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UNIDENTIFIED : 1919 - 1922 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY AND LOG BOOK OF A BUSY HUNTER, TRAPPER AND FISHERMAN PLYING HIS TRADE ON THE ALASKAN PENINSULA

4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. On offer is a fascinating, original 100 page or so manuscript diary dated September 3rd 1919 to May 18th 1922 handwritten by an unidentified trapper, hunter, fisherman in the Alaskan Peninsula. [While the writer is unidentified we feel certain that there are enough clues that local researchers or historians of the place and time should be able to ascertain the author's identity.] Rather than a solitary worker it appears the unknown author manages traplines and works with other trappers and fisherman. Found in an old cabin in Alaska the paper cover and first page or so has some issues related to damp and poor storage and some small loss of narrative; perhaps 10% of the first page bottom left, far less of the second but the rest of the pages are quite good. Here are some snippets: "Arrived at Unagastick at 4 PM with stores discharged and cleaned the house…Strong easterly wind clear and fine, the natives held church today…Quite a bit of ice in the creek, glass about 25, Serge came from Illwick and hauled his boat up…3 Drakes arrived from Chignick also one boat from Northbound somewhere around Cape Sennewine the natives did not bring any mail…One boat arrived from Illnick at 12 AM Gustia and Boy…Gustia left for Illnick this morning I am repairing the wind break… Noon blowing quite a breeze from Northwest the natives are going to Illnick to hunt Caraboo, Fred Nielson left for his place this morning…the natives came back to much wind, took quite a few fish out of the net… No natives showing up yet no more fish in Unagashack took my net in…one bydarkie arrived from Illnick bound for Chignick, trying to get the mail at the same time… One boat arrived from Illnick with Serge, Ocyntia and wife and the boys… Fred Nilson left for his camp this morning 8 AM the mail arrived from Chignick at 6 PM…Aleck, Artinnie and father left for Illnick at 3 PM in a bydarkie….took a look over the trapping grounds shots few ducks… Boys out goose hunting a gale from the Southeast, no geese…in the afternoon Justia and Falmilie arrived from Illnick also Marcie and Ignetty from Bear River… Gustier and boys left for Illnick this morning to trapping grounds in bydarkie…took out some of my traps and drove stakes… Blowing from Northwest a real snowstorm cannot see anything, glass down to zero… Breeze from North and getting colder at 3:30 PM there teams 1 from Illnick and 2 from Bear River arrived… Boys making ready to go to Port Heiden…snow drifting….glass 10 above cannot go to Port Heiden today… dug out some of my traps and reset them… Sent 2 teams to Port Heiden for supplies left at 2 AM… Blowing hard from Northeast at 4 PM one team with Gustia and three Natives arrived from Chiswick.. One team left for Port moller at 8 AM in the morning… 2 teams old and Scotty left at 9 AM for Chiswick and 2 teams for Bear River and Port Moller, glass about 20 above…team arrived from Bear River bound for Chignick…boys arrived from Port Heiden at 9 AM also Mr Culver the teacher bound for Chignick… Clear and cold took a walk to Fred Nielson Camp…returned from Fred's camp at 9 AM… Arrived at trapping ground Hot Spring River cleared a place for cabin and cut grass…took a walk to King Salmon and worked at the House Wind…finished the adding of the house did not go to Scotty…Took out some of my traps…water coming over the bank of the creek caught 2 foxes…creek is overflowing the banks and I have to go to King Salmon to Chris in the morning at 7 AM…during the night caught 1 fox, 1 mink… Scotty, Nick and Gustia arrived last night at 8PM from Chignick, Gustia left this morning for Unagastick… Chris left at noon for Scotty's place in my skiff…put out a few traps, Scotty and Nick down to mouth of river…caught 1 fox…" Overall G.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Fair+

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