C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

2 2 2 Appendix 1lies in bed. deep pleasant voice + old hawk nose. To stay at mission. Church8 o'c Dr Burke read a sermon ofFosdicks. Mrs. Burke very interestingon Eskimo dances she was 1st white woman up near Kobuk R.She teaches the other missionary: full of Indian Beaver dances: they lieon ground on toes + elbows + wriggle round a post till you aregiddy imitating a beaver: also crow dance of Indians a corpselies on floor covered by shawl the others pick: Witch doctorMeesuk mesmerizing Eskimo. Talked to Mr Macgregor who is offprospecting up Sucker (Colen) R. with a tent + stovejlour beans sugar tea chocolatedried fruit in cartons rice + a few books for 8 months or so. does a littletrapping. He dropped in + was made welcome as all are here the 4-geological survey men came also + supper carne round on a trollry+ we got to bed some time after midnight. The talk of everyperson you meet is full of interest.MONDAY 2 AUGUSTSlept in a double bed on a spring mattress but the huskies howled+ the sun seemed to shine all night. Breakfast at 10 + then we sat aboutwaiting for the boat S.S. Yukon which have in quite dwarfing thecabins about 1 o'c + left about 5. Quite sorry to say goodbye to theBurkes who have been good friends to us + to Pecker who is a veryperfect !ype ofa sharp tongue. No meal till 6.30 dinner + then we sat +watched the murky brown water of the Yukon against a blueblack sky + we swirled down past cotton wood spruce + poplarsame river as ever. Stony spits + many bends + cut away bankssome crowd of tourists on board + how they all stare: 2young Bearcubs. A friendly set of officers. they have been looking out for ussince April.WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUSTWent ashore twice at wood piles berries most 10veJy: cornel shrub + herb raspberries+ delicious dwarf rubus. HilJy country wide river delicious sun'!)' dl!).Evening we sighted Mt McKinley + just before sunset the cloudline cleared off top + we saw him wonderfully: a nuggettyshaped giant about 100 miles away lit up one side to etherealpink by sunlight other side in shadow then a cloud bar aX +lower down that ethereal pink again of the sun on snow. Finepurple + red sunset. Trippers ubiquitous but we sorted out one or 2interesting ones a self made couple at 11 o'c supper + others.THURSDAY 5 AUGUST2 breezy young American girls woke us at 4 by Pilots' request +we went up to Pilot House + saw Mt McKinley bathed in rosysunlight right down to the roots. Got in to Nenana about 5.30 + gotup 8.30 + after breakfast left the steamer we got a room atSouthern Hotel + took tickets + checked our luggage. Thenbought ham + cheese sandwiches for 25 cenis each + aWl!) aX the greatbridge + up the hill beyond the river. Very hot had a sleep + lunch +Gwen sketched + then up to ridge with magnificent views all dayof Mt McKinley + a great range about roo miles long or morewith snow peaks. Met 2 men carrying back bear's meat justshot: one a Swiss came over 20 years ago: morepraiseoftheNorthyou go out + mokeyour own track + no man asksyou whereyou are going. "Hetraps down river + lives on lake + shoots a fat duck whenever he wantsfood. Nenana has railway + frame houses + but 10veJy surroundings. Backto supper at cafe + out after alongloveJy road with pink willow herb seed.Sun sets about 8.30.TUESDAY 3 AUGUSTPassed Beaver late last night. Up at 8 passing through Ramparts well- woodedhills Cold wind. Inquisitive tourists stare unblushing and? usa bout our trip. At noon went ashore at Rampart + saw a Fox farm silver foxescaged in but allowed natural burrows kept Iry a Norwegian: about 75foxes. Hegets about 200$ a pelt. Sun'!)' later + at 7 we stopped at Tanana a pleasant placelong drawn-out on R bankdecqyingnow. Went ashore + found a few jlowers +chatted to storekeeper an old-timer came in 40 years ago fromFiume never been back since. Then for several hours feeling our WI!)about the channel among sand-banks like some giant blind monster. mensounding with poles to port + starboard. Fascinating swirls in water + a mostbeautifol clear sunset. Baited tourists with Gwen's sketches. Talkedto an interesting much -travelled nurse Miss Williams been withGrenfell Mission in Labrador. Ma,!), birch trees.FRIDAY 6 AUGUSTOut to Japanese Restaurant for breakfast: 1 dollar a breakfast between us + 3dollars a double room + 1 dollar a telegram to Seward for reservations on S.S.Yukon. Met an old timer who said Li'2)'d climbed McKinlryyear before HudsonStuck + he'd photographed it with flag on top. We mooched about + train left anhourlate 10.30. A delightJuljournry soon ran into mountains + gorges +glimpses all the time of River HeJy. At 1.30 all turned out at HeJy + the wholetrain poured into a Restaurant for a 1 dollar lunch. When we carne to thedivide Broad Pass we had fine view of Mt McKinley but shaded Irydirect sunlight so snow was not apparent: it dwarfs every other mountain:circular range all round it 1 fine glacier. Saw Blue Cranesbill + some newberried plants from train + a big leaved thing in seed like Swissyellow gentians.Ran down alongside Shoesilver River fine gorges + great sweeps of woodedcountry. Talked a bit to Russell the boy who hurt his knee ongeographical survey: he says the trippers asked him how he had