48 ANTHROPOLOGICAL, SURVEY IN ALASKA [bth. ann.48 



and main portion is Indian. All kind and cheerful here, glad to 

 have pictures taken. Only white man is a "road-house" keeper; 

 i. e., storekeeper. Store, however, poorly stocked, probably in all not 

 over $200 worth of goods. " Optician," who is hoggish, has head- 

 ache, but eats and drinks all he can nevertheless. " Jeweler " re- 

 paired his pump, and so we are once more on the way — 35 miles more 

 to Ruby. No trace of any relics at Kokrines. 



River now a mile wide, with many " slews " (side channels, 

 sloughs), and many low, flat, forested islands. Mountains to right, 

 higher, traces of snow. Smoke wall from forest fire advancing from 

 the west — now also smell. Islands beautiful, fresh colors and clean — 

 light grass on border, then green and grayish poplars, birches, and 

 alder, from among which rise the blackish green spruces. Little 

 native fishing camps a mile or two apart, right bank — on left wilder- 

 ness of flats, as usual. 



A few miles above Ruby conditions change — high bluffs (rocky) 

 now on left, flat on right side. Ruby, from a distance and after the 

 loneliness of the day, looks quite a little town on the left bank, at 

 the base of the higher ground. 



Ruby 



June 22-23. Our approach to Ruby was very modest. With 

 Mr. Peake paid off, we just sided against and tied to the bank, on 

 which are the lowest houses of the village, and carried out my boxes 

 and bedding on the bank. There two or three men were idly watch- 

 ing our arrival. I asked about the local marshal, to whom I had a 

 note, and had my things carried to the combined post office and hotel. 

 In almost no time I meet Mr. Thomas H. Long, the marshal, become 

 acquainted with the people about, tell my mission, and begin to col- 

 lect. It does not take long for one properly introduced to be thor- 

 oughly and warmly at home in Alaska. The first specimen I get is a 

 fine fossilized mammoth molar. It is brought to me by Albert 

 Verkinik, who was about to depart for some mines, but went back to 

 get the tooth. And he asks no compensation. 



The parts of two days spent at Ruby were quite profitable. Visit- 

 ing, and in the jail, were several Indians who could be noted and 

 photographed. At the old jail there were two skulls of Indians 

 that were donated. The teacher had two of the characteristic Yukon 

 two-grooved axes. The postmaster, Mr. H. E. Clarke, gave a col- 

 lection of fresh animal skulls. Mr. Louis Pilback donated two mam- 

 moth molars, found 2 miles up the Yukon on Little Melozey Creek, 

 about 8 feet deep, in the muck right over the gravel. Mrs. Monica 

 Silas brought me a good old stone knife. Several of the men took 

 me down to the beach to see a damaged fossil elephant skull, also to 



