HBDLICKA] writer's TRIP ON YUKON 99 



quainted inquire about possibility of exploring tbe Kobuk and reach- 

 ing the Koyukuk and Yukon. But all that I learn is uncertain and 

 discouraging. There are but few native villages on the river, all Es- 

 kimo; and higher up the water is rapid, necessitating much hauling 

 of the boat by the natives, which is costly; upon which follow three 

 or four days' portage. The trip would cost much, and no loads 

 over 40 pounds to a man could be carried. 



Only a few old sites hereabouts are known by those whom I have 

 a chance to ask. Say there is a somewhat important one at Cape 

 Krusenstern. Mr. Berryman has from there a big stone (slate) 

 lance. He also has a huge piece of serpentine, over 80 pounds in 

 weight, with a moderate depression in top and some cutting (old 

 native work), said to have been used as a lamp. Wants to keep this 

 and spearhead, but donates an old rusty tin box full of smaller 

 things and promises to obtain skulls for us; and I get a similar 

 promise from a man (probably one of Mr. Berryman's storekeepers) 

 from farther up the country. 



Later meet here Mr. Chance, the school superintendent of these 

 parts; a young and not prepossessing man, but one who steadily 

 improves on closer acquaintance. Learn from him of a skeleton 

 recently dug out from the ground under the schoolhouse. 



See many natives, all Eskimo, good looking, clean, and kind. 

 Some mix bloods, but the majority pure. Good to moderate stature, 

 well proportioned though not fat body, medium to somewhat lighter 

 brown color, physiognomies less typical Eskimo than hitherto and 

 often strongly like Indian. Too late and dusky to photograph. 



Go to see the teacher and find that the skeleton he dug out was 

 placed by him in an open box, pushed as far as possible under the 

 rafters of the floor of the schoolhouse and covered with gravel and 

 earth. There are four of us — start hurriedly digging for it. remove 

 with shovel, hoe and arms about a ton of the " filling " — and can not 

 reach the box. It is 10 p. m., the wind rising, officer comes and 

 urges me to get back to the boat. So must leave with promise that 

 the box will be gotten out and await me on our return from the 

 north. Have by this time decided the best policy will be to go 

 with the Bear as far as she may go. Load empty boxes, some pack- 

 ing—and one of the young white men who have been digging with 

 us runs up from the distant schoolhouse announcing that they 

 " struck " the box. Urge him to run back as fast as he can and get it. 

 Luckily the postmaster and a good many others who came to see us 

 off delay us; also the transfer of the mail and boxes to the larger 

 boat. Finally, after a good many anxious looks, I see at last the 

 two young men appear, one with a wheelbarrow on which is the box 

 of bones. Bones look not very old, and Eskimoid at first sight, but 



