e right to
all work on the coast or in its vicinity, and the Tagish are afraid to
dispute this claim. When my white man asked the Tagish to come over and
pack they objected on the grounds mentioned. After considerable ridicule
of their cowardice, and explanation of the fact that they had the
exclusive right to all work in their own country, the country on the
side of the north side of the coast range being admitted by the coast
Indians to belong to the Tagish tribe just as the coast tribes had the
privilege of doing all the work on the coast side of the mountains, and
that one of their number was already working with me unmolested, and
likely to continue so, nine of them came over, and in fear and trembling
began to pack down to the lake. After they were at work for a few days
some of the Chilkoots came out and also started to work. Soon I had
quite a number at work and was getting my stuff down quite fast. But
this good fortune was not to continue. Owing to the prevailing wet, cold
weather on the mountains, and the difficulty of getting through the soft
wet snow, the Indians soon began to quit work for a day or two at a
time, and to gamble with one another for the wages already earned. Many
of them wanted to be paid in full, but this I positively refused,
knowing that to do so was to have them all apply for their earnings and
leave me until necessity compelled them to go to work again. I once for
all made them distinctly understand that I would not pay any of them
until the whole of the stuff was down. As many of them had already
earned from twelve to fifteen dollars each, to lose which was a serious
matter to them, they reluctantly resumed work and kept at it until all
was delivered. This done, I paid them off, and set about getting my
outfit across the lake, which I did with my own party and the two
Peterborough canoes which I had with me.

"These two canoes travelled about 3,000 miles by rail and about 1,000
miles by steamship before being brought into service. They did
considerable work on Chilkoot and Tagish Inlets, and were then packed
over to the head of Lewes River (Lake Lindeman), from where they were
used in making the survey of Lewes and Yukon Rivers. In this work they
made about 650 landings. They were then transported on sleighs from the
boundary on the Yukon to navigable water on the Porcupine.

"In the spring of 1888 they descended the latter river, heavily loaded,
and through much rough water, to the m