ALASKA EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 287 



most of the land is well drained, and on this a heavy crop of native 

 grass was growing. Our stop for lunch was at the Indian village of 

 Ketchumstock. This village is located well out in the grass country, 

 and away from all timber. The town is divided by Ketchumstock 

 Creek, which runs southeast into South Fork, and is used as a 

 moans for transporting firewood and house logs for the village. The 

 Indians in this tribe are somewhat lighter in complexion than the 

 Yukon Indians, and some of the older men wear long, rather heavy 

 beards. The chief takes great pride in an American nag, which floats 

 from a very respectable flag pole while visitors are at the village. 

 These Indians do not appear to be particularly resourceful, though 

 cabins recently built are a decided improvement over the older build- 

 ings in the village. They cross the stream that flows through the 

 village by means of a rude raft. The stream is neither wide nor deep, 

 and could easily be bridged. That the raft does not handle easily, and 

 that it does not always carry the passenger safely to the opposite bank 

 of the stream was, I think, very forcibly impressed upon the mind of 

 a certain member of our party, who got a cold bath while crossing. 



In the timber that skirts this grass land the Indians have built a 

 fence that represents considerable time and labor. I have been told 

 that there is over 60 miles of this fence, which is about 6 feet high, 

 and which somewhat resembles the worm fence of certain sections in 

 the States. The fence is built by first laying a row of poles on the 

 ground and then driving stakes on both sides in a slanting position, so 

 that they will rest on and cross above the pole used as the bedpiece for 

 the fence. The forks thus formed are tied with willow withes; the 

 second pole rests in the forks. Other stakes are driven in a more 

 upright position, so that they cross above the second pole, and so on 

 until the fence is finished. Between the forks, if the poles are long, 

 stays are placed in the ground in a perpendicular position, and each 

 pole is tied to the stay. Snares are set in the openings in the fence, 

 and many caribou are taken in this way. There are about 50 Indians 

 in Ketchumstock. This village is located about 110 miles from Eagle 

 and 320 miles from Valdez. During the afternoon of the 15th we con- 

 tinued across the flat country, part of which is very wet, but not at all 

 muddy. We passed through some meadows over which a mowing 

 machine would work without difficulty. On these meadow sections 

 the grass grows tall and heavy, and the entire flat affords excellent 

 pasturage. 



Our camp on the evening of the 15th was at the Indian Creek cabin. 

 The cabins between relay stations have been repeatedly robbed of pro- 

 visions during the summer months, and for this reason we carried 

 supplies from one relay station to the next, no supplies having been 

 placed in the intervening cabins for the summer season. In some way 

 the sack containing our flour, oatmeal, etc. , was left outside with the 



