X IN THE SHEEP COUNTRY 197 



having been over ten hours out of camp, and at a considerable 

 distance from it, I decided to give up for the day. There was, 

 however, one important matter to be attended to — namely, 

 the lack of meat in camp, and I had promised Hanbury to 

 repair the want on my return journey. Not wishing to kill a 

 small sheep myself which would be reckoned as one of those 

 allowed by my permits, I therefore gave the native my rifle 

 and sent him after a small band of young sheep with orders 

 to kill one, which he easily did. So far as I can see, this 

 method which I adopted on two occasions is the only way by 

 which a sportsman can obtain meat, when in need of it, with- 

 out rendering himself liable to a charge of breaking the game 

 laws at certain times of the year, and under certain conditions. 

 I make this statement, having regard to the fact that at a 

 subsequent trial held at Kenai the U.S. Deputy Commis- 

 sioner informed the court that sportsmen could on no account 

 be accepted as being included under the heading of " Ex- 

 plorers, or travellers on a journey when in need of food," 

 these, according to the Act, being allowed to kill game for 

 food. The Commissioner ruled that sportsmen were there 

 for the express purpose of shooting, and therefore were 

 practically outside the pale of the law. I maintained that the 

 fact of having journeyed some 2000 miles in Alaska entitled 

 me to some claim as a traveller, and this statement was sub- 

 sequently upheld by the authorities at Washington, during 

 the course of a conversation which I had with them on the 

 subject. Nevertheless, as already stated, it is best to be on 

 the safe side, and since the native is a sacred being in Alaska, 

 who can do no wrong, and is not allowed to starve although 

 certain white men may do so, when you feel hungry make 

 sure that the natives are in the same state, and send one out 

 to shoot meat for the camp. 



