water-front, and there were general loot and
consequent drunkenness. The saying that the "Bering Sea is the graveyard
of the Pacific" seemed verified. Certainly it was the most destructive
and long-continued storm within my knowledge.

It was during this waiting period that we quite unexpectedly ran across
V----and R----. They had, it seemed, gone northwest in their boat for
about thirty miles and tried the beach, with but little success. Then,
having, as they believed, good information as to the rich strike which
had been made at Bristol Bay, five or six hundred miles to the south,
they had joined a party and gone thither in the small sailing-schooner
which now lay high and dry upon the beach. Caught by storms either way,
their experiences were of the hair-raising order, and it was only
through the great skill and coolness of the captain and the mate that
they were there to tell the tale. Bristol Bay had proved to be a fake,
so far as gold was concerned. But V---- said that the streams were
simply red with salmon, and that they found many walruses dead upon the
shore, which probably, wounded by the natives, had come there to die. He
brought to us a splendid pair of their ivory tusks, in which I have a
special pride. Although he plainly showed the effects of his hardships,
his cheerful spirit was unbroken, although the thought of having to
return unsuccessful, but with hardly a fair trial, hurt his sense of
pride. We told him of the Council City country, and it was suggested
that he go back and winter with C----, which proposition was quickly
accepted.

We dined once for experiment at the Cafe de Paris, a very clean and
dainty-looking restaurant, quite incongruous with its surroundings. This
was frequented by some of the French "counts," German "barons," and
persons "representing capital in the East," for all sorts and conditions
were to be met at this motley Nome. Really, our general apparel was
quite out of place. The proprietor seemed the gentleman. He said that he
came from New York, and that his chef was from the Cafe Martin. When we
remarked that we had eaten at the Cafe Martin, with a French gesture of
delight, he exclaimed, "Zen zere ees nussing more to be said!" Most of
the things were very good, but we ordered beefsteak, about which we used
to talk at Council. That portion of the menu was very well disguised. As
an Alaskan friend of mine once remarked on a similar occasion, it was
"so tough that you couldn't