Charles Willard Hayes
Charles Willard Hayes joined Frederick Schwatka’s third expedition to Alaska in 1891. They set out to explore the area bounded by the Yukon and White rivers on the east, the Copper or Atna River on the west and the headwaters of the Tanana to the north. Hayes was in the party because Schwatka requested the services of a geologist from the US Geological Survey. They used local guides to travel from Fort Selkirk to the head of the White River. Frank Bowker, from Fortymile, was going west to prospect and the two parties travelled together. Schwatka had heard of this trail in 1883 as one of the most important trails in the northwest country. It was made when Fort Selkirk was first established and used by the Tanana River people as well as all those in between. Schwatka’s party paused for two days at a fish camp on the Nisling River. They also describe meeting First Nation travellers near the confluence of the Donjek and Kluane rivers. A map of the route shows them crossing the head of the Selwyn River, the Nisling River and Donjek, about half way up, and the head of the White River. Hayes published detailed maps of the route with notes on the geology and geography.1)