28 RECONNAISSANCE IN NORTHERN ALASKA IN 1901. 



tain Maguire, wintered at Point Burrow, in Moores Harbor, whence members of the 

 expedition made journeys southwestward to Tasiak River and eastward along the 

 coast to Return Reef, in longitude 150°, Maguire himself going as far as Smith 

 Bay. 



In the autumn of 1860 Robert Kennicott," crossing from the Mackenzie, arrived 

 at Fort Yukon, and in the spring of 1S61 descended the Yukon as far as Small 

 Houses. 



In 1865 J. T. Dyer and R. D. Cotter,* in connection with the Western Union 

 Telegraph expedition, are reported to have made a veiy creditable exploration of the 

 country between Norton Bay and the mouth of Koyukuk River, on the Yukon. 



In 1866 Ketchum and Laberge, explorers for the Western Union Telegraph 

 expedition, ascended the Yukon to Fort Yukon with Lukeen, and later, in 1867, con- 

 tinued their investigations up the river as far as Fort Selkirk. 



In 1867 Dr. W. H. Dall, at first in connection with the Western Union Telegraph 

 expedition and later at his own expense, in descending the Yukon, visited the Koyu- 

 kuk. Though Dall's work was necessarily of a pioneer character, his contributions 

 to our knowledge of the interior of Alaska were very important, as they gave the 

 first clue to the geology of the Yukon Basin. 



Astronomic observations made at Nulato by Capt. C. W. Raymond, who ascended 

 the Yukon in 1869, materially aided in more accurately locating the mouth of the 

 Koyukuk, also the position of the upper Koyukuk, which until recently rested 

 largely upon the astronomic determinations subsequentlj' made by him in the same 

 year at Fort Yukon. 



The first whaler is reported to have entered the Arctic Ocean in 1848, and since 

 then whaling has there been an important industry. 



From 1881 to 1883 a signal service station, in charge of Lieut. P. H. Ray, of 

 the United States Army, was maintained at Point Barrow, which was one of the 

 polar magnetic stations located by international agreement. The report of this 

 expedition and station gives statistics and valuable tables containing results of 

 meteorologic, astronomic, magnetic, zoologic, ethnologic, geographic, and some 

 marine observations. In making inland explorations, a part of the upper course of 

 Meade River was mapped and the Meade River Mountains were discovered. 



In 1884 additional valuable information on northwest Alaska, including the 

 Kowak River region, was gathered on the cruise of the Corwin, by Capt. M. A. Healey 

 and officers of the United States Revenue Service. Their work was subsequent^ 

 continued by various other revenue cutters, some of which have visited the northwest 

 coast of Alaska almost every year. Of these visits the most notable is probably that 

 of the U. S. revenue cutter Bear, which sent out the winter overland expedition of 



a Smithsonian Reports, 1861, pp. 39-40; 18C4, p. 417. 



b Dall, W. H.. Alaska and its Resources, London and Boston, 1870, p. 277. 



