with it the naming of the
other; and as soon as the name Farthing alighted, so to speak, from his
mind upon the one, the name Carter settled itself upon the other. In the
long roll of women who have labored devotedly for many years amongst the
natives of the interior of Alaska, there are no brighter names than
those of Miss Annie Farthing and Miss Clara Carter, the one forever
associated with Nenana, the other with the Allakaket. To those who are
familiar with what has been done and what is doing for the Indians of
the interior, to the white men far and wide who have owed recovery of
health and relief and refreshment to the ministrations of these capable
women, this naming will need no labored justification; and if
self-sacrifice and love, and tireless, patient labor for the good of
others be indeed the greatest things in the world, then the mountain top
bearing aloft these names does not so much do honor as is itself
dignified and ennobled. These horns of the South Peak are shown in the
picture opposite page 94; they are of almost equal height; the near one
the author would name the Farthing Horn, the far one the Carter Horn.

[Sidenote: Denali and His Wife]

And now the author finds that he has done what, in the past, he has
faulted others for doing--he has plastered a mountain with names. The
prerogative of name-giving is a dangerous one, without definite laws or
limitations. Nothing but common consent and usage ultimately establish
names, but he to whom falls the first exploration of a country, or the
first ascent of a peak, is usually accorded privilege of nomenclature.
Yet it is a privilege that is often abused and should be exercised with
reserve. Whether or not it has been overdone in the present case, others
must say. This, however, the author will say, and would say as
emphatically as is in his power: that he sets no store whatever by the
names he has ventured to confer comparable with that which he sets by
the restoration of the ancient native names of the whole great mountain
and its companion peak.

It may be that the Alaskan Indians are doomed; it may be that the liquor
and disease which to-day are working havoc amongst them will destroy
them off the face of the earth; it is common to meet white men who
assume it with complacency. Those who are fighting for the natives with
all their hearts and souls do not believe it, cannot believe it, cannot
believe that this will be the end of all their efforts, tha