OliUlSE OF THE STEAMER COfiWIN. 55 



we started upstream again, but the steam rapidly fell and we were compelled to stop and try 

 another kind of wood. At noon the sun came out and I got an observation for latitude and fixed 

 the position at 66° 45' 17" nortli, longitude 161° 46' 10" west. At 1.30 went ahead again, but after 

 the pressure attained by standing still had been reduced, the steam rapidly fell and we were again 

 compelled to stop. The wood was now split up finer aud we tried it again, this time with better 

 success, and we were rejoiced to see the little launch slowly but surely forge ahead against the 

 strong current. At "J.SO we discovered a remarkable glacier-like formation extending for a distance 

 of three-quarters of a mile along the right. side of the river. A solid mass of ice, superposed by 

 'a thin layer of dark-colored soil, the whole rising to a height of some 150 feet, forms the bank. 

 Trees stood toppling over the edge of the bank, ready to fall, and others had fallen and lay like a 

 fringe along its base. At 9 p. m. we reached a uarrow bend in the river aud found tbe current 

 running with great velocity. In attempting to anchor for the night the warp was violently jerked 

 out of Andre's hands and the anchor lost. We immediately set to work to recover it by dragging 

 the bottom, but as there were from six to eight fathoms of water and the current ran about seven 

 knots, we were unsuccessful. Distance made during day, 24i miles. Average temperature, 90°. 



July 13, 1884. — The day began with a light southeast wind and rain. At 6.30 we had break- 

 fast aud recommenced search for the lost anchor. Finding drag-lines of no service, long poles 

 with hooks on the ends were substituted, but after three hours' work I was compelled to give it up 

 and proceed up the river. We made a temporary anchor of willow forks in the absence of any- 

 thing better. Up to this time not a sign of a stone had been seen on the banks, nor, indeed, had 

 any been brought down with the ice, the crumbling nature of the bank would have prevented its 

 remaining there. Daring the night I was awakened by a sudden and tremendous roar, and in the 

 morning I observed the cause of the disturbance. A huge piece of earth, one hundred feet square, 

 had become detached from the bank and had fallen into the water. All day long the river grew 

 narrower and the current more rapid. The bends were more abrupt and around the longest sides 

 of the bends the water swirled into eddies too strong for the launch to overcome. Foot by foot 

 the little craft crawled up in the backwater, and we took advantage of every projecting point to 

 get ahead. We experienced much trouble in keeping steam. During the afternoon we ran into a 

 reach of the river extending for iibout six miles in a northeasterly direction, and the vista was one 

 of surpassing loveliness. The river suddenly widened to half a mile, and both banks were low 

 and green in the sunshine, while beyond and partly hidden by a light mist a range of rugged 

 mountains could be seen, lying cool aud tranquil in the distance. At the end of this long reach in 

 the river we came upon a succession -of high blufl's formed by the foothills of the mountains run- 

 ning in on the river. Their sides were clothed with the sweet-smelling pine and juniper, and a 

 narrow, rocky beach lay at their bases. Here we pitched the camp at 7.30 p. m. The sides of the 

 hills were dotted with many species of wild flowers, and under the pines the moss-covered ground 

 was like velvet to the touch. We would have called it Utopia had not the mosquitoes nearly 

 driven us wild. As it was we named the halt Highland Encampment. To day we added 24.9 

 miles to the distance already made. 



JiiUj 14, 1884. — At 5 a. m. called all hands and began cutting wood. The day began with rain 

 and so continued throughout. At 10 a. m. we finished wooding and breakfast and stood up the 

 river. At 1 p. m. we discovered a river running in from the northeast. The native name is 

 Sheeleelictok or Squirrel River, and its source is in the mountains, one day's portage from the 

 headwaters of the Nuuatok, which flows into Kotzebue Sound at Hotham Inlet. Here we were 

 puzzled as to the proper course to take, as three water ways, all equally large, were in sight. How- 

 ever, choosing the center stream as likely to be the best, we pushed ahead, and soon entered into 

 a part ot the river where many sand bars contracted the channel so much that it was hard work to 

 get ahead against the current. 



We could not keep steam sufficient to go ahead more than for about ten minutes, when we 

 would be compelled to stop and " bottle up." Early m the afternoon the current became so rapid, 

 aud we got on shore so many times, that I dropped the two boats and ordered them ahead in shoal 

 water under the care of Andre and Natorak. The left shore was high, rolling land to the water's 

 edge, and terminated by a beach composed .of variously colored stones of lime Ibrmation. Huge 

 bowlders of metamorphic rock crop out at intervals from among the dense growth of pine and 



