John Rafliff

Around 1910 at a wood camp on the Yukon River about 30 miles above Circle, John the Bearhunter sat unbothered while millions of mosquitoes buzzed around him and hundreds landed on him. When a tourist doubted John's claim that mosquitoes did not bother him and that he could even lie down and sleep without discomfort, the tourist offered him $10.00 to take off his clothes, lie down for ten minutes, and let the mosquitoes work on him. Needing the money, John stripped and lay prone on his stomach. After eight minutes, the man who had offered the money, uneasy that John would win, touched the burning end of his cheap cigar to a prominent part of John's exposed body. Though the flesh sizzled and smoked a little and John squirmed slightly, he did not give up. Sensing something was wrong but determined not to lose his reward, he said, "Mister if you will knock that damn yaller-jacket off me, I'll lie here for 20 minutes."

Chena Ridge, Alaska · United States