TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 95 



ledge of the various bays, islands, and rivers along 

 the coast that the former felt Macdonald's services 

 would be a welcome addition to our party. So, 

 finally, on fairly reasonable terms for a white man 

 in Alaska, we induced him to accompany us as far as 

 the Kuskokwim River, whence we promised to send 

 him back to Unalaska in the Lily, as she returned 

 to await our arrival in Cook's Inlet. 



Macdonald's local knowledge proved of the greatest 

 benefit to us, and also to our skipper, for probably 

 without his assistance we should never have success- 

 fully sailed along those treacherous coasts, nor found 

 the haunts of several species of big game which we 

 sought. 



As the season was now so far advanced, and the 

 weather getting decidedly warm, we were anxious 

 to push on in order to obtain a few specimens of the 

 great bears which inhabit the Bering Sea coasts of 

 Alaska. As soon, then, as a favourable breeze set 

 in we bade " adieu " to Dutch Harbour, and shaped 

 our course N.E., standing in along the shore as near 

 as we dared to sail. 



Making good progress under a full spread of 

 canvas the Lily glided past Akutan Island, affording 

 us magnificent views of its lofty snow-clad mountain 

 peak, and then past Akun Island, across the entrance 

 to Unimak Pass. Here countless thousands of sea 

 birds congregated, the most numerous species seem- 

 ing to be a large dark-coloured petrel, which wheeled 

 and flew about the vessel in huge flocks. Far as the 



