24 RECONNAISSANCE IN NORTHERN ALASKA IN 1901. 



attempt in our canoes, and as our time was getting short and storms were brewing, 

 I decided to induce these natives to take us in their boats. 



Along- the coast we were dependent for firewood on the ocean drift. This is 

 abundant in places, but at several camps there was barely sufficient for our need. 

 It does not compare in quantity with that found on the southern coast of Seward 

 Peninsula. Among the logs, which were principally spruce, were noticed a redwood 

 and one or two pines. Drinking water is to be had almost everywhere along the 

 coast, even on the small islands, provided they are covered with moss. It is, how- 

 ever, often brackish. 



After losing several days by storms, we arrived at Point Barrow on the evening 

 of September 3, and at Cape Smyth about midnight. Mr. Brauer, agent of the 

 whaling station here, gave us a warm welcome. A steam whaler had left a day or 

 two before, and as no more vessels were expected to pass the point, he supplied us 

 with a whaleboat with which to sail to Cape Hope, where he thought we would likely 

 catch a vessel bound home. We started on September 5, as there was danger of the 

 ice pack being driven in if the wind shifted to the northwest or north. 



The coast from Cape Smyth to Cape Beaufort is veiy low, with a sandy beach, 

 back of which bluffs rise rarely to a height of 75 feet. No high land could be 

 discerned in the interior. Except when prevented by the storms of September 6, 9, 

 11. 12, and 13, we were constantly working toward Cape Hope, sailing, rowing, 

 or towing. 



In the afternoon of September 18 we sighted the funnel and masts of a steamer 

 lying off the coal veins east of Cape Lisburne, and about dark, there being a perfect 

 calm, this steamer, which proved to be the Arctic, was boarded. She was taking on 

 a load of coal for Nome, and on the night of September 21 she steamed away, arriv- 

 ing at Nome September 26. Here one of the regular steamers was taken for Seattle, 

 where the party was disbanded. 



METHODS OF TOPOGRAPHIC WORK. 



At intervals of about 10 miles prominent points adjacent to the river were ascended 

 for topographic sketching on the plane table. Two signals, usually stone cairns 

 about 6 or 7 feet high, were left on each of these points to mark the ends of the base 

 which was to be used in determining the distance to the next station. This next 

 station was usually selected first, so that the base might be laid off at right angles to 

 a line joining the two stations, or as nearly so as the shape of the summit would 

 permit. The direction of the base was always projected on the plane-table sheet to 

 permit of the measurement of the angle between it and a line to any other station 

 that might be occupied. The length of the base was from 300 to 600 feet, and was 

 chosen with regard to the estimated distance and direction of the next station so as to 



