ON THE HOMEWARD TRAIL 



265 



has lost considerable ground, after battling against a head 

 wind such as blows in a way peculiar to Alaska, and the 

 skipper has had reluctantly to give it up, and run under the 

 friendly shelter of some island or point on the mainland. 

 She has at least the qualification of being a really good 

 sea- boat, and the strength of her timbers is enormous. 

 Originally she was, I believe, built for a whaler, but has since 



Castle Cape Rocks, near Chignik, Alaska Peninsula. 



been cut in half and an additional 40 feet added to her 

 length. Speaking of the stoutness of the old ship, during 

 the voyage down to Seattle, an American who had made 

 many trips on board her said to me, " Yes, sir, I guess this 

 old craft is a tough one ; she is the only boat on this coast 

 that can do what she has done without going to the bottom. 

 She has run slap into a rock, going at full speed, and didn't 

 give a d — n for that rock, and you bet I should not be scared 



