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The dark Arctic Winter
Several plans. to murder the entire party were discussed among the hot-headed younger Indians, but the wiser counsels of older heads prevailed, and as our acquaintance with the natives progressed their mistrust and hostility gave place to friendliness. Preliminary observations made at Rampart house demon�strated the necessity of a further march of 33 miles upstream before the boundary would be reached. A well sheltered spot was finally selected in a timbered valley at the mouth of Suna�ghun river, and preparations were at once begun to build a com�fortable log house for winter quarters. The Redmi pay was often interrupted by snow-storms of frequent occurrence, beginning in August. Ice began to form along the river banks in early Sep�tember, and by the end of October a snowy mantle covered the country, and all the streams were fast locked in ice. The log cabin and all observatories were ready for occupation by October 1. The days rapidly shortened as the season progressed, and on November 16 the sun in his course southward disappeared be�neath the horizon. During the shortest days lamps were extin�guished at 11 a m and lighted at 1 p m. By 2 p m observations upon the stars were perfectly practicable. This state of affairs prevailed until January 26, on which date the sun reappeared. As the first few feeble rays of the luminary struggled through the frost-laden windows the spirits of the men brightened, and, rushing forth from the cabin, they capered about like mad men in an excess of joy. Many Indians visited our camp during the winter months, the best season for travel. In this region of soft snow the kind of sled used on the coast is unsuitable, and is replaced by a to�boggan seven feet long and two feet wide, with a large roll in front to fend off the snow. The dogs, usually four in number, are hitched tandem and so close together as to necessitates cut�ting of their tails. No sled dog in the Porcupine river country possesses this ornamental appendage, for it is amputated early in youth. Among the coast tribes all the dogs possess large bushy tails, which serve the admirable purpose of keeping their noses warm in the cold winter nights. No sled trips, with the single excep�tion of one to Rampart House late in December, were made at this time. There was no particular necessity for them, and no member of the party possessed sufficient enthusiasm to under�take a journey for the pleasure to be derived from it. As stated before, scarcely a day passed that some Indian did not make camp Colonna his abiding place until kicked out. We found the natives inveterate beggars. There was some excuse for this, as early in January the stock of provisions at Rampart house became exhausted. The natives with characteristic im-providence had neglected in summer to lay up food for the win�ter, and the new year found starvation staring them in the face. Several hunting parties had gone out, to return empty-handed and to report that the deer had migrated southward.
