CRUISE OP THE STEAMER CORWIN. 59 



go ahead in the skin boat. The haak connection and furnace doors of the launch needed some 

 ro|)uiring:, and it would take two or three days to give her a thorough overliauliug, so that if I 

 found tLo condition of the river warranted me in bringing her up further she would be in better 

 (iDndilioa tostein the current. We were now quite close to the mountain of the green stone, and 1 

 (li'ciilcd to leave Mr. McLeuegan and the miner, Mr. Miller, here for three days with instructions 

 to explore the mountains, while I took the launch back to a place where she could bo left in safety, 

 and rejoin them at the expiration of that time. Accordingly they were furnished with provisions 

 and such articles of camp outfit as could not be dispensed with, and an arrangement for our meeting 

 having been agreed upon they set out for the mountains and we turned the launch head down 

 stream. We fairly flew now, and I had to order the engine stopped in some places, as I feared if 

 she struck anything she would be wrecked. In an hour's time we had gone eleven miles and 

 reached our place of encamjjment of the previous night. Observing a number of canoes coming uj) 

 tlie river we ran down to them and communicated with the natives. They were goiug to establish 

 a fishing village near at hand, and I decided to leave the launch near by, as they would render 

 any assistauce to Wilbur and Lewis during our absence. Landing with the Indians we held a 

 joint consultation as to my project. I was anxious to obtain their co operation, and wanted to 

 hire a half dozen of the natives to assist us with their boats in transporting our stores, camp gear, 

 etc. At Crst they declined to go, saying it was too far to the head of the river to get there before 

 the fishing season would be past, and that the men who had been sent after the green stone would 

 give us bad luck, and a thousand other trivial reasons, which had to be discussed over and over 

 again. However, after sitting around our camp fire and smoking our tobacco for half the night, 

 three Indians decided to go with us, with the proviso that they were to be furnished with food from 

 our stores, besides the ammunition and tobacco I had agreed to give them. When I asked how 

 many days it would take to reach the head of the river the most contradictory statements were 

 elicited, and it was evident that their answers were prompted by some other reasons than for 

 giving us exact information on the subject. They all agreed, however, in the statement that the 

 current grows much stronger as the head of the river is approached. The Indians do not travel 

 all the way up the river in boats, as the channel is filled by rocks and the banks are so steep that 

 it is im[>ossible to tow. The river, they say, is divided into two parts, on(i of which takes its 

 source in a lake twenty-five or thirty miles in diameter and almost surrounded by very high and 

 rugged mountains, while the other rises farther to the eastward, very near the source of the 

 Kuryukuk, a large river which flows into the Yukon at Nulata. 



July 22, 1884. — The day was warm and iileasant and was spent in getting ready for our trip 

 in the canoes. We broke out all our stores and bedding and found much dampness everywhere. 

 I was not surprised at this, as it had been rainy and dami) ever since we started until today. 

 All day the Indiaus kept near our tent and smoked continually. They did not leave for their 

 meals but had their wives fetch their food to them. I selected a suitable place for the launch to 

 lay while we were gone and started Wilbur to making a temporary boom for the purpose of 

 protecting the launch from floating drift-wood. Lewis, the fireman, was set at work on the boiler. 

 With the clay which had been picked up at the coal bluff the front and back connection were 

 relined and a new lining for the furnace door was cut out. The front connection also required 

 some protection from the rain, and orders were given to attend to it. Towards noon it became 

 evident that the natives were holding a consultation of unusual interest and soon afterwards 

 Audre informed me that they were saying they would not go with me as the summer was too far 

 gone and they must fish. I knew this was a trivial excuse, as the women do all the fishing, but 

 was satisfied that I had to use some caution in expressing my doubts as to their fidelity, and when 

 they came to talk it over with us I gave them to understand that the ammunition which I i)ro 

 posed to give them would more than offset any disadvantages they might ex[)erience in going with 

 me. They then demanded half their pay in advance, which was granted, but this did not satisfy 

 them, for they now came back and said I must make deer very plentiful and close to their homes 

 this winter. This remarkable request was occasioned by tlie fact that they thqught I was a 

 "shaman" from .seeing me at work with the sextant and artificial horizon. I had no alternative 

 but to promise plenty of deer, and again they were satisfied, and again they came back with more 

 requests until I had nearly lost my patience. However, we kept steadily at work getting ready, 



