74 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



the well-known landmarks of Kntx.cliiic Sdiinil. anil. Ijcini;- rHti,i;uci] IVoiii mir Ion,!;- day's work, 

 we hauled out. for the ni,i;ht. 



The next day bfin.t": Sunday, we rcia.-iiiu'd in ram]!, rcclin.i,' fliat after flie liardships and 

 fatigues of the W(iek we were entitled (o nne day t'ov Uodily rrst. Althongli oui- ]>r()xiinity to 

 the coast made us anxious to conclude llic jiuinicy. I did nol feel warrantcil in lircaicinL;- llie 

 custom whicdi wc liail ()l)served during tlir cntii^c jdin-ncy. 



Tlie following morning, having fully recuperated ourselves, we made preparations for an 

 early departure. Tlie cold and rainy wcallii'i- which we had experienced so uniformly iluring 

 the summer gave no evidence of im])roviiniMit; in fact, a short time after getting nndci- w.i\ it 

 began to rain very heavily, and wit li its usual acconijiauinient of piercing wind it had the effect 

 of thoroughly chilling us. 



A short distance below the u-ain|). along the low, sandy banks of the river, hundreds of 

 geese and ducks were congregated, a, sight recalling vividly an old-fashioned poultry yard. As 

 we passed by they manifested no alarm more t lian to keep up an incessant gal)bling, apparently 

 debating with regard to the intentions of the strange-looking individuals. 



Proceeding down the river under sail, for we had the wind in our favor, raptid progi-e.^s 

 was made for several hours, until a bend in the river bi'ought the breeze ahead, when the pad- 

 dles were again called into requisition. Early in the day we entered the coast range, through 

 which the Noiitak Hows liefore discharging into Hot ham Inlet. As ali-eady stated, these mount- 

 ains are marked by many isolated ])eaks, most of which were covered by a heavy fall of snow. 

 At noon we halted I'm- lunch ; fortunately the rain ceased hmg enough to enable us to dispose 

 of it with some degi'ee of comfort, but soon after starting the weather assumed its normal con- 

 dition of general unpleasantness. 



About •> o'clock we entei'ed the "home stretch" of the river and eagerly strained our eyes 

 to catch the first glimpse of the sea. In the distance, (m the oi)]iosite shore of the inlet, the 

 clear-cut heailhmds sIikkI out in bold relief against the evening sky. Tlie feelings of j(jy and 

 relief which I'ose within us found no room for expression, and the prosi^ect of a speedy termina- 

 tion of our journey, after the many hardships of the summer, was indeed cheering. 



As it was now getting late, it was determined to camp on the delta, and conclude our journey 

 across the inlet in the morning. In anticipation of reaching tlie rendezvous in the morning, avc 

 t)roke cam]) very early and hinnched the canoe for the last time on the waters of tlie Nofitak. 



The morning was briglit, and the sun. which we had seen so sehhjm during the sumnier. 

 shone out in a cloudless sky. As we cleared the river and entered the beautiful waters of the 

 inlet the scene was one to be remembered. 



After taking the necessary bearings of the opposite headlands, we took the paddles and 

 stood down the extreme right outlet of the river. On either side and extending far out into 

 the estuary there are long. Hat liars which form a lodging place for the debris brought down by 

 the floods. The channel is well detined and dee]i ; three fathoms of water are found the entire 

 distance, and no difficulty was experienced in linding the jiroper one. 



xVided by tlii^ strong current which the Noiitak maintains to the last, we soon gained the 

 opposite shore. wIicm-c the waters of the Kowak and Noatak mingle and flow through a common 

 channel into Kotzebue Sound. 



Wi' now headeil for the rendez\diis. where 1 ho|ie(l to obtain tidings of tlie ('(irii'iii . l^pc m 

 reaching the ap'iointed ]ilace we I'ound the coal lelt for the use of the steam launch, togctlier 

 with tlie letter concealed in one of the sacks. From this we leariie(l that the cutter had gone 

 to Point liarrow. in consequence of which our stay at this])oint would be somewhat jiroti-acted. 



The news of our a,rri\'a,] wa.s soon made known anioiig the natives, a.nd during tli(> remainder 

 of tlie day we had a. constant influx of visitors. 



Many familial' faces were recognized among the number, some of whom I had seen the 

 year previous on thi' Kowak. ( )ue friend whom I knew \'ery well, Nug-a-luk-ruk byname, 

 upon learning that we were in ntntd of provisions, suddenly <lisa]i]i(\ared, returning several 

 hours later with a small quantity of sugar and a pi)uud or two of white beans. The simjile 

 generosity of these untutored [leoplc is very touching, and. small as the gift was. it displayed 



