I had no difficulty in obtaining the desired Indian guide, and at once proceeded with the work of examining the islands. Down Massett Inlet we paddled and sailed for thirty miles, through great flocks of wild geese and ducks, several of which were soon added to our provision supply. What a splendid body of inland water, from one-eight of a mile to twenty miles in width, deep enough for large vessels, abounding in choice fish and game, its shores covered, with dense forests, where bear, land otter, and marten are numerous, altogether a veritable Indian paradise! For several days we coursed slowly along the eastern side, entering all of the indentations, and following up the streams flowing into it. My guide, a master of canoe navigation, and well acquainted with all of the waters of that portion of the islands, was of so little service upon land, both from ignorance of its topography, and inexperience of foot expeditions, that I made my interior excursions alone. Indian trails were almost invariably found, extending from one to three miles along the water courses, terminating at or near bodies of the finest red cedar, which they had cut for canoes and poles, for carving and building purposes. Upon some of these trails considerable labor had been expended in bridging over ravines, corduroying marshy places, and cutting through the trunks of great fallen trees. Only a few of them showed much use of late years, being obstructed by logs and overgrown with bushes. But, poor as were these native roads, I was always very glad to find them, and correspondingly sorry when I could follow them no longer, for beyond progress was exceedingly difficult; fallen trees from one to eight feet in diameter, in all stages of decay, thickly overgrown with moss, lying one above another, not unfrequently to the height of ten or fifteen feet, covered nearly the whole surface of the country. Several times I struck bear paths, so well worn that at first I thought that they had been trodden by human feet, but sooner or later they led me into thickets through which I could only go on all fours. I found a bear trap so constructed that, when sprung, an immense log would crush bruin to the earth; marten traps, where the animal was enticed by a tempting bait into a noose, which held it fast; and salmon traps, so made by means of wing dams, with lattice work and boxes in the centre of the stream, that no ascending fish could escape being caught. Grouse were very numerous, and so tame from being seldom hunted, that they would sit upon the branches of the trees almost within reach. They were excellent eating, quite fat and tender.