MOUNT ST. ELIAS AND PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND. 191 



pounds; next the " silver," the " steel-head," and the 

 " dog " salmon. In many parts of the stream the backs 

 of the fish are above water as they struggle across 

 the gravel in their efforts to ascend, with an immense 

 amount of splashing. Some are covered with patches 

 of white, like fungoid growths, but which are really 

 wounds and scratches. Here, in one little rivulet, is 

 fish enough for an army. The bank is carpeted with 

 dead bodies of salmon, and the stench is appalling. 

 In the deeper parts long processions swim up and 

 down without any fear of the canoe, in which I fre- 

 quently, when the tide was in, ascended the river for 

 a considerable distance. There was no difficulty, and 

 very little sport, in spearing as many as one wished. 

 Throwing out a spoonbait or hook fastened to a few 

 yards of rope, for my rod has been lost long since, I 

 can feel the whole line borne up and prevented from 

 sinking by the mass of fish, and drawing it in slowly, 

 am sure -of catching one by some portion of his 

 body. 



Near the traders was a small Eussian bath-house, 

 which every one used in turn on a certain day of the 

 week, generally the last. 



In the commencement of October flocks of wild 

 geese came flying southwards and eastwards in 

 myriads, and on the 9th there came a fall of snow. 



In January the sea-lions arrive in Prince William 

 Sound, and the seals in May, Throughout the winter 

 the numbers of wild fowl to be seen is something 

 fabulous. With an old trade-gun I shot large 



