Return to Kenai 



together with the tongues, I wanted to take 

 home with me. The next day, therefore, the 

 two Indians made a trip to the lake with a big 

 load of stuff each, returning late in the evening. 

 I had to be getting out soon if I meant to catch 

 the steamer, so it was decided that we would leave 

 our camp on the following morning. At an early 

 hour the camp was all bustle, for we had a big 

 day before us. Our loads were heavy enough, 

 but Elia's was what Hunter would term a 

 " fright." Not only was it of an awkward 

 shape, but it must have measured three feet by 

 three feet by two feet, which size caused it to 

 hit and catch every snag, twig, and obstacle we 

 met with. He arched his back into a hump, 

 leaning very forward. He had straps of raw 

 hide over his shoulders, and also one at- 

 tached to the load which went round his fore- 

 head. The man himself was a slim little Indian, 

 in height about five feet three inches, and his 

 weight could not have been more than ten stone, 

 if as much. Yet he tackled this load, and, what 

 is more, succeeded in taking it down to the lake 

 as he had agreed to do. 



We arrived back at Dawson's hut by midday, 

 and after a good lunch put the two boats back 

 into the water, loaded them, and started for an 

 Indian shack that Hunter knew of some few 

 miles down the river from the lake, arriving 

 about an hour before dark, and passed the night 

 i 273 



