2I4	THE YUKON TERRITORY.
it was an unusually late season. Few small birds were seen, and no butterflies as yet. The birch, poplar, and willow had only be-gun to unfold their leaves, while on the north slope of the hills snow still rested.
Saturday, 6th. — We started early, and pulled against the same strong wind. We landed at a village which was quite deserted, the inhabitants being away after beaver. The facility in carving, shown by the Ingaliks of the Lower Yukon, was well displayed here. Paddles, dishes, and other articles lay scattered about where the owners had left them. The winter houses were half full of water, and the Indians had evidently been living for some time in three large summer houses. Among other things lying about, I noticed a large scoop or shovel shaped like a table-spoon, but seven feet long. It was carved out of one piece of wood, and ornamented with designs in red chalk and charcoal. It was of very graceful shape, and had evidently been used for throwing cut the ice from the aperture through which the fish-traps are raised in winter. I noticed a small bowl prettily carved, with two ears or handles. A long stick, to which a block of wood is attached at one end, is used, with the bowl referred to, for grinding up tobacco into snuff. My Indians were anxious to appropriate some of these articles, but I would not allow them to do so in the absence of the owners. The paddles, many of which were seen, were curiously painted with green, red, and black, and were smaller and more pointed than those in use farther up the river. The paddles decrease in size as we go down the river ; those at the Yukon-mouth are very small and narrow indeed. We passed a very small waterfall during the day, the first I had seen on the river.
On a small island we saw the first Indians. There were only three or four, and they were much alarmed when they first saw us. We landed, and found that they were making fish-traps. They had nothing to sell except some eggs, and a few ukali, which I bought for the dog. After making them a present of a few leaves of tobacco, we pushed off and continued down the river.
The boat was ill stowed, and a good deal of mud had gathered in her bottom from our feet, so I determined to camp early, turn her over, and wash her thoroughly, after taking out the goods.