CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 187 



of a year-old moose the Indians had hung up about 

 five days before. Since we had no fresh meat the 

 writer gave the Indians a package of tea and a 

 check upon a bank at Whitehorse, and in return re- 

 ceived a candle, some fat for frying purposes, and 

 a hindquarter of moose. 



I had a most amusing time explaining to the sav- 

 ages that the bank check was money and that Shorty 

 Chambers the trader would take the paper and give 

 them in exchange real money or provisions of equal 

 value. One old fellow who had been listening to 

 my explanation for some time finally began to see 

 daylight and said: ''White man no carry money; 

 all same make him money any time write him in 

 book good." Returning to our shack laden with 

 the hindquarter of moose, a candle for light, and 

 grease for cooking, Hayden and Wolcott began to 

 grin and comment upon my abilities as a trader who 

 could go out with a stock in trade of one-half 

 pound package of tea and return staggering under 

 a load of plunder, but Wolcott does not know about 

 that check, though he is suspicious. However, we 

 fried an immense pile of tender moose steaks and in 

 the warmth of the cabin sat down to a very ample 

 supper, while outside the wind howled and the hail 

 and snow combined to make a disagreeable night in 

 the open. 



September 23. This has been a gloomy, gray, 

 cold day, but the horses have made excellent time 



