Return to Kenai 
together with the tongues, I wanted to take 
home with me. The next day, therefore, the 
two Indians made a trip to the lake with a big 
load of stuff each, returning late in the evening. 
I had to be getting out soon if I meant to catch 
the steamer, so it was decided that we would leave 
our camp on the following morning. At an early 
hour the camp was all bustle, for we had a big 
day before us. Our loads were heavy enough, 
but Elia’s was what Hunter would term a 
“fright.”” Not only was it of an awkward 
shape, but it must have measured three feet by 
three feet by two feet, which size caused it to 
hit and catch every snag, twig, and obstacle we 
met with. He arched his back into a hump, 
leaning very forward. He had straps of raw 
hide over his shoulders, and also one _ at- 
tached to the load which went round his fore- 
head. The man himself was a slim little Indian, 
in height about five feet three inches, and his 
weight could not have been more than ten stone, 
if as much. Yet he tackled this load, and, what 
is more, succeeded in taking it down to the lake 
as he had agreed to do. 
We arrived back at Dawson’s hut by midday, 
and after a good lunch put the two boats back 
into the water, loaded them, and started for an 
Indian shack that Hunter knew of some few 
miles down the river from the lake, arriving 
about an hour before dark, and passed the night 
I 273 
