als stocked up and set out on our trapping and hunting trip. But
finding we had miss judged the lay of the land on the western slope of
Alaska we again sailed back to Gnome and then crossed overland to Candle
creek. We experienced some very hard travels in crossing the Seward
Peninsula when we struck the south west side of the Kalzetpue Sound,
from there we went west to Salawak river, then to the lake of that same
name here we pitched camp and set our traps. Our game was Polar bear,
Arctic Fox, Reindeer and Sable.

Now I was used to all kind of bear except--the Polar which I am free and
frank to confess is the worst man eater on earth, not one beast of any
country excepted. The Polar averages to weigh about seven hundred pounds
his build is different from any other bear, he is long and lanky having
giant legs, his color is pure white. Except at times he is yellow around
the neck, and shoulders. His food is Walrus and whale which have been
killed and cast upon the ice by tremendous storms. They breed but once a
year and seldom have more than one cub. he lives exclusively in the
Arctic regions. His fur is used for rugs and robes and is worth about
$150.00 per pelt. But it is so hard get these skins to civilization that
they are rare, often other bear is colored and sold for real Polar.
Between the Polar Bear and Siberian Wolves we had to watch our dogs all
night to keep them from being killed, as well as ourselves.

This country was poepled with Eskomos a sort of a cross between them
and Mucklock indians. they were very friendly to us. I could address
them in their own language which pleased them and we prospered fine. On
the first day of Feb. we started back to Gnome.

And for the first time suffered total darkness by day and by night. We
had enjoyed the midnight sun, and now must suffer the mid-day dark. The
thermoneter lay about seventy below zero and the wind blew a gauger, On
this trip back to Gnome I first learned what it was to neglect for hours
to wait upon Nature, owing to the suffering of even exposing you bare
hand for ten seconds. On this trip our old Chum, the playmate of Texas
darling of Wyoming and the tramp of Deadwood So. Dak. got so cold he
whined and refused to go. We took him and put him in our sleeping bag. I
had taken him because he was fat and I kept him as a reserve food,
rather than for actual work. We had a great jag on our sleighs we had to
draw fish to feed our dogs, fish for fuel and lights,