26 CKUISK OF THE .STKA.MKll C'OIJWIN. 



base of sni)plies in ciise of any accident, and at tlie end oF (wo days we readied that jiart of the 

 river where it leaves the vicinity of Deviation Peak and trends to the soutiiward towiird the 

 mountains lying between tlie Kowak Valley and Selawik Lake region. Upon comparison I 

 fouiiil thai' this ])oint was rcaciuMl after ten days" teilions work in issi, und tlie fact gave us 

 all considerable pleasure. 



At the lower rapids th(i I ndi.-nis of a, lishing villagi;, situated just alxive, nn^t ns and seizing 

 the tow-lin(^ of bolli l)oats dragged us through (be liardcst j)laccs, with many manifestations of 

 delight at seeing ns again. I recognized many ohl friends, and was in turn recognized by them, 

 and was coi'dially invited to I'cunain at the village for a wliile. I stopped long enough (o dis- 

 tribute some trifling ])resents and then proceeded. 



( )n July 4 our ])atrio1ic fervor was somewhat ilanipeiied by a steady dowiijiour of rain, 

 wliieli lasted all day and (muscmI (hi- i-jver to rise i'ai)idly. Towards night we reached the sec- 

 ond rapids, where coat was lirst discovered by me last year. Hert^ we encountereil a lieavy cur- 

 rent, and with difficulty got through. Some twen(y Indians of the fishing village accomi)anied 

 us and afforded ns great assistance at (his point. ( )nee ])ast this stiff portion of the river tlie 

 little lauiicli jmffed steadily away, and mile atter mile of (lie now fainilia.r shores were left 

 behind. 



On July T) our suj)i)ly of coal gave out. and we were comju'lled tn sioji lor wood and make 

 oiir first iMinp. on a, sand-sjiit about ten miles bcb>w (he point where I al)andoiied (he l;iuiicli 

 in 1884. 



We had now reached that part of the river where it winds around the foot of llie Jade 

 Mountain and tlien goes wandering away more toward the southeast. In this vicinity (he 

 width of the stream is grc^ater than at any other portion of its course. In .some jilaces i( 

 measures at lea.st eiglit hundred yards. 



It was with a great deal of anxiety tliat we watched the steam-gaiige after onr coal Jiad 

 become exhan.sted and we commenced to burn wood, and when the dial indicated a steady 

 pressure of eighty pounds I knew we had nothing to fear. A great deal of inconvenience was 

 suffered during the trip made with the launch in 1884, owing to the qitantities of s])arks coming 

 from the funnel. This year no sparks at all came out, which I attribute to the fact that tlie 

 exhaust steam, being led into the funnel, effectually extinguished them. About noon of the 

 next day we sto))ped at some high sand dunes to cut wood. Opposite us the Jade Mountain 

 could be easily distinguished from the surrounding peaks by its peculiar greenish color. 



Photographs of this range, extending from Deviation Peak nearly east toward the interior, 

 were obtainc^d. 



An old winter habitation was discovered a slun-t distance from the river, and Mr. To-\vn- 

 send and I jiroceeded to examine it. The s^jot had no doubt been selected on account of its 

 sheltered situation. The densely wooded ridges running in on the river surrounded the collec- 

 tion of huts almost completely, and approach to the village was made by way of a narrow trail 

 leading from the river. The houses were built by excavating a square hole five feet deep and 

 from twenty to twenty-five feet square. Stakes or piles of spruce were driven close together 

 along the walls, and long poles were then laid across the top, forming the roof of the house. 

 The necessary pitch to shed rain was obtained by covering the outside with earth arranged in 

 such a manner as to produce a mound-shaped structure. We pushed aside the tall grass which 

 choked the entrance and crawled on our hands and knees along a narrow passage just large 

 enough for one at a time, until we reached the large chamber which doubtless constituted tl e 

 living room. A small square hole in the middle of the roof furnished us sufhcient light to see 

 the interior. On the floor, along the sides of the walls, if I may so call them, were laid small 

 willow wands, upon which the inmates were accustomed to lay their skins and sleej). In the 

 center a stpiare sjiace was left, where could be seen the charred sticks of a long-extinct fire. 

 We set fire to a few dry .sticks, and the smoke .shot up in a straight column tlirough the opening 

 in the roof, showing that defective flues ai-e a source of annoyance not yet known to the 

 natives. 



We were glad to escape from the clo.se, moldy a(inos])here of (he pl.ice ami emerge once 



