208	THE YUKON TERRITORY.
ice, and the quantity of ice in the river was much greater than usual for the time of year. We pushed off with some difficulty, on account of the low water, and finally reaching the channel, took a last look at the old fort of Nulato. The day was cloudy and cold, with a head-wind. Not a mosquito had yet shown himself, a fact which proved, more than anything else, the uncommon lateness of the season. Our little company consisted of myself, Kurilla, Monday, and a little foxy Koyukun dog called Bushy, which was my especial pet. The stars and stripes and the scallop of the Scientific Corps floated from the mast, which was also decorated with a broad-tailed arrow ornamented with a blue muslin fly. I took the stroke oar and Monday the bow, as Kurilla's skill was needed to avoid the numerous floating cakes of ice in the rapid current. I found that my sickness had unfitted me for severe labor, and after a few hours I changed places with Kurilla.
The river presented a very different appearance from that of the previous year, when we started up the Yukon. Now large blocks of ice were piled up on the shores, where they had been driven by the first high water; no weather had yet occurred warm enough to melt them. We took our daily tea near the Shaman Bluff, close by the coal seam, and, while enjoying our meal, Kurilla was quick enough with his gun to bring down a mallard which flew overhead. As we pulled down the river I was so fortunate as to secure a pair of the beautiful Harlequin duck (H. torquatus) which flew from the mouth of a small stream. This elegant duck is very shy and solitary in its habits, preferring the small streams which wind among the trees, away from the main river. We saw no Indians on the banks, as the fishing-season had not commenced. Late in the evening we arrived at Kaltag, and camped on the left bank. The ground was still muddy from being over-flowed, and the willow leaves were still folded. At the Kaltag village we found Matfay and his family from Ulukuk. They pro-posed to make a trading-voyage down the river a little later in the season. Big Sidorka was also there. He had promised to, accompany the Russians to Nuklukahyet, but the threats of the Koyukuns and the ice in the river had caused him to change his mind. He was now very anxious to go down the Yukon with me, as he had never been below Lofka's barrabora. We boiled our