74 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



Saturday, December 12. — At 6 o'clock, while yet dark for about 

 three hours, not seeing where to go, but having taken our course 

 by the compass and then noting the wind, we went on accordingly. 

 It was snowing and blowing all forenoon, so we could not see any- 

 where. Somehow Mr. Bals seemed to favor a more westerly course 

 than what we should have, and every once in a while I had to call 

 him and try to explain my view on the matter. It helped for a while, 

 but soon we were back again in_the same old direction. 



After tea, at 12.30 o'clock, the sky cleared for an hour, so that 

 we could see and fully recognize where we were. We were so near 

 that the trees along the Yukon were plainly visible, and had we not 

 gone so much to the west in the forenoon it would have been an 

 easy matter to reach that river to-day. After being shown so exactly 

 where to go we happily continued, but had to make camp at 4 o'clock 

 in some willows. We were not able to find the timber, because it 

 began to storm very hard. The sleighing is getting better and bet- 

 ter the nearer we come to Andreafski. If this weather continues, 

 we might get plenty of snow for the use of our snowshoes, which 

 hitherto have been almost useless. 



Sunday, December 13. — The night was very stormy. Our tent 

 blew over at midnight. Nallogoroak and myself were thus given a 

 little extra exercise in getting our home safe again for habitation. As 

 it was Sunday to-day, we made no rush in the morning. It was 

 nearly half past 8 before we left camp. Fortunately we soon found 

 our old trail agam, on which we could easily fuid our way across the 

 Yukon. At the early hour of 2 p. m. we had reached the nearest 

 moss-covered hill to Andreafski, on the east side, or about 6 or 8 

 miles distant. Here we made camp again and stayed overnight. 

 The whole day has been clear, cold, and calm. The possibility of 

 getting home by Christmas is becoming greater every day. In another 

 week of such travel we hope to be in St. Michael, and then we are 

 only 60 miles from home. 



Monday, December 11^. — To-day has been a pleasant one. No 

 special difficulties have been encountered besides the ordinary trials 

 of trail life, and in fact they have been less than usual. 



As the deer were feeding quite far from our camp last night, and 

 it being a dark and cloudy morning, it took until 8 o'clock before 

 we got started. The trail to the village was good, and in a couple 

 of hours we were in Andreafski. Our provision stored there was 

 again received and packed by Bals and Nallogoroak, while I visited 

 and administered medicine to some sick people. When this was 

 done, Mr. Petre invited us all to dinner. 



At 12.30 p. m. the march began anew. Mr. Bals thought we should 

 follow the river some 25 or 30 miles up rather than go over the 

 mountains, as we did in November. Ten or 11 miles were easily 



