Tyonak 



hoping they would be of use in " holding up " 

 bears. After looking around I went into the 

 store to ask if there was any sort of accommoda- 

 tion to be obtained, but was met with the reply, 

 " I reckon not ; you'll just have to camp on the 

 beach." I therefore proceeded with Dawson's 

 help to put up my tent, and to hang up my 

 mosquito net inside, after which I sat down 

 on the beach to determine what to do next. 

 Close by were several men bringing planks of 

 timber ashore from the steamer. One of them 

 accosted me thus : " Say, will you give us a 

 hand with this here lumber up the beach ? ' : 

 " Sure," I assented. I was going to give them 

 a hand, for I had nothing particular to do, so I 

 helped them to pack up that wood, which, it 

 seemed, they meant to use for constructing two 

 boats. I little thought at the time how these 

 men would repay my efforts, but that is another 

 story to be told later on. Anyhow, they seemed 

 glad of the help, and offered to make Dawson 

 and myself paying members of their mess, which 

 we were glad enough to accept. They had quite 

 a comfortable shack, to which they made me 

 welcome during the few days I spent with 

 them. These five men were drawn from all 

 sorts and conditions. I got on excellently with 

 them from the first. One was a broken-down 

 doctor, who was exceedingly well informed and 

 well read. Drink had evidently been his ruin, 



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