CHAPTER VIII 



DOWN THE MACKENZIE 



A few travelers have descended the Mackenzie to McPher- 

 son, crossed the mountains by the Hudson's Bay Company's 

 trail to Fort Yukon, and then descended the Yukon River to 

 St. Michaels. No one had ever descended the Mackenzie to its 

 mouth, and succeeded in reaching civilization around Alaska. 

 I learned that American whalers were wintering at Herschel 

 Island, near the mouth of the Mackenzie, and that some of the 

 vessels would return to San Francisco at the end of the season. 

 I could not profitably occupy the summer at Rae, nor would I 

 have time to descend the Mackenzie and return home by open 

 water over the same route. It seemed possible to reach the 

 whalers and accompany them to San Francisco. The time and 

 money needed would be about equal to that spent in returning 

 by way of Edmonton, but I would have the advantage of explor- 

 ing two thousand miles of new territory, which decided me to 

 make the attempt. 



The "Wrigley" is hauled ashore for the winter near Provi- 

 dence whence she leaves, as soon as the river opens, for Good 

 Hope. If I could reach Providence before the steamer was 

 launched and started on her northward trip, I could save a 

 month's time in'descending the river, and might reach Herschel 

 Island before the whalers left their winter quarters. 



It was reported that a whaleboat would be sent up to Mc- 

 Pherson to engage Indians for the summer's whaling. If I did 

 did not meet this it was very uncertain whether or not I could 

 hire Indians to accompany me from the last Hudson's Bay 

 Company's post to the island. The musk-ox skins would 

 require daily attention in drying for several weeks, but Mr. 

 Hodgson volunteered to care for them until they could be sent 

 out by the "Wrigley," two months later. Under his direction 



125 



