34 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



"Abler" follow and pick us up there. But Kleinschmidt 

 objected to loss of time in lightering and possible pro- 

 longed delay if bad weather prevented this promptly, 

 because landing must be effected at Nome on the open 

 beach of the roadstead, for there was no harbor or shelter 

 of any kind, and the big seas came in from the open water 

 directly upon the strand. 



Presently all our baggage was lowered with a rope over 

 the "Sarah's" side into the dory, and taken out to the 

 schooner. Elting and I went on the "Sarah" to the 

 "Victoria" to send off last letters and say good-bye to 

 friends we had made and left. 



On returning to St. Michael town we ran across Arch- 

 deacon Stuck, who had just made the first complete ascent 

 of Mount McKinley with Harry Karstens of Fairbanks. 



ColUns and Lovering were meantime in the Northern 

 Commercial Company's store buying mukluks, parkas, 

 kamlaikas, and a few odds and ends which would be 

 necessary to us in the far north. Mukluks are Eskimo 

 skin boots, made of seal or reindeer hide, most carefully 

 and accurately sewed together by the native women, so 

 that they are waterproof. They are always worn over 

 several pairs of stockings, and fitted wdth a removable 

 felt or straw insole to keep the feet from getting damp. 

 A parka is an Eskimo shirt, made of fur, with a fur hoed 

 which can be drawn over the head. A kamlaika is a 

 waterproof overshirt, with a hood similar to the parka, 

 but the garment is made of the intestines of the walrus 

 or seal, sewed together in strips with fine stitches. These 

 kamlaikas are made very large so that they will slip 

 over a fur parka or other garment worn by the natives, 

 and reach below the waist. Their fullness permits 

 them to be tied aroimd the edges of the opening in the 



