Itixerary 9 



It was found to be tlie stream shown on recent maps of Alaska as 

 Preacher Creek, so named by pioneer prospectors after the Rev. 

 R. McDonald, Chaplain of the Hudson Bay Company and mis- 

 sionary to the Indians, who first reported the occurrence of placer 

 gold in the basin of this stream. Preacher Creek is a tributary of 

 Birch Creek, which flows into the Yukon River about thirty miles 

 below Fort Yukon. Under the name of " Kotlo " River Dall reports 

 Preacher Creek as a locality where Mammoth remains occur in 

 abundance. This report was substantiated, but we did not make 

 a personal investigation since we were told by Indians of a nuich 

 more promising locality on Old Crow River, a tributary of the 

 Porcupine. As there was not time to visit both localities we chose 

 the latter because of assurances that the abundance of fossil mam- 

 mal remains on the Old Crow River far exceed those of any other 

 locality known to the Indians of this region, whom it must be con- 

 ceded are in position to be best informed about matters pertaining to 

 remote parts of this region. 



We arrived at Fort Yukon at the mouth of the Porcupine River 

 on June 21 to find an epidemic of diphtheria prevailing among the 

 Indians of this settlement, causing much alarm by the number of 

 deaths resulting from the disease, and making it impossible to pro- 

 cure guides or adequate assistance for the trip up the Porcupine 

 River. A scarcity of essential provisions also existed here at this 

 time owing to the retirement from business of the only commercial 

 establishment at this place at the time of our visit. This made 

 it necessary to prosecute the journey up the Porcupine away from 

 any other source of supply without sufficient supplies for an 

 extended period of work. We left Fort Yukon with about one 

 hundred and twenty pounds of provisions the most conspicuous 

 item of which was fifty pounds of flour ; the remainder being made 

 up of rice, beans, bacon, sugar, tea, and a few pounds of dried fruit. 

 With fish, geese, and two caribou we were able to shoot, this 

 amount proved sufficient for two persons for forty days, but the 

 time was not sufficient to permit of a thorough exploration of the 

 Old Crow basin. In fact it was found possible to make only a 

 very preliminary examination. 



Through fortunate cooperation with a white trapper, who was 

 ready to ascend the Porcupine to his winter hunting ground, we 

 were enabled to continue with the large boat purchased at Dawson, 

 but after reaching the Ramparts where our companion wished to 

 stop, we were compelled to exchange this large boat, wdiich proved 

 too heavy for two persons to propel with the ease essential to the 

 rapid progress necessary under the circumstances, for a canoe. 



