stimated to be fifty miles from Chenik to Council City--twelve
miles across Golovin Bay to the mouth of the Fish River, which in delta
form debouches into the bay, and the remaining distance up the Fish
River and the Neukluk (the Indian name for river-flowing-from-the-west),
a tributary nearly as large as the main stream. White Mountain, a spot
where the Wild Goose Company has a storehouse, a depot for its mining
claims above, is about half the way from Chenik to Council, and is the
head of navigation for the several small, light-draft stern-wheelers
which occasionally make the trip in the interest of the larger
mine-owners. It lessens the strain tremendously to get a lift or a tow
from one of these boats; and, having obtained the good will of the crew
of the _Arctic Bird_, and strengthened it by a bottle of whisky, we got
what we wanted. The _Mush-on_ we had, so to speak, tarred and feathered,
and made water-tight and filled with our freight, as much as it could
safely contain, the remainder being stored in the _Arctic Bird_. We were
about to put our boat in tow and set out, when who should suddenly
appear upon the scene but our two friends of the _Lane_, H---- and
T----, with their boat, just returned from Council, looking very tough
and very seedy. We were exhorted to reconsider our plans, and as these
were mining men whom we knew, whose judgment was entitled to respect, we
promptly did so. As the freight was being taken off, though they were
very good about it, the triumvirate crew of the _Arctic Bird_ were not a
little bit amused, for of course it looked as if we had lost our nerve
at the last minute. The returned prospectors had been disappointed in a
piece of ground upon which they had a "lay" or lease, which fact, in the
main, accounted for their premature departure and the lugubrious view
which they took.

So we camped again at the same spot and deliberated. Finally, in the
evening of July 15, we set out, T---- transferring himself to us, and
G---- remaining with H----, the two latter having decided to get somehow
to St. Michaels, thence up the Yukon to the Tanana River, where a strike
had been reported, and big game was said to be abundant. As a matter of
fact, they were obliged to remain at Chenik for a considerable time on
account of the quarantine which all ports had against Nome and vessels
which had touched there.

The _Mush-on_ was the last of the string in tow, which consisted of a
small barge or light