132 Nelson on the Black Brant. 



of Alaska and even beyond to unknown regions far to the north. 

 Of this I am assured by Captain E. E. Smith, who tells me that 

 while whaling in the autumn, to the eastward of Wrangel Land, 

 in 70" N. latitude, he has seen flocks of these Geese coming from 

 the north and steering straight for the coast of Alaska several 

 hundred miles to the southward. The presence of this and other 

 species of birds in that part of the Arctic Ocean argues favorably 

 for the presence of a body of land to the northward of Alaska, 

 but whether it is an eastern continuation of Wrangel Land or not 

 is, of course, uncertain. However, let us return to a safer field. 

 The following notes were mainly taken during the spring of 1S80, 

 for although I had seen the Brant plentiful the two preceding 

 years, their extraordinary abundance the past spring was sur- 

 prising, not only to the few white men here but to the natives as 

 well. 



The 2zd of May a native came in bringing a lot of Geese and 

 reporting plenty of Black Brant up the "Canal." For the benefit 

 of the unfortunate few who have not been at St. Michaels I may 

 explain that the "Canal" is a narrow and shallow tidal channel 

 which separates St. Michael's Island from the main land ami is 

 bordered on either side by a stretch of low, Hat land abundantly 

 dotted with brackish ponds and intersected by numerous small 

 tide creeks. As would be surmised, this forms a favorite haunt 

 for various kinds of waterfowl. 



Preparing the tent and other paraphernalia two of us, accompa- 

 nied by a couple of natives, started out the next morning with a 

 sled and team of five large dogs, driven tandem, just as the sun 

 gilded the distant hill-tops and gave a still deeper tint to the pur- 

 ple haze enveloping their bases. The sharp, frosty air and the 

 pleasurable excitement of the prospective hunt, after months of 

 inactivity, causes an unusual elation of spirits and with merry 

 jests we speed along until, in a short time, we approach a low, 

 mound-like knoll rising in the midst of innumerable lakelets. A 

 strange humming, for which we were at first unable to account, 

 now becomes more distinct and we perceive its origin in the 

 united notes of scores of flocks of Brant which are dispersed 

 here and there over the half bare ground. Some sit along the 

 edges of the snow banks or upon the ground, still sleeping, while 

 others walk carelessly about or plume themselves in preparation 

 for the work before them. Their low, harsh, gutteral gr-r-r-r, 



