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rope to carry it across the duck with no better success. Then majestic old Toyatte tried his hand at the job and the loud boyish fun was redoubled at his ignominious failure, the rope falling far short of the awkward loop. Then they tried the rope to a canoe pole got loose and that also was now beyond reach, still more exciting their mirth. Charley now stripped and plunged in, threw the duck ashore over his shoulder, swam out to the pole, took it in his teeth, and swam ashore. When he was in the water chief Kadachan and John amused themselves in throwing stones plashingly near him, and while pulling on his shirt Kadachan took the duck and teased him by opening the duck’s bill and pinching him with it. Oct. 18th- Started at 5 A.M., just daybreak. We had hitherto depended on the Indians in starting, allowing them to time all the stops and starts and speeds and ways. They spoke several times about stopping early and starting at midnight if the tide and wind were favorable, but they showed admirable fortitude at stopping and none at all at starting, let the weather be as it might. Therefore we took the start out of their hands with this early start as the result. Called John at 2:45. Had fine run. The scenery to-day lovely. Charming combinations of beveled islands in open sound at the end of the narrow Channel and the snowy and glacial mountains from 4 to 8000 ft. high on the Baranof and Houchenou islands showing grandly across the Prince Frederick Sound. On one of the small treeless islets and near the mouth of the Channel there is a close stockade 60 X 35 ft. built by the Kakes in one of their domestic wars. There is water and turnip and potato garden on the islet which we visited. On the shores hereabouts near the villages (2) we saw long brown strips in the distance, the potato fields, all on the S. slopes. Saw specimens on the potatoes – small, well-flavored, mostly white, a few red. Some strips scarce ten feet wide, mostly shellmounds and ancient camps. The Kakes complain this year that the early frosts nipped their crops. They are digging them now. Met a canoe-load going to their fields dist[ant]2 ms. From the village. {sketch: Near the mouth of the Stickeen R.} Called at two villages to-day, 1st Koonugh-san and Klugh-Quan, town of no flees. At the last situation on Kupreanof
Date Original
1879
Source
Original journal dimensions: 11.5 x 18 cm.
Resource Identifier
MuirReel26Journal01P06.tif
Publisher
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
Rights Management
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Keywords
John Muir, journals, drawings, writings, travel, journaling, naturalist
