POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



liistoric ground, for it was here in ITST that Dixon first traded with 

 the Haidas, and in one day secured over three hundred sea-otter 

 skins, which to-day are so extremely precious. This was the open- 

 ing of the fur trade on the Northwest coast, and from this memora- 

 ble day's trade sprang up a commerce in furs which has continued 

 down to the present time. 



Fortunately for us, one of the old houses had been re-roofed l^v 

 some previous visitor, and so we found within dry cedar planks upon 

 which to spread our blankets for the night. 



On the following morning we crossed over to the old village of 

 Kiooste, where there is much of interest; but the ])lace is so over- 



(.i;a\l la A IIaida Chief. Queen Charlotte Islands. 



grown with underbrush that it was only with the greatest difficulty 

 that we could get from one house to another. Recrossing the strait 

 to North Island and anchoring our boat to a piece of kelp, we ex- 

 plored the little egg-shaped rock of Gorgie Sethlingun Nah, or 

 Gorgie's Coffin House. Gorgie was a famous Shaman of Kiooste, 

 and when he died was laid to rest in a handsome little house on the 

 summit of this island. By much hard work we were able to reach 

 the top of the rock, but the house had tumbled into ruin, and 

 two hats were all that remained to tell of the former glory of Gorgie. 

 Next day we explored the cave of Skungonah. Skungonah was 

 a hermit who lived over a hundred years ago and dwelt here alone, 



