pushed off. The wind was, as usual, dead ahead and very strong. Although aided by the current, we had hard work to make headway against it. Blowing against the stream, it raised quite a sea on the broad river, and as our gunwale was only four inches above the water, we found it necessary to keep close in shore. We stopped to rest several times, and arriving near a broad, shallow lagoon, we went ashore, and creeping behind the willows, tried to get a shot at some of the water-fowl which were feeding there. My favorite, of seven guns, was a Scotch rifle, which had been bored out so that it carried shot as well as ball. It was remarkably long in range, and very true. The ball which I used with it was a long conical one, weighing an ounce and a quarter. One of these was quite enough to bring down anything which it hit. Loading with buckshot, I waited for Kurilla, who had gone to the other end of the lagoon, where several swans were gracefully seated in the water. The report of his fowling-piece, which brought down a couple of brant, roused the swans from their reveries; and striking the water with their broad wings, they rose slowly and sailed through the air in single file toward my hidingplace. They are not rapid flyers, and I could count every sweep of their strong white wings. As they followed one another, uttering their harsh cry at intervals, their heads and necks in a straight line, they looked anything but graceful, and would hardly be recognized as the same birds so lately seated on the water. Just before getting in range, they most provokingly changed their course and struck out across the Yukon; so I had my trouble for my pains.

Before returning to the boat I secured a mallard and a whitefronted goose, to which the Indians added several pintails, and seven brant, so that our larder was well supplied. Toward evening we began to look for a camping-place, but everywhere the shore was covered with great blocks of ice, some distance above the water, and we were finally obliged to haul the boat up on a large ice-sheet which was grounded on a sand-bar. Here we camped, and a most uncomfortable camp it was. We had to travel a long distance to obtain driftwood sufficient to make a fire. Sand makes the hardest bed known; fine gravel is much more comfortable. The mosquitoes too, though not abundant, were by no means idle. Everything along the river showed that

it was an unusually late season. Few small birds were seen, and no butterflies as yet. The birch, poplar, and willow had only begun to unfold their leaves, while on the north slope of the hills snow still rested.

Saturday, 6th. We started early, and pulled against the same strong wind. We landed at a village which was quite deserted, the inhabitants being away after beaver. The facility in carving, shown by the Ingaliks of the Lower Yukon, was well displayed here. Paddles, dishes, and other articles lay scattered about where the owners had left them. The winter houses were half full of water, and the Indians had evidently been living for some time in three large summer houses. Among other things lying about, I noticed a large scoop or shovel shaped like a table-spoon, but seven feet long. It was carved out of one piece of wood, and ornamented with designs in red chalk and charcoal. It was of very graceful shape, and had evidently been used for throwing cut the ice from the aperture through which the fish-traps are raised in winter. I noticed a small bowl prettily carved, with two ears or handles. A long stick, to which a block of wood is attached at one end, is used, with the bowl referred to, for grinding up tobacco into snuff. My Indians were anxious to appropriate some of these articles, but I would not allow them to do so in the absence of the owners. The paddles, many of which were seen, were curiously painted with green, red, and black, and were smaller and more pointed than those in use farther up the river. The paddles decrease in size as we go down the river; those at the Yukon-mouth are very small and narrow indeed. We passed a very small waterfall during the day, the first I had seen on the river.

us.

On a small island we saw the first Indians. There were only three or four, and they were much alarmed when they first saw We landed, and found that they were making fish-traps. They had nothing to sell except some eggs, and a few úkali, which I bought for the dog. After making them a present of a few leaves of tobacco, we pushed off and continued down the river.

The boat was ill stowed, and a good deal of mud had gathered in her bottom from our feet, so I determined to camp early, turn her over, and wash her thoroughly, after taking out the goods.