34 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



the evor-i3resent willow thirkrts. which hcr(^ constituted alnio.st entirely the vegetatiun ahmg 

 the banks. 



On July Hi we passed the Uug-ee-let-ai--j.;eeak River of the natives, wJiieh resembled very 

 much in size ami vohime the Arko-sher-wak ah-eady mentioned. Like the latter river, it flows 

 in from the north, and is the outlet of Lake Nor-to-rok-tee, which is the second lake in point 

 of size of the four large lakes forming the sources of the Kowak. 



The weather continued fair and intensely hot. The nios([ui1(ies were simply teri-itic, and 

 our lives were a burden to lis aUngether until we emerged from (he low country and reacdied a 

 portion of the river inclosed l)y high blufi' l)anks. At t>.3lt the Indians stopped as if at a signal, 

 and Tah-tah-rok called my attention to a low ruinl)ling noise ahead. I thought at first it was 

 thunder, but its steady sound, and the fact that thunder is seldom heard in these latitudes, 

 convinced me that it was falling water. We pushed ahead, and my feelings can scarcely be 

 imagined when, at S o'clock, we rounded a hi.nli. rocky bluff and came suddenly in sight of a 

 seething mass of whiter water bursting its way thi'ough a gorge comjjosed of perpendicular 

 masses of slaty rot-k two hundred to three hundred feet high, surmounted by a forest of spruce 

 and liii'cli. The channel was completely choked with slia.r])-[iointed rocks, past which the 

 water Hew with frightful velocity, breaking itself into mimic cascades of foam and sjjray. 



The Indians, as if sharing in my pleasure, set up a wild chant which echoed along the 

 steep banks, and caused liundreds of gulls nesting in the crevices of the rocks to leave their 

 pei'ches and with loud discordant cries to circle njund our heads. 



The head of boat navigation had been reached, just twelve days from the mouth of tlie river. 



Selecting a high dry spot on the bank just below the gorge, we went into camp, and soon 

 my party, wf)rn out with excitement and hard work, fell into a deep sleep. 



The next day we spent in various ways. The Indians were mending their nuudi-worn 

 boots, while I, accompanied by Tah-tah-rok, made a reconnaissance of the gorge, witli a view of 

 ascertaining the possibility of getting our boat through. I was satisfied that it would be impos- 

 sil)le to walk to the head of the river and carry my instruments and necessary articles of camp 

 outfit, and my only hope of reaching Lake Car-loog-ah-look-tah was to get the boat past these 

 rapids. We examined a portage formerly used by the natives to get past the cataract: but it 

 was so (jvergrown with willows as t(j make it impassable even if we had been aljle to cai-ry a 

 boat as large as ours so far as this route necessitated. We then retiirned to the banks of the 

 gorge and walked ahjng carefully examining the rapids, which were about a mile long. While 

 I sat on the high banks watching the foaming torrent below I suddenly observed a tree floating 

 down the gorge. Sometimes borne along in the force of tlie current, and again held almost 

 stationary in the eddies of the pools, it gradually neared the rock-choked entrance of the gorge. 

 I followed its course with the interest born of a sudden resolve. Tah-tah-rok"s quick mind was 

 not slow to grasp the situation, for when the tree reached the cataract and lodged between two 

 rocks he simply smiled and said, "Good." 



My mind was now made up as to the manner in which we must get the boat above the 

 gorge: I would divide the party, sending Tah-tah-rok and two men above the rapids to build a 

 raft of small trees, which they would set adrift and float down to us. With these trees a tem- 

 porary bridge could be constructed over the rocks and we would he thus enabled to haul the 

 boat through. Tah-tah-i-ok iinderstood readily the plan I proposed, and we retirrned to camp, 

 where he made my wishes known to the rest of the party, and two of them immediately set out 

 through the woods toward the head of the gorge. It was then late in the afternoon, and as 

 nothing further could l)e dont^ in the way of advance until we had the trees, I set the remainder 

 of the jiai-ty at work arranging for an early start the next morning. Our tow-line had become 

 so much worn that any sudden strain would be liable to break it, and 1 cut the ro]nng off the 

 tent, which was (pjite new, and from it made a line we could dei)end n]Hiu. Everything which 

 was not absohitely necessary was cached here, and the boat wlu'n loaded drew only four inches. 



After a sound night's sleep, we broke camp early on the morning of July 19, and with the 

 lightly loaded boat crossed the I'iver and stopped at the entrance to the gorge. 



Here the banks were i)erj)endicular masses of slaty rock, in the crevices of wliich, neai' the 



