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[[pre-printed]] THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1866. [[/pre-printed]] Morning Still about 55 below. Buy two featherbeds of Ivan and Zagorsha for Powder, shot, & 13 dollars. Read "a Naval Lieutenant" by Armstrong not a bad story, and unpack my bag, and get out some of my shirts, books &c _ and a pair of slippers. At the floor the Thermometer stands at freezing and at the height of my shoulder at 40 so we have cold feet all the time which is very disagreeable. Out of everything but bacon in the way of grub but buy six white fish at night which is very bully indeed. [[pre-printed]] FRIDAY 7 [[/pre-printed]] Morning. a fine warm day only 22 below and so I take the opportunity of getting up my expedition to the coal seam about seven miles below Nulato on the river. Get a small sled and one dog and with Kurilla start down about noon. Run before the dogs all the way and get down in about an hour and a half. Meet Zagorsha and as a heavy snow storm comes in he attempts to persuade me to come back but I conclude to go ahead and risk it. Get a fine camp made and put my big blanket over head to keep off the snow and sleep very warm. [[pre-printed]] SATURDAY 8 [[/pre-printed]] Rise early and get breakfast about three hours before dawn. After breakfast, break camp and go round to the bluff. Explore the seam thoroughly above, below, and on each side and satisfy myself that it is small and will not pay to work. Very few and poor fossils. Start back and break the road for the dog, which was very hard work. Kurilla wants to leave the specimen sack of coal but make him keep it on and push through. Arrive at night quite tired and all hunky. [[end page]] [[start page]] [[pre-printed]] SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1866.[[/pre-printed]] Morning. Still warm thermometer seven above Give Larriown some shot & caps to get me some small birds. In the afternoon two sleds with Yagor & Carpoff two Russians, arrive from St. Michaels with a letter from Dyer & Ennis. Mr. Bean is very ill, disease not stated, has got a woman, Lukeens daughter and wants me to come down (only 260 miles) and see to him. Ennis wants some of our tea & dogs. Stepanoff is down on him and it looks as if he would be out of provisions before spring. [[pre-printed]] MONDAY 10 [[/pre-printed]] Morning. Kurilla goes out after [[corapaskas?]] & rabbits and comes back without any, but a number of rosy crowned finches for me. I skin an Arctic grouse and a ruffed grouse or ptarmigan brought in a day or two ago and Larriown brings me a number of small birds principally tomtits, shrikes and a squirril and a woodpecker. At this rate I shall do very well this winter. much better than dared to hope. I had no idea so many small birds wintered in this country, nor that game was so plenty. [[pre-printed]] TUESDAY 11 [[/pre-printed]] Morning. About ten o'clock the Russians cry out that Mike is coming. Go out and see the trains about two miles off. About half past ten arrives with a load of flour, bacon, tea and ham. Recieve a note from Bean asking me to go down and see him as he has ruptured or strained himself and is confined to his bed. Ennis was to leave for Norton Bay the 10th Dec. Ev. Smith has got a woman and was up at Ulukuk hunting. Francis stopped at the coal mine coming up Evening skin birds
Transcription Notes:
bully is 19th century slang for fine; excellent; very good.
Added spaces where [[preprinted]] to improve searchability
