io8 THE UPPER YUKON 



flowed its banks, and auxiliary streams were 

 running in many different directions. We 

 avoided fording the main streams as long as 

 we could, but finally we came to a place where 

 we must cross, and that, too, in the dark, at 

 about half-past eleven at night. The Chief for 

 some reason thought Charley was the best 

 animal to find the way across, so he mounted 

 and carefully led the way until the deep rush- 

 ing water was reached. Then he let Charley 

 choose his own path, and this he did by at- 

 tempting to cross at right angles to the flow 

 of the stream. This carried him off his feet 

 and he had a hard and wet time of it before 

 landing on the far side. 



I w^aited with Billie until the Chief had 

 gotten across, and then gave Billie the bridle. 

 Now notice the difference. Billie would put 

 down one foot and carefully feel for a stone, 

 then with the other foot grope around until 

 he found another stone, and so on, all the 

 while taking a slanting course. He thus 

 crossed without losing his footing at all. Of 

 course the Chief and I were both wet. We 

 soon found some wood and started a fire. 

 Fortunately I had a couple of pairs of dry 

 socks in my saddle bag and an extra pair of 

 shoes fastened to the pommel of my saddle, 



