k natives as to wandering white men, survivors of
Sir John Franklin's expedition, who might have been seen or heard of by
them, was staying at the post at the time and perished in the general
massacre. His grave, with a headboard bearing a Latin inscription, is
neatly kept up by the Jesuit priests at Nulato.

In the last few years the river has been invading the bank upon which
the old village stood, and as the earth caves in relics of the slaughter
and burning come to light. Old copper kettles and samovars, buttons and
glass beads, all sorts of metal vessels and implements have been sorted
out from charred wood and ashes, together with numerous skulls and
quantities of bones. One of the most interesting of these relics was a
brass button from an official coat, with the Russian crowned
double-headed eagle on the face, and on the back, upon examination with
a lens, the word "Birmingham."

Half the day serving for our day of rest this week, we were up and ready
to start early the next morning, but so violent a wind was blowing from
the southeast that we decided to remain, and the clatter of the
corrugated iron roof and the whirling whiteness outside the windows made
us glad to be in shelter. As the day advanced the wind increased to
almost hurricane force, and the two-story house in which we lay began to
rock in such a manner as to make the proprietor alarmed for his
dwelling.

There was an "independent" trading-post at this village which seemed to
present an object-lesson in rapacity and greed. There was not an article
of standard quality in the store; the clothing was the most rascally
shoddy, the canned goods of the poorest brands; the whole stock the
cheapest stuff that could possibly be bought at bargain prices
"outside," yet the prices were higher even than those that prevail in
Alaska for the best merchandise. Loud complaints are often made against
the commercial corporation which does the great bulk of the business in
interior Alaska, yet if the writer had to choose whether he would be in
the hands of that company or in the hands of an "independent" trader, he
would unhesitatingly cast in his lot with the company. The independent
trader makes money, sometimes makes large money, and makes it fairly
easily, but the calling seems to appeal mainly, if not wholly, to men of
low character and no conscience. There are few things that would redound
more to the benefit of the Indian than a great improvement in the
chara