On the 6th of March, 1901, we sailed from Seattle on one of the monthly steamers, and arrived at Kadiak eleven days later.  I shall not attempt to describe this beautiful island, but shall merely say that Kadiak is justly termed the “garden spot of Alaska.”  It has numerous deep bays which cut into the land many miles.  These bays in turn have arms which branch out in all directions, and the country adjacent to these latter is the natives’ favorite hunting ground for bear.

[Illustration:  LOADED BAIDARKA—­BARABARA—­BASE OF SUPPLIES, ALASKA PENINSULA.]

In skin canoes (baidarkas) the Aleuts, paddling along the shore, keep a sharp lookout on the nearby hillsides, where the bears feed upon the young and tender grass.  It was our plan to choose the most likely one of these big bays as our shooting grounds, and hunt from a baidarka, according to local custom.

It may be well to explain here that the different localities of Alaska are distinctly marked by the difference in the canoes which the natives use.  In the southern part, where large trees are readily obtained, you find large dugouts capable of holding from five to twenty persons.  At Yakutat, where the timber is much smaller, the canoes, although still dugouts, have decreased proportionately in size, but from Yakutat westward the timber line becomes lower and lower, until the western half of the island of Kadiak is reached, where the trees disappear altogether, and the dugout gives place to the skin canoe or baidarka.  I have never seen them east of Prince William Sound, but from this point on to the west they are in universal use among the Aleuts—­a most interesting race of people, and a most wonderful boat.

The natives of Kadiak are locally called Aleuts, but the true Aleuts are not found east of the Aleutian Islands.  The cross between the Aleut and white—­principally Russian—­is known as the “Creole.”

The natives whom I met on the Kadiak Islands seemed to show traces of Japanese descent, for they resembled these people both in size and features.  I found them of docile disposition, remarkable hunters and weather prophets, and most expert in handling their wonderful canoes, with which I always associate them.

The baidarka is made with a light frame of some strong elastic wood, covered with seal or sea lion skin; not a nail is used in making the frame, but all the various parts are tied firmly together with sinew or stout twine.  This allows a slight give, for the baidarka is expected to yield to every wave, and in this lies its strength.  There may be one, two, or three round hatches, according to the size of the boat.  In these the occupants kneel, and, sitting on their heels, ply their sharp-pointed paddles; all paddling at the same time on the same side, and then all changing in unison to the other side at the will of the bowman, who sets a rapid stroke.  In rough water, kamlaykas—­large shirts made principally of stretched and dried bear gut—­are worn, and these are securely fastened around the hatches.  In this way the Aleuts and the interior of the baidarka remain perfectly dry, no matter how much the sea breaks and passes over the skin deck.