54 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



the sound beadiug towards us. She shortly afterward came up, and Jlr. Douglas delivered nie 

 the articles I had requested, and a few extra provisions which had been sent by our shipmates on 

 the Corwin. We now stood for the entrance to the inlet, running up a deep channel wLich trends 

 close to the eastern shore, finding from four to tive fathoms of water. Rounding the bluff head- 

 lands of Ilothani Inlet we stood up tin; bay to tiie southeast, liiiiling a ilisagrceabh^ head sea ami 

 wind to contend against. We constantly shipped witcr forward, and as the two boats towed 

 hard, but little heailway was made. The shores on the right side of the bay were steep and com- 

 posed of clay bluffs some two or three hundred feet high, backed by rolling tundra land. The left 

 shore, however, was low and swampy and covered with many lagoons. I learned from the Indian 

 guide Natorak, who had been sent by Captain Heal^- to accompany us, that the Kowakhad fifteen 

 moutlis, and hat the low shore on our left was the delta, and was some fifty miles in length. 

 Towaid 9 o'<'iock 1 observed a lagoon on the right side of the inlet which afforded a good shelter 

 from the wind, which was now on the increase, and we made for it. At 10 o'clock W'e came to and 

 pitched the camp, having made '2'2.'t miles. Average temperature, 90°. 



July 10, ISSI. — Tlie day i;ommenced with a strong northeast wind, and as the Indian informed 

 ine that the sea would be niiu;li heavier as we proceeded further up the inlet, I determined to wait 

 until the gale had abated. In order to lighten the boats as much as possible, I made a cache here 

 of three cans of i)emmican, two cans of potatoes, an oil stove, and a can of coal oil, these articles 

 being thought unnecessary for immediate use. At 10 o'clock the wind decreased and the sea rap- 

 idly went down, so that we were enabled to get under way. Stood up the bay and got along very 

 well until we lost the shelter of a ]ioint jutting into the inlet from the west side. The soundings 

 gradually decreased from four fathoms of water into as many feet, when we keptaway again towards 

 the mouth of the river. At 7 o'clock we observed a break in the low laud of the delta, aiul Nato- 

 rak pointed out the channel leading to the mouth of the river. A remarkable peak ahead and a 

 high V)lutf point on the western shore form a range for this entrance. We carrie<l in one and a half 

 fathoms, but the channel is narrow and would be dillicult to find. This mouth of the river is some 

 two hundred yards in width, and we found from two and a half to three fathoms of water, with no 

 shoals or obstructions. The banks are low and marshy and covered by a dense undergrowth of 

 willow and birch trees. At 8 o'clock we pitched our tent on the right bank, and were immediately 

 attacked by myriads of mosquitoes, which seemed to be of the most malignaut disposition and 

 made the work of the cami> a most disagreeable duty. 



JmZ^ 11, 1SS4. — At 5 o'clock ail hands were called and a hasty breakfast prei)ared. At 7.30 

 we were under way once more and stood up the river. Both banks continued low and are covered 

 with a dense undergrowth. We passed many deserted huts, but saw no natives until about 10 

 a. m., when we observetl a collection of hats on the right bank, and upon landing discovered a 

 native and his family, who were greatly surprised at our appearance. The children were perfectly 

 naked and retired i)reci))itately to their huts. Here we were iuformed that many natives had 

 starved during the winter. After leaving this jjlace the banks gradually increased in height, and 

 the current, which had been reckoned at two knots per hour in the morning, increased to three 

 knots by night. The course of the river was exceedingly tortuous, and we sometimes found our- 

 selves, after running two hours, back within a quarter of a mile of our starting i)oint. At 4 o'clock 

 a group of huts was observed on a high Itlack bluff on the right side, and we ran into a little 

 creek near by and landed to communicate with the natives. A letter was hauiled to me which 

 had been left by Lieut. George M. Stoney July 27, 1883. He named the settlement Gilderville. 

 Soundings were regular throughout the day and showed an increase of from three and a half to 

 five fathoms, and the width of the stream varied from one-half to three-quarteis of a mile. Many 

 offshoots of the main stream were observed and all were on the left side. At 7 p. m. we came to 

 and pitched our tent, having made 3Ii miles. Average temperature, 8.5°. 



July 12, 1881. — At 7.30 a. m. wc got under way, after leaving two bags of coal here to take 

 us to the mouth of the river on our return. Up to this spot no timber hail been seen, but during 

 the day we ]>assed tnany clusters of i>iue trees, and towards thc^ night the banks were well covered 

 with a growth of pine, birch, and willow. At 8 30 we stojiped to c.it wood in a bend of the river 

 where it bas a large offshoot running to the wcvstvvard Xatorak informed me that this was the 

 last branch of the river delta, and flowed into notliam Inlet near its lower portion. At 9 o'clock 



