TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 209 



region in which every element of wild nature reigned 

 sovereign in magnificent desolation. 



I have often wondered if our men, on their return 

 journey back to their homes at the mouth of the 

 Kuskokwim, ended the lives of the little beavers 

 whose home we came on by chance. I fear so ! The 

 native knows too well the value of every pelt. 



Along the shores the wild raspberry and the soap- 

 berry, the latter a small red fruit with a very bifter 

 taste, grew luxuriantly, and Cecily and I stewed them 

 in quantities for ourselves and the men. We had to 

 eat the fruit without sugar, because the supply was 

 not equal to any undue demands. Sugar in one's 

 tea is a necessity to the sweetest of us. The men 

 tackled their portions of the stewed berries with a 

 plentiful bespreading of the seal-oil, a shocking 

 looking feast, but a great favourite with them. 



At last the day arrived when it was considered we 

 might vacate the bidarkas for good. We found suit- 

 able places to cache the small craft, far beyond the 

 possibility of a flood, ready for the returning Innuits 

 as they harked back to the Kuskokwim to make their 

 homeward trip. The dory we hauled to safety, plac- 

 ing it high and dry on a grassy hummock. 



We formed camp near by the while we carefully 

 thought out the best line to take, for it was our desire 

 to get some good caribou heads on the divide before 

 we climbed to the roof of the world above the 

 Sushitna. With the map before us we decided on 

 a route, leading us in a fairly even line to the moun- 

 tains, and then carefully and methodically we divided 



p 



