284 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



was beautifully calm and clear; cold, but not intensely so, the thermometer 

 standing at -f-16°. 



So passed the long winter months. Early in April there came signs of sum- 

 mer — for in the Arctic regions there is p^roperly no spring or autumn. On the 

 9th flies made their appearance. Next day the willows were seen budding. 

 But for another fortnight the weather was variable. On the 28th the first 

 goose put in his appearance. But for another fortnight the ice in the river re- 

 mained unbroken. The first sign of breaking up was on the 12th of May. 

 That day mosquitoes showed themselves. Next day came swallows and wild 

 geese in abundance. Still another fortnight, during which a steady stream of 

 broken ice came down, bearing with it whole trees torn up from the banks. 

 On the 24th of May the river was tolerably clear of ice. 



The Russians had already got ready for a trading-excursion up the Yukon 

 to an Indian trading-place 240 miles above, the farthest point ever visited by 

 them. They had a huge skin boat, fitted with mast and sail, manned by eight 

 men, carrying, besides men and provisions, two tons of goods. The Americans 

 went with them, though meaning to go far beyond. They had their own little 

 boat, laden with six or seven hundred pounds of stores of all kinds. The river 

 was still full of ice and drift-wood. A large tree would sometimes pass under 

 the bow of the Russian boat, and fairly lift it out of the water. These skin 

 boats seem to be the best of all for this kind of navigation. They give way 

 without harm to a blow which would break through a bark canoe. 



One can scarcely conceive the rapidity with which summer comes on in 

 these regions. On the 27th of May the river was yet full of ice. Ten days 

 after they had to lie by during the noontide heat, the thermometer standing at 

 80° in the shade. 



The Americans reached Fort Yukon on the 9th of June, having, in twenty- 

 nine days, rowed and tracked six hundred miles. A few weeks later, with the 

 current in their favor, they descended the same space in seven days. Fort Yu- 

 kon lies a little within what was formerly Russian America, and the Hudson's 

 Bay Company paid a small sum for the privilege of its occupancy. Here the 

 Americans remained a month, being hospitably entertained. The fort had 

 quite a civilized look. There were freshly-plastered walls, glazed windows, 

 open fireplaces, magazines, store - houses, and a great fur-room. Camped 

 around were Indians of many tribes, locally designated as " Foolish Folks^" 

 " Wood Folks," "Birch-bark Folks," " Rat Folks," " Hill Folks," and the like. 

 Some wore their native costumes ; others were tricked out in the odds and 

 ends of civiHzed attire. The fur-room was a rare sight. From the beams 

 hung marten-skins by the thousand, while the cheaper sorts were lying in huge 

 heaps on the floor. Skins are here the regular currency. The beaver is the 

 unit, estimated at about half a dollar. Two martens count as one beaver, and 

 so on by a recognized scale. Fox-skins are numerous. The most valuable is 

 that of the black fox, worth twenty times more than any other. There is a story 

 that an unlucky employe of the company once bought the skin of a white fox, 

 which the Indian seller had cunningly dyed black, paying for it more pounds 

 than he should have paid shillings. The overplus was deducted from his salary. 



