SB4 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May 14, 1898, 
entedng a tent or shack the outer pair are renioved, and 
the annoyance of melting snow thus avoided. Though 
light, this footgear makes a man's feet comically bulky. 
No. 10 inoccasins are none too large for a man who at 
home wears a 7 shoe. The Indians have a standing 
joke among themselves about the white man's feet, simi- 
lar to that so long in vogue about Chicago girls. 
Lumbermen's rubber overshoes should never be taken 
iiito the Yukon. They have resulted in more frozen feet 
in that country tlian all other causes combined. They are 
all right for moderately cold \yeather, but when a drop 
below 40 occurs the wearer suffers, and not infrequently 
loses his feet. Two men coming down on the steamer 
Rosalie from Skagway who had had their feet frozen in 
Chilcoot Pass and expected to have them amputated 
had met their misfortune through this cause. At the 
time when number one had his feet frozen number two, 
who happened along, remarked that he thought a man 
should be able to tell when his feet were freezing and 
guard against it in time. A few hours later, when this 
man came to remove his footgear, he discovered that 
his own feet were badly frozen, and had been at the 
time he made the remark. They had pained him a good 
deal early in the day, but he thought he had succeeded 
in restoring the circulation, as they had become more 
comfortable. The cessation of pain apparently marked 
the time when they were frozen. 
One can hardly err on the side of taking in too many 
socks or moccasins when traveling in winter, especially 
over the rough ice of the. river. These things wear out 
very quickly, and despite the best of care they are fre- 
quently burned at the camp-fire. I used up five pairs of 
moccasins and nearly a dozen pairs of socks on our 450- 
mile tramp over the ice in January. The moccasins as 
a rule played out b}'- being worn through on the soles, 
though in one or two cases the life was taken out of 
them by getting too much of the fire. Our footgear got 
wet every d^y despite the coldrfess of the weather, either 
from water coming up through cracks in the ice made 
by the river changing its level, or as a result of perspira- 
tion. Every night we had to sit up close to the camp- 
fire — "50 below zero in your back and 1,500 above in 
your face" — and dry out our footgear, when we would 
much rather have spent the time in sleeping. More 
than once I fell asleep while watching the long row of 
articles strung on a pole on the opposite side of the fiire. 
Our moccasins were commonly frozen to our socks 
when we came to take them off for drying, and we had 
to thaw them out before they could be removed. The 
insides were full of frost, which collected chiefly at heel 
and toe. We tried the experiment of turning them in- 
side out to dry the quicker. This worked all right with 
the Indian moccasins, which were sewed with sinew, 
but the moccasins procured in Victoria, which in other 
respects were mucla more durable, ripped as a result, 
and we had great difficulty in mending them, as the 
leather had become hard and required an awl to prop- 
ierly sew — something which we did not then happen to 
have. These Victoria moccasins were made of cowskin, 
I think. They were called moosehide, but differed very 
much from other moccasins I had, tamied and made by 
Jock Darling from the skin of the moose I killed on 
my first winter hunt with him. 
The Indian moccasins sold along the river were very 
poor. With ordinary use they Avore out in about two 
weeks, and rough walking would sometimes take the 
bottoms out in a day. They were made of caribou skin, 
hastily and carelessly tanned. They were said to be 
smoke tanned, but the Indians had gotten on to the 
White man's trick of making things to sell — not to wear — 
and considered it sufficient if they looked right. Wheii 
making their own moccasins they were much more care- 
ful of the stock that went into them. 
Their experience taught them that white men would 
buy anything and were used to being cheated. When 
there was a scarcity of skins they made the uppers of 
bed ticking, and such moccasins sold in Dawson for $8 
per pair. 
To save their moccasins the more economical of the 
white men made for themselves canvas moccasins to be 
worn on the outside, and before the brash ice was cov- 
ered with snow tliey manufactured insoles to protect 
their feet from the rough surface. 
Moccasins manufactured by white men, whether in 
Maine or Victoria, as far as my experience goes, are 
much superior to the Indian article. Sometimes cow- 
skin moccasins are made with the hair left on the inside. 
Oil-tanned moccasins are good for wet weather, but 
in dry cold weather they are slippery as glass, and a 
man who tries running in them after a dog team falls 
down a great many times during the day. 
The common thing for wet Aveather in winter is a 
waterproof moccasin reaching nearly to the knee. Such 
moccasins are called mucklucks, and the best are made 
by the coast Indians from sealskin with the fur left on 
outside. 
For summer use, heavy, oil-tanned, hob-nailed shoes 
are good. The country is very rocky and very swampy, 
and the footgear should be waterproof and strong. Have 
the shoes good and large, and pay particular attentioji 
.to the manner in which the reinforcing piece on the in- 
side at the back is made. 
The welt in heavy shoes is apt to chafe that part of the 
foot immediately above the heel, known as the tendon 
of Achilles. The heavy leather of the uppers wrinkles, 
and ankles are also chafed. Rubber boots generally 
make blisters on the back of the heel or ankles. A good 
way to protect blistered feet is to cover the part with a 
strip of porous plaster. This sticks like grim death, and' 
gives instant relief in many cases. 
For wearing qualities the sea boots used by fishermen 
on the Atlantic coast cannot be beaten. These boots 
are oil-tanned, yellow or russet in color, and made of 
the very heaviest cowskin, with good leather soles an 
inch thick. They are waterproof and wear like iron, and 
would be invaluable for use in the work around a claim, 
but they are too heavy for travehng. E. A. Buck, of Ban- 
gor, Me., makes a first-class shoe for general use in the 
Yukon. His shoes should be ordered with extra heavy 
soles and hob-nails, and several boxes of hob-nails 
should be taken along for replacing those worn out or 
lost. Buck's shoes are the lightest weight shoes that 
I know of, that are both waterproof and durable, 
I like a high shoe, but not the so-called sportsman's 
boot. Laced boots were worn to a considerable extent, 
but proved unsatisfactory in several respects, heating the 
leg where heat is not wanted and taking time to put on 
and keep in shape. Under some circumstances light 
canvas leggins are desirable, as, for instance, on a 
muddy trail, to keep the trousers clean. 
Rubber hip boots with snag-proof bottoms are a nec- 
essary part of the outfit. A light pair of leather-soled, 
hob-nailed boots that I had gave excellent satisfaction. 
They fitted the leg tightly at the thigh and did not act 
as funnels for rain or receptacles for the slop of waves, 
which is a fault of ordinary hip boots. These boots 
were made for the sporting goods trade. 
In the Yukon summer gloves are required as well as 
the winter article. The hands need a protection against 
mosquitoes and also for working in water. Rubber 
gloves are commonly taken, and other light gloves long 
enough to protect the wrists. For winter use, buckskin 
gauntlets, or badger, lynx, beaver, bear or other fur 
mitts were worn. These mitts are. very large 
and sometimes reach half way up to the elbow. 
They are generally carried by a cord reaching 
around the neck and fastened to each mitten. 
They are lined with blanket material or fur. Rabbit 
skin is said to make the warmest lining, and is most 
prized by the Indians for this purpose. Not infrequently 
other gloves are worn inside. The big gauntlets are ex- 
tremely awkward, and it is very difficult to chop with 
them on. I found that a heavy Arctic glove, of a quilted 
woolen material similar to that from which German 
socks are made, worn inside an unlined buckskin mitt, 
made a good, practical combination. For work requir- 
ing a firm grip I could slip off the buckskin gauntlets 
and Avear only the gloves. There is a dift'erence of opin- 
ion as to the proper way to make the fur mitts. Some 
say that the hair should lie toward the tips of the fingers 
to shed snow, and others that it should slant backward 
toward the arm, so that the Avind Avill glance off. Of 
course in most gloves the latter plan is adopted. 
At times Avhen one is not living in a tent or cabin it 
is very difficult to dry out the big fur gauntlets, which 
are constantly getting wet from perspiration. The skins 
of animals scorch very easily, and after that the article 
is rotten and useless. There is just one zone of the 
proper temperature at a camp-fire where skin articles 
will dry out and not burn. A fcAV inches inside this 
zone the heat is too intense, and an infinitesimal dis- 
tance beyond they remain frozen. It requires a nice dis- 
crimination to select the proper distance and keep the 
things there under the changing conditions of the fire.- 
GloAving embers fall over toAvard the roughly extempo- 
rized rack on which the articles are drying, and if they 
are not instantly removed they are likely to be ruined. 
One of the mounted police told me that buckskin 
shirts "freeze dry," as he expressed it. All that Avas nec- 
essary, he said, was to hang them up outdoors in a cur- 
rent of air, and they Avould dry in the coldest weather. 
Nothing in my experience tended to corroborate this 
statement. The rule seemed to be that all articles ac- 
cumulated frost from moisture with the utmost facility, 
and parted with it only under the compulsion of a con- 
siderable degree of heat continuously applied. However, 
I am still open to conviction on this point, for in a 
country where ice forms on the bottoms of rivers before 
the surface is closed and many other remarkable things 
happen, it is just as well not to be incredulous about 
anything. 
For summer wear a felt Alpine hat is very satisfac- 
tory. Caps let the rain into your hair and down the 
back of your neck, and are a nuisance. A slicker hat, 
Avith ear tabs, is good for cold fall rains. The long, 
drooping back effectually protects the neck, and such 
hats arc very Avarm and comfortable. In winter some 
kind of a fur cap is required Avith a flap reaching doAvn 
to protect the neck, ears and sides of the face, and tying 
under the chin. It should reach Ioav doAvn on the fore- 
liead, and is all the better if it has a fur-lined vizor. 
Practically the only part of the face exposed is the 
month, nose and eyes. In temperate winter weather the 
flaps may be tied up on top of the cap, out of the way, 
and the vizor turned back. Some caps are fitted with 
face masks, but these as commonly made hinder the 
vision in a way that is annoying to the last 
degree. My face and nose were exposed in 
weather ranging from 50 to 60 degrees below zero, 
and were never touched by frost. This was at a time 
Avhen there was no wind. In windy Avcathpr at even 25 
below one's face becomes very nimib and uncomfortable 
Avithout protection, and for such times Mac and I wore 
nose protectors of our own design. These were simply 
strips of fur about an inch wide, reaching horizontally 
across the front of the cap, and covering the lower half 
of the bridge of the nose. Thej' Avere permanently at- 
tached to one side of the cap, and arranged to button 
on the other side Avhen in use. They came in opportune- 
ly when we crossed Chilcoot Pass in a gale of wind 
and with the thermometer at the lowest point it had 
reached tip to February. 
A fair supply of silk handkerchiefs should be taken 
along for winter use. They go a long way toward pre- 
serving one's peace of mind in cold Aveather. Also, in 
the interests of comfort, one should not ijeglect^SL liberal 
amount of toilet paper. 
Be sure that your toilet soap iis the kind that Avorks 
in cold Avater; also that you have not forgotten towels. 
Towels are an important part of the outfit. If they out- 
live their usefulness for the purpose for which they were 
intended, they Avill come in handy for cleaning dishes. 
A pocket comb and a little round pocket glass the 
size of a silver dollar Avill go a long Avay toward pre- 
serving a man's self-respect, and a razor should always 
be taken. Beards may be good to protect the throat 
and face in countries not quite so cold, but in the 
Yukon they are never allowed to groAV any length, be- 
cause they freeze and make it aAvkward for a man to> talk 
or eat. Some men shave every week or two in cold 
weather, and others .clip their- mustaches and beard fre- 
quently. 
They have a saying that in the Yukon a man only 
bathes in summer or when he breaks through the ice, 
and it is a fact that some men never take off their clothes. 
Mac and I, however, managed to wash from head to foot 
quite regularly, despite the cold. We liked the water as 
hot as we could bear it, and cold baths in midwinter 
were not popular in our corner of the Avoods. 
We had a wholesome fear of that horrible little ani- 
mal which has a penchant for the unwashed class, and 
fortunately escaped without seeing one in the entire 
time we were in the Yukon. A precaution which we 
adopted, suggested by the police, was a cube of cam- 
phor, sewed in a bag, and suspended by a string about 
the neck. I also wore a tiny metal badge engraved with 
my name and address for purposes of identification. 
In the Yukon some indestructible form of identification 
is highly desirable. 
For sewing outfit one should include scissors, large 
needles,, and heavy linen thread or gill twine. A ball 
of yarn and darning needles are also required, and sail 
needles and twine come in handy. For heavy sewing a 
sailor's palm thimble is needed, and an awl for mending 
shoes and moccasins should not be forgotten. Take 
along wax for waxing thread, and some shoemakers' 
wax-ends as Avell. Also take a couple of yards of 8oz. 
duck for patching clothes, or making moccasins. Can- 
vas Avill save the seat of a pair of pants when nothing 
else will. 
Clothing and the small articles of personal outfit are 
carried in clothing sacks. The broAvn oiled canvas 
sacks are waterproof and satisfactory. A knapsack for 
small articles is also desirable. One or two pairs of 
stout pack straps should be provided. See that they 
are Avell put together, as they are apt to give out where 
riveted. 
A good watch is of the utmost importance. Nothing 
but a full-jeweled movement will answer for a cold 
country, and CA'en the best sometimes will not run in 
loAV temperature. Cheap Avatches depend on oil to 
lubricate the movements, and this oil freezes and stops 
the watches. In very cold weather a poor watch will 
not run, even if tucked down inside the clothing next a 
man's body. NoAvhei'e in the Avorld is a reliable watch 
more needed. 
j. b. burnham. 
[to be continued.] 
Notes on the Wildfowl and Game 
Animals of Alaska. 
BV E. W, NEI.SON, BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, IJ. S. DEPARTMENT 
OF AGRICULTI/RE. 
{J-'rom the National Geographic Magazine^ 
Among the many interesting features to be seen by 
visitors to Alaska, the animal life is noteAVorthy for 
several reasons. During the brief summer the other- 
Avise desolate tundras are animated by swarms of water 
foAvl, Avhich arrive from the south in spring as soon as 
the bare ground begins to appear, and after a short de- 
lay set about their summer housekeeping. The Avater 
foAvl on the rivers and lakes of the interior are the 
familiar species Avhich winter among the ponds and 
marshes of the Avcstern United States. The Canada, 
Flutcliin's, white-fronted and snowy geese are there with 
swans and fresh-water ducks of many species. Besides 
these, sand-hill cranes and numerous Avaders abound. 
One of the most strikingly colored .species along the 
small tributaries of the Yukon is the harlequin duck.. 
The most interesting part of the bird life of this regioHji 
hoAvever, is found along the coast of Bering Sea. Fout 
species of eider ducks occur there, some of which ariB" 
A^ery handsome. Among these the king, Steller's, and 
spectacled eiders are shoAvn in the accompanying illus- 
trations.* 
The emperor goose is another fine bird peculiar to 
this country; it has its home in the marshy region be- 
tween the mouths of the Yukon and KuskokAvim rivers. 
It is the most elegantly dressed of its kind in America. 
The top and sides of the head and neck are snowy white, 
the chin, throat and under side of the neck blacldsh, 
and the feathers of the back a soft, silky, gray color, 
bordered by a black crescent near the end and tipped 
with white. The under surface is similar, but duller, and 
the feet are vivid orange. 
The black brant pass along the coast of Bering Sea 
in great numbers every spring, and afford royal sport 
to persons fortunate enough to choose good stands 
while the flight lasts. 
During the four years the Avriter lived at St. Michael 
water fowl Avas a very important item in the bill of fare, 
* I am indebted to Mr. P. W. True, Executive Curator, U, S. 
National Museum, for the photographs of bird and mammal 
groups in the Museum which illustrate this article. 
