CRUISE OF THE STEAMEK OOKWIN. 65 



coiniug towards us at a rapid rate, aud iu a short while our messenger of the night before handed 

 me the following uote Irom Mr. McLenegau : 



« August 2, 1884. 

 " Dear Gantwell : I worked all last night on the tubes, and have had to plug six of them. 

 They are now comparatively tight, but it diminishes our draught so much that it is almost impossible 

 to keep steam enough to overcome the current. I just took out two grate bars, which helps some- 

 what, but at this rate I doubt whether we will be able to reach you to-day. As near as I can learn 

 from the boy your boat is not disabled, and if such is the case, can't you meet us ? This will ruin 

 the boiler completely and cut off means of reaching the coast if I try her much more; but in obe- 

 dience to oi'ders I will keep on as fast as possible, or until something else turns up. Awaiting 

 some instructions, I am, 



" Yours, etc., " S. B. McLenegan." 



In answer to this dispatch I immediately sent word to Mr. McLenegan to stop and await our 

 arrival. We packed the skin boat and soon after 12 o'clock started down the river with four 

 Iiulians and myself paddling. At about 3 p. m. we arrived at the place where Mr. McLenegan had 

 stopped the launch, and I had a consultation with him as to my plans for gaining the head of the 

 river. So far as the launch was concerned I found she was scarcely in condition to go down stream, 

 and it would be useless waste of time to attempt to make her stem the current. I saw with alarm 

 the rapidly falling river, and knowing the many shoal places and rapids below our present position, 

 I considered it best to make our way back to the mouth of the river while we yet had time enough 

 to do so in safety. After dinner we started down stream, but made very poor headway, as the 

 steam, although allowed to run up to sixty pounds, would droj) almost immediately to twenty-five 

 pounds when the engine was started. Finding after repeated experiments that the steam would 

 be of no service to us we gave it up and got out the oars and tried to keep her in mid-channel by 

 this means. This was not always possible and we often grounded on sand-bars and had hard work 

 to get her oif. At midnight we reached the Indian village where 1 had left the launch, and as 

 none of us had had a moment's sleep for forty-eight hours we turned iu as best we might, wet and 

 hungry, but too tired to care for anything but rest and sleep. 



Augusts, 1884. — We spent the day in overhauling and restowing everything. Mr. McLenegan 

 with Lewis was at work all day, aud at night he reported that he had given the tubes a thorough 

 examination aud was satisfied tliey would not work with wood as fuel. Our only hope for steam 

 was, in his opinion, to get coal, aud try that. A bear was killed and brought to the outskirts of 

 the village today, and the whole population prepared for a feast to which we were invited, and 

 which we enjoyed most heartily, as we were sadly in want of meat. The appetites of these 

 Indians are something marvelous, and when I spoke to Andre about it, he told me that the Indians 

 of the Tanneuah region far surpassed these iu ability to eat large quantities of food at one time. 

 He instanced the case of an acquaintance who had eaten the entire carcass of a deer at one sitting. 

 It may, hojvever, be stated that this gastronomical feat was accomplished only after an entire 

 night's steady application. My personal observation of these natives leads me to believe that 

 while it is true that they can consume large quantities of food when it is plentiful, they are also 

 capable of going without food for much longer periods than the average white man. I made some 

 very good astronomical observations, as the sun was out the greater portion of the day. During 

 the afternoon Andre cooked a quantity of bread so that we might not be delayed unnecessarily on 

 our way down. I intend to make the trip as quickly as possible in order to reach Selawik Lake 

 iu time to explore it. 



August 4, 1884. — A heavy rain-storm set in about 3 o'clock this morning, and it was not until 

 8 a. m. that we could remove our provisions to the boats and make a start. We now settled 

 ourselves steadily to the oars, knowing that the 225 miles of river before us must be traversed in 

 that way. Although the launch had a sail, it was not of much use to us iu the river on account 

 of its tortuous course. The natives had so thoroughly gorged themselves the day before that 

 fishing was suspended for the time being, and we could not procure any fresh fish to take with 

 us. The jouruey down stream was found very dangerous on account of the great number of 

 H. Mis. 602 5 



