CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 43 



All day we had been anxiously watcliiny tlie clduds wliicli hung around the mountain peaks 

 farther up the river with a hope of rain, and about 5 p. m. they gradually began moving along 

 tlie tops of the mountains from east to west, steadily increasing in volume and rapidity of motion 

 as the sun went down, until the whole northern sky was darkened and the atmosphere became 

 sidtry and oppressive. The situation of our camp, on the side of a woody bluff, gave us a mag- 

 nificent view of the valley of the river and the mountains toward the east, and long before the 

 coming rain reached us we could see the clustering spruce bend and darken on the hillsides, the 

 willow thickets shiver in the valley, and the .silver birch turn pale and tremble before the com- 

 ing of the blast. And as we looked away off across the low green valley, witli its hundreds of 

 lagoons, which gleamed in th^ rays of tlie setting sun, the clouds seemed to mass themselves 

 upon the heights and charge down into the valley, obliterating whole mountains and drowning 

 the very light of day. The niglit and tlie storm came together, and for hours we lay in our 

 tents and listened to the howling of the wind, the tierce beat of the rain, and the rapidly increas- 

 ing murmur of the river as it swept past our camp. 



When morning broke the storm was still raging and tlie river had risen almost a foot 

 during the night. At 8 o'clock a sliort lull gave us an opportunity to break camp and proceed. 

 At this point the river runs to the southwest, leaving the mountains on the north side, and grad- 

 ually approaclies the range in the south. Many sand and gravel spits make out from the shores 

 and the course of the stream is very tortuous. 



The width of the river in this part is from two hundred to two hundred and fifty yards, and 

 the depth of water varies from six to eight feet. The curient was now about five knots, but 

 in the bends, where sand spits projected from the opposite shore and the channel became nar- 

 row, it increased so much that we were compelled to drop the launch through backwards by 

 means of an anchor kept out up stream. Two of the Indians in small canoes were kept five 

 hundred yards in advance, and by means of signals pointed out the best channel. At 3 p. m., 

 having passed some very shoal places and arrived at a place where the river turns toward the 

 south. I stopped and camped, hoping to get some observations. 



Mr. Townsend and I climbed the mountains near the camp, and the storm having ceased, 

 we had a fine view of the country. About five miles from the river we got upon a ridge over- 

 looking the country to the northward and discovered a river of considerable size flowing into 

 the Kowak, some distance below, from the northeast. The river range, although covered with 

 moss and timber on the side nearer the river, was precipitous and ruggeil in the extreme on 

 the other. Deep, abrupt canons and gorges could be seen in every direction. When we 

 reached the ridge, after climldng along densely wooded sloi)es and mossy plains, and first 

 beheld the totally different country beyond, the effect was .startling. 



The tundra plains are filled with berries, and we have no difficulty in olitaining an almn- 

 dance of salmon, blue, and wild raspberries, while in places, especially on high land, the wild 

 currant was found of excellent (juality. To these articles of diet may be added the wild onion, 

 rhubarb, and parsnip, whicli formed an agreeable change from our daily rations. The Indians 

 are very fond of the wil<l parsnip and adopt a shrewd plan for getting a supply without the 

 trouljle of collecting it. The field mouse is very common in this region, and l)efore the winter 

 sets in has constructed himself a house and filled it witli the desirable root. Now. all the 

 Indian has to do is (to use the words of my interpreter). " Look for mouse-house; bimeby ste 

 little hill: Injun dig up little hill: ketchum plenty root; very good !"' 



To be fully appreciated by the native gourmand it must be first boiled with fish or seal oil, 

 and if molasses or sugar is obtainable it is sweetened by the addition of one or both of these 

 ingredients. The wild par.snip is common along the rivers and in the low valleys of all North- 

 ern Alaska, and Myunka, the interpreter, who lives on the Yukon, informed me that its use as 

 an article of diet is common on that river. Apropos of the native fondness for sugar, and in 

 fact all saccliarine substances, it is remarkable that they have never acquired the taste for salt. 

 The river Indians do not eat salt with their food, and in fact object to it with manifest repug- 

 nance when forced to eat such articles as bacon, ham, &c.. which are necessarily very salty. 

 At noon on July 31, after having rested at this village a day and a half, we left and pur- 



