194 THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
blanket. When Long Beard was awake, my father asked, 
' What does that mean ? ' He was studying the map. ^ It 
is the road to the Red Mountain,' said Long Beard, angrily. 
' It is the house of demons and evil spirits, and no one can 
reach it alive but the great medicine-man.' He then 
snatched up the map, and put it in his pocket. The very 
next day. Long Beard went off for many hours in his 
canoe. While he was gone, my father found some red 
rocks under a pile of blankets, in a corner of the hut. 
He took only one," said Peeschee, drawing himself up 
with pardonable pride at his father's moral bravery under 
severe temptation. " When he went away, two days later, 
he showed one of the tribe the piece of rock, and asked 
him what it was. The Ayan looked frightened, and said 
it was a piece of the Red Mountain, which could not be 
visited by any living man. He added that it was worth 
more than gold, but that would surely bring death to 
the owner. That is the piece of rock I gave to you." 
" Cheerful prospect for the present owners ! " laughed 
Richard, nervously, trying to shake off a presentiment of 
coming evil, as he fingered the rock, at that very moment 
reposing in the bottom of his pocket. 
"When I was hunting," continued Peeschee, in conclu- 
sion, " I did see with my eyes the Red Mountain, as I told 
you. I did not dare to go there myself," he added, hon- 
estly. " When you saved my life, I thought ; I will tell 
him of the red rocks which are better than gold among 
white men." 
