28 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
We do not need to follow the Button family over the 
first portions of their respective routes^ which are more 
or less familiar to travellers. Mrs. Dutton, Florence, and 
Chloe sailed from New York for Aspinwall, crossed the 
Isthmus, took steamer again at Panama, and reached San 
Francisco safely, after a journey of nearly six thousand 
miles. Here they rested a week, and completed their 
outfit necessary for a summer in the woods. On a bright 
morning in May they started in a sailing vessel for Vic- 
toria and Sitka. So much for the ladies' party. 
The sterner portion of the family had hardly a more 
eventful trip until they left Fort Churchill. From this 
point the boys had plenty of shooting, and Mr. Button 
had much ado to keep them within reach of camp. The 
trip, however, was quickly made, the " Rockies " sur- 
mounted, and by the second week in June the party were 
descending the western slopes of the mountains within 
one hundred and fifty miles of Fort Selkirk. 
It was ten o'clock in the forenoon when Mr. Button, 
whose orders were obeyed by every one in the expedition, 
called a halt, on the first day after the high peaks were 
left behind. 
It was a curious company that was gathered there. 
Mr. Button and the three boys were browned from ex- 
posure to the sun and all sorts of weather; while Teddy 
was burned a bright red, and fairly peppered with freckles. 
Carlo was in the highest of spirits, and gambolled about 
the party like a six-months-old pup. There were two 
