128 ANTHROPOLOGICAL, SURVEY IN ALASKA [eth. ANN. 46 



and its lower affluents, but there was no further noteworthy scientific 

 exploration. In 1863, however, Lukin, who after Vasilief and Kol- 

 makof helped to explore the Kuskokwim, reached to Fort Yukon. 



Meanwhile the river has been visited by both the English and 

 the Americans. In 1847 Mr. Bell, of the Hudson Bay Co.. having 

 heard of the great stream from some of the Indians who visited the 

 fort on Peels River, set out in quest of it, accompanied by a native 

 guide, and reached it by the Rat and the Porcupine Rivers. 16 



Between 1843 and 18G7 the river in its lower and middle reaches 

 is freely traversed by the Russian traders. In 1851 Nulato is reached 

 by Lieutenant Barnard, of H. M. S. Enterpinse, in search of Frank- 

 lin, only to be massacred there with some of the Russians and natives 

 by the offended Indians of the Koyukuk. In 1861 Robert Kennicott 

 1 inverses a part of the Yukon, and in 1865 he. with Capt. Charles 

 S. Bulklcy. leads there the expedition of the Western Union Tele- 

 graph Co., w T hich is accompanied by William H. Dall and Frederick 

 Whymper, and results in much information. Already, however, in 

 1863, Strahan Jones, commander of the Peels River Fort, has de- 

 scended the Yukon to the mouth of the Novitna River or the upper- 

 most point reached by Zagoskin, thus completing its identification 

 as one and the same great stream. This point and the Tanana mark 

 the westernmost penetration by the English (the Hudson Bay Co.). 



In 1865 begin American explorations proper. In that year, under 

 an agreement with the Russians, Maj. Robert Kennicott, heading a 

 party of the Western Union Telegraph explorers, crosses from St. 

 Michael to Nulato. Kennicott dies in Nulato a year later, but the 

 explorations are carried on to result eventually in a series of valuable 

 publications, more particularly by Dall and Whymper. 17 



The researches under the auspices of the Western Union Telegraph 

 Co., themselves backed by the Government, are followed by ex- 

 plorations under the direct auspices of the American Govern- 

 ment. Thus, in 1869 there is a reconnaissance of the river by Capt. 

 C. W. Raymond; in 1883, that by Lieut. Frederick Schwatka; in 

 1885 by Lieut. Henry T. Allen; in' 1898 by Capt, W. P. Richardson; 

 and these are succeeded by the geological surveys of A. H. Brooks 

 and companions. 18 



From 1878 on commenced placer and mining explorations for gold 

 in Alaska leading gradually to the eventual great gold rush of the 

 later nineties, which brought a whole flotilla of large river steamers 

 and other craft to the Yukon and led to a rapid growth of some of 

 the old and the establishment of a number of new settlements along 



ie Richardson, J., Arctic Searching Expedition, London, 1851, II, 206. 



17 For details see Dall's Alaska and Its Resources, Boston, 1870. 



18 See Compilation of Explorations in Alaska, Senate Rept. 1023, Washington, 1900 ; and 

 reports on Alaska of the United States Geological Survey. 



