, 1923-02-22
travels in Alaska

nae ~S0 - 49,
not . word was spoken until the
shadows began to grow long and
the SUI hide itself behind the Alas
kan range. The silence of the in
terror has caused many men to go
mad, any noise ia a relief, even pour
ing water On q hot stove is q seda-
tive to the nerves.
The Indian said: I'VE 60 now one
sleep.
We built two long fires with suf-
ficient space between to sleep. We
ate the last OF the biscuits, smoked
our pipes, talked of the Dawson
Days and soon covered ourselves with
spruce bows and forgot the world.
We hit the trail at the break OF
day and about three O'Clock, while
the u was yet high, we walked
into Aantasta-Mansfield village. The
shape Of the village was built In the
form Of q half moor comprising
about forty log cabins. There were
seventy in this tribe and essentially
meat eaters. I lost my Indian
friend. l went into Of the cabins
and asked for chow-chow. throwing
two silver dollars on the table. A
squaw told me that she had no chow
chow, Indian he die by and by big
POTASH" she said.
When an Indian dies in Alaska
the tribe starves until after the
burial and then a feast is staged.
I went into another cabin and
came across my Indian. He told me
that two white men lived about a
half mile from the village and d.
rected me to their cabin. 1 reached
the cabin but a note on the door
stated that the occupants had gone
to Dawson for grub. 1 started back
to the Indian village and met the
Indian coming toward me. He told
me that his brother vas out hunting
cariboo and that we would go on to
his camp. The wolves were so thick
In this part OF the country that any
game of any kind had either been
devoured or migrated to other Sec
lions. We did not find the brother
that afternoon, slept out all night
and the next morning continued the
hunt. We followed the tracks Of a
herd OF cariboo but failed to catch
up with the herd and the hunters.
Again we wen into camp with no
prospect of having anything to Bat.
When An Indian goes on the trail
he will always have a string Of died
moose or cariboo around his waist.
asked this Indian II he had any
"Clack-Clack," the term Of dried
moose or carfboo. He said, mo,
Indian he no got"
had noticed that he was chewing
on something and felt sure that he
had some but would not give me .
share OF It. I had been suffering
with some pains in the stomach all
afternoon: this was the third day
with scarcely anything to eat.
1t Is the custom when "Siwashing
t." meaning. sleeping on the ground
without blankets before a fire. that
n man OF the party should keep
watch of the fire and as 1t was zero
weather we adopted this plan. The
Indian slept first and at twelve
o'clock I called him. He opened q
conversation as follows:
Indian: You got plenty money"
Whiteman: me got plenty money
in camp on River. no money here"
touching the pockets of my clothes.
Indian: You got no money to pay
for dogs?"
Whiteman: PLENTY money in
camp, plenty. I pay for dogs"
had on my person concealed In
a new money belt $500 and l had
q feeling that the Indian had seen
the upper part of It.
I was Just falling off to sleep
when ! heard the click OF . gum.
] looked at the Indian and saw that
he was injecting a cartridge into
the barrel. I jumped up sensing
that some animal was near.
asked: what you do. you got
moose?"
NO." he answered. II no got
moose. what you tink."
why you put shell In gum" I
asked.
He made a move with the gun.
I held the barrel horizontally. He
tuEged at II. l did likewise. We
fell to our knees In the snow.
We rolled over and over still
holding the gun working all the time
nearer the fire. I had him nearer
the fire. could see murder in his
eyes. He knew that I would kill
him II I could wrench the gun from
him. When he felt the heat Of the
fire he let 20 OF the gun. exclaim-
Ing: Il no Kill white man. l good
Indian. He was still lying on the
] took q bead on him with his
W. gun. He cried I no kill white
man, ! good Indian. I got sQuaw. one
little papoose. ! no kill %whitcman."
made him give me all the shells
he had and then I told him TO get
wood for tho fire. kept . bead
on him throughout the night and At
daylight started back to tho village
with both guns. After crossing the
first hill I hid his gun In the timber
and headed for the white mans
cabin.
That Afternoon . blislard came
~. ! built . big fire and stayed in
The timber for two days until the
storm had abated. When started
toward the cabin I found that the
trail had been entirely obllterated.
had . compass with me and head
% for the direction Of the village.
Il started to snow. ! could not see