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The Takitesky Indians who arrived very early, brought me over a lot of bird skins &c but I could not find time to buy them as we were off at 8 o'clock in company with the Russians.  The rain rendered our start very disagreeable and in the hurry our boat was ill packed so that we were unable to sit down with any ease.  We pulled up about six miles in company with the Russians, took tea at a little creek and pushed on two or three miles more when we met such a flood of driftwood and ice as to endanger the boats.  The Russian turned back and camped but with some misgivings we pushed 

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our way across the river through the floating mass, arrived safely where the drift wood did not run, on the other side; paddled up a mile further and camped in a driving rain.  Hoyte's family camped with us and we dined off salt-white fish and tea. Everything wet and nasty.  Turned in early for an early start in the morning.

N.B. The three species of swallows obtained at Nulato build and live in the same kind of mud nests as the ordinary cave swallows.  I think they have different habits in civilized countries.

The formation changes opposite our first camp from the sandstone to something else, but what I did not get near enough to see.  Must look when we