ond's Year Book, and have well enjoyed the day.

The thermometer registers thirteen degrees below zero, and at half-past
eight in the evening the wind was not blowing much; enough blizzard for
this time certainly.

While talking with one of the men from Nome I asked if he supposed there
was gold in the Koyuk country, and he thought there was. As he was up
there all last summer, he ought to know the prospects. It appears that
there is a split in his party, or a disagreement of some kind, as is
quite the fashion in Alaska, and some of the men are to remain behind.
As soon as the weather clears sufficiently they will go to the Home, and
from there leave for Koyuk River.

Monday, December tenth: The Commissioner, the Marshal, and three of
their friends came in to spend the evening with us, and one of the
strangers sang well, accompanying himself on the organ. He also belongs
to a party made up to go to Koyuk, but failed to reach that point, and
they are staying in Chinik.

I bought two red fox skins today for ten dollars, but will have to pay
five dollars more for their cleaning by a native woman, to whom I have
given them for that purpose. It is the only kind of fur I can find of
which to make a coat, and I must have one of skins, as the wind goes
straight through cloth, no matter how thick it is.

Six of our household went out today to get wood with the old horse and
sled, but the poor creature would not go, probably because it could not.
They had to unload a good many times and were gone five hours. Alma and
Ricka went with the four boys for an outing, but all came home tired and
voting the horse a great failure.

This morning our house was astir very early, and the men were getting
ready to "mush on" towards the Koyuk. Mr. L. goes with the Marshal, the
clerk, and two others, taking seven dogs and sleds loaded with
provisions. It is a sight to see the preparations. There are sacks of
frozen tom-cod for the dogs, tents, Yukon stoves, tin dishes, snow
shoes, sleeping bags and robes, coffee pots, axes, picks, gold pans and
boxes, cans and bags of grub, ad infinitum.

G. and B. stay behind to make another camp stove but will leave soon
for Nome. B. cleaned his gun today, and looked after his ammunition.

[Illustration: AT CHINIK. THE MISSION.]

Wednesday, December twelfth: Our sunset was very lovely today at one in
the afternoon, and at three o'clock, when I began with little Jennie's
lessons, we had to light the l