38 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



do the same with the tobacco, and that sold at Saint Lawrence Island was, without doubt, no other 

 than that originally shipped in the Timandra, for which bonds had twice been given that it should 

 not be sold in American waters. So long as this system of bonding goods for the Siberian trade is 

 followed, it will be impossible to prevent contraband articles reaching the American side. The 

 cutter on the station is almost powerless. If a trader is caught with the articles on board, a per- 

 mit to carry them for foreign trade is produced. It is impossible to catch them in the act of trading, 

 as a sharp lookout is kept for the cutter, and if she is seen approaching, the natives are sent away 

 with their purchases, or, if too late for that, the illicit articles are passed back on board, under 

 protection of the permit, until the coast is again clear, when they are turned over to the natives. 



In this connection I will mention a fact that came under my observation a few days later at 

 Hotham Inlet. We were informed by the natives that the schooner Flying Mist, Walker, master, 

 before mentioned as having been boarded and examined at Saint Michael's aiid found with 25 gal- 

 lons of whisky on board, for which permit from the proper authorities at San Francisco was pro- 

 duced, had visited the place and sold whisky to them by the drink, charging one fox-skin for a 

 drink of whisky. Later I was informed that Walker made his boast of having " beaten the Gov- 

 ernment" in that way. The natives are easily made to understand that any illicit articles found in 

 their possession will be seized by the cutter, and as they can see no reason for it, having no knowl- 

 edge that such a thing as law exists, they are easily made to believe that the officers of the law are 

 their enemies, and that it is to their interests to deceive and mislead them when on the track of an 

 illicit trader. In the vicinity of Kotzebue Sound they were very bitter agaiust us, and, I am in- 

 formed, openly boasted in their kazhimes that they would capture the vessel and kill all hands if 

 she came again to prevent their getting whisky. On account of these threats, I had some difficulty 

 in obtaining the services of an interpreter at Saint Michael's, the shaman predicting that the Mahle- 

 mutes (Kotzebue Sound natives) would not allow the vessel to return if she went among them. 

 They did not, however, attempt to carry their dire threats into execution. On the contrary, they 

 appeared quite friendly. Whether they had concealed their resentful feelings from motives of 

 policy, or had forgotten them in their gratitude for some presents of tobacco, may never be known, 

 but they were allowed on board in large numbers and showed no disposition to be warlike. The 

 search of the Fowler completed, we stood to the eastward far enough to clear a lot of detached 

 shoals that lie off Cape Espeuberg, and shaped a course for Chamisso Island. Cape Espenberg is 

 a low, sandy point which forms the west side of Kotzebue Sound. The sand is thrown up into long 

 ridges parallel with the beach, and between the ridges are pools of water in which abound wild 

 fowl. This point is a nesting-place for eider ducks. The natives brought off for sale small quan- 

 tities of eider down, taken from the nests. The higher ground is covered with coarse grass, with 

 occasional patches of dowering plants, which, at this season, are covered with bright-colored fra- 

 grant flowers. A native settlement of about twenty houses is situated near the end of the cape. 

 Several of the natives visited the vessel, and one brought on board for sale a harpoon of English 

 make, which had been taken from a whale killed by them near their settlement the previous 

 autumn. The iron was marked, "Scorraos, London." As there are no English whalers in this part 

 of the Arctic Ocean, and none of the American whalers use English irons, it is probable that this 

 whale was struck by some English whaler on the Atlantic side, and escaping, had afterwards found 

 his way to the Pacific by either the northeast or northwest passage. Unfortunately this iron, which 

 1 purchased from the native, was lost through the carelessness of the person in whose charge it was 

 placed. We arrived off Chamisso Island the following morning (July 14th), but the day being 

 clear and fine, we kept on to the head of the sound and came to anchor off the mouth of a small 

 shallow river called Kiewalick. 



Some of the officers, accompanied by Muir and Nelson, made a trip up the river, but found 

 little of interest. Muir made a collection of the plants, while Nelson succeeded in shooting a 

 few white-fronted geese, and some young eider {Anser albifrons and Sometaria nigra). These being 

 in fine condition, and not particularly valuable as specimens, were not kept for the National 

 Museum. 



During the day magnetic observations for dip and variation were taken. The cliff a short 

 distance west of the river was examined and found to be composed of mica, slate, and quartz bowl- 

 ders. Mosquitoes were plentiful and very savage, making excursions inland anything but pleasant 

 or popular. 



