2 4 o HUNTERS OF THE GREAT NORTH 



brained adventures. A few of the relatives of the sup- 

 posedly dead had had the good sense not to believe the 

 announcement but were, nevertheless, in suspense, and 

 the rest who had believed were in grief. But whether 

 suspense or grief, it was better for all concerned that it 

 lasted only thirty-six hours. Had I not made the journey 

 over the mountains the good news would not have reached 

 the telegraphs until about two months later when the 

 whaling ships carrying the other members of our expedi- 

 tion got to Nome or Unalaska. 



To a person who comes to the Yukon from the South it 

 has many thrills. Some call it the frontier and some call 

 it the wilderness, and to most such travelers the story 

 of a journey along the Yukon River and across the 

 Alaska mountains would seem worth writing. But I 

 came from the North and to me this was "civilization." 

 I ceased to make entries in my diary after boarding the 

 river steamer, and began instead to plan my next arctic 

 expedition. 



Those plans were soon carried out. With the fever of 

 the North in my veins I remained in New York only 

 seven months and then started on my second expedition, 

 to spend in the Arctic the years 1908-12. 



