ng the creeks.

Placer-mining (as contradistinguished from quartz) consists in
extracting loose particles of gold from the alluvial deposits in ancient
river-beds. Claims which border upon and include sections of the present
streams, greatly reduced in size, are known as "creek" claims, and are
generally supposed to be the richest. There is on every creek a
"discovery" claim, and all the others upon it are known as Nos. 1, 2, 3,
etc., "above" or "below Discovery," and are so staked and recorded.
Those claims which are located farther up the bank, and which do not
embrace the stream, are called "bench" claims, and are known frequently
by the name of the wife or daughter of the miner, or by any fanciful
designation. It was this latter class of claims which, up to that time
ignored or overlooked, in the middle of the season were discovered to be
in many cases richer than the creek claims. Many who had left the
country, disgusted and crying out against the laws which permitted a few
individuals to take up and hold an entire creek, had passed over this
good ground without even prospecting it. On the other hand, more
persistent miners had secured rich claims where apparently there was no
ground to stake. The twenty-acre claim is usually staked out in the
shape of a parallelogram 1320 feet by 660 feet. One is likely to locate
rather more than less ground than that to which he is entitled.
Therefore, some of these canny old boys would measure along with their
tape-lines, spell out a "fraction," and immediately seize upon and hold
it.

We were early impressed that there was no "fake" about this country. It
was a continuation of the wonderful formation which, beginning in the
west back of Port Clarence, extends eastward and back of Nome to the
Golovin Bay country. Clients began to drop in. In many instances they
sought free advice; and, sometimes, when the conversation had reached
the legal point, it became necessary to instruct our callers that, if
they desired to know anything further, our consultation fee would be
exacted. It was therefore a case of pay up or move out. For Alaska, our
law library was imposing and complete. Certainly it was the best in
Council City. The surveyors (T----working in as chainman) were busy.

We had been settled only a few days when First Lieutenant Offley of the
Seventh United States Infantry, with thirty-odd men from St. Michaels,
trudged by our camp, and it was good to see them. The lieutenant