Photograph by R. F. Griggs 



on the; trail, in the; upper vappey 



Since the country was completely devastated, it was necessary to carry everything we had: 

 if any essential thing had been forgotten the expedition would have been stumped 



Johnson to come to take us back to 

 Kodiak, according to appointment. We 

 learned later that he tried to reach us 

 both that day and the next, but was un- 

 able to land. On the 31st, however, the 

 weather was clear and calm, so that he 

 was able to get ashore. 



We were rejoicing in the prospect of 

 a speedy return to Kodiak, but soon 

 found that our troubles were not over, 

 for before he could get us off a "north- 

 easter" blew up, so that he had to aban- 

 don us hastily on the beach and make for 

 his boat with the word "Back at the first 

 chance." The sea rose so quickly that he 

 had difficulty in regaining the sloop and 

 reaching a place of safety. It was not 

 for three days that he was able to return, 

 and then, although there was considerable 

 surf running, we lost no time in getting 

 aboard (see page 27). 



ORGANIZING THK EXPEDITION OP 1916 



The expedition of 191 6 was carried out 

 on substantially the same lines as that of 

 the preceding year, except that it was 

 possible to organize the work more thor- 



oughly and to provide against various 

 contingencies which could not have been 

 foreseen without the experience of the 

 previous year. The party consisted of 

 Mr. Folsom, Mr. D. B. Church, as pho- 

 tographer, and myself. The experience 

 of the previous year showed the necessity 

 of the employment of a packer also. 



Here we met one of our most difficult 

 problems, for we found that the natives 

 were afraid of the volcano and could not 

 be induced to go to the mainland. When 

 we broached the matter to the chief, he 

 said at once very positively, "Me no Kat- 

 mai," and we learned later that he had 

 advised his followers, "Life is better than 

 money." 



The problem was most happily met, 

 however, when we thought of Walter 

 Matroken, the celebrated one - handed 

 bear hunter of Kodiak. He agreed to go 

 without any hesitation and stuck to his 

 promise, although, as we found after- 

 ward, the other natives used all sorts of 

 arguments to dissuade him. 



Already a hero among his fellows be- 

 cause of his many exploits as a hunter, 



45 



