about one hundred feet high, with higher hills behind them. Neither deer nor moose are often found in this vicinity.

In 1838, Málakoff, a Creole, explored the Yukon as far north as Nuláto. Here he built a small trading-post, without a stockade, consisting of several small houses. This was occupied during the summer and fall, but in consequence of the scarcity of provisions, at the approach of winter the Russians, under Notármi the bidárshik, left it and returned to the Redoubt. On their return, in the spring, it was found that the Indians, jealous of the permanent settlement of the whites in their immediate vicinity, had destroyed it by fire. The same thing was repeated in 1839, the buildings being burned and contents carried off.

In 1841, according to Tikhménief, the historian of the Russian American Company, Derábin was sent to Nuláto and rebuilt the fort, after arranging the difficulty with the natives by means of numerous presents given to the most influential chiefs. Yet, not having benefited by previous experience, the post was composed of several detached log-houses, strongly built, but several hundred yards apart, and without a stockade or other efficient means of defence. Other buildings were added as necessity called for them, and in 1842, Lieutenant Zagóskin, I. R. N., a special explorer of the Company, arrived, and assisted at the erection of some of these.

For ten years, though frequently threatened, the little settlement escaped injury, Derábin meanwhile carrying on a lucrative traffic with the natives for furs. In the spring of 1851, Lieutenant Barnard, of H. M. S. Enterprise, arrived at Nuláto with the bidárshik, in search of information in regard to the fate of Sir John Franklin. He was a member of Captain Collinson's Expedition, and, with Mr. Adamș a surgeon, and one man, had been left by the Enterprise at St. Michael's the preceding fall Being probably a blunt, straightforward Englishman, with no knowledge of Indian character and suspicion, he made the remark, in the presence of others, that he intended to "send" for the principal chief of the Koyúkun tribe of Indians, whose head-quarters were on the Koyúkuk and Kotelkákat Rivers, and who were then holding one of their annual festivals, about twenty-five miles from Nuláto. This unfortunately-worded remark was conveyed to the chief in question, through some of the Indians at the post, by a passing native.

This chief was the most wealthy and influential in that part of the country, widely known and distinguished by a remarkably large and prominent Roman nose, from which he had received a name which, literally translated, means “humpbacked nose."

He was not accustomed to be "sent" for. When the Russians desired to see him they respectfully requested the honor of his presence. His Indian pride rose at the insult, and he immediately called a council to discuss the rumor. The shamáns were of course first consulted, and they unanimously declared that it boded no good to the chief in question. The council then decided that, if the report proved true, they would, with all the Indians there assembled, go together to the fort and demand satisfaction. They waited some time, and finally were about to disperse to their homes, when a single dog-sled appeared on the river.

This sled was accompanied by Iván Búlegin, a Russian, and an Indian workman of the Nuláto tribe, who had been sent up to see if any information were attainable, and if so, to bring down the Tyóne of Koyúkuk.

The ill-fated Búlegin drew his sled up on the bank, sending the Indian who accompanied him for water to boil the chynik. Sitting down on his sled to rest himself, he was approached stealthily from behind and, being struck on the head with an axe or club, was instantly killed.

The sled was dragged away and plundered; when the Nuláto Indian returned and saw what had been done, he turned to run, but the Koyúkuns called to him, saying, “Are you not one of us? We will not hurt you." Overcome by fear, he returned and unwillingly assisted in the atrocity which followed. Búlegin's body was stripped, the flesh cut in slices from the bones, and the savages, infuriated like wild animals by the sight of blood, roasted these remains and devoured them. An Indian, who noticed the reluctance with which Búlegin's companion joined in the horrid feast, crept up behind him and drove his knife up to the hilt in his neck. The fighting men present then stripped themselves of all incumbrances except their bows and arrows, and, putting on their snowshoes, set out at once for Nuláto. Less than a half-mile below the trading-post were three large winter houses, crowded with Ingaliks of the Nuláto tribe, in all, about a hun

dred men, women, and children. These houses were situated near the river-bank, a few rods northeast of the mouth of the Nuláto River. It being in the month of February, and an unusually warm spring, the Nuláto Indians had taken the precaution to clear away the snow from above their birch-bark canoes, forty or fifty of which were lying about. Intending to forestall retaliation for the death of Búlegin's companion, the Koyúkuns approached with the greatest quietness, not to disturb the sleeping inmates. The canoes were seized, broken up, thrust into the apertures in the roofs and the narrow underground entrances of the houses, and fired. The frightened inhabitants, wakened by the noise and crackling of the flames, endeavored vainly to force a passage through the fire. Some of the men, seizing axes, cut their way out through the wooden walls, but were mercilessly shot down by the arrows of the Koyúkuns. Many were suffocated in the smoke. A few women were taken by the victors, and one or two children were able to save themselves in the woods, through the negligence or pity of the conquerors.

A young man called Wolasátux, renowned for his skill with the bow, escaped to the mountains, eluding the vigilance of the pursuers by his swiftness of foot. All the rest were smothered or fell beneath the knives and arrows of the assailants. But little noise was made, except by the screams of the women and the shouts of the destroyers, for at that time the Indians had no guns. The slumbers of the Russians were not disturbed.

It is said that two Indian women who were employed at the fort, having risen early to boil the chyniks for the morning meal, heard and understood the cries of the victims, but, overcome by fear and anguish at the death of their kindred, stupidly shut themselves into the cook-house, and did not alarm the Russians.

The Koyúkuns next made for the trading-post, and found the bidárshik, just risen, sitting behind one of the houses. Saying to Iván, one of their tribe who had been employed at the fort as interpreter, "If you do not kill the bidárshik, we will kill you," they forced him to consent. He approached Derábin and stabbed him in the back repeatedly, so that he fell to rise no more. The Russian interpreter, a man said to have understood seven languages, happening to come out, saw the act, and turning unarmed to the Indians, upbraided them for the murder, but fell

in the doorway, pierced with seven arrows. Rushing over his prostrate body, they entered the house. Barnard was lying on his bed reading; at the sight of the hostile Indians he raised himself up to reach his gun, which hung above his head. Twice he fired, and twice the barrel was struck upwards, the balls taking effect in the ceiling. An Indian shamán-christened Larriówn by the Russians - and his brother seized the arms, and one plunged his knife into the Englishman's abdomen, so that when it was withdrawn the intestines followed it, and he fell back mortally wounded. Several shots were fired, and one struck Larriówn in the groin. Three children and their mother were killed; their father, Teléezhik, being absent in the Káviak peninsula, as interpreter, with Captain Bedford Pim.

Leaving the bidárshik's house, the Indians next attacked the casármer, or room where the workmen lived, where there were two Russians and several Creoles. They had barricaded the door, and being at some distance from the other house, knew nothing that had happened. One of them aimed through the window at the crowd of Indians; when the other, hoping to avoid bloodshed, advised him to fire above their heads, in hope that they would disperse. The crowd separated, but did not retreat, and only answered by a shower of arrows. The next shot, better aimed, killed one of the Indians, when a panic seemed to seize them, and they immediately retreated with their booty and prisoners to Koyúkuk. Larriówn sat in great agony in the outer room of the bidárshik's house. A Russian lay in the inner room, helpless from fever, who had been overlooked by the Indians in the excitement. His wife, an Indian woman named Maria, brought him a loaded pistol, and held him up while he fired at the shamán. His trembling hands could not direct the ball, and Larriówn dragged himself out to the river-bank. Here he found a Koyúkun woman, who had been staying at the fort, with her baby on a little sled, which she was drawing by a band over her forehead. He threw the child into the snow, and ordered her to draw him to Koyúkuk. She refused, and he stabbed her to the heart! How he finally got away, no one knows. Thus ended the Nuláto massacre.

An Ingalik, named Lófka, was sent by the Russians with a letter to the Redoubt. He placed it in his boot, fortunately, for

he was stopped on the river and searched by two Koyúkuns, who suspected his errand. Finding nothing, they let him go.

Mr. Adams, the surgeon, immediately started, with Teléezhik and a party of Russians, for Nuláto. Captain Pim, having returned from his adventurous journey frost-bitten, could not accompany him, and remained at Unalaklík.

The Russians had sewed up the wounds; but, before Mr. Adams arrived, Lieutenant Barnard was dead. It only remained for him to perform the last sad offices and to erect a cross over his grave, with the following inscription:

LIEUTENANT J. J. BARNARD,

OF H. M. ENTERPRISE,

Killed Feb. 16, 1851,

BY THE KOUKUK INDIANS.

F. A.

The Russian American Company, as is the wont of trading companies, never took any measures of retaliation for this massacre. Larriówn, and Iván, the murderer of the bidárshik, are frequent visitors at the fort. Presents were sent to the Koyúkun chiefs, and there the matter ended. A stockaded fort was soon built on the present site, and the graves of Barnard and Derábin lie a stone's throw behind it. The excavations where the Indian houses stood are still to be seen, and form the graves of those natives who perished by the massacre.

On the 29th of November the indefatigable Mike started again for Ulúkuk. I occupied myself with putting my instruments in order for meteorological observations. The thermometer, a standard one, registered thirty-six below zero. Our cook and principal assistant about the house, in the absence of the fairer sex, was Peetka, the son of Iván, previously mentioned as the murderer of Derábin. His father was acting as an interpreter for the Russians. In an Indian house, outside the stockade, Larriówn was domiciled with his wife and child. The appearance of this man was remarkable. A small round head and face, piercing eyes, thin scattered hair, a short pug nose (unusual in an Indian), a tremendous development of the muscles of the jaw, a very dark complexion, and a fiendish expression of countenance combined to make his appearance the reverse of attractive, even when in good humor.