Photograph by R. F. Griggs 



LANDING ON KATMAI BEACH 



Only in perfectly calm weather can the landing be undertaken, the water being normally 



very rough 



had changed the haze of previous days 

 into a terrific dust-storm. The dust was 

 so thick that it obliterated everything be- 

 yond the immediate vicinity. It per- 

 meated everything about our camp. We 

 were extremely worried lest it should get 

 into our cameras and ruin all our films. 



It matted our hair so that we could not 

 comb it for days. The sharp particles 

 caused acute discomfort in our eyes, and 

 at first we were afraid that it might do 

 us permanent injury ; but after a time the 

 irritation stimulated an increased flow 

 from the tear glands, which helped to 

 keep the eyes washed out. 



During this day of dust-storm we ex- 

 plored the valley as far as Soluka Creek. 

 The dust heightened the already weird 

 character of the landscape, giving it an 

 indescribably unearthly appearance. The 

 effect was much like that of a heavy snow- 

 storm. This was increased by the out- 

 lines of the bare trees. Indeed, so keen 

 were the visual sensations of a snow- 

 storm that every little while I would 

 realize with a start of surprise that I was 

 not cold (see also page 17). 



About noon we fell to speculating on 

 the state of the weather above the dust- 

 storm and were surprised on searching 

 the sky at being able to find the sun, 

 whose disc was just visible, a pale white, 

 something like the moon in daytime, but 

 fainter. 



It would be quite impossible adequately 

 to describe our feelings on this day, as 

 we groped our way forward into new 

 country, utterly different from any we 

 had ever seen before. Fortunately the 

 loose sandy surface of the ash every- 

 where held our tracks, so that even with- 

 out our compass we could hardly have 

 become lost. 



FOLLOWING A BFAR TRAIL 



We followed all the way a well-worn 

 bear trail which skirted the foot of the 

 mountain, finding that the bears had se- 

 lected the easiest going to be had. It was 

 very noticeable that the bear trails, except 

 for an occasional side branch into the 

 mountains, all ran lengthwise up and 

 down the valley. They had made no 

 attempt to cross the river. Apparently 



27 



