“The Lewes, between the Little Salmon and the Nordenskiold, maintains a width of from two to three hundred yards, with an occasional expansion where there are islands.  It is serpentine in its course most of the way, and where the Nordenskiold joins it is very crooked, running several times under a hill, named by Schwatka Tantalus Butte, and in other places leaving it, for a distance of eight miles.  The distance across from point to point is only half a mile.

“Below this to Five Finger Rapids, so-called from the fact that five large masses of rock stand in mid-channel, the river assumes its ordinary straightness and width, with a current from four to five miles per hour.  I have already described Five Finger Rapids; I do not think they will prove anything more than a slight obstruction in the navigation of the river.  A boat of ordinary power would probably have to help herself up with windlass and line in high water.

“Below the rapids, for about two miles, the current is strong—­probably six miles per hour—­but the water seems to be deep enough for any boat that is likely to navigate it.

“Six miles below this, as already noticed, Rink Rapids are situated.  They are of no great importance, the westerly half of the stream only being obstructed.  The easterly half is not in any way affected, the current being smooth and the water deep.

“Below Five Finger Rapids about two miles a small stream enters from the east.  It is called by Dr. Dawson Tatshun River.  It is not more than 30 or 40 feet wide at the mouth, and contains only a little clear, brownish water.  Here I met the only Indians seen on the river between Teslintoo and Stewart Rivers.  They were engaged in catching salmon at the mouth of the Tatshun, and were the poorest and most unintelligent Indians it has ever been my lot to meet.  It is needless to say that none of our party understood anything they said, as they could not speak a word of any language but their own.  I tried by signs to get some information from them about the stream they were fishing in, but failed.  I tried in the same way to learn if there were any more Indians in the vicinity, but again utterly failed.  I then tried by signs to find out how many days it took to go down to Pelly River, but although I have never known these signs to fail in eliciting information in any other part of the territory, they did not understand.  They appeared to be alarmed by our presence; and, as we had not yet been assured as to the rumor concerning the trouble between the miners and Indians, we felt a little apprehensive, but being able to learn nothing from them we had to put our fears aside and proceed blindly.

“Between Five Finger Rapids and Pelly River, fifty-eight and a half-miles, no streams of any importance enter the Lewes; in fact, with the exception of the Tatshun, it may be said that none at all enter.