68 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



We slept under the boat, and as the wind continued blowing all niglit we were not troubled 

 with mosquitoes. Made 53i miles during the day. 



August 11, 1S84. — This morning the wind had Khifted to the soiitliwest and was blowing a gale 

 on shore. We could not get away until 10.30 a. m., but once over the bar ami in deep water wo 

 sped before the wind at a famous rate. The shores continued low and marshy, and at 12 o'clock 

 I observed a small river running in from the eastward. Upon inquiry I learned that a large lake 

 could be reached by going up this river, and as I knew no such lake was on the charts of this 

 country I resolved to exjjlore it. We entered the river and found it to be about seventy-five yards 

 wide, and with two to three fathoms of water. At 2 j). ni. we reached a beautiful little lake about 

 five miles in diameter and almost entirely surrounded by mountains. Dashing aiiross this lovely 

 little sheet of water we entered a narrow creek which flows in on the opposite side, and soon after 

 stopped for dinner at the hut of an Indian living on the banks of a lagoon near by. lie and his 

 family were greatly surprised to see a white man here, but they treated us very hospitably by 

 giving us some fresh fish and delicious salmon berries, which grew in great abundance on the 

 tundra adjacent to the lake. xVt 2 p. m. we left, after giving our host some tobacco, and in an 

 hour's time emerged on the large lake of which we were in search. The Indians call it Emogarik- 

 choit, or Little Sea, and the river which connects it with Selawik Lake, Kiactnk, or Fox River. 

 The mountains which are visible from Selawik Lake border the eastern side of this lake, and 

 extend around about three-quarters of its circumference, and then gradually recede, and the shores 

 of the lake trending to the northward gradually grow lower and lower until at last there is nothing 

 left but a low marsh, which is no doubt frequently submerged. I found the soundings quite 

 regular, there being about one fathom all over except around a low marshy island lying in the 

 southeast part of the lake. Here there was scarcely water enough in some places to float our boat. 

 At 7.30 p. m. we camped on the marsh at the head of the lake, but the shore was composed of a 

 soft black deposit of a silt-like character, of the consistency of mush, and we were compelled to 

 drag the boat through this for a quarter of a mile before we could find a place high enough to 

 make a camp upon. In a short while Natorak had a fire blazing and Andre had prepared our 

 supper. We made 43 miles this day. Average temperature, 90°. 



August 12, 1884. — The wind blew strong on shore all day and we could not get away from this 

 place. To add to our discomfort the water gradually overflowed the low land and soon saturated 

 the hummock of land on which our (!amp was made so that we were compelled to " lay on our oars" 

 in a literal as well as a metaphorical sense. I spent the day in working on the track of a rough 

 chart which I had been making as we i)roceeded, and in teaching Andre to write. I wanted 

 Natorak also to learn, but he evidently did not relish tin- idea of exchanging his blissful ignorance 

 for a more enlightened state of mind, and my eft'orts in this direction were not successful to any 

 appreciable extent. I observed a slight rise and fall of the tide today and am inclined to think 

 there is a range of about si.ic inches on the average, but this will vary greatly according to the 

 force and direction of the wind. Average temperature, 95°. 



August 13, 1884. — The day commenced with a strong southwest wind, which moderated suffi- 

 ciently by .'5 a. m. to allow us to launch our boat and i)roceed. We at first attempted to sail, but 

 the wind drew right on the beach, and so I put Andre and Xatorak on the shore and tiiey towed 

 the boat until we could lay our course under sail. At noon we stopped on the north side of the 

 lake for our raid-day meal and observation. "At 1 p. m. we got away again after having dined 

 sumptuously on roa.st duck and bread baked on a stick. The wind l)eing now l\iir we si)ed away 

 along the edge of the lake until 5 p. m , when I observed a deep indentation on the shore, and 

 upon inquiry learned that a small stream connected the lake at this point with Selawik River about 

 twenty-five miles from its mouth. Finding that two days would suffice to reach Selawik Lake by 

 this route, I turned the boat's head in this direction. After an hour's run we reached the farthest 

 side of the little bay, which we found very shoal and the bottom covered with grass. The place 

 seemed alive with fish, and shoals of them played'around and under our boat without the slightest 



evidence of fear. A l)low of the paddle upon the water would cause a terrible co lotion for a 



moment, but they seemed to enjoy the sport as much a.s we did. The entrance to the river, which 

 is called the Eegyak or Throat River, is concealed and could be easily passed by one unacquainted 

 with the country. Natorak i)iloted us into it, however, and we found ourselves between banks 



