78 BIG GAME SHOOTING IN ALASKA chap. 



ment was, indeed, as welcome as it was unexpected. For 

 general information a copy of the Game Laws of Alaska, 

 1903, has been given in this volume. 



It should be borne in mind that in all matters, except 

 such as relate to one's own particular fancy in rifles and 

 ammunition, it is best to equip the expedition from a place 

 as near the end of the journey as possible, thereby saving 

 considerable expense in extra freight, etc., across America. 

 For this purpose the town of Seattle will be found most 

 convenient, since it is there that the Alaskan steamers 

 embark their passengers. Touching the matter of ammuni- 

 tion, when travelling across America, a warning may be 

 taken from the fate of a box containing all the bullets 

 which we conveyed with great care as far as Washington. 

 There it was lost, and the following was the manner of 

 its losing. All heavy baggage being usually forwarded from 

 one place to another by Express Companies, it is usual to 

 deliver it to the agents of these Companies, who undertake 

 to hand it over safely on arrival at your destination. In our 

 case no demur was made by the Express Company from 

 New York to Washington to conveying the ammunition, 

 but to our dismay, on arrival at Chicago, a telegram was 

 received saying that the authorities refused to forward it by 

 express from Washington, and that the box must follow us 

 by freight train. As this meant in all probability a delay of 

 weeks, we had to leave Seattle without it, and to equip 

 ourselves with other rifles for which we could obtain ammuni- 

 tion until our own arrived, since we found it impossible to 

 get bullets there for our .256 Mannlichers. The moral of 

 this tale is. Never let your ammunition out of your sight, even 

 if it means carrying it on your person or in your hand-bags. 

 As regards camp equipment, the outfit should be as small 



