188 THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



beaver cuttings were old all beavers having long before 

 been trapped. During the steamboat trip we did not 

 see an animal of any kind except red squirrels. 



July 20. The following morning we reached Rose's 

 cabin and left him there. He had told me there were 

 sheep in the mountains behind, and I intended to investi- 

 gate them on my return in the fall. 



In the afternoon, shortly after seeing an old Indian and 

 two boys on the left bank, we came to their camp, where 

 four families were occupying tents. They were catching 

 salmon, and numerous fish were hung to dry on poles. 

 They had an abundant supply of moose meat, and never 

 have I seen Indians in the north of such healthy and 

 vigorous appearance. As I took the horse off the boat, 

 all started to run, and their dogs, which were tied near 

 the tents, became greatly excited and struggled against their 

 chains in efforts to attack him. None of the Indians of the 

 upper Pelly River had ever before seen a horse. Reassured, 

 they soon came back and Captain Taylor distributed some 

 presents including cigars, which the squaws promptly be- 

 gan to smoke, while even the children begged for them. 



Soon after leaving the Indian camp, the Pelly ranges 

 were more distinctly visible, high dome-shaped mountains 

 fronting the river, and now and then I could see a snow- 

 capped peak appearing far in the interior. To penetrate 

 the Pelly Mountains and hunt the sheep was the object 

 of my trip. In these ranges Indians had their hunting 

 grounds, principally for moose, since they only kill sheep 

 on the outer range. Except for an occasional prospector 

 who had wandered near the outer range, no white man 



