54 CliUlSE OF THE STEAMEK COKVVIN. 



the sound lunidiiiK tnwunls us. She shortly afterward came up, and Mr. Doughis delivered me 

 the articles 1 hud requested, and a few extra provisions which had been sent by our shipmates on 

 the Corwin. We now stood for theentrauce to the inlet, running up a deep channel which trends 

 close to the eastern shore, fiudiuj; from four to five fathoms of water. lioundiufi the blufl" head- 

 lauds of Uotham Inlet we stood up the bay to tiie southeast, liudinj^ a ilisaj^reeable head sea and 

 wind to contend against. We constantly shipped water forward, and as the two boats towed 

 hard, but little headway was made. The shores on the right side of the bay were steej) and com- 

 posed of clay blutl's .some two or three hundred feet high, backed by rolling tundra laiul. The left 

 shore, however, was low and swampy and covered with many lagoons. 1 learned from the Indian 

 guide Natorak, who had been sent by Captain Ilealy to accompany us, that the Kowak had fifteen 

 mouths, and ihat the low shore on our left was the delta, and was some fifty miles iu length. 

 Toward 9 o'clock I observed a lagoon on the right side of the inlet which atforded a good shelter 

 from the wind, which was now on the increase, and we made for it. At 10 o'clock we came to and 

 pitched the (-amp, having made 22..5 miles. Average temperaturi', 90^. 



July 10, 18S4. — The day commenced with a strong northeast wind, and as the Indian iuformeil 

 me that tlie sea would be much heavier as we i)roceeded further up the inlet, I determined to wait 

 until the gale had abated. In order to lighten the boats as much as possible, I made a cache here 

 of three cans of i)emmicau, two cans of jjotatoes, an oil stove, aiul a can of coal oil, these articles 

 being thought unnecessary for immediate use. At 10 o'clock the wind decreased and the searaji- 

 idly went down, so that we were enabled to get under way. Stood up the bay and got along very 

 well until we lost the shelter of a i)oint jutting into the inlet from the west side. The soundings 

 gradually decreased from four fathoms of water into as many feet, when we kept away again towards 

 the mouth of the river. At 7 o'clock we observed a break in the low laud of the delta, and Nato- 

 rak pointt'd out the chaTinel leading to the nmuth of the river. A remarkable ])eak ahead and a 

 high blutf point on the western shore form a range for this entrance. We carrietl in one and a half 

 fathoms, but the channel is narrow and would be difficult to find. This mouth of the river is some 

 two hundred yards iu width, aTid we found from two and a half to three fathoms of water, with no 

 shoals or obstructions. The banks are low and marshy and covered by a dense undergrowth of 

 willow and birch trees. At 8 o'clock we pitched our tent on the right bank, and were immediately 

 attacked by myriads of mosquitoes, which seemed to be of the most malignant disposition and 

 made the work of the camp a most disagreeable duty. 



Jnii/ 11, 1884. — .Vt 5 o'clock all hands were called and a hasty breakfast jm-pared. At 7.30 

 we were under way once more and stood up the river. Both banks continued low and are covered 

 with a dense undergrowth. We passed many deserted huts, but saw no natives until about 10 

 a. m., when we observed a collection of huts on the right bank, and upon landing discovered a 

 native and his family, who were greatly surprised at our appearance. The children were perfectly 

 naked and retired precipitately to their huts. Here we were informed that many natives had 

 .starved during the winter. After leaving this ]>lace the banks gradually increased in height, and 

 the current, which had been reckoned at two knots j)er hour in the morning, increaseil to three 

 knots by night. The course of the river was exceedingly tortuou.s, and we sometimes found our- 

 selves, after running two hours, ba<!k within a <|uarter of a mileof oiirstarting jwint. At 4 o'clock 

 a grouj) of huts was observed on a high l)laek blutt' on the right side, and we ran into a little 

 creek near by and landed to communicate with the natives. A letter was handed to me which 

 had been left by Lieut. George M. Stoney July 27, 188.3. He named the settlement Gilderville. 

 Soundings were regular throughout the day and showed an increase of from three and a half to 

 'five fathoms, and the width of the stream varied from one-half to three-quarters of a mile. Many 

 ofi'shoots of the main stream were observed and all were on the left side. At 7 j). m. we came to 

 and pitcheil our tent, having nuide .'51.^ miles. Average _temi)erature, S'>o, 



Jxily 12, 1S84. — At 7.30 a. m. we got under way, after leaving two bags of coal here to take 

 us to the mouth of the river on our return. Up to this sjjot no timber had been seen, but during 

 the day we iiasse<l many clusters of i)ine trees, and towards the night the banks were well covered 

 with a growth of pine, birch, and willow. At 8.30 we stopped to c.it wood in a bend of the river 

 where it has a large otlshoot running to the westward. Natorak informed me that this was the 

 last branch of the river delta, and flowed into Hotham Inlet uear its lower portion. At 9 o'clock 



