96 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



eye could reach the air was black with pinions. Here 

 were wheeling flights of eider ducks, guillemots, 

 puffins, scoters, and various kinds of gulls, all pass- 

 ing to and fro in bewildering profusion, winging 

 their way by day and night either from or to their 

 breeding grounds which are situated far from the 

 haunts of men. 



Never throughout my travels in many lands have 

 I seen such countless numbers of birds assembled 

 in one place, and probably the reason of it was that 

 Unimak Pass is the main highroad through which 

 these birds passage from North to South, and vice 

 versa. In fact it may be called the parting of the 

 ways between Arctic regions and more temperate 

 climes, for here is the spot where first the mighty 

 Pacific Ocean meets in endless strife with those turbu- 

 lent waters of the Bering Sea. Few men who have 

 sailed along these coasts can relate that they have 

 ever seen the waters here peaceful and calm. 



As night came on the wind veered round and almost 

 died away, leaving us floundering and wallowing in 

 that most unpleasant thing of all, a heavy tide rip. 

 For sheer discomfort commend me to a sailing vessel 

 becalmed in such a place. The utter feeling of help- 

 lessness, added to the qualms of mal-de-mer, with a 

 glorious uncertainty as to when the next breeze may 

 come, whilst with idly flapping sails a ship wallows 

 in the trough of choppy waves, this indeed is the 

 acme of misery. 



Next morning those of us who could sleep under 



