The Kusko times., 1937-05-07
Life Is Not Dull In KuskOkWim
 Ayers Teacher
BY OLAF HALVERSON
Reprinted from the Anchorage
 Daily Times)

Daily TlmesD
 West where the east almost begins finds me in the remote western part oi Alaska not far inland from the Boring Sea. Ever seeking to find the western frontier of history which has been pushed farther westward with each sucaeeding generation, l have finally caught up with 1t in Western Alaska Four hundred miles by air plane from the closest point on the Alaska Railroad, remote and isolated finds me with a primitive race, the Eskimo.
 Beyond The Mountains
 It was on September l after hav- ing completed over a year of survey ing work in the Aatanuska Valley that 1 was on the Anchorage airheld ready 10 leave for the unknowns. Seated snugly in a Bellarca plane
 perated by Oscar Winchell. the fly ing cowboy and one of Alaska's most noted fliers, We were about ready 70 take of. Mir. Winchell brought the airplane to one end of the field, wiped the windshield, ran the engine vigorously for a test period and finding no trouble we raced down the field, left the ground, flew over Anchorage waving farewell, then across Cook Inlet, over forests, plains. rivers, and lakes all in one beautiful picture l took numerous pictures reflling many times. We encountered strong storm in the Rainy Pass district coupled with a fog. This made the trip thrilling every moment. Ne tried to go under the storm and above 1t but neither way brought us out So we flew right through It. We followed rifts through the fog, whirled about mountain peaks, climbed high attitudes over the Alaska range, then falling into sensational dead pockets across the mountains to the rolling plains We saw distant Mt. Mckinley looming up high above the storm. wild bear run hing below startled by the noise of the plane, mountain sheep and moose crossing rivers. 4 paradise of beauty below made now by meandering streams.
 Holds Brick Worth Sl9.000
 At Flat, a refueling station. l was initiated into the nugget seeking land by being permitted to hold a s19,000 gold brick in my hands Bethel, the metropolis on the Kus- kokwim River and center of the Nor avian Mission, was finally reached where I am now teaching in the ter Titorial school Far to the northward stretches the level tundra unbroken save where an occasional small lake or stream may be fringed by a few low bushes. A lure of the north lies in these far reaching tundras, a charm never to be forgotten. Rein deer herds may here graze unmolest- ed There are no fences here to con- fine them neither herdsmen to guide them in their struggle for existence.
 A Winter in Typical Alaska
 This Is the iand of the Eskimo, the land of the reindeer and the home of the dog teams. IL is a land of isolation, but still land of prom ise. It is a land of unexpiored na- tural resources and the Utopia of the prospector who seeks to find the hid den treasures.
 Winter set in early and brought an accompanied pleasure of skating on the great. river, the Kuskokwim. An ever interesting sight Is the intense activity of dog teams. In every di- rection whether on the bleak tundra or the frozen Kuskokwim you may see the present day caravan of the north mushing in radial lines 10 Bethel, the metropolis of the Kusko- lwim country. They bring furs, fish and Eskimo articles and wend their way homeward from the local trad ing posts with food supplies and oth- CT necessities The chief furs are cross foy, otter ermine and mink. Dog sleds and dog teams are still the pride and talk of the local people and they are justly proud of them.
 Dogs Still Reign Supreme
 In the early days all mail came out here by dog teams, a service now performed by airplanes. In, those days long teams would relay the mail down the Yukon River by way of Holy Cross and Russian Mission.
 Bethel is distinct dog team town. Dog teams are tied up at almost ev- cry home in Bethel awaiting anxious ly for their drivers to release them i and be on the happy trail. Some of the dogs are of the malamute type, half dog and half wolf. Others are Siberian huskies. What a chorus they 1 make sometimes on lone, quiet, moon