2 30 BIG GAME SHOOTING IN ALASKA chap, xi 



traces of his previous occupation of the place. Amongst 

 other things was an old tin containing several novels and old 

 magazines, which I found very acceptable to while away an 

 hour or two in the evenings. The books were in good order, 

 and during our travels in Alaska we made several similar 

 deposits, which may at some future day be found similarly 

 useful to any one following in our tracks. 



I was not favourably impressed with the look of this new 

 country. The trees were too thick, and there were few open 

 places, and nothing like the same amount of good feeding for 

 moose as on the ground we had left. Pitka, who knew the 

 place well, said that the moose did not frequent the ground 

 round Nicolai Creek much before November, but at that 

 season the first snows would drive them down from the 

 higher ground, and they would collect in large numbers all 

 along the valley through which the creek ran. This accounted 

 for the great number of shed antlers lying on the ground, 

 which on first sight led one to believe that moose were very 

 numerous in that district. 



Little stated that on the occasion of their former visit to 

 this camp the spruce-grouse were very plentiful, and conse- 

 quently if we carried the small .22 rifle we should not want 

 for fresh meat. We therefore travelled very light as regarded 

 our meat supply. But to our intense disgust, after a whole 

 day spent in search of the spruce-grouse, Pitka and Little 

 only managed to bag a brace of grouse and one rabbit. This 

 was not much to make a meal of for two natives and our- 

 selves. The second day produced no grouse, nor could I see 

 a single moose, and the state of our food supply was getting 

 a serious question. On the third day Little took his rifle and 

 went out in one direction with Pitka, and I alone on another 

 route. Pitka returned with nine grouse, Little having seen 



