no CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



there met Hoyt and the Indian, bringing in the 

 head, which is not so large as Hoyt's ram of yes- 

 terday, though it is a fair size; the horns are un- 

 broken, though not quite symmetrical, as the tip 

 of one curves outward while the other curves inward. 

 Hoyt was much disturbed over what he calls " rot- 

 ten shooting," which was the more peculiar because 

 he is really a very good shot, but Dixon discovered 

 that the gun-sight had been knocked out of place 

 and Hoyt is slowly recovering his confidence. 



It began to hail on the mountain top before we 

 left, and as we came to the horses the snow was 

 falling heavily on the slopes and it was raining in 

 the valley as we crossed over to our willow patch. 

 After an extensive hunt for willow sticks for fire- 

 wood, we gathered enough for our evening cook- 

 fire and for breakfast to-morrow. We also strung 

 up a five-foot-wide strip of canvas between two sticks 

 for a shelter and have elongated our makeshift tent 

 by adding horse blanket at one end and a rain coat 

 at foot; the result is not promising, but is the best 

 our advanced position affords. We dined on tea, 

 hardtack soaked in hot grease, and many pounds 

 of sheep meat, and had hardly concluded when the 

 rain turned to snow; at first the flakes were small, 

 but grew larger until they were about the size of a 

 silver dollar, quickly covering the ground and driv- 

 ing down upon us with blizzard intensity, driving us 

 to our make-shift shelter. 



