88 BIG GAME SHOOTING IN ALASKA chap. 



and have lived to tell the tale, suffering no worse fate than a 

 good wetting when we went clean through the big waves. 

 For river work these small boats are excellent, since they 

 draw very little water, are easily taken out when passing bad 

 places, and are capable of carrying several hundred pounds 

 of freight. 



Our voyage from Afognak onwards was not productive 

 of any very noteworthy events, except for the fact that the 

 weather was about as bad as possible, and in consequence 



The Author and Natives in Bidarki, Bear River, Bering Sea Coast. 



some eleven days were spent beating against head winds, 

 or running into shelter, on a voyage which under favourable 

 conditions should have occupied three or four days at the 

 most. This is the common state of affairs along the coast 

 of Alaska, and any one wishing to attempt sailing there, 

 particularly early or late in the season, should be prepared 

 beforehand with a plentiful supply of patience and spare 

 time to waste. The ideal method of travelling the coast on 

 such a shooting trip would be to charter a small tug or 

 steam launch from San Francisco or Seattle, sufficiently 



