o promise them a mission the next year. Some
of them had been across to the Yukon years before and had visited the
mission at Tanana. Some had been baptized there. Some had never seen a
clergyman or missionary of any sort before, and had never heard the
gospel preached. We were touched by one old blind woman who told of a
visit to a mission on the Yukon, and how she learned to sing a hymn
there. Her son interpreted: "She say every night she sing that hymn for
speak to God." She was encouraged to sing it, and it turned out to be
the alphabet set to a tune! After much pleading and with some
hesitation, I baptized seventeen children, comforting myself with the
assurance of the coming mission, which would undertake their Christian
training and instruction.

Back next day at the mouth of the Alatna, I was again impressed with the
eligibility of that spot as a mission site. It was but ten miles above
the present native village, and, with church and school established, the
whole population would sooner or later move to it. This gives
opportunity for regulating the building of cabins, and the advantage of
a new, clean start. Moreover, the Alatna River is the highway between
the Kobuk and the Koyukuk, and the Esquimaux coming over in increasing
numbers, would be served by a mission at this place as well as the
Indians. I foresaw two villages, perhaps, on the opposite sides of the
river--one clustered about the church and the school, the other a little
lower down--where these ancient hereditary enemies might live side by
side in peace and harmony under the firm yet gentle influence of the
church. So I staked a mission site, and set up notices claiming ground
for that purpose, almost opposite the mouth of the Alatna, which, in the
native tongue, is Allakaket or Allachaket.

[Sidenote: THE INLAND ESQUIMAUX]

There was some trail up the Alatna and we made fair headway on its
surface, stopping two nights at Kobuk huts. We are out of the Indian
country now, and shall see no more Indians until we are back on the
Yukon. The mode of life, the habits, the character of the races are very
different--the first Esquimau habitation we visited proclaiming it.
These inland Esquimaux, though some of the younger ones have never seen
salt water--our guide, Roxy, for one--are still essentially a salt-water
people. Their huts, even in the midst of trees, are half-underground
affairs, for they have not learned log-building; the windows are of
seal