the Barrens– а treeless area near Hudson Bay – an inland sea in east-central Canada
Queen Charlotte Sound– а deep inlet of the North Pacific Ocean in Canada
Chapter II. The Law of Club and Fang
the Dyea– а river and town in the Rocky Mountains in Canada
Sheep Camp, the Scales– small settlements in the Rocky Mountains
the Chilcoot Divide– а pass in the Rocky Mountains used by the prospectors as а way to the lands rich in gold
Lake Bennett– а lake in the Rocky Mountains
webbed shoes– а kind of skis that look like tennis rackets, and are used for walking on powdery snow
Chapter III. The Dominant Primordial Beast
Lake Le Barge– а lake in Canada
pandemonium– wild and noisy disorder
Dawson– а city in Canada on the border with Alaska, at the confluence of the Klondike and the Yukon rivers; it was named after geologist George Dawson
the Thirty Mile River– а river in northwestern Canada
the Hootalinqua– а river in Canada
the Big Salmon, the Little Salmon, the Five Fingers– posts in northwestern Canada
the Pelly– а small river in Canada, а tributary of the Yukon
aurora borealis– northern lights, а luminous atmospheric phenomenon in Northern Hemisphere
the Yukon– а river in North America; it flows through northwestern Canada and the central regions of Alaska, US
Salt Water, Sixty Miles– forts on the Yukon River
Northwest Police– а mounted police founded in 1873 by the Canadian government to maintain order in the wild lands in the northwest of the country
Chapter IV. Who Has Won to Mastership
the White Horse Rapids– rapids near the town of Whitehorse on the Yukon River
Marsh, Tagish– lakes in the Rocky Mountains
White Pass– а pass in the Rocky Mountains used as access to the lands rich in gold
Skaguay– а town in southwestern Alaska, US, founded in the 1890s at the time of the gold rush
Cassiar Bar– а bank at the foot of the Cassiar Mountains
Chapter V. The Toil of Trace and Trail
Hudson Bay dogs– а local husky breed
Outside dogs– coll. dogs from other regions; inside dogs – coll. dogs of local breed
Q. E. D.– qued erat demonstrandum – which had to be proved ( Latin )
Chapter VI. For the Love of a Man
the Tanana– а river in east-central Alaska
Circle City– а town on the Yukon River in Alaska
the Forty-Mile Creek– а tributary of the Yukon River
totem-pole– а vertical carved and painted log constructed by the Indians in the northwest of the USA and in Canada to commemorate smb. or smth.
Bonanza King– а person who became rich quickly during the gold rush; gold round the Bonanza Creek, а stream near Dawson, was found in 1896
Mastodon King– а very rich man
Chapter VII. The Sounding of the Call
the Stewart River– а river in Canada
the Mayo, the McQuestion– small rivers in Canada and settlements of the same name
Hudson Bay Company– а prominent company in the history of Canada, established in 1670 to explore the Pacific coast, occupy the lands and develop profitable trade with the Indians
the Yeehats– an Indian tribe
Herman Melville
Bartleby the Scrivener
imprimis– first, in the first place ( Latin )
Chancery– in the USA, а court of equity for cases with no remedy in common law; an office of public records.
Wall-street– а street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, the financial centre of the country
Spitzenberg– а sort of beer
lethargic– here: hopeless; tired, lacking energy
sanguine– optimistic, full of hope
moon-struck– crazy, mad, insane
plaster-of-paris– white paste made of gypsum
Cicero– Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC), the greatest Roman orator, lawyer and writer; the author of orations, rhetoric, philosophical and political works
dilemma– а situation of choice between two unfavourable things, options, ways, etc.
hermitage– а lonely dwelling
Petra– an ancient city of the Roman times in what is now southwestern Jordan
Carthage– an ancient Phoenical city in northern Africa (Tunisia), founded in 814 BC
Adam– in the Bible, the first man created by God ‘in his own image’ on the sixth day of creation
Broadway– а thoroughfare in New York City, an important theatre district since the 19th century, the centre of American theatrical activity
chimeras– а chimera is a fantastic idea or imagination; in Greek mythology, а monster, а strange combination of а lion, а goat and а dragon
choleric– hot-tempered, irritable
pro and con– for and against
Virginia– а state on the US Atlantic coast
Jersey City– а city at the mouth of the Hudson opposite New York City, founded by the Dutch in 1618
Hoboken– а city on the Hudson River near Jersey City
Manhattanville, Astoria– districts of New York City
alms-house– а house where poor people, unable to earn money, can live without paying rent
Sing-Sing– а state prison in Ossining, New York
the Dead Letter Office– the office where letters that can’t be delivered, because the addressee is either dead or absent, are kept