IN THE ALASKA-YUKON GAMELANDS 



turned a month later this water had concentrated 

 into about three channels. It is always chang- 

 ing.) Shorty dwelt long and often upon the 

 great requisite of being able to "read" water. 

 He has lived on the Nizina so long and has wit- 

 nessed and been a participant in so many acci- 

 dents on this stream that he is recognized as the 

 most capable man on that river to lead a pack 

 outfit across it. 



We had no difficulty in making a successful 

 ford, and after following it for six or seven miles 

 we decided to camp at the Spruce Point Cabin, 

 an old deserted shack, at one time occupied and 

 run by Billy Wooden as a roadhouse. Our de- 

 cision to camp here, and not at the mouth of the 

 Chittistone (as originally planned), was greatly 

 encouraged by a downpour of rain which came 

 on us as we were approaching the cabin, and 

 which kept up all night, but in lessened volume. 

 We traveled eight miles during the afternoon, 

 over a boggy trail in some places, and over the 

 bar of the river in' others. 



While traveling up the Nizina during the day 

 Bill Longley pointed to a white speck, barely 

 discernible on a rough mountain a couple miles 

 off to our right. "That's a tent I took up there 

 a year ago for a prospector," said he. "But it's 

 never been used, as the 'color' petered out." 

 When asked why it was never taken down and 

 used, Bill said it wasn't worth the expense of go- 

 ing for it. And when men's wages and horses' 



38 



