MINOR FUR INDUSTRIES. 105 



gfeat deal of hunting and formerly a large amount of trapping. 

 Since the establishment of this mission, however, they hardly evei* 

 gb trapping until February. Mink and marten are about the only 

 furs purchased. The marten are of a very good quality, but the 

 mink are too often a dark brown, somewhat lighter than the average* 

 dark-chocolate mink of the interior. This is not due to any fault in 

 the mink, but to the fact that the Indians do most of their trapping 

 after the first of the year. This trader has a winter post office, but 

 sends most of his furs to Fairbanks. 



At Chena furs are seldom sold. Trappers prefer to take their 

 catch to Fairbanks, where there is more competition. 



The Nenana trading post and post office is run by a trader who 

 ships most of his furs by mail. He gets nearly all the Nenana 

 Indian catch and a large number of white-trapper furs from the 

 Kantishna and Nenana rivers. The rest of these furs go to Fair- 

 banks As these rivers run through a varied country from the high 

 mountains of the Alaska range to the lower swamp lands near the 

 mouth, a varied collection of skins is obtained. The middle country 

 between the Nenana and the Kantislma is a good lynx country. 

 The trader at Nenana obtains from 50 to 100 a year. The vari- 

 colored martens from the upper Kantishna and the darker-colored 

 ones from the Nenana are brought here. The mink are of a good 

 quaUty, and several hundred are brought in each year. The Nenana 

 Indians catch a great many musla-ats, which are plentiful near thd 

 mouth of the river, and may be obtained without much exertion. 

 Foxes were quite common toward the Alaskan range, but are now 

 not so common. 



The Tolovana trading post, at the mouth of the Chatanika, is 

 run by two traders. A large number of mink and musla-at are 

 obtained by the Indians here, also a few lynx and fox. The country 

 is mostly low, covered with spruce forests, though farther up the 

 Chatanika it becomes quite hiEy. Most of the fur obtained is sent' 

 to the Fairbanks store of this company. 



Though the country around Fairbanks has long ago been trapped 

 out, more furs are handled there probably than in any other place in 

 the interior of Alaska. Competition is very strong, so it is with credit 

 to themselves that the reliable dealers refuse to buy a collection con- 

 taining unprime skins. Trappers, and some tradei-s, come here from 

 far distant points to dispose of their winter furs. The best of the furs 

 purchased here are sold locally at high prices. 



There are several dealers in fui-s at Fairbanks. Individuals also often - 

 buy smaU lots, pick out a few of the best skins, and ship the others. 

 One firm handles the largest proportion of goods purchased directly in 

 Fairbanks. They make a practice of picking out and selling in sets 

 locally the best-matched skins. In this way they can get about one- 



