dragged a short distance, wrapped in a piece of sealskin, covered with one or two logs, and all his little property, including his gun, scattered about on the ground. Left in this way, the dogs soon attacked it, and it was only by threatening Kamókin that we would take the body and throw it into his house through the smoke-hole, that we finally induced him to give it decent burial.

The cold weather continued, and we expected Kurilla with the dogs every day. Meanwhile I had a number of women set at work making new harness, as the old was worn out, and we should need a double supply. These harnesses are made with two bands over the back, sewed on each side to a broad band which passes around the chest and is prolonged into two traces. Beneath, a belly-band with a button and loop holds it on. A single small sealskin will make a dozen good harnesses. The thicker skins make the best, and they are often ornamented with red flannel and bright buttons.

CHAPTER V.

Arrival of Kurilla and the dogs.

asatux.

Departure from Unalaklik. - Various kinds of sledges. Arrival at Iktigalik. - Series of detentions. - Indian avarice. - At Ulukuk and across the portage. - Comparative merits of different sledges. Wol- Arrival at Nulato. - Sham hysterics. — Fish-traps. — Kurilla's return. Journey to the Kaiyuh River. Housekeeping. — Christmas and New-Year's. Snaring grouse. Yukon fish. - Continued sickness. Arrival of the mail.Start for the Redoubt. - How the Russians travel vs. how the Americans travel. -Arrival at the Redoubt. Return to Iktigalik. - Break-down and repairs. -Dogdriving, and camp life in the Yukon territory. - Snowshoes. - Arrival at Nulato. Expeditions among the Nulato Hills. Hostile Koyukuns. Reasons for their hostility. Character of the western Tinneh. — Endurance.- Prevalent diseases. Snow-goggles. — Totems. - Dances and songs. Arms. Habits of life.. AdMaking shot. · Attack on Tekunka and the

ditional notes on the Kutchin tribes.

result.

Arrival of swallows and geese. - Break-up of the ice. - Narrow escape. Non-arrival of Indians. - Pavloff's departure.

E

ARLY in the forenoon of November 12th I was called out

by a cry that dogs were coming. On reaching the riverbank I saw the tall form of the indefatigable Kurilla behind a rapidly advancing sled. He had hardly reached the fort when Pávloff, Paspílkoff, Peetka, and Iván the tyone came in sight with two other sleds. All was as usual at Nuláto, and there was a fair prospect of abundance of fish in the coming winter. We greeted them heartily, and were soon seated around the steaming samovár. They were eight days from Nuláto, and had found the ice on the Yukon in good condition, though there were still open places in it. The Russians were bound for the Redoubt, and Iván had come to Unalaklík to buy oil.

The 14th was stormy, and on the 15th I arranged to start for Ulúkuk. I was short of dogs, as Stepánoff had taken all the dogs belonging to the Telegraph Company, except those which Kurilla had brought from Nuláto. I was able to secure nine from the Unalaklik village, and hired three Máhlemuts to assist us as far as Ulúkuk and perhaps to Nuláto. I obtained two Innuit sleds, which would be available only as far as Ulúkuk. These sleds are

admirably suited for travelling over the ice, but are too heavy to use on a portage. They are made of spruce wood, with the runners shod with bone cut from the upper edge of the jawbone of the whale, and pegged on with birch pegs. They are brought from Bering Strait, and good ones are worth ten sables a pair. The sled is furnished with a flat bottom made of slats, on which the

Innuit sled of Norton Sound.

load is laid, and with a low horizontal rail. We were accustomed to lash a pole on each side, projecting behind the sled at an angle of fifty degrees with the runner These poles, strengthened with a cross-bar, assisted materially in pushing and guiding the sled and in lifting it up and down steep banks.

We had brought down from Fort Yukon to Nuláto, the previous summer, two Hudson Bay sledges and a set of harness. They are

made of three birch boards about twelve feet long. These are cut thin at one end, about three feet of which is bent over, lashed and covered with rawhide to keep it in place. Inside of this curve the voyageur carries his kettle. The boards are secured to each other by crosspieces well lashed on. The load is placed inside of a large bag as long as the sled, and made of dressed mooseskin. It is then covered over and firmly lashed by means of a rawhide line and netting attached to each side of the sled. A piece of mahout, known as the tail-line, passes through a loop in the head of the sled and is tied to the lashings over the load, binding it all firmly together. The preceding sketch shows the appearance of the loaded

sled. The harness is furnished with a padded collar, like a horsecollar, but rounded, which goes over the neck of the dog, and the traces are long. The dogs are harnessed tandem, and three good ones make a team. The traces are buckled on each side of the dog behind, so that the strain all comes on the load and no power is wasted. I found it advantageous to lash two poles to the load behind, as already described, as it is very hard work controlling the motions of the sled by means of the tail-line alone.

The Indian sled of the country is much lighter. It is made of birch, with thin, broad runners, which bend with the inequalities of the road. The accompanying picture will give a better idea

of it than a description. There are no nails or pins, the whole being lashed together by means of rawhide thongs. The load is usually covered with cotton cloth, and firmly lashed to the sides and rail of the sled. The dogs are harnessed two and two, with a leader, to a single line in front of the sled. The traces are tied together, and attached by a short cord to the sled-line. The harness was described in the last chapter.

We had had many discussions during the past season, in regard to the respective merits of the different kinds of sleds, and I was very glad of the opportunity of thus putting them to a practical test. The Hudson Bay sled is the only one used by their voyageurs; while the Russians use a sled similar to the Indian one, but broader and more strongly made.

We started for Ulúkuk about noon of the 15th. Our loads were unusually heavy and the teams small. On each of the Hudson Bay sleds I placed about four hundred pounds, and gave them three good dogs apiece. The Indian sled took about the same load with four dogs, and the Innuit one had about seven hundred with five dogs. The latter, being shod with bone, will carry a

very heavy load over smooth ice with ease. I took one of the Hudson Bay sleds, as I always made it a rule to take as heavy a sled as any man in the brigade. With this arrangement no man could complain of the excessive weight of his load, and laziness was left without an excuse. A light sled should always lead, and break the road. This was Kurilla's post; I brought up the rear, to prevent the natives from needlessly lagging behind. When sure of my men and with a good road, I always took the lead. It is a good plan for the leader to carry the blankets, chynik, and axes; for if a storm should come up, and the others should drop behind, they cannot camp until the day's work is finished, and they have caught up their lost ground.

We found the going moderately good, and camped a short distance below Iktígalik about six o'clock. The days were beginning to be short. The sun rose about ten o'clock, and by three in the afternoon had again reached the horizon. His highest elevation was far below the zenith.

We reached Iktígalik early the next day. Here we camped, bought dog-feed, and rearranged the loads, substituting an Indian sled for the Innuit one, which was of no further use, as we were about to make portages. Matfáy had promised me a new sled and the use of his dogs, for which I had paid him in advance. Now, the old ruffian refused to let his dogs go at all, and gave us a weak and almost worthless old sled. Amílka and others had built some new winter houses near Nuk'kóh, and had deserted Ulúkuk entirely, only one house there being still inhabited. All the Ingaliks were going to the Káiyuh River a little later in the season. Here Tékunka had announced that he would hold a festival. He was now on his way to Unalaklík to purchase oil. We were delayed the next day, having to patch up the old sled, but got off about ten o'clock. We had not proceeded far before three of the knees on one side broke. After making the best repairs in our power we pushed on, and about noon reached the new village.

Here we found a large number of Indians. There was a new sled there, and the owner asked for it a can (1 lb.) of powder, ten balls, and ten percussion-caps. The usual cost of a sled is twenty balls; yet I would have purchased it, even at the outrageous price he named; but after paying him he stooped down and be