Publishers* Preface 



peaceful inhabitants before our author s arrival 

 there. 



In contrast with such men as these, Dr. Driggs 

 proved himself a friend indeed to the poor natives, 

 and succeeded in due time in winning the affection 

 and confidence of their entire tribe. Little by little 

 he mastered their language, until he has become so 

 proficient in it that he is now planning to write a 

 grammar. 



During the summer months many of the Point 

 Hope natives are away from home for long intervals 

 in quest of game or on fishing expeditions, and the 

 doctor would frequently follow their example, 

 making long excursions along the coast, as far north 

 as Icy Cape, if not further; and southward, along 

 the shores of Kotzebue Sound. Similarly for many 

 winters, weaned with confinement to the house 

 during the long night, he was wont to set out, ac 

 companied by some native guide and wife with 

 dog-team and sledge, to make trips of several hun 

 dred miles over ice and snow, exposed to blizzards 

 such as we have no conception of, camping out 

 when weary in an improvised snow-house, or 

 sleeping, perhaps, in some native settlement, where 

 the only fare would be uninviting frozen fish. 



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