riiuto by George Shiras, 3rd 



TOWING OUR BOAT UP KRNAI Rn'ER OX 

 THE RETURN TRIP 



The two men in front devote their strength 

 to pulling on a rope, while the one in the rear, 

 by the use of a lo-foot pole bridled to the bow, 

 steers the craft in and out around snags and 

 rocks in shallow water. 



waves fell away harmlessly from the flat 

 stern, because they were receding with 

 the same speed as the current. At such 

 times the canoe, drifting rapidly with 

 the stream and often going much faster 

 in order to keep its course, would be 

 delug'ed with spra\', and occasionally a 

 large wave would overlap the bow. 



To those whij have occasion to run 

 swift and crooked streams, where the 

 backwoods craft is a])t to be one of the 

 easily constructed, box timljered kind, 

 this method can be highly recommended 

 as safe and comfortable. Were such a 

 method in vogue on other Alaskan rivers 

 many a miner's life would have been 

 saved and many a valuable cargo carried 

 safely to its destination. 



At a box canyon, some three miles 

 aljove the lake and wdiere the river runs 



like a mill-course between high and per- 

 pendicular cliffs for nearly a quarter of 

 a mile, we portaged over the canoe and 

 our more valuable stuff', since I was un- 

 willing that any risk l)e taKcn. A week 

 before a large boat, containing govern- 

 ment supplies, was nearly lost at this 

 point and, half filled, floated helplessly 

 down the stream. 



When making this portage it became 

 apparent that we had reached the first 

 great fall and winter range of the moose, 

 for the numerous and well-worn run- 

 ways, the trees denuded of their bark 

 and lower branches, together with an oc- 

 casional shed antler, told the story. 



Here we camped for the night, near 

 one of the few sloughs connected with 

 the river, in hopes of a moose picture or 

 two, but the high stage of water and the 

 fact that the most of these animals were 

 then at the edge of the timber line or in 

 the great swamjjs west of the river val- 

 ley only resulted in giving the mosqui- 

 toes an tmexpected but welcome meal. 



Shortl}' after starting the next after- 

 noon the canoe, in making a quick rush 

 to avoid going under a log jamb, got 

 ahead of us, and when overtaken, ten 

 minutes later, we found Charlie clinging 

 to a bush with one hand and bailing out 

 with the other, having kei)t to the middle 

 of the stream when rounding a sharp 

 bend, thereby running into what the na- 

 tives call "smoky water," which adven- 

 ture might have been avoided had we 

 been in advance or had he known the 

 river better. AMien asked about the mat- 

 ter, he cheerfully remarked that it was 

 now plain why Tom had given him all 

 the canned goods — "because they were 

 water-proof." 



PICTURESQUE SKILAK LAKE 



Finally, the boats came to the first 

 slack water and the next turn showed 

 the lake, higher by several feet than 

 usual at this season, but smooth and 

 glowing in the quiet hour preceding sun- 

 set. For the first time the oars and pad- 

 dles became necessary for locomotion 

 and, relieved from the continuous strain 

 of watching for rocks, log jambs, rough 

 water, and tumultuous whirl-])ools, we 

 enjoyed the placid surroundings to the 

 utmost. 



Dividing the mouth of the river was a 

 low sandy island ablaze with a solid body 



436 



