1 64 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



queer one; she was one of these browsers; wouldn't 

 eat no meat, just grass and willows and truck that 

 grows; you know these browser people; there lots 

 of 'em back outside. Well, she came up with the 

 gold rush and brought with her nine hundred pounds 

 of nuts for grub ; we never did know her name, but 

 that cut no figure, cause every one called her Mrs. 

 Nuts." After consuming an alarming amount of 

 underdone sheep, as our fire was useless for warmth 

 and the cold was intense on the mountains, we rolled 

 up in our sleeping robes on the frozen snow slope 

 with our heads pointed toward the stars. 



September 13. In spite of our inclined snow 

 couch and lack of shelter, our sleeping robes kept 

 us comfortably warm against the chill of the high 

 altitudes, and after a partially warm breakfast the 

 horses were rounded up and packed with their 

 burdens, and we continued our descent of the 

 mountains, traveling down a gulch that held a tiny 

 trickle of water, which, as we progressed, grew in 

 volume until it turned out to be one of the branches 

 of the Wolverine River. 



The footing was cruel upon the horses as the 

 canyon was strewn with sharp bowlders through 

 which we picked our way slowly, frequently crossing 

 the stream. At noon we had descended to levels 

 where there was no snow and drove down the gorge 

 at a more rapid pace, made possible by being better 

 able to pick our way among the rocks. Coming 



