r. it was about a half mile
wide at the mouth. Just after crossing over this stream we saw 148 Polar
bears on one cake of ice feeding on a dead whale. Allong this trip so
near the sea we saw hundreds of seals, and walrus and killed a Muskox
the most rare animal in the world. After over forty days we reached the
mouth of the Mackinzie river, it is about eight miles across the mouth,
and drains The great baer lake, the great slave lake, the lesser slave
lake, The peace river the Athabaska river and hundreds of tributaries in
to the Sea. It was nearing spring, we had no calendar, and did not even
know the month of the year. We were glad: our sleighs were getting worn
out, so were our snow shoes, and our provission was nearly gone and Lee
was a raving maniac. We still had the main range of the Rocky mountains
to cross. We came to a small station about one hundred miles up the Teal
river: but the frenchman refused us anything to eat. He was buying fur
for a fur Co. and wanted to kill off all indipendent traders. Without
his consent I took what grub I wanted, he did not like it much permit me
to say--but he choose this in preference to cold lead, I left him his
full pay and begn our weary march to head of the Porcupine river. just
before we reached the porcupine We met an indian prospector and gave him
ten dollars for a pan of flour, and so got on to Fort Yukon.

Our feet were sore, so were our eyes, we were tired and worn out. We
rested a few days and agin hit the road, we follwed down the Yukon to
the Tannana and up this river a long ways and then struck across The
mountains to the Kuskakwim river. And as we were going down marten creek
One of my dogs bit me: he tore off the hole end of my finger. It was a
bad bite the weather was very cold, and I could not give it proper care.
Four days later blood poison set in, my hand began to swell and pain me,
worst of all we were loaded with Polar bear seal and white fox. My hand
grew worse and worse I could not travel any longer so we had to throw
away all our Polar bear and the dogs had to draw me. It was so cold that
I had to walk at times, this lasted for eleven days. And for eleven
nights, I walked around while the other boys slept. After this time we
struck Shushitna Station then we made Knik. from here we started for
Seldovia but were foundered for two days near Fire Islands. when Maud
the Moose picked us up and took us to Seldovia. Here a Government nurse
operated on my finger