68 . CItUlSE OF TUE STEAMER OORWIN, 



We slept under the boat, and as the wind continued blowing all night wo were not troubled 

 with mosquitoes. Made S.'?.^ miles during the day. 



August 11, ISSl. — This morning the wind liad shifted to the southwest and was blowing a gale 

 ou shore. We could not get away until 10.30 a. m., but once over the bar and in deep water we 

 sped before the wind at a famous rate. The shores continued li;w and marshy, and at 12 o'clock 

 I observed a small river running in from the eastward. Upon inquiry I learned that a large lake 

 could be reached by going up this river, and as I knew no such lake was ou the charts of this 

 country 1 resolved to explore it. We entered the river and found it to be about seventy-live yards 

 wide, and with two to three fathoms of water. At 2 p. m. we reached a beautiful little lake about 

 five miles in diameter and almost entirely surrounded by mountains. Dashing across this lovely 

 little sheet of water we entered a narrow creek which tlows in on the opposite side, and soon after 

 stopped for dinner at the hut of an Indian living ou the banks of a lagoon near by. He and his 

 family were gre.itly sur[)rised to see a white man here, but they treated us very Iiospitably by 

 giving us some Iresh ti.sh and delicious salmon berries, which grew in great abundance on the 

 tundra adjacent to the lake. At 2 p. m. we left, after giving our host some tobacco, and in an 

 hour's time emerged on the large lake of which we were in search. The Indians call it Emogarik- 

 choit, or Little Sea, and the river wliich connects it with Selawik Lake, Kiactuk, or Fox liiver. 

 The mountains which are visible from Selawik Lake border tlie eastern side of this lake, and 

 extend around about tlireequarters of its circumference, and then gradually recede, and the shores 

 of the lake.trendir)g to tiu; northward gradually grow lower and lower until at last there is nothing 

 left but a low marsh, whi(;h is no doubt frequently submerged. I found the soundings quite 

 regular, there being about one fathom all over except around a low marshy island lying in the 

 southeast part of the lake. Here there was scarcely water enough in some places to float our boat. 

 At 7. .'JO p. m. we camped on the marsh at the head of the lake, but the shore was composed of a 

 soft black deposit of a silt-like character, of the consistency of mush, and we were compelled to 

 drag the boat through this for a quarter of a mile before we could find a place high enough to 

 make a camp ui)on. In a short while Natorak had a fire blazing and Andre had prepared our 

 supper. We made 43 miles this day. Average temperature, 90°. 



August 12, 1SS4. — The wind blew strong on shore all day and we could not get away from this 

 place. To add to our discomfort the water gradually overflowed the low land and soon saturated 

 the hummock of land on wliich our camp was made so that we were com))elled to " lay on our oars" 

 iu a literal as well as a metaphorical sense. I spent the daj' in working ou the track of a rough 

 chart which I had been making as we jiroceedcd, and in teaching Andre to write. I wanted 

 Natorak also to learn, but he evidently did not relish the idea of exchanging his blissful ignorance 

 for a more enlightened state of mind, and my eftbrts in this direction were not successful to any 

 appreciable extent. I observed a slight rise and fall of the tide to day and am inclined to think 

 there is a range of about six inches on the average, but this will vary greatly according to the 

 force and direction of the wind. Average temperature, 95°. 



Aiigunt 13, lS84.^The day commenced with a strong southwest wind, which moderated sulU- 

 ciently by 5 a. m. to allow us to launch our boat and proceed. We at first attempted to sail, but 

 the wind drew right on the beach, and so I put Andre and Natorak on the shore and they towed 

 the boat until we could lay our course under sail. At noon we stopjied on the north side of the 

 lake for our mid-day meal and observation. At 1 p. ni. we got away again after having dined 

 sumptuously on roast duck and bread bakiul on a stick. The wind being now fair we sped away 

 along the edge of the lake until 5 p. m , when I observed a deep indentation on the shore, and 

 upon inquiry learned that a small stream connected the lake at this point with Selawik River about 

 twenty-five miles from its mouth. Finding that two days would suffice to reach Selawik Lake by 

 this route, I turned tlie boat's head in this direction. After an hour's run we reached the farthest 

 side of the little bay, which we found very shoal and the bottom covered with grass. The place 

 seemed alive with fish, and shoals of them jilayed around and under our boat without the slightest 

 evidence of fear. A blow of the paddle upon the water would cause a terrible commotion for a 

 moment, but thej^ seemed to enjoy the sport as much as we did. The eiitrance to the river, which 

 is called the Eegyak or Throat River, is coii(!ealed and could be easily passed by one unac(piainted 

 with the country. Natorak piloted us into it, however, aud we found ourselves between banks 



