CHAP. XVIII.] BIRCH-BARK FLEET. 199 27th. Started at 3 A.M., and proceeded with rather less difficulty, finding the water comparatively quiet between the numerous islands. Many of them were entirely submerged, and we floated over some of the lesser tree-tops. At noon, we arrived at the Co-Yukuk village and river: stopped at the home of our Co-Yukon boatman, and bought a large pike there-a not uncommon fish on the river. Hard by was an Indian four-post grave-box inclosed with rails, and a flag waving over it. Near this spot the "Co-Yukuk Sofka," or mountain, terminated on the river in a very grand and steep sandstone bluff of castellated appearance, perpendicular strata taking the place of the more usual horizontal formation. Round its rugged base the water swept with terrific force, and we had again to cross the river, which at this point makes a great bend to the eastward. We passed several small encampments of Indians, and were accompanied by a fleet of canoes, their owners all bound for the annual trading meetings at Newicargut and Nuclukayette. Their canoes were of birch-bark, covering a well constructed and light frame of willow and birch, and varied in length from eight to sixteen feet, according as they were intended for one or three persons. The seams of these frail barks are sewn with the finer roots of sprucefir, and are caulked with spruce-gum. When a leak is discovered, they go ashore, light a small fire, warm the gum, of which they always carry a supply,-turn the canoe bottom upwards, and rub the healing balm in a semi-fluid state into the seam until it is again water-tight. Single paddles are usually adopted; double ones, like those used by the Greenlander in his "kyack," are occasionally seen. It is a common thing for them to use no paddles at all in shallow water, but simply stakes or poles (like small stilts) in either hand; and they will sometimes stand up when progressing in this way. Each man had some little dried meat, but trusted mainly to finding something by the way. They surrounded our camp with hungry looks; our plan was to give to those only who worked for us. Occasionally we allowed our Indians, when fatigued, to change with some of the owners of these birch-barks, and so kept our crew fresh. Steady exertion is foreign to them, and they made a great fuss over any trifling blisters raised on their hands in the unaccustomed exertion of rowing. Still, they behaved better than I had expected, and little Mikeshker, our Ingelete, was a capital fellow, the first to volunteer in anything that was to be done. Some of the Indians travelling up with us had cotton-drill tents made by themselves in imitation of the Russians; our own men usually rigged up our sail into a shelter tent. Ivan, in the evening, gave us some wild-duck eggs he had obtained in trading; they were not plentiful at this part of the river. We camped on the east side of the river, after a long search for a spot of dry land. 28th.-Made an early start, 1 A.M., and crossed the river three times, once where it was two miles wide. A light breeze enabled us to use our sail with fair effect. We found at this part of the river some tall straight poplars, all, however, with a curious bend, or "kink," near the top. We passed several Indian graves and camps. The Russians, on nearing any Indian locality, announced their arrival by firing a large flint-lock gun, something of the calibre of a CHAP. XVIII.] SACHERTELONTIN. - LAGOON. 201 whaling gun. We camped about 2 P.M. on a steep bank. Rain fell in the evening, and it was almost welcomed, as it kept off the musquitoes. On the 30th we waited over a whole day in camp to regrease our "baidarre." The Russians did the same, and our Indian friends also, so that there was a large encampment. It rained incessantly. 31st. We passed the fishing-village of Sachertelontin. From this point I kept a constant running survey (bearings and apparent distances). Our only authority-the map of Zagoskin-terminates about this point. (With many windings, the general direction to Fort Yukon is N.E. magnetic; and so little does it vary from this that my notes contain little else but points ranging from N. to E.) 1st June. We arrived at a large opening or lagoon on the river, about eight miles long, and five wide. It ran in an easterly direction, and had several large islands in it. At its termination the river again narrowed. Sandstone bluffs and some crags of conglomerate bordered the lagoon. Within three days we obtained one heron, two or three ducks and geese, and a few eggs; also some beaver-meat. The heron was decidedly tough eating; the beaver-meat was very musk-like in flavour; the tail alone excepted, which is the trapper's greatest luxury, and was really delicious. The natives here, when very short of supplies, eat the flesh of marten, owls, hawks, &c., but it is from necessity rather than choice. They "ken eat crow, tho' they don't hanker arter it." In point of fact, I noticed these luxuries generally fell to the lot of the old people, who do not have a very pleasant time of it, if they happen to get feeble or decrepit. They are not ill used, but simply neglected. At this part of the river's banks, we found the spruce-fir unusually large, and the river itself was full of great natural rafts of trees and drift-wood, which came whirling down with great rapidity in the ever varying current. Now they would seem to be gliding along steadily, when, all at once, they got into an eddy and spun round, so that you could not answer for their course. They frequently scraped and jarred against our canoe, and steering had to be an ever watchful operation. 2nd.-Large mountains to the N.N.E.,-the Suquonyilla range. We reached the mouth of a large stream, the Melozecargut River, which enters from the N.W. (the termination cargut simply means "small river" in the Co-Yukon dialect; be it observed that the Melozecargut is only small by comparison with the Yukon). We passed a large log of maple lying on the beach; our men found none growing below Fort Selkirk, so that it must have travelled from some point very near the head-waters of the Yukon. The afternoon was so intensely warm that we slept for several hours on the bank, resuming our trip in the evening, and travelling till 2 A.M. on the 3rd. On this latter day we started early, and camped with the Russians, in the early afternoon, opposite Newicargut, one of the most important halting-places on the river. The chief came over to us in the night, and invited us at once to the village, and we broke camp, and returned with him. On the S.E. side of the Yukon, we found a comparatively narrow opening, leading into a kind of bay, into which the Newicargut River empties itself. The Russians and ourselves saluted the village with a miscellaneous discharge from revolvers, carbines, and shot guns, as is the delight of all the Indians of the country, and they returned the compliment |