1 9 o THE WILDERNESS OF THE UPPER YUKON 



After a short time we decided to make a temporary 

 camp on the other side of the Pelly River, not only for the 

 safety of the horse, but to keep our provisions at a dis- 

 tance from the dogs. The boat brought us across, the 

 provisions and equipments were unloaded, and the Vidette 

 departed to ascend the river for the purpose of rinding 

 the limit of steamboat navigation. Captain Taylor, a 

 charming gentleman, had been a delightful host, the com- 

 pany had been attractive and interesting, and that steam- 

 boat trip up the Pelly was the most fascinating one I 

 have ever taken on the northern rivers. 



We soon erected a shelter, cached our provisions, and 

 while Danger was feeding in the long grass growing 

 abundantly near the camp, we recrossed the river to the 

 Indian encampment. With the exception of the Indians 

 we had seen below on the river, the whole tribe was 

 there, waiting for the return of Mr. Lewis, owner of 

 Nahanni House. He had gone to Victoria, and was to 

 return on the Quick with ammunition, which was entirely 

 lacking at the Post, and the Indians could not depart to 

 hunt until they were supplied with it. 



The tribe of Pelly Indians, including all its members, 

 comprised eighty-nine Indians. There is some doubt as 

 to its exact ethnological status; but none that it should 

 be included in the group of tribes referred to by the 

 Hudson Bay Company's people as Nahanni. It is also 

 closely allied to that branch of the Nahanni group desig- 

 nated as Kaska, which includes two cognate tribes oc- 

 cupying the territory tributary to Dease River east of 

 McDames Creek, and to the upper Liard River. The 



