20 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETHANN.IS 



This expedition completed a very successful reconnoissauce of a 

 region previously almost completely unknown as regards its geographic 

 and ethnologic features. A very fine series of ethnologic specimens 

 was obtained and many interesting notes on the people were recorded; 

 some of their curious winter festivals were witnessed, and several vocab 

 ularies were procured. 



On November 9, 1880, in company with a fur trader and two Eski 

 mo, I again left St Michael on a sledge expedition. We proceeded 

 up the coast of Norton sound to the head of Norton bay, where we 

 remained for some days. Thence we traveled along the coastline past 

 Golofuiii bay to Sledge island, south of Bering strait. Owing to the 

 fact that the people of this district were on the point of starvation our 

 farther advance was prevented and I was forced to give up my contem 

 plated trip to Cape Prince of Wales and the islands of the strait at 

 this time. We turned back from Sledge island and reached St Michael 

 on April 3, after an extremely rough journey; but the series of notes 

 and ethnologic specimens obtained on this reconnoissance are exten 

 sive and valuable. 



On November 16, 1880, in company with another fur trader, I left St 

 Michael and crossed the coast mountains to the head of Anvik river, 

 down whicli we traveled to its junction with the Yukon. At this point 

 is located the fur-trading station of Anvik, which was in charge of 

 my companion. Bad weather delayed us at this point for some time, 

 but we finally set out, traveling up the Yukon, crossing Shageluk 

 island, exploring the country to the head of Innoko river, and return 

 ing thence to Anvik. From the latter place I descended the Yukon to 

 its mouth and went back to St Michael along the coast. On the way 

 down the river I stopped at Kazbinsky and witnessed one of the great 

 Eskimo festivals in commemoration of the dead. 



As was the case in all my sledge journeys, the main object in view 

 was to obtain as large a series of ethnologic specimens and notes on 

 the character and customs of the people as was possible. Unfortu 

 nately my limited time on these trips prevented any extended inves 

 tigation into the customs and beliefs of the people, but the series of 

 specimens obtained is unsurpassed in richness and variety. 



At the close of June, 1881, the United States revenue steamer Concin 

 called at St Michael on her way north in search of the missing steamer 

 Jeannette. By the courtesy of the Secretary of the Treasury, Captain 

 C. L. Hooper was directed to take me on board as naturalist of the 

 expedition. During the rest of the season I was the guest of Captain 

 Hooper and received many favors at his hands. 



We left St Michael and sailed to St Lawrence island, where the Cap 

 tain had been instructed to land me in order that 1 might investigate 

 the villages which had been depopulated by famine and disease during 

 the two preceding winters. The surf was too heavy on the occasion of 

 this visit to risk landing at the desired points, so we passed on to Plover 

 bay, on the Siberian coast. Thence we coasted the shore of Siberia to 



