, CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. ?! 



ered an extensive shoal making out into the inlet from this point. Communicated with party of 

 Indians, who informed us that the Corwin had been at Cape Blossom, but had left for Point Hope 

 this morning. The wind continued light and baffling all night, and we made very little headway. 

 Distance made during the day, thirty-eight miles. Average temperature, 85°. 



August 20, 1884:. — The light wind continued until 4 a. m., when it shifted to the northwest and 

 commenced blowing hard. Soon we rounded the bluff headland of Hotham Inlet and stood for the 

 site of our first encampment. The Indians of the trading village who had witnessed our approach 

 were gathered on the beach to receive us, and when we landed and began pitching our camp they 

 were exceedingly troublesome in a harmless way, examining everything brought on shore, trying 

 the axes, lifting the boxes, opening everything that could be opened, and, in general, making 

 themselves excessively familiar. We allowed them to do pretty much as they pleased, as it would 

 have been folly to resist them, and we got along very well until breakfast. I thought we would 

 have some rest then at least, and we retired to our tent and closed the flap before beginning to 

 eat. This maneuver nonplused them for a moment, but soon a dirty-faced rascal thrust his head 

 through the opening and surveyed us with a grin of delight. The flap was hauled over rather 

 roughly by one of our party, and the Indian retired precipitately. We had begun to imagine that 

 question settled when a sudden rush was heard, and the whole front of the tent was thrust aside 

 by a dozen natives, who crowded in and sat down around us, all in the best of spirits seemingly, 

 and, beyond this determination to see us eat, quite undemonstrative. Andre advised me to refrain 

 from any show of impatience, as the curiosity of the natives would soon become satisfied and they 

 would leave us. When we proposed to retire, I was gratified to see a general move on the part of 

 the Indians to leave us to ourselves, and soon not one could be seen within a mile of the camp. 

 We had fine weather today, and I had the launch scrubbed and all bedding aired. Distance made, 

 ten miles. Average temperature, 85°. 



August 21, 1881. — To-day I found some coal which had been sent on shore from the Corwin, 

 together with a letter from Captain Healy directing me to ascertain particulars as to the numbers 

 of the Indians who annually make this spot a rendezvous for trade, and to examine the shoal lying 

 off' the inlet with a view of discovering a channel to the sea. I visited the village after dinner and 

 counted nearly six hundred natives. I was informed that as many had gone back to their homes. 



From the middle of July to the latter part of August the natives of the Noitoc, Kowak, and 

 Selawick Rivers meet those from Cape Prince of Wales, Diomedes, and Point Hope for the purpose 

 of trade. The beginning of the season is celebrated by dancing, feasting, and story-telling, which 

 occupy one day, and after that is accomplished the real business of the occasion is prosecuted with 

 surprising tact and ability. In this community of uncivilized beings the same methods of business 

 are adopted whereby prices and values are made to vary in proportion to the demand as are used 

 by their more enlightened brothers in the civilized world. Rifles are always in demand, and next 

 to whisky obtain the readiest sale. The chief of the Prince of Wales Eskimos is probably the 

 most powerful magnate of this region, owing no doubt to the fact that his settlement is a convenient 

 stopping place for vessels having these articles of contraband trade on board. His method of 

 becoming rich is simple and effective. Upon the opening of business he offers the Indians whisky 

 in exchange for rifles, and will not trade for anything else, and is generally successful in obtaining 

 a "corner" in rifles in this way. I was informed that it was not an unusual thing for an Indian 

 to sell and buy his rifle twice or three times in this way during one season, or as long as the whisky 

 lasted. It is gratifying to learn that whisky as an article of commerce is becoming scarcer every 

 year. It is exceedingly difficult to obtain any reliable information as regards the number or amount 

 of anything. Generally speaking, the native system of notation is limited to the fingers and toes, 

 and any very large number is expressed by a handful of sand. The village consists of a straggling 

 line of tents along the beach. Some were composed of a number of poles arranged in a conical 

 fashion and covered with deerskins; others of blue, white, or red drilling were seen, and one more 

 gaudy than the rest was covered with the remnants of a cheap bed-quilt, on which was printed in 

 glaring colors the picture of a man sitting up in bed with a candle in one hand and a fifteen puzzle 

 in the other. The tents of the "omaliks" are generally more imposing affairs, made in the United 

 States and brought liere by the traders. The chief of the Kotzebue Sound Eskimos, who took a 

 violent fancy to me, acted as my guide through the village, and upon arriving at his tent invited 



