4 THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



tion of the wild sheep of the far northern wilderness, that 

 my imagination was impressed by the possibilities of the 

 results of studying them in their native land. There was, 

 besides, the chance of penetrating new regions, of adding 

 the exhilaration of exploration to that of hunting, and 

 of bringing back information of value to zoologists and 

 geographers, and of interest to sportsmen and lovers of 

 natural history. 



The opportunity came in the summer of 1904. A party 

 was organized composed of the artist, Carl Rungius, who 

 has so faithfully painted our large game animals in their 

 true environment; Wilfred H. Osgood, of the Biological 

 Survey, a trained naturalist of reputation, and myself. 



Late in June we sailed from Seattle and proceeded over 

 the well-known route to Dawson, purchasing provisions 

 for the trip in Skagway, and going over the White Pass and 

 Yukon Railway to Whitehorse, where we took one of the 

 large river steamers to Dawson. Learning that the game 

 in those parts of the Ogilvie Rockies east of Dawson, at 

 the head of the Klondike River, had been disturbed by 

 winter hunting to supply meat to the Dawson market, we 

 decided to go to the head of Coal Creek, which has its 

 source in the heart of an unknown part of the Ogilvies, and 

 enters the Yukon about sixty miles below Dawson. 



We purchased six horses together with packing equip- 

 ment, and secured the services of two men, Charles Gage 

 and Ed Spahr, to accompany us as packers. After sev- 

 eral days of tedious delay, it was finally announced that 

 the small steamer Prospector would start down river at 



5 P. M., July 7. In due time, therefore, we loaded our 



