V THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE TRIP 87 



on abandoning our original scheme of going direct to Unga 

 Island, and thence on to the western portion of the Alaska 

 Peninsula, where we knew from trustworthy evidence that 

 bears were still numerous. However, as our informant was 

 well known by many of the residents at Kodiak, and pro- 

 nounced to be a person of credit, we were inclined to believe 

 his assurances that if we reached the lake which lay some 

 miles inland we should get all the bears we required. So 

 then, in an evil hour, on May 5, we decided to set sail for 

 Aniakchak Bay. Arrangements had been made to engage 

 the services of a native Aleut, by name Nicolai Picoon, living 

 on Afognak Island, a hunter of some repute, who had 

 previously accompanied Messrs. Kidder and Blake on their 

 shooting trip in 1901. 



One day's sailing took us to Afognak, where we shipped 

 this man on board with his bidarki, or native canoe. 

 These small boats are made of a light wooden frame, some- 

 what on the lines of the Rob Roy canoes. The frame 

 is covered with the skins of hair-seals, and two or three 

 open hatches are made according to the number of persons 

 which the bidarki is capable of carrying. The natives 

 paddle them with single-blade paddles, sitting in a peculiarly 

 cramped position on their heels in the bottom of the 

 bidarkis. They are very light, and when empty can be easily 

 carried on the shoulders of two men. Although very easily 

 capsized, it is surprising what a heavy sea they will stand 

 when handled by experienced men. They travel very fast, 

 and can easily keep up a pace of five or six miles an hour in 

 good water. I have been many miles a day in one through 

 heavy seas and breakers, scarcely daring to breathe, much 

 less move hand or foot, with the feeling that one's hair 

 should be parted in the centre to keep the bidarki balanced. 



