 2SW. 2SW. 2SW. 1 West. 1 West. 1 W r est. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 4 North. 2NW.xW. 4 NW. x N. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 5 SSW. 1SW. 5 North. 5 North. Calm. 4NW. 3ESE. 1SE. 1SE. 1SE. 1SE. 1SE. 1SE. 1SE. 2 WSW. 2 WSW. 2 WSW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 South. 1 North. 2NE. 2 NNE. 3Nx W. 2 SSW. 2 SSW. lNx W. 5SSE. 1 South. 3 SSW. 4 North. 2 North. 2 North. 4NW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm, Calm. 1 West. 1 WSW. 1 WSW. 1 WSW. 322 Direction {magnetic) and force of wind observed on board the U. 8. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. OCTOBER, 1899. Date. Place. tli. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ...do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do .do, .do, .do. .do .do .do .do, .do, 8h. Calm. Calm. 2North. 3 NE. x E. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 2 North. 3 NNE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 12h. Calm. 1 Var. 2 North. 2 NNE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 16h. Calm. 2NE. 2 North. INNE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 24h. Calm. INE. 1 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. INE. INE. 2 NNE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 WSW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 West. NOVEMBER, 1899. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. INE. 3 NNE. 1 Var. Calm. 2NNW. 3 North. 2NE. 2NE. Calm. 2NE. 3NE. 2 North. 2NE. Calm. 2 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. INW. Calm. Calm. 2 NNE. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 1 North. 2NE. 2NE. Calm. INE. 3NE. 2NE. Calm. Calm. 3 North. Calm. Calm. ISW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm, Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 North. 2 NNE. INNE. 1 Var. Calm. 2NNW. 2 North. 3NE. INE. 1 Var. Calm. 3NE. 3 North. Calm. 2NE. 3 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 North. 2 NNE. IVar. Calm. Calm. 3 North. 1 North. 2NE. 2NE. Calm. Calm. 3NE. 3 North. Calm. 2NE. 2 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 West. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 North. 3 NNE. 1 Var. Calm. IVar. 1 North. INE. 2 North. 2NE. INE. 2 NE. 3 NE. 2 North. Calm. IVar. 2 North. Calm. Calm. 3 do 1 Var. 4 do Calm. 5 ...de Calm. 6 ...do 7 ....do 8 do 9 do Calm. 10 do Calm. 11 do 10 ...do... Calm. 18 do... Calm. 14 do Calm. 15 do 3NE. 16 do 2 NNE. 17 do IVar. 18 do... Calm. 19 do 2 NNE. 20 do 2 NNE. 21 do 2NE. 22 ...do... 2 NNE. 23 do... INE. 24 do... 2NE. 25 do 3NE. 26 27 do do... INE. 2 North. 28 do... Calm. 29 do 2NE. 30 do 1 East. 323 Direction (magnetic) and force of wind observed on board the V. S. S. Xunivak, River, Alaska — Continued. Yukon DECEMBER. 1899. Date. Place. 4h. 8h. 12h. 16h. 20h. 24h. 1 2 3 4 5 1 6 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do do do do ...do... Calm. 1 NE. Calm. 5 NE. 1 NE. Calm. 1 NE. Calm. 1 NE. Calm. Calm. 1 SE. Calm. Calm. 3 WNW. 1 SW 1 SW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. ("aim. Calm. Calm. Calm. 4 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 West. 2 West. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 ESE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 South. Calm. 1 South. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 NE. Calm. 1 NE. 1 West. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 SW. 2 South. 1 West. 1 NW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 North. 2 NE. Calm. Calm. 7 8 do do Calm. Calm. 9 do Calm. 10 do Calm. 11 do 1 SE. 12 do 1 Var. 13 ...do Calm. 14 ...do 1 SE. 15 ...do 2 West. 16 do 2 NW. 1 NW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 South. 1 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. 1 West. 17 do Calm. 18 ...do Calm. 19 ...do Calm. 20 do Calm. 21 do Calm. 22 do 23 ...do ... Calm 24 ...do... Calm. 25 do Calm. 26 do 27 do Calm. 28 do Calm. 29 30 do do Calm. Calm. 31 do Calm. JANUARY, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. do.. Calm. Calm. Calm. North. Calm. Calm. Calm. NE. North. North. North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Var. North. Calm. Calm. South. South. Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. 1NE. 3 NW. 1 North. 2 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 1 North. Calm. Calm. 3 South. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1NE. 3 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 2SW. 1SE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2SE. Calm. Calm. 1SE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 West. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 1NE. 3 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. 1SE. 3SW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 4NE. 2 North. 2 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. lVar. 1 Var. 1 North. Calm. Calm. 2 South. 1SW. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 NNW. 1NE. 2 North Calm. Calm. 324 Direction (magnetic) and force of wind observed on board the U. S. S. Nunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. FEBRUARY, 1900. Date. Place. 4h. 8h. 12h. 16h. 20h. 24h. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1SW. IVar. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 South. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. IVar. 2NE. 1 Var. Calm. 2NE. 2NE. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2NE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2NE. Calm. 3 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 4 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. IVar. INW. 1 North. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. INW. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2NW. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3NE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. INW. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3NE. Calm. Calm. IVar. Calm. Calm. IVar. IVar. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3 ....do Calm. 4 do 1SW. 5 do Calm. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 do do do do do do do do do ...do Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 16 ...do 3NE. 17 do Calm. 18 19 do do Calm. 3XE. 20 do Calm. 21 ...do Calm. 22 ...do... 3NE. 23 24 do do Calm. Calm. 25 ...do 1ESE. 26 do 2SE. 27 do INE. 28 do Calm. MARCH, 1900. 1 2 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do 1 Var. INW. Calm. 1 Var. IVar. IVar. 2NE. IVar. 1 Var. 2NE. 2 East. ISE. 1 West. ISE. 1 Var. Calm. ISE. 2NE. Calm. 1ENE. IVar. 3NE. 2 NE. x E. 2 NNE. 1 NNE. 2NE. INE. INE. 2 WNW. 1 WNW. 1NNW. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 1 South. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 1 Var. 2 North. 1 East. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 NE. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 2 NE. 2NE.XE. 2 NNE. 1 NNE. 2 NE. Calm. Calm. 2 WNW. 1 WNW. 1 NE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 NE. 2 NE. 3 NNE. 1 NNE. 2 NE. Calm. 1 Var. 1 Var. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 1 SE. 1 SE. 1 SE. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 NE. 2 NNW. 2 North. 1 Var. 2 NE. Calm. Calm. 1 South. Calm. 1 NNW. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 NNE. 1 Var. 1 North. 1 Var. 1 NE. Calm. Calm. 1 South. 1 Var. 2 NNE. 1 WSW. 2 NE. 3 do Calm. 4 do Calm. 5 ...do... 2 NE. 6 ...do... 7 ...do... Calm. 8 ...do Calm. 9 ...do 2 SSE. 10 ....do 1 SE. 11 do 2 NE. 12 do Calm. 13 ....do Calm. 14 ...do Calm. 15 ...do 1 NE. 16 ....do 1 Var. 17 ....do Calm. 18 do 1 ENE. 19 ...do... 2 NE. 20 ...do... Calm. 21 ....do 2 NE. x E. 22 23 do .....do 2 NE. x E. 2 NNE. 24 do 2 NE. 25 do 1 NE. 26 do... IVar. 27 do 1 East. 28 ... .do 1 WNW. 29 do 1 WNW. 30 do... 1 Var. 31 do lSW.xW. 325 Direction (magnetic) and force of wind observed on board the U. 8. & Xunivak, Yukon River, Alaska — Continued. APRIL, 1900. Date. 16h. 20h. 24h. in 11 12 IS 14 15 16 17 1* 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 ! 28 29 Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do... ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do ....do .do. .do .do .do .do .do .do .do 1 Var. 3 W. x N. 2NW. 2 North. 2 N. x E. 1 Var. 1SSW. 1 NNE. 1 Var. 1NE. Calm. 2NE.xE. 2 NE. Calm. 2NE. Calm. 1 WNW. 1 NW. 1NE. 2 North. 2NE. 1NE. 1 Var. INE. 1ENE. 2 SE. x S. 2 Var. 1 Var. 2 South. 1 NW. 1 WNW. 2 SSW. 1 Var. 2 East. 1 North. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 2 NE. INE. Calm. 1 North. 1 Var. 1 Var. Calm. 2N. xE. 1 NNE. 2NE. INE. 1 Var. 1 Var. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. l BW. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 SW. Calm. 2 ENE. 1 North. 1SSE. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 3NE. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 1 South. Calm. 2 North. 1 NNE. 2NE. 1 NE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. 2 SW. 1 NNE. Calm. 2 ENE. INE. 1SSE. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. 1 Var. lVar. 1 Var. Calm. 2N.xE. 2NE. 2 NE. Calm. 1 Var. INE. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. 3 South. 1 Var. Calm. 1 WNW. lEast. Calm. 2NE. 1 NNE. 1SSE. lVar. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. 3NE. 1 Var. 1 Var. 1 Var. 1 Var. IW.xN. 1 NW. 2NE. 2 NNW. 2NE. 1 North. lEast. INE. INE. 1 South. lEast. 3SSE. 1SSW. 1 Var. 4 W. x N. 1 Var. 2 North. 3 North. 2 NNE. 3SSE. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1SE. 1 East. 2NE. 1 Var. INE. Calm. IW.xN. lVar. 2 NNE. 2NE. 2NE. 2 NNE. 2 NE. 1 Var. INE. Calm. 2SE. 1 Var. 4SSE. 1SW. 4 NNE. MAY, 1900. Fort Shoemaker, Dall River, Alaska do do do do do do do do do do do do do ! do ! do do • do do | do do I do do do do 65° 55' N. do... 65° 40' N. do... do.. do.. 149° 18' W.. I 4 North. 3 North. Calm. INE. 1 Var. INE. 2 NNE. 2 NNE. 2 NNE. INE. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. INE. 2NE. 2NE. 2NE. 1 NNE. INE. 1 ENE. 1 North. 1SW. INE. 2NE. 3 NNW. 3 NNW. 3 NNW. 2NW. 2ESE. Calm. 2SE. 2 North. 3 North. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1 Var. 2 NE. 2 NNE. 1 Var. 1 Var. 1 Var. Calm. INE. INE. INE. 2NE. 1 Var. ' INE. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. Calm. INE. 2 WNW. 2NE. Calm. 2 WNW. 1 Var. Calm. 1SSW. 4 North. 4 North. 1 Var. Calm. 1 Var. 1SE. 1 Var. 1 Var. Calm. INE. 1 North. 3NE. 2NE. 2 NNE. 2NE. 3 NNE. 1 Var. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. 2 South. Calm. INE. 1 Var. INE. INE. INE. INE. INE. INE. 2NE. 1 NNE. 1 North. Calm. Calm. INE. INE. Calm. Calm. Calm. 1SE. 2NE. 1 North. 2 NNE. 1 NNE. 2NE. 3 NW. 2 NNW. 1 NW. 1 NNE. 2 NNW. 1 NW. 2 NW. 2 NW. 3NW.xN. 1 Var. 2 NNW. Calm. 2 NW. 1 NE. x E. 2SE. 4 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY Return to desk from which borrowed. This book is DUE on the last date stamped below ITJan^tLl) 9 De'57WJ R eCQ £* DEC »* . 27 Je'60CTf I? 11 1986 ;'D LD RtC jUN 2 2 1960 27Sep60T0 IN STACKS SEP 1 3 1960 j A L'd UCB ANTH »«*>*£ L L 26 1986 ,N STACKS L CEJ VED BY FER$9*M JUL ^» i98<|t CIRCULATION DEPT, FEB 9 JUN 6 - 196$ REC'O LD APH - LD 2P-100m-ll,'49(B71468l6)476 APR 6 197? 7 X 1 72 -8) AM 2 r* retui GENERAL LIBRARY . U.C. BERKELEY D THIS C ; BQDQS7bbSa Recd lo m 5tb?^t*h r- lOC in JUL bl9l JU - ^ ' tF5?56s"l 5 0% 7 12A Uoivtr^gliSrnia