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diff --git a/22409.txt b/22409.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f40c89a --- /dev/null +++ b/22409.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9899 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Woman who went to Alaska, by May Kellogg Sullivan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Woman who went to Alaska + +Author: May Kellogg Sullivan + +Release Date: August 26, 2007 [EBook #22409] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WOMAN WHO WENT TO ALASKA *** + + + + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Library of Congress) + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN IN ALASKA DRESS.] + + + + + A WOMAN WHO + WENT ---- + TO ALASKA + + + By May Kellogg Sullivan + + + ILLUSTRATED + + + Boston: + James H. Earle & Company + 178 Washington Street + + + + + _Copyright, 1902_ + _By MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN_ + + _All Rights Reserved_ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I Under Way 9 + II Midnight on a Yukon Steamer 19 + III Dawson 28 + IV The Rush 36 + V At The Arctic Circle 48 + VI Companions 58 + VII Going to Nome 78 + VIII Fresh Danger 81 + IX Nome 94 + X The Four Sisters 109 + XI Life in a Mining Camp 131 + XII Bar-Room Disturbances 149 + XIII Off For Golovin Bay 162 + XIV Life at Golovin 184 + XV Winter in the Mission 199 + XVI The Retired Sea Captain 215 + XVII How the Long Days Passed 231 + XVIII Swarming 247 + XIX New Quarters 261 + XX Christmas in Alaska 275 + XXI My First Gold Claims 292 + XXII The Little Sick Child 311 + XXIII Lights and Shadows of the Mining Camp 325 + XXIV An Unpleasant Adventure 340 + XXV Stones and Dynamite 354 + XXVI Good-bye to Golovin Bay 374 + XXVII Going Outside 379 + + + + +Transcriber's Note + + Obvious printer errors have been corrected. All other + inconsistencies remain as printed. + + A list of illustrations, though not present in the original, has + been provided below: + + MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN IN ALASKA DRESS. + DAWSON, Y. T. + CITY HALL AT SKAGWAY. + PORCUPINE CANYON, WHITE PASS. + MILES CANYON. + UPPER YUKON STEAMER. + FIVE FINGER RAPIDS. + GOING TO DAWSON IN WINTER. + A KLONDYKE CLAIM. + EAGLE CITY, ON THE YUKON, IN 1899. + YUKON STEAMER "HANNAH." + FELLOW TRAVELERS. + ESKIMOS. + UNALASKA. + STEAMSHIP ST. PAUL. + NOME. + LIFE AT NOME. + CLAIM NUMBER NINE, ANVIL CREEK. + CLAIM NUMBER FOUR, ANVIL CREEK, NOME. + MAP OF ALASKA. + ESKIMO DOGS. + WINTER PROSPECTING. + AT CHINIK. THE MISSION. + CLAIM ON BONANZA CREEK. + ON BONANZA CREEK. + SKAGWAY RIVER, FROM THE TRAIN. + + + + +PREFACE + + +This unpretentious little book is the outcome of my own experiences and +adventures in Alaska. Two trips, covering a period of eighteen months +and a distance of over twelve thousand miles were made practically +alone. + +In answer to the oft-repeated question of why I went to Alaska I can +only give the same reply that so many others give: I wanted to go in +search of my fortune which had been successfully eluding my grasp for a +good many years. Neither home nor children claimed my attention. No good +reason, I thought, stood in the way of my going to Alaska; for my +husband, traveling constantly at his work had long ago allowed me carte +blanche as to my inclinations and movements. To be sure, there was no +money in the bank upon which to draw, and an account with certain +friends whose kindness and generosity cannot be forgotten, was opened up +to pay passage money; but so far neither they nor I have regretted +making the venture. + +I had first-class health and made up in endurance what I lacked in +avoirdupois, along with a firm determination to take up the first honest +work that presented itself, regardless of choice, and in the meantime to +secure a few gold claims, the fame of which had for two years reached my +ears. + +In regard to the truthfulness of this record I have tried faithfully to +relate my experiences as they took place. Not all, of course, have been +included, for numerous and varied trials came to me, of which I have not +written, else a far more thrilling story could have been told. + +Enough has, however, been noted to give my readers a fair idea of a +woman's life during a period of eighteen months in a few of the roughest +mining camps in the world; and that many may be interested, and to some +extent possibly instructed by the perusal of my little book, is the +sincere wish of the author. + + MAY KELLOGG SULLIVAN. + + + + +A WOMAN WHO WENT--TO ALASKA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +UNDER WAY. + + +My first trip from California to Alaska was made in the summer of 1899. +I went alone to Dawson to my father and brother, surprising them greatly +when I quietly walked up to shake hands with them at their work. The +amazement of my father knew no bounds,--and yet I could see a lot of +quiet amusement beneath all when he introduced me to his friends, which +plainly said: + +"Here is my venturesome daughter, who is really a 'chip off the old +block,' so you must not be surprised at her coming to Alaska." + +Father had gone to the Klondyke a year before at the age of sixty-four, +climbing Chilkoot Pass in the primitive way and "running" Miles Canyon +and White Horse Rapids in a small boat which came near being swamped in +the passage. + +My brother's entrance to the famous gold fields was made in the same +dangerous manner a year before; but I had waited until trains over the +White Pass and Yukon Railroad had been crossing the mountains daily for +two weeks before myself attempting to get into Alaska's interior. At +that time it was only a three hours' ride, including stops, over the +Pass to Lake Bennett, the terminus of this new railroad, the first in +Alaska. A couple of rude open flat cars with springless seats along the +sides were all the accommodation we had as passengers from the summit of +White Pass to Lake Bennett; we having paid handsomely for the privilege +of riding in this manner and thinking ourselves fortunate, considering +the fact that our route was, during the entire distance of about +forty-five miles, strewn with the bleaching bones of earlier argonauts +and their beasts of burden. + +Naturally, my traveling companions interested me exceedingly. There were +few women. Two ladies with their husbands were going to Dawson on +business. About eight or ten other women belonging to the rapid class of +individuals journeyed at the same time. We had all nationalities and +classes. There were two women from Europe with luggage covered with +foreign stickers, and a spoken jargon which was neither German nor +French, but sounded like a clever admixture of both. + +Then there was the woman who went by the name of Mrs. Somebody or other +who wore a seal-skin coat, diamond earrings and silver-mounted umbrella. +She had been placed in the same stateroom with me on the steamer at +Seattle, and upon making her preparations to retire for the night had +offered me a glass of brandy, while imbibing one herself, which I +energetically, though politely, refused. At midnight a second woman of +the same caste had been ushered into my room to occupy the third and +last berth, whereupon next morning I had waited upon the purser of the +ship, and modestly but firmly requested a change of location. In a +gentlemanly way he informed me that the only vacant stateroom was a +small one next the engine room below, but if I could endure the noise +and wished to take it, I could do so. I preferred the proximity and +whirr of machinery along with closer quarters to the company of the two +adventuresses, so while both women slept late next morning I quietly and +thankfully moved all my belongings below. Here I enjoyed the luxury of a +room by myself for forty-eight hours, or until we reached Skagway, +completely oblivious to the fact that never for one instant did the +pounding of the great engines eight feet distant cease either day or +night. + +[Illustration: DAWSON, Y. T.] + +A United States Judge, an English aristocrat and lady, a Seattle lawyer, +sober, thoughtful and of middle age, who had been introduced to me by a +friend upon sailing, and who kindly kept me in sight when we changed +steamers or trains on the trip without specially appearing to do so; a +nice old gentleman going to search for the body of his son lost in the +Klondyke River a few weeks before, and a good many rough miners as well +as nondescripts made up our unique company to Dawson. Some had been over +the route before when mules and horses had been the only means of +transportation over the Passes, and stories of the trials and dangers of +former trips were heard upon deck each day, with accompaniments of oaths +and slang phrases, and punctuated by splashes of tobacco juice. + +On the voyage to Skagway there was little seasickness among the +passengers, as we kept to the inland passage among the islands. At a +short distance away we viewed the great Treadwell gold mines on Douglass +Island, and peered out through a veil of mist and rain at Juneau under +the hills. Here we left a few of our best and most pleasant passengers, +and watched the old Indian women drive sharp bargains in curios, beaded +moccasins, bags, etc., with tourists who were impervious to the great +rain drops which are here always falling as easily from the clouds as +leaves from a maple tree in October. + +Our landing at Skagway under the towering mountains upon beautiful Lynn +Canal was more uneventful than our experience in the Customs House at +that place, for we were about to cross the line into Canadian territory. +Here we presented an interesting and animated scene. Probably one +hundred and fifty persons crowded the small station and baggage room, +each one pushing his way as far as possible toward the officials, who +with muttered curses hustled the tags upon each box and trunk as it was +hastily unlocked and examined. Ropes and straps were flung about the +floor, bags thrown with bunches of keys promiscuously, while transfer +men perspiring from every pore tumbled great mountains of luggage hither +and thither. + +[Illustration: CITY HALL AT SKAGWAY.] + +Two ponderous Germans there were, who, in checked steamer caps enveloped +in cigar smoke of the best brand, protested vigorously at the opening of +their trunks by the officers, but their protests seemed only the more to +whet the appetites of these dignitaries. The big Germans had their +revenge, however. In the box of one of these men was found with other +things a lot of Limburger cheese, the pungent odor of which drove the +women screaming to the doors, and men protesting indignantly after them; +while those unable to reach the air prayed earnestly for a good stiff +breeze off Lynn Canal to revive them. The Germans laughed till tears ran +down their cheeks, and cheerfully paid the duty imposed. + +Skagway was interesting chiefly from its historical associations as a +port where so many struggling men had landed, suffered and passed on +over that trail of hardship and blood two years before. + +Our little narrow gauge coaches were crowded to their utmost, men +standing in aisles and on platforms, and sitting upon wood boxes and +hand luggage near the doors. + +It was July, and the sight of fresh fruit in the hands of those lunching +in the next seat almost brought tears to my eyes, for we were now going +far beyond the land of fruits and all other delicacies. + +"Pick it up, old man, pick it up and eat it," said one rough fellow of +evident experience in Alaska to one who had dropped a cherry upon the +floor, "for you won't get another while you stay in this country, if it +is four years!" + +"But," said another, "he can eat 'Alaska strawberries' to his heart's +content, summer and winter, and I'll be bound when he gets home to the +States he won't thank anyone for puttin' a plate of beans in front of +him, he'll be that sick of 'em! I et beans or 'Alaska strawberries' for +nine months one season, day in and day out, and I'm a peaceable man, but +at the end of that time I'd have put a bullet through the man who +offered me beans to eat, now you can bet your life on that! Don't never +insult an old timer by puttin' beans before him, is my advice if you do +try to sugar-coat 'em by calling 'em strawberries!" and the man thumped +his old cob pipe with force enough upon the wood box to empty the ashes +from its bowl and to break it into fragments had it not been well +seasoned. + +Upon the summit of White Pass we alighted from the train and boarded +another. This time it was the open flat cars, and the Germans came near +being left. As the conductor shouted "all aboard" they both scrambled, +with great puffing and blowing owing to their avoirdupois, to the rear +end of the last car, and with faces purple from exertion plumped +themselves down almost in the laps of some women who were laughing at +them. + +[Illustration: PORCUPINE CANYON, WHITE PASS.] + +We had now a dizzy descent to make to Lake Bennett. Conductor and +brakeman were on the alert. With their hands upon the brakes these men +stood with nerves and muscles tense. All talking ceased. Some of us +thought of home and loved ones, but none flinched. Slowly at first, then +faster and faster the train rolled over the rails until lakes, hills and +mountains fairly flew past us as we descended. At last the train's speed +was slackened, and we moved more leisurely along the foot of the +mountains. We were in the beautiful green "Meadows" where pretty and +fragrant wild flowers nodded in clusters among the tall grass. + +At Bennett our trunks were again opened, and we left the train. We were +to take a small steamer down the lakes and river for Dawson. We were no +longer crowded, as passengers scattered to different boats, some going +east to Atlin. With little trouble I secured a lodging for one night +with the stewardess of the small steamer which would carry us as far as +Miles Canyon or the Camp, Canyon City. From there we were obliged to +walk five miles over the trail. It was midsummer, and the woods through +which we passed were green. Wild flowers, grasses and moss carpeted our +path which lay along the eastern bank of the great gorge called Miles +Canyon, only at times winding away too far for the roar of its rushing +waters to reach our ears. No sound of civilization came to us, and no +life was to be seen unless a crow chanced to fly overhead in search of +some morsel of food. Large forest trees there were none. Tall, straight +saplings of poplar, spruce and pine pointed their slender fingers +heavenward, and seemed proudly to say: + +"See what fortitude we have to plant ourselves in this lonely Northland +with our roots and sap ice-bound most of the year. Do you not admire +us?" And we did admire wonderingly. Then, again, nearing the banks of +Miles Canyon we forged our way on up hill and down, across wet spots, +over boulders and logs, listening to the roar of the mighty torrent +dashing between towering, many-colored walls of rock, where the volume +of water one hundred feet in width with a current of fifteen miles an +hour, and a distance of five-eighths of a mile rushes insistently +onward, as it has, no doubt, done for ages past. Then at last widening, +this torrent is no longer confined by precipitous cliffs but between +sparsely wooded banks, and now passes under the name of "White Horse +Rapids," from so strangely resembling white horses as the waters are +dashed over and about the huge boulders in mid-stream. Here many of the +earlier argonauts found watery graves as they journeyed in small boats +or rafts down the streams to the Klondyke in their mad haste to reach +the newly discovered gold fields. + +After leaving White Horse Rapids we traveled for days down the river. My +little stateroom next the galley or kitchen of the steamer was +frequently like an oven, so great was the heat from the big cooking +range. The room contained nothing but two berths, made up with blankets +and upon wire springs, and the door did not boast of a lock of any +description. Upon application to the purser for a chair I received a +camp stool. Luckily I had brushes, combs, soap and towels in my bag, for +none of these things were furnished with the stateroom. In the stern of +the boat there was a small room where tin wash basins and roller towels +awaited the pleasure of the women passengers, the water for their +ablutions being kept in a barrel, upon which hung an old dipper. To +clean one's teeth over the deck rail might seem to some an unusual +undertaking, but I soon learned to do this with complacency, it being +something of gain not to lose sight of passing scenery while performing +the operation. + +[Illustration: MILES CANYON.] + +At Lake La Barge we enjoyed a magnificent panorama. Bathed in the rosy +glow of a departing sunset, this beautiful body of water sparkled like +diamonds on all sides of us. Around us on every hand lay the green and +quiet hills. Near the waters' edge they appeared a deep green, but grew +lighter in the distance. Long bars of crimson, grey and gold streaked +the western horizon, while higher up tints of purple and pink blended +harmoniously with the soft blue sky. As the sun slowly settled the +colors deepened. Darker and darker they grew. The warm soft glow had +departed, and all was purple and black, including the waters beneath us; +and as we passed through the northern end or outlet of the lake into +Thirty Mile River we seemed to be entering a gate, so narrow did the +entrance to the river appear between the hills. + +At night our steamer was frequently tied up to a wood pile along the +banks of the river. No signs of civilization met our eyes, except, +perhaps, a rude log hut or cabin among the trees, where at night, his +solitary candle twinkling in his window and his dogs baying at the moon, +some lonely settler had established himself. + +The Semenow Hills country is a lonely one. Range upon range of rolling, +partly wooded, hills meet the eye of the traveler until it grows weary +and seeks relief in sleep. + +Five Finger Rapids was the next point of interest on our route, and I am +here reminded of a short story which is not altogether one of fiction, +and which is entitled: Midnight on a Yukon Steamer. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +MIDNIGHT ON A YUKON STEAMER. + + +The bright and yellow full moon drifted slowly upward. The sun had just +set at nine in the evening, casting a warm and beautiful glow over all +the lonely landscape, for it was the most dreary spot in all the dreary +wilderness through which the mighty Yukon passes. + +The steamer had tied up for wood, and now the brawny stevedores with +blackened hands and arms were pitching it to the deck. + +To the passengers, of whom there were a goodly number, time hung +heavily, and the younger ones had proposed a dance. Musical instruments +were not numerous, but such as there were, were brought out, and two +non-professionals with an accordion and a banjo, were doing their very +best. + +A small number of sober ones were to be seen on deck pacing restlessly +back and forth, for the ruthless mosquito was distinctly on evidence, +and threatened to outgeneral the quiet ones, if not the orchestra and +the hilarious dancers. + +On the upper deck, a lady, clad in warm cloak and thick veil, walked +tirelessly to and fro. A big stump-tailed dog of the Malemute tribe at +times followed at her heels, but when she had patted his head and +spoken kindly to him he appeared satisfied, and lay down again with his +head between his paws. Then sounds from the dancers below, the shrill +laughter of the women mingled with the strum of the banjo and the wheezy +accordion seemed to disturb the dog's slumber, and he would again pace +up and down at the lady's heels. + +At times there would come a lull in the tumult, and the click of the +glasses or crash of a fallen pitcher would make a variety of +entertainment for the lady and her dog on the upper deck; but the short +and dusky midnight was well passed before the dancing ceased and partial +quiet and order were restored. + +Two figures remained near the stern of the boat. One, a young woman with +a profusion of long auburn hair, the other a man with flushed face and +thick breath. + +"I cannot tell now which one it will be," said the girl coquettishly, +"but if you wait you will see." + +"No more waitin' in it," he growled. "I have waited long enough, and too +long, and you must choose between us now. You know we will soon be at +'Five Fingers,' and you must be good or they may get you," with a wicked +leer and clutch at her arm calculated to startle her as she carelessly +sat on the deck rail. + +"I'm not afraid of 'Five Fingers' or any other fingers, and I'm not +afraid of your two hands either," making her muscles very tense, and +sitting rigidly upright, "and you can't scare me a bit; I'll do as I +like, so there!" + +By this time the moon shone high above the tops of the tall slender +pines, and spread its soft light over all the swift and swirling waters. +To the west, the hills faded first from green to blue, then to purple, +and lastly to black, silhouetted as they were against the quiet sky. + +The swift flowing current pushed the waters up among the weeds and +bushes along the river's edge and the loose rocks were washed quite +smooth. Now and then might be heard the bark of a wood-chopper's dog +stationed outside his master's cabin, and the steady thud of the steamer +never stopped. At two o'clock it was growing light again, and still the +young man pleaded with the girl on the deck. She was stubborn and +silent. + +Swiftly now the boat neared the "Five Fingers." Only a few miles +remained before the huge boulders forming the narrow and tortuous +channels called the "Five Fingers" would be reached, and the face of the +pilot was stern. It was a most dangerous piece of water and many boats +had already been wrecked at this point. + +Suddenly above the noise of the waters and the steamer's regular +breathing there arose on the quiet air a shrill shriek at the stern of +the boat. + +The lady on the upper deck had retired. The captain was sleeping off his +too frequent potations, and only the pilot on the lookout knew that the +scream came from a woman; but it was not repeated. + +The pilot's assistant was off watch, and his own duty lay at the wheel; +so it happened that a guilty man who had been standing by the deck rail +crept silently, unnoticed, and now thoroughly sobered, to his stateroom. + +His companion was nowhere to be seen. + +A small steamer following next day in the wake of the first boat, came +to Five Finger Rapids. + +"See the pretty red seaweed on the rocks, mamma," cried a little boy, +pointing to the low ledge on the bank of the east channel. + +Those who looked in the direction indicated by the boy saw, as the +steamer crept carefully up to the whirlpool, a woman's white face in the +water, above which streamed a mass of long auburn hair, caught firmly on +the rocks. + +Standing by the side of his pilot, the captain's keen eye caught sight +of the head and hair. + +"It's only Dolly Duncan," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "No +one else has such hair; but it's no great loss anyway; there are many +more of such as she, you know." + +[Illustration: UPPER YUKON STEAMER.] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DAWSON. + + +By this time we had passed the Hootalingua, Big Salmon, Little Salmon +and Lewes rivers, and were nearing the mouth of Pelley River, all +flowing into one stream from the east and uniting to form the Upper +Yukon. Many smaller rivers and creeks from the west as well as the east +empty into this river which gathers momentum and volume constantly until +it reaches a swiftness of five miles an hour between Five Finger Rapids +and Fort Selkirk. + +This latter fort is an old Canadian Post where mounted police and other +officers and soldiers are stationed. Never shall I forget my first +experience at Fort Selkirk. We arrived about one o'clock in the +afternoon and were told that our steamer would remain there an hour, +giving us all a chance to run about on shore for a change. Taking my +sunshade, and attracted by the wide green fields dotted with pretty wild +flowers of various colors, I rambled around alone for an hour, all the +time keeping our steamer in plain sight not many hundred yards away. +Curious to learn the meaning of a group of peculiar stakes driven into +the ground, some of which were surrounded by rude little fences, I made +my way in a narrow path through the deep grass to the place, and soon +discovered an Indian burial ground. There were, perhaps, twenty little +mounds or graves, a few much sunken below the level as if made long +years before, but all were marked in some manner by rude head boards. + +These were notched, and had at one time been fancifully stained or +colored by the Ayan Indians, the stains and funny little inscriptions +being, for the most part, obliterated by the elements. Dainty wild roses +here nodded gracefully to each other, their pretty blooms being weighted +down at times by some venturesome, big honey bee or insolent fly; both +insects with many others, some of them unknown to me, buzzing +contentedly in the sunshine overhead. + +Daisies and buttercups grew wild. Flowering beans and peas trailed their +sprays upon the ground. Blue bells, paint brush, and other posies fairly +bewildered me, so surprised was I to find them here in this far +Northland. Without this happiness and cheer given me by my sweet little +floral friends I might not have been so well prepared to endure the +rudeness that was awaiting me. + +Upon my return to the steamer I found all in confusion. I could see no +signs of departure and no one of whom I cared to make inquiries. Men and +women were coming and going, but none appeared sober, while many with +flushed faces were loudly laughing and joking. A few Canadian police in +red coats scattered here and there were fully as rollicking as any, +and the steamer's captain and purser, arm in arm with a big, burly +Canadian official, were as drunk as bad liquor could well make them. + +[Illustration: FIVE FINGER RAPIDS.] + +Going to my stateroom I sat down to read, and, if possible, hide my +anxiety. As there was no window or other ventilator, and it was a warm +day, I could not close the door. While sitting thus the doorway was +darkened, and looking up I saw before me the drunken Canadian official, +leering at me with a horrible grin, and just about to speak. + +At that instant there stepped to his side the tall form of the only +really sober man on board--the Seattle lawyer, who, in his most +dignified manner motioned the officer on, and he went; the gentlemanly +lawyer, tossing his half-consumed cigar overboard in an emphatic way as +if giving vent to his inward perturbation, marched moodily on. Catching +a glimpse of his face as he passed, I concluded that the situation was +fully as bad or worse than I had at first feared. Already we had been +several hours at Fort Selkirk and should have been miles on toward +Dawson. + +The captain and crew were too drunk to know what they were doing, and +they were hourly growing more so. Many were gambling and drinking in the +salon or dining room and others came from the liquor store on shore a +few rods away. The voices of the women were keyed to the highest pitch +as they shouted with laughter at the rough jokes or losing games of the +men, while red-faced, perspiring waiters hurried back and forth with +trays laden with bottles and glasses. Now and then the crash of a fallen +pitcher or plate, followed by the shrieks of the women would reach me, +and looking through the great cracks in the board partition which was +the only thing separating me from the drunken crowd, I could see most of +the carousal, for such it now was. + +My anxiety increased. I feared the danger of a night on board in a tiny +stateroom, without lock or weapon, and entirely alone. + +"Mr. H----," said I quietly, a little later, to the man from Seattle, as +I stepped up to him while he smoked near the deck rail. "When do you +think the steamer will leave this place?" + +"Tomorrow, most likely," in a tone of deep disgust. + +"Do you not think that the captain will push on tonight?" I asked in +great anxiety. + +"I doubt if there is a man on board with enough sense left to run the +engine, and the captain--look there!" pointing to a maudlin and +dishevelled Canadian wearing a captain's cap, and just then trying to +preserve his equilibrium on a wooden settle near the railing. "It would +be a blessing if the brute tumbled overboard, and we were well rid of +him," said the gentleman savagely in a low tone. Then, seeing my +consternation, he added: "I'll see what can be done, however," and I +returned to my room. + +What should I do! I knew of no place of safety on shore for me during +the night if the steamer remained, and I dared not stay in my stateroom. +I had no revolver, no key to my door. I might be murdered before +morning, and my friends would never know what had become of me. There +was no one on board to whom I could appeal but the lawyer, and he might +be powerless to protect me in such a drunken rabble. With a prayer in my +heart I made my nerves as tense as possible and shut my teeth tightly +together. It was best to appear unconcerned. I did it. Suggesting away +all fright from my face I watched proceedings in the dining room through +the cracks in the wall. It was a sight such as I had never before seen. +It was six o'clock and dinner was being served by the flushed and +flustered waiters. Probably a hundred persons sat at the tables in all +stages of intoxication. Hilarity ran high. Most of them were wildly +jolly and gushingly full of good will; but all seemed hungry, and the +odors from the kitchen were appetizing. + +I now hoped that the dinner, and especially the hot tea and coffee would +restore some of these people to their senses in order that they might +get up steam in the engines and pull out of this terrible place before +they were too far gone. Dinner was well over in the dining room and I +had not yet eaten. A waiter passed my door. He stopped. + +"Have you eaten dinner?" + +"No, I have not." + +"Don't you want some?" + +"Well, yes. I think I could eat something." + +"I'll bring you some." And he was gone. + +A few minutes later he entered my stateroom with a big tray, and putting +it upon the edge of the upper berth he left me. I ate my dinner from the +tray while standing, and felt better. + +An hour afterward the drunken officials had been coaxed into going +ashore; the furnace in the engine room was crammed with wood; the +partially sobered pilot resumed his place at the wheel; the captain had +pulled himself together as best he could under the threats of the lawyer +from Seattle, and the steamer moved away from the bank, going with the +current swiftly towards Dawson. Nothing of further importance occurred +until next morning when our steamer pulled up alongside the dock at +Dawson. It was Monday morning, the thirtieth of July, 1899, and the +weather was beautifully clear. I had been fourteen days coming from +Seattle. Hundreds of people waited upon the dock to see us land, and to +get a glimpse of a new lot of "Chechakos," as all newcomers are called. + +Soon after landing I met upon the street an old Seattle friend of my +parents, who knew me instantly and directed me to my father. This man's +kind offer to look up my baggage was accepted, and I trudged down +through the town towards the Klondyke River, where my father and brother +lived. I had no difficulty in finding father, and after the first +surprise and our luncheon were over we proceeded to find my brother at +his work. His astonishment was as great as my father's, and I cannot +truthfully state that either of them were overcome with joy at seeing me +in Dawson. At any other time or place they undoubtedly would have been +delighted, but they were too well acquainted with conditions to wish +another member of their family there in what was probably then the +largest and roughest mining camp in the world. The situation that +presented itself was this. Instead of finding my relatives comfortably +settled in a large and commodious log cabin of their own on the banks of +the Klondyke River, as they had written they were, I found them in the +act of moving all their belongings into a big covered scow or barge +drawn close to the river bank and securely fastened. Cooking utensils, +boxes, bags of provisions consisting of flour, beans and meal, as well +as canned goods of every description, along with firewood and numerous +other things, were dumped in one big heap upon the banks of the Klondyke +River near the barge. + +The small sheet iron box with door and lid, called a Yukon stove, had +been set up close in one corner of the living room, which in size was +about eight by ten feet. Two bunks, one above the other in the opposite +corner, had been lately constructed by father, who at the moment of my +arrival was busy screwing a small drop leaf to the wall to be used as a +dining table when supported by a couple of rather uncertain adjustable +legs underneath. + +The meaning of all this commotion was not long to find. Father and +brother had, along with many more as peaceable and law-abiding citizens, +been ordered out of their log cabins, built at a great out-lay of time, +money and strength, so that their homes should be pulled down in +accordance with an order given by the Governor. This land, as the city +had grown, had increased in value and was coveted by those high in +authority. No redress was made the settlers, no money was paid them, +nothing for them but insulting commands and black looks from the +Canadian police enforcing the order of the governor. + +"Never again," said my father repeatedly, "will I build or own a home in +the Klondyke. This scow will shelter me until I make what money I want, +and then good-bye to such a country and its oppressive officials." + +Other men cursed and swore, and mutterings of a serious nature were +heard; but there was nothing to be done, and the row of comfortable, +completed log cabins was torn down, and we settled ourselves elsewhere +by degrees. A bunk with calico curtains hung around it was made for me, +and I was constituted cook of the camp. Then such a scouring of tins, +kettles and pails as I had! Shelves were nailed in place for all such +utensils, and a spot was found for almost everything, after which the +struggle was begun to keep these things in their places. Then I baked +and boiled and stewed and patched and mended, between times writing in +my note book, sending letters to friends or taking kodak pictures. + +I was now living in a new world! Nothing like the town of Dawson had I +ever seen. Crooked, rough and dirty streets; rude, narrow board walks or +none at all; dog-teams hauling all manner of loads on small carts, and +donkeys or "burros" bowing beneath great loads of supplies starting out +on the trail for the gold mines. + +"Don't do that!" shouted a man to me one day, as I attempted to +"snap-shot" his pack train of twenty horses and mules as they passed us. +Two of the animals had grown tired and attempted to lie down, thus +causing the flour sacks with which they were loaded to burst open and +the flour to fly in clouds around them. "Don't do that," he entreated, +"for we are having too much trouble!" + +Some of the drivers were lashing the mules to make them rise, and this +spread a panic through most of the train, so that one horse, evidently +new to the business and not of a serious turn of mind, ran swiftly away, +kicking up his heels in the dust behind him. There were also hams and +sides of bacon dangling in greasy yellow covers over the backs of the +pack animals, along with "grub" boxes and bags of canned goods of every +description. Pick axes, shovels, gold pans and Yukon stoves with bundles +of stove pipe tied together with ropes, rolls of blankets, bedding, +rubber boots, canvas tents, ad infinitum. + +There was one method used by "packers," as the drivers of these pack +trains were called, which worked well in some instances. If the animals +of his train were all sober and given to honestly doing their work, then +the halter or rope around the neck of a mule could be tied to the tail +of the one preceding him, and so on again until they were all really +hitched together tandem. But woe unto the poor brute who was followed by +a balky fellow or a shirk! The consequences were, at times, under +certain circumstances, almost too serious to be recounted in this story, +at least this can be said of the emphatic language used by the packers +in such predicament. + +One warm, bright day soon after my arrival in Dawson, and when order had +been brought out of chaos in the scow--our home--I went to call upon an +old friend, formerly of Seattle. Carrie N. was three or four years +younger than myself, had been a nurse for a time after the death of her +husband, but grew tired of that work, and decided in the winter of 1897 +and 1898 to go into the Klondyke. A party of forty men and women going +to Dawson was made up in Seattle, and she joined them. For weeks they +were busily engaged in making their preparations. Living near me, as she +did at the time, I was often with Carrie N. and was much interested in +her movements and accompanied her to the Alaska steamer the day she +sailed. It was the little ship "Alki" upon which she went away, and it +was crowded with passengers and loaded heavily with freight for the trip +to Dyea, as Skagway and the dreaded White Pass had been voted out of the +plans of the Seattle party of forty. + +[Illustration: GOING TO DAWSON IN WINTER.] + +Now in Dawson I called upon Carrie N. eighteen months later, and heard +her tell the story of her trip to the Klondyke. They had landed, she +said, at Dyea from the "Alki" with their many tons of provisions and +supplies, all of which had to be dumped upon the beach where no dock or +wharf had ever been constructed. Here with dog-teams and sleds, a few +horses and men "packers," their supplies were hauled up the mountain as +far as "Sheep Camp," some ten miles up the mountain side. It was early +springtime and the snow lay deep upon the mountains and in the gorges, +which, in the vicinity of Chilkoot Pass at the summit of the mountain +are frightfully high and precipitous. + +The weather was not cold, and the moving of this large party of forty +persons with their entire outfit was progressing as favorably as could +be expected. A camp had been made at Dyea as the base of operations; +another was made at Sheep Camp. At each place the women of the party did +the cooking in tents while men gathered wood, built fires, and brought +water. Other men worked steadily at the hauling, and most of their +supplies had already been transported to the upper camp; when there +occurred a tragedy so frightful as to make itself a part of +never-to-be-forgotten Alaskan history. + +It was on Sunday, and a snow storm was raging, but the weather was warm. +Hundreds of people thronged the trails both going up and coming down the +mountain in their effort to quickly transport their outfits over to the +other side, and thus make the best possible time in reaching the gold +fields. Here a difference of opinion arose among the people of our +Seattle party, for some, more daring than the others, wished to push on +over the summit regardless of the storm; while the more cautious ones +demurred and held back, thinking it the part of discretion to wait for +better weather. A few venturesome ones kept to their purpose and started +on ahead, promising to meet the laggards at Lake Bennett with boats of +their own making in which to journey down the river and lakes to Dawson. + +Their promises were never fulfilled. + +While they, in company with hundreds of others as venturesome, trudged +heavily up the narrow trail, a roar as of an earthquake suddenly sounded +their death-knell. Swiftly down the mountain side above them tore the +terrible avalanche, a monster formation of ice, snow and rock, the +latter loosened and ground off the face of old Chilkoot by the rushing +force of the moving snowslide urged on by a mighty wind. In an instant's +time a hundred men and women were brushed, like flies from a ceiling, +off the face of the mountain into their death below, leaving a space +cleared of all to the bare earth where only a few seconds before had +stood the patient toilers on the trail. + +Only one thing remained for the living to do, and that was to drop all +else and rescue, if possible, the dying and engulfed ones. This they +did. When the wind had died away the snow in the air cleared, and +hundreds of men threw themselves into the rescue work. Many were injured +but lived. Some were buried in snow but found their way to light again. +One man was entirely covered except one arm which he used energetically +to inform those above him of his whereabouts. He was taken out unharmed, +and lived to welcome the writer of this to Dawson, where he carted and +delivered her trunk faithfully. + +But Carrie N. had remained at Sheep Camp and was safe. Then her +experience in nursing stood her in good stead; and while men brought the +dead to camp, she, with others, for hours performed the services which +made the bodies ready for burial. It was a heart-rending undertaking and +required a cool head and steady hand, both of which Carrie N. possessed. +Two men of her party thus lost their lives, and it was not until days +afterward that the last of the poor unfortunates were found. Nearly one +hundred lives were lost in this terrible disaster, but there were +undoubtedly those whose bodies were never found, and whose death still +remains a mystery. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE RUSH. + + +Since the discovery of gold by George Carmack on Bonanza Creek in +September, 1896, the growth of this country has been phenomenal, more +especially so to the one who has visited and is familiar with Dawson and +the Klondyke mining section. + +As to the entire yield of gold from the Klondyke Creeks, none can say +except approximately; for the ten per cent. royalty imposed by the +Canadian government has always met a phase of human nature which prompts +to concealment and dishonesty, so that a truthful estimate cannot be +made. + +The Canadian Dominion government is very oppressive. Mining laws are +very arbitrary and strictly enforced. A person wishing to prospect for +gold must first procure a miner's license, paying ten dollars for it. If +anything is discovered, and he wishes to locate a claim, he visits the +recorder's office, states his business, and is told to call again. In +the meantime, men are sent to examine the locality and if anything of +value is found, the man wishing to record the claim is told that it is +already located. The officials seize it. The man has no way of +ascertaining if the land was properly located, and so has no redress. If +the claim is thought to be poor, he can locate it by the payment of a +fifteen dollar fee. + +One half of all mining land is reserved for the crown, a quarter or more +is gobbled by corrupt officials, and a meagre share left for the daring +miners who, by braving hardship and death, develop the mines and open up +the country. + +"Any one going into the country has no right to cut wood for any +purpose, or to kill any game or catch any fish, without a license for +which a fee of ten dollars must be paid. With such a license it is +unlawful to sell a stick of wood for any purpose, or a pound of fish or +game." The law is strictly enforced. To do anything, one must have a +special permit, and for every such permit he must pay roundly. + +The story is told of a miner in a hospital who was about to die. He +requested that the Governor be sent for. Being asked what he wanted with +the Governor, he replied: "I haven't any permit, and if I should +undertake to die without a permit, I should get myself arrested." + +It is a well-known fact that many claims on Eldorado, Hunker and Bonanza +Creeks have turned out hundreds of thousands of dollars. One pan of +gravel on Eldorado Creek yielded $2100. Frank Dinsmore on Bonanza Creek +took out ninety pounds of solid gold or $24,480 in a single day. On +Aleck McDonald's claim on Eldorado, one man shoveled in $20,000 in +twelve hours. McDonald, in two years, dug from the frozen ground +$2,207,893. Charley Anderson, on Eldorado, panned out $700 in three +hours. T. S. Lippy is said to have paid the Canadian government $65,000 +in royalties for the year 1898 and Clarence Berry about the same. + +On Skukum Gulch $30,000 were taken from two boxes of dirt. Frank +Phiscator of Michigan, after a few months' work, brought home $100,000 +in gold, selling one-third of his claim interests for $1,333,000, or at +the rate of $5,000,000 for the whole. + +When a man is compelled to pay one thousand dollars out of every ten +thousand he digs from the ground, he will boast little of large +"clean-ups"; and for this reason it is hard to estimate the real amount +of gold extracted from the Klondyke mines. + +Captain James Kennedy, an old pioneer and conservative mining man, +estimates the output for the season of 1899 as $25,000,000, or fifty +tons of dust and nuggets. + +The most commendable thing about the Canadian Government is their strict +enforcement of order. Stealing is an almost unheard of thing, and petty +thieving does not exist. Mounted police in their brown uniforms and +soldiers in their red coats are everywhere seen in and around Dawson, +and they practice methods, which, to the uninitiated, make them very +nearly omnipresent. + +While walking down street in Dawson one morning about nine o'clock, I +passed a group of men all wearing sober faces. "They're done for now," +said a rough miner, glancing in the direction of the Barracks, where a +black flag was fluttering at the top of a staff. + +"How so?" asked another, just come up to the group. + +"Three men hung over there, an hour ago. They're goin' to bury 'em now," +and the speaker twitched his thumbs first toward the Barracks, then +farther east, where a rough stretch of ground lay unused. Here could be +seen policemen and soldiers, evidently in the midst of some performance +not on their daily routine. + +A number of prisoners wearing the regulation garb of +convicts,--pantaloons of heavy mackinaw, one leg of yellow and the other +of black,--were carrying long, rough boxes, while others were digging +shallow graves. + +Upon inquiry I found that what the miner had said was true. Three +prisoners, two of them Indian murderers, with another man notoriously +bad, had indeed been hung about eight o'clock that morning in the +barracks courtyard. In less than two hours afterward they were interred, +and in as many days they were forgotten. + +By the middle of July, 1899, the steamers leaving Dawson on their way +down the Yukon to St. Michael and the new gold fields at Nome, were well +filled with those who were anxious to try their luck in Uncle Sam's +territory where they can breathe, dig, fish, hunt, or die without buying +a license. + +By August the steamers coming from St. Michael brought such glowing +accounts of the Nome gold fields, that while few people came in, they +carried as many out as they could accommodate. + +By September the rush down the Yukon was tremendous, and of the twelve +thousand people in Dawson many hundreds left for Nome. + +When, after six weeks spent in curiously studying conditions and +things,--not to say people,--in the great mining camp, it was decided +that I should accompany my brother down the Yukon to Cape Nome, and so +"out" home to San Francisco, I felt a very distinct sense of +disappointment. The novelty of everything, the excitement which came +each day in some form or other, was as agreeable as the beautiful summer +weather with the long, quiet evenings only settling into darkness at +midnight. + +In September came the frosts. Men living in tents moved their little +Yukon stoves inside, and brought fresh sawdust and shavings from the +mills for their beds. Others packed their few possessions into small +boats, hauled down their tents, whistled to their dogs, and rolling up +their sleeves, pulled laboriously up the swift little Klondyke to their +winter "lays" in the mines. + +Hundreds were also leaving for the outside. Steamers, both large and +small, going to White Horse and Bennett, carried those who had +joyfully packed their bags and smilingly said good-bye; for they were +going home to the "States." How we strained our eyes from our cabin +window or from the higher bank above, to see the people on the decks of +the out-going boats. How the name of each tug and even freight-carrier +became a familiar household word, and how many were the conjectures as +to whether "she" would get through to White Horse Rapids in the low +water before a freeze-up! + +[Illustration: A KLONDYKE CLAIM.] + +One day our own steamer came. She was a magnificently equipped river +boat called the "Hannah," belonging to the Alaska Commercial Company, +and had cost one hundred thousand dollars. This was to be her last trip +for the season, and with us it was "home now, or here all winter," and +we made ready to leave. My kodak had been emptied and filled again, +calls on acquaintances made, and good-byes said. My battered and broken +trunk, which, at the hands of the English customs officials had suffered +much, had now to be repaired and put to a good long test. This box was +in a state of total collapse; rollers all gone, covering torn and bent, +screws and nails lost, sides split, bottom entirely dropped out, but it +must go; so my big brother was wheedled into putting it into some kind +of shape again, and it came out stronger than before. + +No lunches were needed. The cuisine of the Hannah was said to be as +perfect as could be in this far away corner of the globe, and we trusted +to that. + +On September sixteenth the Hannah sounded her whistle--all was hurry and +bustle, and such a sight! If hundreds had stood on the docks to welcome +us as we entered the city, there were thousands now. It was pleasant. We +felt flattered, especially as the band struck up our own national airs, +giving us a medley of "Yankee Doodle," "America," "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp," +and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." They felt constrained, however, +to wind up with "Sweet Marie," and rag-time dances, one old fellow in +slouch hat and with a few drinks too many, stepping the jigs off in +lively and comical fashion. + +Our pride was perceptibly lessened afterward, when we learned that we +had on board a dance hall outfit, and the band belonged to the Monte +Carlo saloon! + +We were now in the midst of a group, cosmopolitan beyond our wildest +dreams. Pushing their way through the crowd to the gangplank came men, +women and dogs, carrying grips, kodaks, tin cash boxes, musical +instruments, army sacks, fur robes, and rolls of blankets. Struggling +under the weight of canvas tents, poles, Yukon stoves and sleds, as well +as every conceivable thing, they climbed the stairway to the deck. Here, +and in the main saloon, all was deposited for the time being. + +There was a woman with a fine grey cat, for which she had been offered +fifty dollars, wrapped in a warm shawl, much to pussy's disgust. A +number of women had dogs and were weeping, probably at leaving other +canines behind. Several persons carried little grips so heavy that they +tugged along--evidently "Chechako," or paper money, was more scarce with +them than dust and nuggets. + +As freight, there was a piano, many iron-bound boxes containing gold +bullion, securely sealed and labeled, and tons of supplies for the +consumption of the passengers, of whom there were now five hundred. + +Then the whistle again sounded--the gangplank was hauled in, +handkerchiefs fluttered, the band struck up "Home Sweet Home"--we were +headed down the Yukon River and toward the Arctic Circle. + + * * * * * + +We had now a journey of seventeen hundred miles before us. We were to +traverse a country almost unknown to man. We were two of a party of five +hundred persons, the majority of whom, if not actually desperadoes, were +reckless and given over to the pursuit of gold regardless of the manner +of its getting. There were loose characters of the town by hundreds; +there were gamblers running a variety of games both day and night; there +were dance house girls and musicians; there were drunks and toughs, and +one prize fighter. No firearms or knives were seen, though many, no +doubt, had them. + +With the enormous amount of gold on board (for the steamer's safe was +overflowing, and the purser's room well packed with the precious stuff), +with the numbers of hard characters we carried, and the now increasing +remoteness from centres of government, there were dangers, we were +forced to confess, but which we only admitted in whispers. + +Three hours after leaving Dawson we were taking on wood at Forty Mile. +This is the oldest camp on the Yukon River, and the early home of Jack +McQuestion. The river banks were lined with canoes; many natives stood +looking at us from the shore, and while stevedores handled the wood, +many passengers visited the town. It was not long before they came back +with hands full of turnips, just pulled from the ground, which, had they +been the most luscious fruit, could not have been eaten with more +relish. + +I then tried to buy one of a young man, but he had evidently been long +away from such luxuries, for he refused to sell; afterward, his +gallantry getting the better of him, he politely offered me one-half of +the vegetable, which I took with thanks. + +As my brother peeled the precious turnip, I asked him how long since he +had eaten one. "Two years," he promptly replied. Knowing that he was +especially fond of such things, I ate a small slice, and gave him the +remainder. It is needless to say he enjoyed it. + +To the right of the landing at Forty Mile, just across a small stream +which runs into the Yukon, is Fort Cudahy, containing the stores and +warehouses of one of the large companies, as well as a post-office. + +[Illustration: EAGLE CITY, ON THE YUKON, IN 1899.] + +But we were soon off again, steaming along between hills yellow with +fading poplar leaves and green streaked with pines. Many rocky spurs +towered grandly heavenward, with tops, like silvered heads, covered with +newly fallen snow. The Yukon is here very crooked and narrow, and abrupt +banks hedged our steamer in on all sides. + +Next morning early we arrived at Eagle City, Alaska. We were now in +Uncle Sam's land, and breathed more freely. We felt at home. We cheered +and waved our handkerchiefs to the blue uniformed soldiers on the river +bank who had come to see us. + +We went ashore and called upon lieutenant L., lately from his home in +Connecticut and campaigning in Cuba. Taking us into a log house near by, +he pointed out forty thousand rounds of ammunition and one hundred and +fifteen Krag-Jorgensen rifles of the latest pattern. + +Here were stationed one hundred and fifteen men, some of them at that +time out moose hunting and fishing. Captain Ray, an old white-haired +gentleman, stood outside his cabin door. At Eagle we saw the new +government barracks just being finished, the logs and shingles having +been sawed at the government saw-mill near by, at the mouth of Mission +Creek. + +We were particularly struck with the very youthful appearance of our +soldiers, and their wistful faces as they watched our preparations for +departure. + +The lieutenant had said that life in Cuba, or in almost any old place +was preferable to that at Eagle, with the long winter staring them in +the face, and we could see that the poor fellow longed for home. We were +quite touched, but tried to cheer him as best we could. + +Circle City, on a big bend of the river from which it derives its name, +was reached the following evening. Here all hands crowded over the +gangplank and into the stores. In less time than it takes to write it, +these places were filled with miners, each man pulling away at his +strong, old pipe, the companion of many weary months perhaps; while over +the counters they handed their gold dust in payment for the "best plug +cut," chewing gum, candy, or whatever else they saw that looked +tempting. Here we bought two pairs of beaded moccasins for seven +dollars. + +As a heavy fog settled down upon us, our captain thought best to tie up +the steamer over night, and did so. Next morning by daylight we saw the +offices of the United States marshal; both log cabins with dirt roofs, +upon which bunches of tall weeds were going to seed. We hoped this was +not symbolical of the state of Uncle Sam's affairs in the interior, but +feared it might be, as the places seemed deserted. + +Many of the one thousand cabins at Circle were now vacant, but it is the +largest town next to Dawson on the Yukon River. + +During the whole of the next day our pilots steered cautiously over the +Yukon Flats. + +This is a stretch of about four hundred miles of low, swampy country, +where the Yukon evidently loses its courage to run swiftly, for it +spreads out indolently in all directions between treacherous and +shifting sand-bars, fairly disheartening to all not familiar with its +many peculiarities. + +We now learned for the first time that we were practically in the hands +of three pilots, two of whom were Eskimos, one of them on a salary of +five hundred dollars per month. This man was perfectly familiar with the +entire river, being an expert pilot, as he proved during this trip to +the satisfaction of all. + +Owing to the near approach of winter, and the extremely low water at +this point, the captain, crew, and many others, wore anxious faces until +the Flats were well passed. Should our steamer stick fast on a sand-bar, +or take fire, we might easily be landed; but to be left in such a bleak +and barren place, with cold weather approaching, snow beginning to fall, +no shelter, and only provisions for a few days, with traveling +companions of the very worst type, and no passing steamers to pick us +up, we would indeed meet a hard fate, and one even the prospect of which +was well calculated to make strong men shudder. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AT THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. + + +We were now at the Arctic Circle. For three days we had no sunshine, and +flurries of snow were frequent. The mountain tops, as well as the banks +and sand-bars of the river, were spread with a thin covering of snow; +enough at least to give a wintry aspect. This added to the leaden sky +above, made the warmth of big coal fires acceptable indoors, and fur +coats comfortable on the decks. + +At Fort Yukon the low water prevented our landing. We were told, +however, that the place contained one hundred log houses, as well as an +old Episcopal Mission, in which Mrs. Bumpus had lived and taught the +natives for twenty years. Many of the Eskimo girls are trained as +children's nurses and make very satisfactory ones. + +Into the Yukon Flats empty the Porcupine River, Birch Creek and other +streams. Fort Yukon was established by the Hudson Bay Company many years +ago, all supplies coming in and shipments of furs going out by way of +the McKensie River and the great Canadian Lakes. + +Toward evening one day, while the stevedores were busy handling wood, we +went ashore and visited an Eskimo family in their hut. It was built on +the high river bank among the trees, quite near the steamer's landing. +On the roof of the hut, there lay, stretched on sticks to dry, a large +brown bear skin. Near by we saw the head of a freshly killed moose, with +the hoofs of the animal still bloody. + +[Illustration: YUKON STEAMER "HANNAH."] + +As we stooped to enter the low door of the cabin, we felt the warmth +from the fire in the little Yukon stove which was placed in the corner +of the room. Next to this was a rude table, on which lay a quarter of +moose meat, looking more or less tempting to travelers living on canned +goods. + +A bed stood in one corner, upon which two or three little children were +playing, and upon a pile of rags and skins on the floor sat an old +Eskimo woman, wrinkled and brown. These were her children and +grandchildren, and she was spending her life on the floor of the cabin, +watching the little ones play around her, for she was paralyzed. + +There were no chairs in the cabin, and but few rude utensils and +playthings. A box or tin can, which had contained provisions, was now +and then utilized. + +After a few moments with the Eskimos, we backed out into the open air +again, for the atmosphere of the hut was peculiar, and not altogether +agreeable to our southern olfactories. It reminded us of Mrs. Peary's +description of native smells in Greenland. + +The short path back to our steamer lay through a poplar grove, and +under our feet was spread a carpet of brown and yellow leaves, which, in +the cool night air, smelled ripe and woodsy. + +Next came Fort Hamlin, where we again saw some of Uncle Sam's boys, and +where we trudged out through the soft light snow and took some kodak +views. + +Rampart City was reached in the early evening. One long row of houses +upon the south bank of the Yukon, near the mouth of the Big Minook Creek +constitutes the town. Here empty the Little Minook, Alder, Hunter, and +many other gold-bearing creeks, and a bustling town sprung up only to be +almost depopulated during the Nome excitement. + +By this time several inches of snow had fallen, and the ground was +freezing. We managed here to climb the slippery steps of the log store +building in the dusk and buy a pound of ordinary candy, for which we +paid one dollar. + +Again we were in deep water. This time so very smooth that the hills, +peaks, trees and islands were all mirrored on its surface, and very +beautiful. + +The days were now quite short. About five in the afternoon the electric +lights were turned on through the steamer, fresh coal again piled on the +fires, and we reminded ourselves how comfortably we were traveling. + +Then the dinner bell rang, and we sat down to dinner. Some attempt at +decoration had been made, for tall glasses stood in the centre of the +tables filled with ripe grasses and pretty autumn leaves, but, strange +to relate, we were more interested in the contents of our soup plates +and what was to follow. The cold and bracing air during our short walks +on deck had given us all famous appetites, and we relished everything. + +After hot soup with crackers, we ate of fresh fish, three kinds of +canned meats, baked or boiled potatoes, with one other kind of +vegetable, canned tomatoes, corn or beans. Side dishes consisted of +pickles, olives, cheese, sardines, canned fruits, fancy crackers or +biscuits, and afterward came pudding and pie. These last were made from +various canned fruits, and with the rice, sago or tapioca pudding, +formed most enjoyable desserts. On Sunday nuts and raisins or apples +were added to the menu. + +If we ate with keen appetites, we were not too much occupied to take +note of the passengers around us. Nearly opposite sat a beautiful woman +with a profusion of auburn hair piled high on her head. She was +fashionably dressed in black silk or satin, and her white fingers were +loaded with costly rings. As she handed a dish to the man beside her, +her diamonds and other gems sparkled brightly. Her companion, much +older, had a hard and villainous face. A heavy frown of displeasure +habitually rested upon his brow, and his glance was shifting and +evasive. He was a professional gambler, kept his game running +continually, and was going to Nome. + +At the end of the table sat a tall and pleasant mannered young +Englishman, with blue eyes and ruddy cheeks. He represented mining +interests in the Klondyke amounting to millions, and was on his way to +London. He was fond of wine, and consorted chiefly with those who were +fast bringing him down to their level. + +There was the girl with pretty black eyes, lady-like movements, low +voice, and exquisite toilettes. A blue-eyed, pretty little blonde, with +infantile complexion, small hands and feet, and wearing a tailor-made +suit attracted considerable attention. She was fond of cigarettes and +smoked many times a day, though she only looked "sweet sixteen." They +were both dance-house girls. + +There was a young and handsome Englishman in the triggest of dude +toggery, but having a squaw wife and three children, as well as older +men at the head of similar broods. + +The long tables were spread two or three times at each meal, as several +hundred people were to be fed. + +A different class, and a worst one if possible, was met with at these +late meals. Do you see that short, fat woman over there with the bleared +eyes, and the neck of a prize fighter? She is a Dawson saloon keeper, +and is now on her way to Nome. + +But there were a number of people on the steamer not properly +belonging to this set, and after supper a few usually gathered in one +corner to listen to each other's experiences in the far Northwest. Some +were tales of hardship, sickness and death; some of hair-breadth escapes +from the jaws of an Arctic winter, or from shipwreck. One told of +having, two years before, paid $175 for five sacks of flour in the +Klondyke; selling the same, a few days later, for $500. Stories of rich +strikes were related; how one man, while drunk, was persuaded by his +associates to trade a valuable claim for one apparently worthless; his +indescribable feelings the next day and until he had prospected the +so-called worthless claim, when it proved ten times richer than the +first one. + +[Illustration: FELLOW TRAVELERS.] + +A little middle-aged Norwegian woman told her story with great gusto. +She had sailed from Seattle two years before with Mayor Woods' +expedition, getting as far as a point on the Yukon River two hundred +miles below Rampart City. Here the low water prevented their going +farther. She, in company with others, made her way to Rampart as best +she could, rested and "outfitted" for a trip to Dawson over the ice. +Finally, with sleds and provisions, eight dogs and four men, she +started. It was a journey of about eight hundred miles. Before leaving +Rampart she experimented with fur sleeping bags, and finally made one in +which she could sleep comfortably on the ice and snow. Rice and tea were +their staple articles of diet, being more quickly prepared in hasty +camps at night, and being found most nourishing. After a perilous trip +of thirty-five days in the dead of winter, they reached Dawson in good +shape, two days ahead of a party of men with whom a wager had been made. +With these, and similar stories, we whiled away the long evening hours +by the fire. Many short stops were made along the river. A few little +settlements were passed during the night. At Holy Cross and Russian +Mission we saw flourishing Catholic schools for the natives. + +The Yukon was now getting wider and wider, the water was shallow and +more shallow, then suddenly we felt a heavy jar. The big stern wheel +refused to move,--we were stuck fast on a sand-bar! Here we remained all +day, dreading a hard freeze which was liable to settle down upon us at +any time, fixing our boat and us in the ice indefinitely. But we were +now in the Aphoon, or eastern mouth of the Yukon, and near enough to +Behring Sea to get the benefit of the tides; so that in the early +evening we again heard the thud of the big machines,--the steamer +quivered,--the stern wheel again revolved,--we had entered the Behring +Sea! + +By four o'clock next morning we were in St. Michael Bay, having covered +the sixty miles from the mouth of the river during the night. Snow was +falling heavily through which we saw the lights of the harbor, and a +number of vessels at anchor. By daylight we counted eleven ships and +two revenue cutters lying under the lee of the island. + +Breakfast was served on board, and an hour later we went ashore. We now +sought the steamer company's hotel, and had no difficulty in getting +good rooms and seats at table; for we were still in their care, having +bought through tickets to San Francisco. Here we were to wait for the +ocean steamer "Bertha," which was now nearly due from that place, and we +anxiously watched the weather signs hoping all would be favorable, and +that she would very soon put in her appearance. + +Our hotel was a new frame building of about forty rooms, lighted by +electricity, having large halls, pleasant double parlors overlooking the +bay, with a good view of incoming ships from the north. Just across the +street stood an old block house or fort containing the funny little +cannon used by the Russians over a hundred years ago. The antiquated +lock on the door, the hundreds of bullet holes in the outer walls, were +all quaintly interesting. + +Half a mile south were stores, a hotel, another large company's dock, +and in good weather we tramped over there or north the same distance to +the headquarters of a third company. These three were small settlements +by themselves, and constituted, with their employees, natives and dogs, +the whole population of St. Michael. Good sidewalks connected these +different stations and commanded fine and extensive views of the +surrounding water. + +St. Michael, as an island, is not large, and is entirely without trees +or timber. However, there is deep, wet moss or tundra everywhere, as one +soon discovers to his sorrow if he attempts to leave the plank walks. +St. Michael Bay, lying between the island and the mainland on the east, +is a fine body of water. The coast line is well defined with ranges of +mountains zigzagging their cold and snowy peaks, blue tinted or purple +during the day, and pink in the setting sun. + +St. Michael is the windiest place on earth. After a few days spent in +studying the native dress of the Eskimos, and in trying to adapt my own +dress to the freakish breezes I concluded that if I stayed at St. +Michael I should dress as they did. If I started for the eating room +with my hat properly placed on hair arranged with ever so much care, a +heavy beaver cape, and dress of walking length, I was completely +demoralized in appearance five minutes later on reaching the mess-house. +With a twisting motion which was so sudden as to totally surprise me, my +dress was wound around my feet, my cape was flung as if by spiteful +hands entirely over my head, causing me to step in my confusion from the +plank walk; while my hat was perched sidewise anywhere above or on my +shoulder. One unfortunate woman wearing an overskirt covering a striped +cambric sham, was seen daily struggling, with intense disgust on her +face, up the steps of the eating house, with her unruly overskirt +waving wildly in the wind. + +But this wind did not keep the Eskimo women and children at home. +Dressed in their fur parkies, which are a sort of long blouse with hood +attachment, short skirts and muckluks, or skin boots, they trotted down +to the beach daily to fish, standing on the wet and slippery rocks, +regardless of wind, spray or snow. Here they flung their fish lines out +into the water and hauled the little fish up dexterously; when, with a +curious twitch they disengaged the finny fellows and tossed them into a +big pan. Little Eskimo children ran on in front of their mothers, and +shaggy dogs followed close behind at the smell of the fish. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +COMPANIONS. + + +But there were passengers arriving at St. Michael each day from +different points bound for Nome. + +At last the side-wheeler "Sadie" was to leave for Nome, and what a +commotion! Men in fur coats, caps and mittens, leading dogs of all +colors and sizes, some barking, but all hustled along with no thought of +anything except to reach Cape Nome as quickly as possible. At last they +were off. A rough, and in some instances a drunken lot, but all +hopefully happy and sure that they would "strike it rich" in the new +gold fields. Many, no doubt, were going to their death, many to +hardships and disappointments undreamed of, while a few would find gold +almost inexhaustible. + +Still we waited day after day for the ocean steamer "Bertha." One Sunday +morning we looked from the hotel windows to see a clear, cold sky, with +sun and high wind. About ten o'clock we heard a steamer whistling for +assistance. She was small and used for errands by one of the steamship +companies. Still none went to the rescue, as the gale was terrific. A +steam tug started out, but she passed by on the other side, not caring +to act the part of good Samaritan to a rival. In a few moments the +fires of the little steamer were out,--she was sinking. Through a glass +we saw three men on the roof of the craft--then they clung to the +smokestack. A larger steamer, though herself disabled, finally reached +the three drowning men. It was not a moment too soon, for the water was +icy, the gale fearful. They were then hauled in, almost exhausted and +frozen. + +It was a wild day. Soon after noon, one of the two big covered barges in +tow by the "Lackme," already loaded for a start for Nome, began to sink. +The wind came from the north, and little by little the barge became +unmanageable, until at last she was cut loose and deserted. For an hour +we watched the barge, until, she too, sank out of sight beneath the +waters of the bay. + +Small steamers still came straggling in from Dawson crowded with +passengers going to the new gold fields, and our tired cooks and +stewards in the kitchens were rushed both day and night. Here the price +of a meal, to all but those having through tickets to San Francisco, was +one dollar, and fifteen hundred meals a day were frequently served. + +In this hotel we waited two weeks, patiently at times, restlessly at +other times. What would we do if the Bertha failed to appear? Possibly +she was lost, and now drifting, a worthless derelict, at the mercy of +the winds! Not another boat would or could carry us, tickets on each one +having long ago been sold. If we should be frozen in all winter, with +no way of letting our friends at home know of our whereabouts for six +months, how terrible would be their anxiety, how hard for us in this +exposed spot near the Arctic Sea! Many times a day and in the night did +this emergency present itself to us, and we shuddered. Each day we +climbed the hill a quarter of a mile away to look, Robinson Crusoe like, +over the ocean to see if we could discover the "Bertha." + +In the meantime, with note book and pencil in hand I often sat in the +parlor; and, while occupied to a certain extent, I gathered sundry bits +of information regarding the gold fields in this wonderful new Golconda. +Two million dollars, it was said, had already been extracted from the +beach at Nome, and no estimate could be made on what was still there. +The pay streak ran to the water's edge, and even farther, but just how +far, no one knew. + +Back of this beach spread the tundra, an expanse of marsh, ice and +water, which extends some four miles inland. The size of the claims +allowed by law is one thousand three hundred and twenty feet in length, +and six hundred and sixty feet in width; or about twenty acres of land. +The insignificant sum of $2.50 is required to be paid the recorder. + +In the York District the area allowed for claims is smaller, being five +hundred feet in width, and the length depending on the geographical +formation or creek upon which the claim is situated. + +North of Nome there are ninety to one hundred miles of gold-bearing +beach to be worked, and again to the south a vast stretch of like +character extending to Norton Bay. The tundra, which is nothing but the +old beach, follows the present shore, and is fully as rich as the +surf-washed sands. More productive and larger than all is the inland +region traversed by rivers and creeks that form a veritable network of +streams, all bordered by gold-producing soil. + +Anvil Creek, Sunset Gulch, Snow Gulch and Dexter Creek, near Nome, are +all exceedingly rich; one claim on Snow Gulch having been sold for +$185,000, and another for $13,000. + +Golovin Bay District is situated eighty-five miles east of Nome City, +and is large and very rich. Fish River is the principal one in this +section, and has innumerable small tributaries running into it, most of +which are also rich in gold. + +Casa de Paga is a tributary of the Neukluk River, and very rich. On +Ophir Creek, claim No. four, above Discovery, $48,000 was taken out in +nineteen days by the Dusty Diamond Company working seventeen men. On +number twenty-nine above Discovery on Ophir Creek, seventeen dollars +were taken out a day per man, who dug out frozen gravel, thawed it by +the heat of a coal-oil stove, and afterward rocked it. + +There was much discussion over the rights of those claiming mining lands +located by the power of attorney; though the majority of men here +seemed to believe they would hold good, and many such papers were made +out in due legal form. + +At last, on the morning of October ninth, the "Bertha" really appeared. +It was a clear, cold day, sunny and calm. I ran in high spirits to the +top of the hill overlooking the bay to get a good view. Sure enough, +there lay the "Bertha" on the bright waters as though she had always +been there. How rejoiced everyone was! How relieved were those who +intended to remain here because of the additions to the winter's +supplies, and how rejoiced were those waiting to get away? How we all +bustled about, packing up, buying papers and magazines just from the +steamer, sealing and stamping letters, making notes in diaries, taking +kodak views, saying good-bye to acquaintances, ad infinitum. + +All were willing to leave. Finally on the afternoon of the tenth we were +stowed into the big covered barge which was to take us out to the +"Bertha." It was cold and draughty inside, so we found a sheltered place +in the sun on some piles of luggage, and sat there. As the "Bertha" was +reached, a gangplank was thrown over to the barge, which came as close +alongside as possible, and up this steep and narrow board we climbed, +clinging to a rope held by men on both decks. + +Our trouble had now begun. We were overjoyed at making a start at last, +but under what conditions! The river steamer "Hannah" had been a model +of neatness as compared with this one. On deck there were coops of +chickens, and pens of live sheep and pigs brought from San Francisco to +be put off at Nome, as well as a full passenger list for the same place. +On the way here a landing had been attempted at Nome, but the surf had +been so tremendous that it could not be accomplished, and passengers +still occupied the staterooms that we were to have. However, we were +temporarily sandwiched in, and, about four P. M., said good-bye to St. +Michael. + +It was a lovely day and the waters of the bay were very calm. Along +shore in the most sheltered places were numbers of river steamers and +smaller craft being snugly tucked up for the winter. From three tall +flagstaffs on shore there floated gracefully as many American flags as +though to wish us well on our long journey out to civilization. + +That night on board was simply pandemonium. Hundreds of people had no +beds, and were obliged to sit or walk about, many sitting in corners on +the floor, or on piles of luggage or lying under or upon the tables. +Every seat and berth were taken. Many of the staterooms below were +filled from floor to ceiling with flour in sacks for Nome, as well as +every foot of space in passage-ways or pantries. Many men were so +disorderly from drink that they kept constantly swearing and quarreling, +and one man, in a brawl, was almost toppled into the sea. To make +things worse, the stench from the pens of the animals on deck became +almost unbearable, and the wind came up, making the water rough. + +There was no sleep for us that night. We longed to reach Nome that we +might be rid of some of these objectionable things, and hoped for an +improvement afterward. + +From St. Michael to Nome, the distance is about one hundred and +twenty-five miles, and the latter place was reached about eight A. M. A +little before daylight we had been startled by a series of four sudden +shocks or jars, the first being accompanied by a very distinct creaking +of timbers of the ship, so that some of us rose and dressed; but the +ship had apparently sustained no injury, and we proceeded on our way. +Whether we had struck a rock, or only a sand-bar, we never knew, for the +ship's men laughed and evaded our questions; but the passengers believed +that the boat had touched a reef or rock, hidden, perhaps, beneath the +surface of the sea. + +By daylight the animals had been removed to a barge, and soon after +breakfast the Nome passengers were taken ashore in like manner, for the +surf was so heavy on the beach, and there being no docks or wharves, it +was impossible for a large steamer to get nearer. + +Away in the distance to the north lay the famous new gold camp of +Nome. Stretched for miles along the beach could be seen the little white +tents of the beach miners, back of which lay the town proper, and still +back, the rolling hills now partly covered with snow. Not a tree or +shrub could be seen, though we strained our eyes through a strong glass +in an effort to find them. A few wooden buildings larger than the rest +were pointed out as the Alaska Commercial Company's warehouses and +offices, near where the loaded barges were tossed by the huge breakers +toward the beach. + +[Illustration: ESKIMOS.] + +Passengers now went ashore to visit the camps, but to my great +disappointment I was not allowed to do so on account of the tremendous +surf. When, after watching others, seeing their little boats tossed like +cockle shells upon the sands, and hearing how thoroughly drenched with +salt water many of the people were while landing, I gave it up, and +remained on board. + +For five days we lay anchored outside, while stevedores loaded supplies +from the "Bertha" on barges towed ashore by the side-wheeler "Sadie." +For hours the wind would blow and the breakers and surf run so high that +nothing could be done; then at sundown, perhaps, the wind would die +away, and men were put to work unloading again. The calls of those +lifting and tugging, the rattle of pulleys and chains, never were +stilled night or day if the water was passably smooth, and we learned to +sleep soundly amid all the confusion. + +Next morning the steamer "Cleveland" cast anchor near the "Bertha." +Presently we saw a small boat lowered over the side and two women were +handed down into it, four men following and seating themselves at the +oars. The ship on which the women had first sailed had been wrecked on +St. George's Island; from there they were rescued by the revenue cutter +"Bear," transferred to the "Cleveland," and were now going ashore at +Nome, their destination. As they passed us we noticed that they sat +upright in the middle of the lifeboat, the hoods of their cloaks drawn +quite over their heads. We were told that one of these women had come to +meet her lover and be married, and we felt like cheering such heroism. + +Next day the bodies of several men were picked up on the beach near +town. They had started for Cape Prince of Wales in a small boat and been +overtaken by disaster. Many were dying of fever on shore, and nurses, +doctors and drugs were in great demand. + +Many tales of interest now reached our ears, but not many can here be +given. + +One of the first American children to open his eyes to the light of day +in this bleak and barren place--Nome City--was Little Willie S. His +parents lived in a poor board shack or house which his father had built +just back of the golden beach sands. Here the surf, all foam-tipped, +spread itself at the rising and falling of the tides, and here the +miners toiled day after day washing out the precious gold. + +It was here that Willie's papa, soon after the baby came, sickened and +died. He had worked too long in the wind and rain, and they laid him +under the tundra at the foot of the hill. + +For a time the baby grew. The mother and child were now dependent upon +the community for support, but the burly and generous miners did not +allow them to want. Willie was a great pet in the mining camp; the men +being delighted with a peep of his tiny, round face and pink fingers. + +The little child could have easily had his weight in gold dust, or +anything else, had he wanted it. Big, shining nuggets had already been +given him to cut his teeth upon when the time came, but that time never +came. + +Willie died one day in his mother's arms, while her hot tears fell like +rain upon his face. + +Then they laid him to sleep beside his papa under the tundra, where the +shining wheat-gold clung to the moss roots and sparkled as brightly as +the frost and snow which soon covered everything. + +When spring came Willie's mamma found the baby's tiny grave, and put +wild flowers and grasses upon it, and there they nodded their pretty +heads above the spot where Willie and his papa quietly sleep. + +Passengers for San Francisco were now coming on board with their +luggage. Several men were brought on board on spring beds, being ill +with no contagious disease. A box containing the body of a man, who had +shot himself the day before, was placed upon the hurricane deck, lashed +down, and covered with tarpaulins. Strong boxes of gold bullion, with +long, stout ropes and boards attached in case of accident, were stowed +away in as safe a place as could be found. Copies of the first issue of +the "Nome News" were bought at fifty cents a copy; size, four pages +about a foot square. Beach sand and pebbles, were handed about in many +funny receptacles,--pickle jars, tin cans, flour sacks,--any old thing +would do if only we had the pleasure of seeing the golden sand. + +One night about three o'clock the barge brought the last passengers and +freight. The water was smooth, the moon shone brightly, there was no +wind, and the captain and his mate gave their orders in quick, stern +tones. They were in haste to leave. They had lingered here too long +already. All were soon hustled on board; the "Sadie" and her barges +moved away; we took a last, long look at Nome as she stretched herself +on the golden sands of the beach under her electric lights; the "Bertha" +whistled, stuck her nose into the rollers and steamed away. + +A more majestic old body of water than Behring Sea would be hard to +find; and we remember it with thanksgiving, for we had no storms or +rough weather during the eight hundred and fifty miles to Unalaska. + +Right glad was I that we were fortunate in having a pleasant little +party of eight or ten persons, and our evenings were spent in visiting, +spinning yarns, and singing songs, while some hours each day were passed +on the hurricane deck. Here we became familiar with the sea phrases +commonly used, and watched the old salts "bracing the mast arms," +"hoisting the jibs," or "tacking," and could tell when we had a "cross +sea," a "beam sea," or a "sou' wester." As we neared Unalaska on the +Aleutian Islands, the sea became rough, and we had more wind, but we +joyfully sighted high hills or rocks to the east, and bade good-bye to +old Behring. For three and a half days he had behaved well, and never +will we quietly hear him maligned. + +Unalaska, sweet isle of the sea! How beautiful she looked to our eyes +which had only seen water for days! Its bold and rocky cliffs, its +towering peaks snow capped; its sequestered and winding valleys, and +bright, sparkling waterfalls; its hillsides in all the artistic shades +of red, brown, yellow, green, purple, black and white; its water in all +the tints of blue and azure, reflecting sky that looked + + "As though an angel in his upward flight, + Had left his mantle floating in mid-air." + +All, all, greeted the eye of the worn voyager most restfully. + +Clusters of quaint red buildings were soon seen nestling under the +mountain--that was Dutch Harbor, and a mile farther on we arrived at the +dock at Unalaska. We would be here twenty-four hours taking on fresh +water, coal, and food, they told us, and we all ran out like sheep from +a pen, or school children at intermission. We drank fresh water from the +spring under the green hillside; we bought apples and oranges at the +store, and furs of the furrier; we rowed in a skiff and scampered over +the hills to Dutch Harbor; we watched jelly-fish and pink star-fish in +the water; we saw white reindeer apparently as tame as cows browsing on +the slopes; we visited an old Greek church, and were kept from the very +holiest place where only men were allowed to go, retaliating when we +came to the cash box at the door--we dropped nothing in; we climbed the +highest mountain near by, and staked imaginary gold claims after +drinking in the beauties of the views which encompassed us; we snapped +our kodaks repeatedly, and then, having reached the limit of our time +and strength, wended our way back to the steamer now ready to sail. + +Leaving the harbor, we all stayed on deck as long as possible trying to +fix the grandeur of the scenery in our minds so it could not slip away, +and then Priest Rock was passed, we had turned about eastward, and were +in Unimak Pass. Here the wind blew a gale from the west, on account of +which we were obliged to go below to our staterooms after watching the +sailors lash everything on the hurricane deck well down in case of +storm. After a few hours we left the Pass, with its precipitous cliffs, +its barren and rocky slopes, its cones of extinct volcanoes, its rough +and deep water, and headed due southeast for "Frisco." + +Many unpleasant people and things we found on board as we proceeded, for +not all of these had been left at Nome; but with a philosopher's +fortitude we studied to overlook everything disagreeable, and partly +succeeded. That our efforts were not a complete success was due partly, +at least, to our early education and large stock of ideality, and we +were really not so much to blame. + +The remainder of our journey was somewhat monotonous, broken only by +drunken brawls at midnight on deck, waking us from sound slumbers; or +the sight of a whale spouting during the day. Sometimes a breeze would +spring up from the wrong direction, rolling us for a few hours, causing +us to prefer a reclining posture instead of an upright one, and giving +our complexions a still deeper lemonish cast; sometimes we were well +inclined to feed the fishes in the sea, and did not; but at all times we +were thankful that matters were no worse. + +Then, after many days out from Unalaska we began to look for land. +Seagulls and goonies had followed in the wake of our ship, and rested +themselves each day aloft in the rigging. Sails were now and then seen +in the distance, like the spreading white wings of enormous swans +gliding quietly over the bosom of the deep, and we realized that we were +nearing land. In the darkness one night there came to us a little white +boat containing three men,--one was a pilot to guide us safely through +the beautiful Golden Gate; the light on Point Bonita was sighted--we +were almost home. + +We were now six weeks out from Dawson and twenty-one days from Nome; we +had no storms, accidents or deaths on board, and carried five hundred +passengers, as well as three million dollars in gold. I had been away +from home four months without a day's illness, and during my trip +through Alaska had traveled seventy-five hundred miles, nearly one-half +of this distance alone. + +[Illustration: UNALASKA.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +GOING TO NOME. + + +One beautiful day in the spring of 1900 I sailed again for Alaska--this +time for Nome from San Francisco. An English family consisting of the +mother, one son and a daughter were to accompany me, and we had spent +weeks in making our preparations. We were taking supplies of clothing, +food, tents and bedding sufficient to last until some of our numerous +plans of work after our arrival brought in returns. My hope was to meet +my father there, for he had written that he thought he should go to the +new gold fields, where he could do beach mining. + +I was not above doing any honest work, and felt confident that I could +make my way if I could gain an entrance into that country. The English +people were all workers, and I had known them for ten years or more. + +Our steamer was the good ship "St. Paul," belonging to the Alaska +Commercial Company, and was advertised to sail on May twenty-fifth. When +I laughingly called the attention of one of the owners of the ship to +the fact that that date fell upon Friday, and many persons objected to +sailing upon that day, he postponed the starting of the "St. Paul" to +May twenty-sixth, and we left the dock on Saturday afternoon amid the +cheers and hand-waving of thousands of people who had come to see the +big boat off for Nome. + +The steamer was well fitted out, spick and span in fresh carpets and +paint, and crowded to the utmost capacity for comfort. Every stateroom +was full; each seat at the tables occupied. Not a foot of space above or +below decks was left unused, but provision was made for all, and the +ship was well manned. + +I was now much gratified to learn that there were many on board whom I +had met before; that the steward, stewardess and several of the waiters +had been on duty on the steamer "Bertha" during my trip out from Alaska +the fall before, while I was upon speaking terms with a dozen or more of +the passengers with whom I had traveled from the same place. Of +passengers we had, all told, four hundred and eighty-seven. Of these +thirty-five were women. There was only one child on board, and that was +the little black-eyed girl with her Eskimo mother and white father from +Golovin Bay whom I had seen at St. Michael some months before, and who +was now going back to her northern home. She wore a sailor suit of navy +blue serge, trimmed with white braid, and was as coy and cunning as +ever, not speaking often to strangers, but laughing and running away to +her mother when addressed. + +From the day we sailed from San Francisco until we reached Nome I missed +no meals in the dining salon, a pace which my English friends and others +could not follow, for they were uncomfortably ill in the region of their +digestive apparatus for several days. I slept for hours each day and +thoroughly enjoyed the trip. + +During the nine days' sail from San Francisco to Unalaska, a distance of +two thousand three hundred and sixty-eight miles, I studied well the +passengers. We had preachers on board, as well as doctors, lawyers, +merchants and miners, and there were women going to Nome to start eating +houses, hotels and mercantile shops. There were several Swedish +missionaries; one, a zealous young woman from San Francisco, going to +the Swedish Mission at Golovin Bay. + +This young person was pretty and pleasant, and I was glad to make her +acquaintance as well as that of three other women speaking the same +tongue and occupying the next stateroom to mine. The last named were +going to start a restaurant in Nome. As they were sociable, jolly, and +good sailors for the most part, I enjoyed their society. They had all +lived in San Francisco for years, and though not related to each other, +were firm friends of long standing and were uniting their little +fortunes in the hope of making greater ones. + +The young missionary was a friend to the other three, and I found no +better or more congenial companions on board the ship than these four +honest, hard-working women, so full of hope, courage and good sense as +well as Christianity. Little did I then think that these people, placed +by a seeming chance in an adjoining stateroom, were to be my +fellow-workers and true friends, not only for the coming months in that +Arctic land to which we were going, but, as the sequel will show, +perhaps for years to come. + +Not many days had passed when we found that we had on board what few +steamers can boast of, and that was an orchestra of professional +musicians among the waiters. These were men going, with all the others, +to seek their fortunes in the new gold fields, working their passage as +waiters on the ship to Nome, where they intended to leave it. Three +evenings in the week these musicians, with the help of several singers +on board, gave concerts in the dining salon, which, though impromptu, +were very enjoyable. + +A sweet and trained singer was the English girl of our company, and she +sang many times, accompanied by the stringed instruments of the +musicians, much to the delight of the assembled passengers. When she +sang, one evening, in her clear sympathetic voice the selection, "Oh, +Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight," there was not a dry eye in the room, +and the mind of many a man went back to his old home and praying mother +in some far distant state, making him resolve to write oftener to her +that she might be comforted with a knowledge of his whereabouts and +welfare. These evenings were sometimes varied by recitations from an +elocutionist on board; and a practised clog dancer excited the risibles +of the company to the extent that they usually shouted with laughter at +his exhibition of flying heels. + +Day after day passed. Those who were continually seasick had diversion +enough. It was useless for us to tell them a pathetic tale of some one, +who, at some time, had been more ill than they, because they would not +believe a word of it, and it was equally useless to recommend an +antidote for mal de mer such as theirs. "No one was ever so ill before," +they said. They knew they should die and be buried at sea, and hoped +they would if that would put an end to their sufferings. We tried at +last to give them comfort by recommending out of former experiences +ship's biscuit, dry toast and pop-corn as remedies, but only received +black looks as our reward. We then concluded that a diet of tea, coffee +and soup was exactly such a one as the fishes would recommend could they +speak, these favorite and much used liquids keeping up a continual +"swishing" in one's interior regions, and causing one to truthfully +speak of the same as "infernal" instead of internal. But they were all +tree physical as well as free moral agents and decided these things for +themselves. + +At last we entered the Japan current and the weather was warmer and +more enjoyable. On Monday, June fourth, we saw from the deck a few +drifting logs and a quantity of seaweed, and these, with the presence of +gulls and goonies flying overhead, convinced us that we were nearing +land. + +We were not mistaken. After eating an excellent six o'clock dinner we +went above to find ourselves between high, rocky cliffs, which loomed up +into mountains not far distant, and we knew we were again at the +Aleutian Islands and in the rough waters of Unimak Pass. As we drew +nearer and entered the harbor so well land-locked, the sun dipped low +into yellow-red western waters, thereby casting long shadows aslant our +pathway so delicately shaded in greens. + +The little hamlet of Dutch Harbor nestled cosily at the foot of the +mountains which bordered the bay, and here numbers of ships lay anchored +at rest. Passing along easily beyond another high mountain, we were soon +at the dock of Unalaska, beside other great ships in port. Both groups +of craft were evidently waiting for the ice to clear from Behring Sea +before proceeding on their way northward, and we counted sixteen ships +of different kinds and sizes, the majority of them large steamers. All +were loaded with passengers and freight for Nome. Scout boats had +already been sent out to investigate and find, if possible, a passage +through the ice fields, and the return of these scouts with good news +was anxiously watched and waited for, as the most desired thing at that +time was a speedy and safe landing on the supposedly golden beach sands +of Nome. + +At Unalaska we spent four days taking on fresh water and coal, during +which time passengers visited back and forth from the waiting steamers, +many persons having friends on other boats and each having a curiosity +to see if they were faring as well or ill as he, comparing notes as to +the expense of traveling with the different companies, etc. Passengers +on the "St. Paul" agreed that they had "no kick comin'," which was one +of the commonest slang phrases, intended to mean that they had no fault +to find with the Alaska Commercial Company and their steamer "St. Paul." +All were well cared for and satisfied, as well they might be, with the +service of the ship's men. + +Leaving Unalaska the sun shone clear and cold upon the mountains where +in places the sides looked black from the late fires started in the deep +tundra by miscreants. The tops of the mountains were covered with snow. +Down deep gorges dashed mountain waters of melting snow and ice, +hurrying to leap off gullied and rocky cliffs into the sea. Their +progress was never impeded. No tree nor shrub obstructed the way with +gnarled old trunks, twisted roots, or low hanging branches, for none +grow in Unalaska, and the bold dignity and grandeur of the mountains is +never diminished by these lesser objects. + +As our ship sailed out into Behring Sea we were closely followed by the +steamer "George W. Elder," whose master, an old friend of our captain, +had decided to follow in our wake, he being less familiar than the +latter with Alaskan waters, and having confidence in the ability of his +friend to successfully pilot both ships to Cape Nome. + +[Illustration: STEAMSHIP ST. PAUL.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +FRESH DANGER. + + +At this plan all the passengers appeared pleased. We were now entering +upon the most dangerous part of our voyage. No one knew what was before +us. If our ship should receive serious damage from the ice floes or +bergs with which we were almost sure to come in contact, it would be +well if we were accompanied by a sister ship which could render +assistance. If she were in trouble and we unharmed, we could lend a +helping hand to her; and so none murmured at the unique arrangement. + +Nothing, however, was seen of the much dreaded ice until about noon on +Sunday, June tenth. The air had been steadily growing colder so that +woolen clothing and fur wraps were in demand. Men thrust their hands +into their pockets, or drew on gloves while they stamped their feet upon +deck to keep themselves warm in the open air. Soon to our right lay a +great semi-circular field of ice, in places piled high, looking cold, +jagged and dangerous. In the distance those having field-glasses saw two +clumsy, slow-moving objects which they could easily distinguish as polar +bears on floating cakes of ice. + +By the latter we were soon surrounded, and were obliged, slowly and +cautiously, to pick our way through towards the narrowest spot, or where +the nearest open water could be seen beyond. Floating ice now lay all +around us, appearing only a few feet above the water; below it the bergs +extended many times that distance. Sometimes they were small and looked +harmless enough; but many were large, massive, and full of death-dealing +power if urged against the sides of a ship by the wind or struck +accidentally. Carefully we picked our way along, watched as we were by +every soul aboard the "Elder" following, until we had successfully made +our way through the ice pack and glided out into the blue waters beyond. +Then came a great shout from the throats of spectators on both ships, +and praises for the master and his crew who were doing such good work +were loudly sung. + +Immediately our manoeuvres were repeated by the "Elder," and we watched +her with interest equal to their own; then as she passed the danger +point and swung safely through the ice bergs and out, both ships, like +fresh, uncaged birds, sped lightly and swiftly over the water northward. + +In a few hours we were awakened from afternoon naps by the ringing of +the ship's bell and found ourselves again surrounded by floating bergs. +A man in the bow was taking soundings with lead and line, calling out +every few seconds. "No bottom! No bottom!" and then hauling in the lead +again as the ship crept carefully along. From submerged floes there was +now the greatest danger, but we gradually drew away from all floating +ice and sailed safely away as before. + +Each Sunday on board the "St. Paul" had been marked by some religious +service conducted by one of the preachers, while an improvised quartet +of voices led the singing. June tenth service had been held in the +forenoon, when a short sermon had followed the singing of a few familiar +old hymns by the assembled passengers. Now in the early evening, while I +sat with a few friends in the dining salon rehearsing hymns for the +coming service, suddenly the ship's bell rang out upon the still night +air. Instantly there came a jar, a quiver, and all rushed out upon deck +to see what had happened. We had been rudely jostled by an unseen ice +floe while the eyes of the pilot had been occupied by the ones visible. +Several times this happened. We were in the midst of a sea of ice floes. +There was no visible egress ahead; we must back out, if possible, as we +had come. + +Soon our steamer was stopped for the night, and religious services were +begun in the dining salon. About one hundred persons were present. Our +quartet sang five or six selections, "Rock of Ages" and "Throw Out the +Life-line" among others. The preacher offered prayer, read Scripture +promises, and spoke feelingly for twenty minutes. He talked of our lives +being only short spans, the length of which depends upon the will of +God; and it is the duty of each soul, he said, to be prepared to meet +its Maker. + +It was a solemn moment for all. Outside the ice drifted slowly about, +thick fog settled over us, the ship's whistle sounded, and night came +on. The loneliness increased. + +When the speaker had closed his remarks he asked that the quartet sing +"Nearer My God to Thee," and we sang it. Sweet and firm was the voice of +the English girl now, and when, with uplifted arm and softly spoken +benediction, the minister dismissed us, it was to go upon deck feeling +stronger and much comforted. + +There was yet no breath of wind stirring. For this we thanked a kind +Providence, for, had the wind risen, our lives would have been in +jeopardy indeed. In that case the massive ice cakes would have been +blown swiftly and heavily about to crush all ships like egg-shells and +send them to the bottom of the sea. + +For breakfast we ate yellow corn-bread and bacon with a relish such as +it never gave at home, and even those who had been seasick for days were +beginning to "get away" with their rations. At eight in the morning the +anchor with its rattling chain was dropped and we lay in an open spot. +An hour later there was no perceptible motion of the ship, the sea was +smooth as a carpet, and our tired captain had gone to bed. For +forty-eight hours he had not slept, nor scarcely left the bridge, and +the rest was badly needed. + +Two days we lay anchored in a dead calm, waiting for the passing ice to +open a way for us through to Nome. Three ships lay near us, as well as +two larger ones out farther in the ice-fields; but the fog hung grey and +persistent over our heads and we could do nothing but wait. Another +concert was given by the musicians, and as the steamer lay gently +rocking upon the waters of the great sea, through the open front windows +there floated out to our sister ship the sweet and pleasing strains of +the violins and mandolins. + +Were they telling in lively allegretto movements of our safe landing on +golden shores, and of our successful achievements followed by a safe and +happy return to home and loved ones? Or were the adagios mournfully +predicting perils, coming disaster and death? Who could tell? For +myself, I felt that whatever came to me would be in accordance with the +will and wish of a Higher Power, and it would be all right in any case. +My choice was, of course, from the human standpoint, for life, happiness +and success in the pursuit of gold; but this with me was not an +obstinate nor rebellious sentiment. Should all these good things be +denied me, I could say, it is well. I felt satisfied that the way for my +going to Alaska had been wonderfully opened by an Unseen Influence which +I had been taught from earliest childhood to recognize, and this +belief, which was a firm and abiding one, held me calm and contented. +Night after night I slept in my berth as soundly as though at home in my +bed, and not even the sudden jolt and quiver of the icebergs coming +often into collision with the ship caused me to waken. + +The night of June twelfth, about eleven o'clock, just after having +retired, but being still awake, I heard a sudden and piercing scream. +The English madam with me, being still dressed, rushed upon deck to find +out the cause of the disturbance. Rushing towards her with pale and +frightened face was her daughter who had been lunching in the dining +salon. An iceberg of immense proportions and greater height than usual +had struck the ship with a crash, coming up suddenly and most +unexpectedly from underneath the fog bank so that the watchful pilot was +taken unawares. The English girl said the berg, when alongside the ship, +reached the height of the upper deck and appeared like a huge mountain +of ice from her place at the window. It was consternation at the sight +of what was apparently sure and speedy destruction which had caused the +woman's scream. + +Investigation was immediately made of the ship's plates, which, though +considerably dented by the ice, were still, thanks to a kind Providence, +intact; and again I settled myself for the night and slept. + +Next day men were restless. They wanted to be on their way to Nome. It +was not for this that they had paid a large price for their tickets and +assurances that they would arrive early at Nome; and they agreed that +there was no more danger in steaming ahead than in lying anchored with +the ice bumping into us and liable to break through the ship's sides at +any moment. + +"Will you sign a petition to the captain asking that he proceed on his +way to Nome without further delay?" asked a friend of me while the "St. +Paul" was anchored and the ice still drifting around us. + +"They are circulating such a petition, and have a good many signers, or +those who are willing to sign it, and I wanted to know how you feel +about it," said my friend. + +"What is the matter with the captain? Did they not announce their +confidence in him by coming aboard this steamer, and has he done +anything to cause them to lose faith in his ability to pilot them safely +through? Has he not brought them on their voyage thus far without +accident?" I asked. + +"Oh, yes, certainly." + +"Then I, for one, shall abide by the captain's judgment, and remain +anchored here so long as he sees fit to order it. You can say to the +others that I will sign no petition," said I. + +Whether my decision and firmness in the matter had any weight with +others, I know not; but the petition was dropped, and the captain +probably never knew that such a thing had been proposed. + +The morning of June thirteenth the sun shone out clear and bright. Great +fields of ice surrounded us, and many other ships were also hemmed in at +different places. The "Elder" lay contentedly beside us. It was not so +cold when the fog had lifted, and the clearer atmosphere made it +possible to see for many miles over the berg-strewn waters. Men were +walking restlessly about on deck trying to keep their impatience down +and their hands and feet warm. They feared that other ships with +hundreds of passengers would land at Nome before they could, and that +would mean loss, perhaps in many ways, to them. We were less than two +hundred miles from Nome and could easily make the run in a day if +allowed a free sea. + +By this time the face of the steward began to show anxiety and he +watched the horizon with interest. Serving, as he did, nearly fifteen +hundred meals daily, he feared a shortage of supplies if the ship was +delayed many days longer. Ten sacks of flour, and fifteen hundred pounds +of meat were used daily, and other things in proportion. For breakfast +one day ninety dozen eggs were fed to the people. + +High overhead the stars and stripes were now hoisted to announce our joy +at being delivered from so many dangers, and at leading the way for +others to follow. No one could pass us, and we would, after all, be +among the first, if not the very first, to reach Nome. + +The captain looked jaded and worn, but happy and relieved, being able +now to get some of the much-needed rest so long denied him when in the +ice fields. When congratulated by the passengers upon his skill, for by +this time they had entirely forgotten their discontent of the previous +days and were willing to give him and his crew due praise, he smiled and +thanked them kindly, then went away to rest. + +Early next morning anchor was dropped at Nome. At last we had reached +our destination. We had traveled thirty-one hundred and thirty-nine +miles in nineteen days and could have done it in much shorter time had +it not been for the ice. Several small ships lay at anchor before us, +but we were immediately followed by many large steamers bringing +thousands of people to Nome. The weather was splendid. Many of the +passengers were in such haste to reach shore than they left without +breakfast; but we waited until ten in the morning before boarding the +"lighter," and I donned a dress suitable to the occasion. This was cut +short, and was worn with high, stout boots, leggings, warm coat, cap and +veil, with extra wraps for the trip of two miles to shore. + +Certainly we now presented a very unique spectacle. We were really a +sort of Noah's Ark collection, with the roof of the Ark omitted. Women +in abbreviated skirts, long rubber boots, golf capes, caps and sweaters; +men covered in long "raglans," fur coats, "jumpers," or whatever +happened to be at hand; and all rushing pell-mell in the direction of +the lighter, by means of which they hoped to land on the golden beach of +Nome. Baggage there was in stacks. There were boxes, grips, trunks, army +sacks; everything but babies, bird cages and band wagons. Passage for an +automobile had been engaged in San Francisco, but at the last moment the +lady accompanying the big machine was suddenly indisposed and obliged to +allow the "St. Paul" to sail without her. + +The sea was now quite rough. The lighter was brought close alongside. +The rope ladder was thrown over the side of the ship with its lower end +dangling upon the lighter's deck, and we were told we could now go +ashore. + +This was the moment for which we had longed, and all were ready, like +Cassibianca, minus the fire and peanuts. The fat widow of the company +tied her bonnet more tightly under her chin, clutched at her pudgy +skirts, and grasping the deck rail, placed her foot upon the rope ladder +to descend. + +"Don't look down!" shouted some one to her, fearing she might grow dizzy +if she did so. + +"Don't hurry; take your time!" called out another. + +"Keep cool and you're all right!" instructed another, at which time the +widow, with fluttering veil, pale face and eyes starting from their +sockets with fright reached the lowest round of the ladder and stepped +to the deck of the lighter. Her bonnet was awry, the belt of her dress +had become unfastened, while her skirts were twisted around her in some +unaccountable way and her teeth chattering; but she only drew a long +sigh as she sank in a limp heap upon an army sack marked with big black +letters, and said gaspingly: "This is terrible!" Others followed her +example. Some protested they would rather stay on the ship or go back to +San Francisco than scramble down that "beastly rope ladder" swaying as +it did back and forth with every motion of the ship to which it was +attached. For myself, I had never posed as especially courageous, and +wondered how I should get on. But I said nothing. From watching the +others I had learned that to "make haste slowly" was a good method to +follow in the present case, as a misstep without a firm hand grip upon +the sides of the ladder while descending would be likely to send one +without warning into the yard wide gulf of boiling waters between the +ship's side and the lighter, as the barge was literally dancing +attendance upon the vessel in the rough sea. + +Finally everything was ready. All passengers had left the ship. The +lighter was crowded to the last inch of space; baggage and freight along +the sides, and passengers in the middle, sitting wherever they could +find a box or bag upon which to sit. A tug boat made fast to the +lighter--we said good-bye to the "St. Paul" and moved away. + +"We are bidding good-bye to all comforts now!" exclaimed an old Nomeite +dubiously, "for we won't find any on shore; leastwise not unless it has +improved more in the last ten months than I think it has. It was a tough +place enough last summer, and that's no josh either!" looking around him +at the ladies of the party and evidently wondering what they would think +of the celebrated mining town. + +Many by this time looked sober, but it was not a hard camp that they +feared. They had expected to find a typical camp with all the attendant +evils usual in such a place, and now they were almost there. In fact +they looked out over the heaps of baggage towards shore at the long fine +of white tents, buildings of every description from a board shack to a +hotel or large store, and it seemed good in their eyes--very good. For +some unseen reason, as the barge, following as it did at the end of the +long line from the tug, rode first upon the top of a big breaker and +then below in the trough, there was a decided longing on the part of +some to be on land. It did not much matter where it was--Europe, Asia, +Africa or "any old place"; but as for this "confounded, zig-zaggin', +heavin' old hulk which is tryin' its best to take us to Honolulu +sideways--I want no more of it!" growled one man. + +"Give me Nome or I die!" gasped another. + +"No more big water in mine for two years, and mebbe by that time they +will have air ships to fly in," muttered a little man as he lay on his +back among a pile of bags and gulped at something in his throat he was +trying to keep down. + +So the barge bobbed up and down among the breakers, riding to the crest +of a wave with a gliding, graceful motion, only to reach out beyond it, +and then, as the waters underneath receded, dropping heavily with a thud +and a splash, making one feel that he was being dealt with most +unceremoniously. + +The same thing was again and again repeated, until we rode as close to +the shore as the tug could take us, then the line was cut, a rope was +thrown us from shore, and with a steam windlass or other contrivance, we +were hauled upon the sands. + +Then a gangplank was speedily pushed out over the intervening watery +space which the passengers took their turns in crossing until all stood +upon the beach; a few, to be sure, with wet feet, damp clothing and +soggy tempers if some vicious, big breaker in parting had dashed its +white foam-tipped waters over their heads, but all glad and thankful to +arrive in Nome at last. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +NOME. + + +The man who had predicted that we would find no comforts in Nome proved +himself a true prophet. There were none. Crowded, dirty, disorderly, +full of saloons and gambling houses, with a few fourth-class restaurants +and one or two mediocre hotels, we found the new mining camp a typical +one in every respect. Prices were sky high. One even paid for a drink of +water. Having our newly found Alaska appetites with us, we at once, upon +landing, made our way to an eating house, the best to be found. + +Here a cup of poor tea, a plate of thin soup and questionable meat stew +with bread were served us upon nicked china, soiled table linen and with +blackened steel knives and forks, for the enormous sum of one dollar a +head; which so dumbfounded us that we paid it without a murmur, backed +out the door and blankly gazed into each other's faces. + +"Such prices will ruin us!" gasped the madam. + +"That table linen! Ugh!" shuddered the young man. + +"Fifteen cents in California for such a meal!" growled the English girl +in her matter-of-fact way, and with wide distended eyes; while I found +such amusement in watching the three faces before me that I barely +found breath to remind them of the two tons of nice things in their own +packing cases at the landing. + +"If only they are soon landed," groaned madam, and we set off at our +best gait to find the cases. + +But we did not succeed. The freight was being unloaded from the ship, we +were told, as rapidly as it was possible to handle it, but one lighter +and small tug boat in a very rough sea, unloading a ship two miles off +the beach, must have time; and we waited. Only two or three lighters +were to be had at Nome. Other large steamers were being unloaded, and +hundreds of people were hourly being landed upon the beach. There was no +shelter for them anywhere, every building was full, and confusion was +badly confounded. To make matters worse it began to rain. If we could +only find our freight and get our tents, beds, supplies, etc., we would +be all right, but it would be impossible that day we found, after making +repeated excursions through the freight house and numberless inquiries +at the office. + +Something must be done, but what? I now remembered some Dawson +acquaintances in town made the fall before while coming down the Yukon +River with my brother. To one family of these I made my way. They were +in the grocery and bakery business on a prominent corner on First street +and their signboard caught my eye. + +Blessings on the heads of kind Mr. and Mrs. M. of Nome City! They were +delighted to see me. They lived back of the store in one room, which +contained their bed, stove, cupboard, baby-organ, table, chairs and +trunks; but they also owned a one-room shack next door, which was vacant +for a few days, being already rented to a dentist who would make some +repairs before taking possession. I could bring my friends and baggage +into this without charge, if I wished, until we secured our freight, +Mrs. M. said kindly, and I pressed her hand in real gratitude with many +thanks. + +"I am almost ashamed to show you the room," said the kind little woman, +as she unlocked the door of the shack and stepped inside, "but it is +better than no shelter in this rain, and you can have a fire in the +stove," pointing to a small and rusty coal heater in one corner. "I wish +I had some blankets or fur robes to lend you, but everything I have is +in use. You are welcome to bring in as many friends as you like if they +will share the poor place with you; and you are quite safe here, too, +for you see the barracks are just opposite," pointing across the muddy +little alley down which a few boards had been laid for a sidewalk; "and +the soldiers are here to keep order, though they do sometimes find it +rather a hard job." + +Then I thanked the little woman again most heartily, and, as I took from +her hands the door-key and stepped outside into the rain to bring my +waiting friends and baggage from the freight house, I offered a little +prayer of thanks to our good Father, and hurried away. + +[Illustration: NOME.] + +At the steamer's landing all was hurly-burly and noise. It was now late +in the afternoon, still raining at intervals, and muddy under foot, +though the weather was not cold. Finding my English friends I told them +of Mrs. M.'s kindness and offer of her room, which they were well +pleased to accept with me, and we gathered up our luggage and started +for the place. Passing through the freight house on our way to the +street, madam said, pointing to the figures of two woman huddled in a +corner: + +"See! Judge R. from the St. Paul has not found a room yet, and Mrs. R. +and her friend, the nurse, are sitting there, waiting for the judge to +return! His wife is nearly sick, and they have no idea where they can +get a room. Judge R. has been looking hours for one without success," +she said, in a sympathetic tone. + +"Let us speak to them," said I, going over to where the ladies sat. + +Hearing their story, and seeing for myself that both women were cold, +hungry and disheartened, I decided on the spot to share Mrs. M.'s +hospitality with them; made the proposal, which they very thankfully +accepted, and we trailed off up the street laden with luggage. + +Then madam's son was found, informed of the situation, asked to bring +Judge R. and a few loaves of bread from the shop, along with the +remaining luggage, to our new camping place in the little board shack +near the barracks. + +Seeing us arrive, and that the three elderly ladies looked worn and +travel-stained, Mrs. M. urged us to come into her room and take tea and +crackers which she had already placed upon the table. This invitation +the older ladies gladly accepted, while the English girl and myself +looked after our new lodgings. + +Here now was a state of things indeed! The entire stock of luggage for +seven grown persons was soon deposited in the middle of the floor. The +room of which the shack consisted was about eight by ten feet square, +set directly upon the ground, from which the water oozed at every step +of the foot. Two small windows, a front and back door, with the small +stove--that was all. These were our accommodations for the night, and +perhaps several nights and days. + +Then we two set to work with a will. We swept the floor, we gathered +sticks for a fire, we threw boards down outside the door upon which to +walk instead of in the mud, a pail of water was brought from a hydrant +after paying twenty-five cents for it, and a box was converted into a +table. Luggage was sorted, lunch baskets were ransacked, while tin cups, +coffee pot, knives, forks and spoons were found, with a fresh white +cloth upon which to spread the food. + +When Judge R. finally appeared, it was supper time. He carried a tin +fry-pan under one arm, a bag containing one dozen eggs, and a few slices +of ham on a paper plate, for which articles he had paid the goodly sum +of one dollar and seventy-five cents. + +Waving the fry-pan above his old grey head, the jolly judge shouted: +"See, the conquering hero comes! Oh, but I'm hungry! Say, how in the +world did you get this place? I hunted four mortal hours and failed to +find a shack, room, or tent for the night. Four thousand people landed +here today, and still they come. Jerusalem crickets! What a crowd! +Everybody is in from Dan to Beersheba! We will have fifteen thousand +people here soon if they don't stop coming, and no shelter for 'em!" +Then changing his tone and glancing toward his wife: + +"And how is my dear little wifey by this time?" tenderly patting Mrs. +R.'s white hand, which belonged to a woman tipping the beam at two +hundred. + +"Aren't you glad we came? I am." Then rattling on without giving his +wife a chance to speak, for her eyes had filled with tears: + +"I think I've got a 'case' already. Claim number four on D. Creek jumped +last winter while owner was away--jumper won't leave--talked with owner +today--think I'll get the job," said the hopeful old judge, sitting on +an empty cracker box and eating bread and cheese from his fingers. + +"Eat your supper, dear," to his wife, who was taking nothing, "and you +shall have a bed tonight--the best in Nome City. See! There it is now," +pointing to a big roll of dark brown canvas done up with a few varnished +sticks. + +"A folding cot--new patent--good and strong. (It'll need to be strong to +hold you up, won't it, dearie?) Now, please take your tea like a good +girl, to brace up your courage. Or would you like a drop of sherry?" + +To all this Mrs. R. shook her head, but she did not speak, neither did +she attempt to eat, for there was a big lump in her throat which +prevented. + +The rest of our party enjoyed the supper. Some sat on boxes, others +stood up, but we ate ham and eggs, bread, butter and cheese, tea and +crackers, pickles, jellies and jams, as being the greatest "comforts" we +could find in the camp, and we made them speedily disappear. + +At last the supper things were cleared away, and remaining food repacked +in the baskets. The patent cot was unrolled, set up and made ready for +Mrs. R., who was the only one favored with a bed. The others finally +faced the proposition and prepared, as best they could, their chosen +floor spaces for their beds. + +All slept in their clothing, for we had no bedding and the night was +cold. The two men were banished to the outer air, where together they +smoked and talked of affairs of the day, while we women unbuttoned our +shoes, took out a few hairpins, cold-creamed our sunburned faces, and +then, between jokes, stories and giggling, we settled ourselves, with +much difficulty and hard snuggling, among our bags, raincoats, steamer +rugs and wraps on the rough board floor for the night. + +Coming in later, the judge spread his borrowed fur robe upon the floor +beside his wife's cot, covered himself with one-half of the same, +chuckling as he did so. + +"I'm glad my bones are well cushioned with fat, and that I'm old and +tough and like this sort of thing. I say, wife, isn't it jolly?" And the +portly and sunny old judge dropped off to sleep to keep me awake most of +the night by his snoring. + +If I slept little that night I did not waste my time. My brain was busy +forming plans of action. It was not wise to have only one plan, for that +one might fail. Better to have several, and some one of these would +probably succeed. I felt a good deal of anxiety to know whether my +father or brother had or would come to Nome. If either or both of them +came I would have no further difficulty because I would work for and +with them, but if they did not come what was I to do? + +I had little money. I would not go home. I would work. I was a good +cook, though I had never done such work except for our own home folks. I +knew that cooking was the kind of service most in demand in this country +from women, for my travels in Alaska the year before had taught me +that. I could teach music, and I could paint passably in water colors +and oils; in fact, I had been a teacher of all three, but in Alaska +these luxuries were not in demand. I could not expect to do anything in +these directions, for men and women had come to Nome for gold, expected +to get lots of it, and that quickly. They had no time for Beethoven's +sonatas or water color drawings. + +It was now an urgent question of food, shelter and work with all, and +the man or woman who could the quickest devise ways and means, the one +who saw the needs of the time and place and was able to supply those +needs, was the one who could make the most money. Of course, being a +woman, I was unable to do beach mining as could a man, and as many men +expected to do. Those who brought large outfits and plenty of money with +them were immediately obliged to hire help, but it was generally a man's +help, like carpenter work, hauling and handling supplies or machinery, +making gold washers and sluice boxes, or digging out the gold in the +creeks. None of these could I do. On the steamer all these things had +been well talked over among ourselves, for others besides myself were +wondering which way they should turn when they found themselves in Nome. + +As to there being any disgrace connected with work of any sort--it never +entered my head. From a child I had been taught that work was honorable, +and especially for a woman housework and cooking were respectable and +healthy service. So I had no pride whatever in the matter; it was only a +question of finding the work, and I did not doubt my ability to find it +somewhere. + +On the voyage from San Francisco I had thought well of the three Swedish +women, and believed they would succeed in their proposed plan of +restaurant work. I said to myself that if I were obliged to seek work I +should like to be with them if possible; or, at least, with some of the +"lucky Swedes," as the rich Anvil Creek mine owners were usually +designated. These miners all hired cooks for their camps, as they kept +large numbers of men at work day and night on the Anvil Creek claims, +the season being so short for placer mining in this country. Anvil Creek +was only four miles away and the "Star Restaurant," as my friends had +already named their proposed eating-house, would be headquarters for all +the Scandinavians on Anvil and the entire district. For this reason, and +because the three had so many acquaintances who would bring them +patronage, and because their pleasant faces and agreeable manners always +made friends for them, I felt sure that they would be able to give me +work if they chose and I so desired. Then, too, there were the several +Dawson families of my acquaintance here, and I would find them; possibly +some of them might give me work if I asked them. + +However, the first move to be made was to find our freight and baggage, +and a spot upon which to pitch our tents, and the sooner that was done +the better, as the test and cleanest camping places were fast being +appropriated by the newcomers hourly landing. It was not easy to find a +clean, dry spot for a tent, as I had found the day before that the +black, soggy soil was hardly free from frost a foot down, and this made +it everywhere marshy, as the water could not keep down nor run off where +it was level. Some one on the steamer who had been in Nome before had +advised us to pitch our tents on the "Sandspit" at the mouth of Snake +River, as that was the cleanest, driest and most healthful spot near +fresh water that we could find; and my mind was made up that it was to +the Sandspit I would go. Many had been the warnings from friends before +leaving home about drinking impure water, getting typhoid fever and +other deadly diseases, and without having any particular fear as to +these things I still earnestly desired a clean and healthful camping +place. + +This, then, was the way I planned during most of the first night after +landing at Nome. If I slept it was towards morning, when I had become +accustomed to the regular and stentorian snores of the old judge; or +when, for a few moments, after turning in his sleep, his snorts and +wheezes had not yet reached their loudest pitch; and when my wishes had +shaped themselves so distinctly into plans for work that I felt relieved +and full of confidence, and so slept a little. + +[Illustration: LIFE AT NOME.] + +Next day I looked for my father. At the landing, on the streets, in the +stores, at all times I was on the lookout, though it was a difficult +matter to find any one in a crowd such as that in Nome. I saw several +acquaintances from Dawson the year before, and people from different +steamers that I knew, but not my father. At nine o'clock next morning +three of us started out to find the Sandspit, with, if possible, a good +camping spot to which we could take our freight as soon as it was +landed, and part of our number was detailed to stay at the landing while +we investigated. Down through the principal thoroughfare we pushed our +way, now on plank sidewalk, now in the middle of the street if the walks +were too crowded; but going to the west end of town till we came to +Snake River Bridge, where we crossed to the Sandspit. At the toll-gate +we easily passed, as all women were allowed to go over free, men only +being charged ten cents toll. Here we quickly found a clean, dry place +on the river bank a hundred feet below the bridge and two hundred feet +from the ocean, which we chose for our tents. Now arose the question, +would any one have any objection to our pitching our tents temporarily? +Seeing some men striking camp near by we asked them. They told us that +we could get permission, they thought, from an old captain near by on a +stranded boat, now being used as an eating-house, and to him we went. He +was not in. + +Going back to the Sandspit, it was decided that I should remain upon +the spot, while my companions went back to the landing. I was to remain +there till some of them came back. This I did, sitting on a box in the +sunshine with my kodak, umbrella and lunch basket beside me for hours. +When madam returned, saying their search for their freight was still +unavailing, I left her in my place and again called upon the captain. + +Calling the third time at his boat, I found him and secured his ready +permission to temporarily pitch our tents upon the sands, for he was an +Alderman with adjoining "town lots," he told us. + +By six o'clock that afternoon a part of madam's baggage and freight was +found, hauled by dog-team through town to the Sandspit and deposited +upon the ground. Then we bestirred ourselves to get a tent up in which +we could sleep, as I, for one, was determined not to be kept awake by +the judge's snores another night if I had to work till morning. The +others shared my feelings, and we worked like beavers till midnight. By +that time a small tent had been put up, boxes of bedding unpacked, as +well as cooking utensils, oil-stoves and foods, so that we could begin +cooking. + +At the continuous daylight we were much pleased. Coming gradually into +it, as we had done on the steamer, we were prepared for it, but the +advantage of a continuous day to a busy, hustling camp like this one, +had not presented itself to us until we ourselves attempted to work half +the night; then we realized it fully. At nine in the evening a +beautiful twilight enveloped all, restful to nerves and eyes, but still +light enough to read by. + +At ten o'clock it was lighter, and upon the placid waters of Snake +River, only fifteen feet away, lay quiet shadows cast from the opposite +side, clearly and beautifully reflected. A few small steamers lay +further down stream near the river's mouth, row boats were tied along +the edge of the water, and on the Sandspit below us was a camp of +Eskimos, their tiny canoes and larger skin boats being hauled upon shore +beside them for safety. At midnight the sun was almost shining, the air +was salt, fresh and clear, while the sky seemed to hang low and lovingly +above our heads. + +After eating a midnight lunch of our own getting of bread and butter +with hot tea, we deposited ourselves, still dressed, upon the tops of +madam's big packing cases, from which had been taken pillows and +blankets, and slept soundly till morning, notwithstanding the fact that +the hammers of hundreds of carpenters were busy around us all night. + +Next morning all felt fresh and invigorated. The sun shone brightly. In +the roadstead two miles away lay several newly arrived steamers, their +deep-toned whistles frequently sounding over the intervening waters. It +was a beautiful sight and welcome sound. How easily the long and +graceful breakers rolled and broke upon the sands. With what music the +foam-tipped wavelets spread their edges, like the lace-trimmed ruffles +on some lady's gown, upon the smooth and glistening beach. How the white +tents everywhere looked like doves of peace just alighted, and the +little boats danced up and down on the river. I was glad to be there. I +enjoyed it. Nothing, not even the hard work, the storms, nor the bitter +Arctic winter which came afterwards ever effaced from my memory the +beautiful pictures of river, sea and sky repeatedly displayed during +those first novel and busy days at Nome. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE FOUR SISTERS. + + +It was during the first excitement of the gold discoveries in the +Klondyke that four sisters left their home in Chicago and started for +Dawson. They were young, hopeful, ambitious and handsome. They owned a +town lot in the city, but they had not the means with which to erect a +building upon it, and the money would never be forthcoming if they +remained where they were. The ordinary salary of a working woman in +office or store was not sufficient to allow them more than a trifle +above necessary living expenses, and they could see themselves old, +wrinkled and grey before they could hope to attain their desired object. + +Reaching Dawson safely, as they did after weeks of peril and many novel +experiences, they set to work at what seemed to them at the moment the +most lucrative labor of which they were capable. They were fitted for +laundry work only by being well and strong physically, and by having a +willingness to do whatever they first found to do. + +This proved to be work at the wash-tub. Here the four women labored +month after month with a will, with the result that at the end of a year +their bank account was not insignificant, they owned several gold +claims, and in all the mining camp there were none who did not respect +the four sisters. + +Then came their first dark days. It was midsummer. Down among the grass +roots and between the rocks of the hillside back of the famous camp, +there trickled numerous fresh water springs, pure and cold when they +left their sequestered sources among the seams and fissures, but gaining +nothing of purity when spread out upon the little plain now thickly +dotted with cabins. + +Here in the hurry and rush of the fast growing camp, when fortunes came +quickly, and men lived at a rapid pace, there was little time for +sanitary precautions, and so it presently happened that a shadow, like a +huge black bird of ill omen, suddenly hovered above the camp, sending a +shudder through its entire length. A tiny germ, so small as to pass +unnoticed and unheeded by, and yet withal so deadly as to be called a +plague, crept along, insinuating itself into the streamlets making their +way as best they could to their father, the Yukon; and the fever laid +low many victims. + +Early and late had the sisters toiled, never in a half-hearted way, but +untiringly, day after day, until one of their number, being perhaps less +strong, or more weary from work to which she had been unaccustomed, and +more susceptible to disease, was stricken with fever, and after only a +few days' illness, whispered her loving good-byes. + +This happened in the summer of 1899, and rumors of the great gold strike +at Nome now reached Dawson. One sister had been persuaded by a member of +the Dawson Bar to make for him a happy home during the remainder of his +life, and she was married. + +Again their party numbered the original four, though there were now only +three sisters. + +The excitement in Dawson regarding the new Nome gold fields daily +increased, and it was stated by reliable steamer men from St. Michael +that the new strike rivaled that of the Klondyke. + +The little party of four decided to go to Nome. In a short time their +business was arranged, sales made, gold claims placed in charge of +agents, and everything made in readiness for their journey to Nome. + +It was the middle of September. The last boats were leaving Dawson, both +for points on the Upper Yukon and for St. Michael. People leaving Dawson +by boat in the fall seldom linger beyond the third or fourth week in +September, for then the river may freeze at any time and they be +prisoners in the camp indefinitely. + +The lower river steamer "Hannah" was about to push from the dock at +Dawson when a friend introduced me to the three sisters, and during the +following days on board an acquaintance sprung up which I much enjoyed. +Little did we know that this friendship would afterwards be renewed +nearly two thousand miles away, and under circumstances vastly different +from any with which we had before become familiar. + +Landing safely from the "Hannah" at St. Michael, a few days were spent +by the sisters waiting for stormy weather to subside, and they then +sailed for Nome. Here they landed during the last days of September, +amid falling snow, bleak winds and boiling surf, upon the sands of the +most inhospitable beach in all that dreary Northland. No tree was to be +seen. Not a rock under whose friendly shelter one might hide from the +storms. There was almost no lumber in the camp with which to build +houses, and no incoming steamers expected. A few rude shacks, tents and +saloons, with two or three companies' buildings--of these was the town +composed. Many were rushing for the steamers in waiting, determined only +upon one thing--to get home to the States. Some carried heavy sacks of +gold, others went empty-handed. There was the summer's accumulation of +filth in the camp, too young as yet for cleanly conditions, and these +brought their sure accompaniment--the fever. Many suffered for weeks +with it, and then died. + +Again came the dread plague to the sisters. Scarcely had they unpacked +their trunks or found shelter for the winter when the younger of the +sisters was stricken down. For days she raved in delirium, and all +feared she would die. Night and day they watched anxiously by her +bedside. Everything was done for her recovery and comfort that could be +done in a new and rough camp like the one at Nome; for all who knew the +beautiful little sister loved her well. + +Then came the time when all the long and heavy yellow hair had to be cut +from the lovely head in obedience to the doctor's orders. But the little +sister lived. Their prayers were answered, the worst was over, the +danger past. + +Then followed long and weary weeks of convalescing, while the winter +storms raged outside the little cabin, and the sun retreated farther +from the Arctic Circle and Nome, but the sisters thanked God, and again +took courage. + +Months after came the welcome springtime. With the earliest fine weather +and revival of business in the camp the sisters erected a store building +and warehouse on the beach near by. Into the latter they moved +temporarily, hoping to rent the store to some of the numerous +"tenderfeet" sure to arrive on the first passenger steamers. + +It was here I found the sisters on my arrival at Nome from San Francisco +in June, 1900. Little sister was well and strong again, growing a fresh +crop of roses and lilies on her cheeks, and a new head covering of +lovely, wavy yellow hair. On her lips she wore the same sweet, old +smiles, however, and I knew her well by these. Since her recovery from +the fever the hands of the sisters had not been idle, and they had +become expert at sewing furs. This had kept them busy as bees all +winter, and many were the caps, coats, mittens and capes made by their +industrious fingers, which brought them a good income, while their rooms +were always the rendezvous of friends than which a jollier lot could not +be discovered. + +Of the good influence going out through the rough mining camp during the +long and dreary winter from the home of these sweet and Christian women, +no account has probably ever been kept, except by the recording angel, +who never forgets. + +The day after we landed at Nome I secured work. Not, however, to begin +immediately, which pleased me well, as I should then have a little time +to look for father, inspect the camp, study conditions and take notes +and kodak views. + +"Can you cook for a gang of men?" asked Mr. A. kindly smiling down at me +when I had stopped him on the street and asked for work in his camp for +the English girl and myself, as we wished to be together. + +"Indeed, I can. I will do my very best, Mr. A., and I feel sure we can +please you. My friend is an extra good cook, as you will discover if you +give us work. Will you try us?" + +"I will," he replied. + +"At what wages, please?" + +"Five dollars per day, each, with board," promptly answered the +gentleman whose two gold claims on famous Anvil Creek made him one of +the richest men in Alaska. + +So it was settled. Claim number nine, Anvil, was about seven miles from +Nome, and one of the most noted claims in the district. Mr. A., a former +Swedish missionary at Golovin Bay, had, with his doctor brother, voyaged +to Nome on the "St. Paul" when we did, so we already had a slight +acquaintance with both gentlemen and were pleased to get the work. + +Anvil Creek claims had been worked the summer before. Gold had first +been discovered in the fall of 1898 by Mr. Hultberg, a Swedish +missionary, who learned of the precious metal around Nome from the +Eskimos. His mission was stationed at Golovin Bay, and he notified the +Swedes, Brynteson, Hagalin, Lindbloom and Linderberg, who in turn saw G. +W. Price and induced him to go with them, as he was the only one there +experienced in mining. Price was on his way to Kodiak over the ice by +dog-team en route to California, as the representative of C. D. Lane, +the San Francisco mining man and millionaire. + +The most of Anvil Creek was staked by this party before they returned to +the mines at Council City, fifty miles up Fish River from Golovin Bay. + +"On July second, 1899, a second cleanup was made on number one above +Discovery Claim, Anvil Creek, the property of J. Linderberg. The result +of four men shovelling out of the creek bed from a cut five feet to +bedrock for twenty hours amounted to fourteen thousand dollars in gold +dust. The men shovelled all the gravel from the moss down to bedrock +into the sluice box as it was all pay gravel. The owner refused five +hundred thousand dollars for the property without considering the +offer." + +Tierney is authority for the statement that this claim produced four +hundred thousand dollars that season. + +From this time the discoverers were known by the sobriquet of the "Lucky +Swedes," for Anvil Creek was all good, there being no really "poor dirt" +in it, and number nine, above Discovery Claim, proved itself, the first +summer, also a banner winner. + +It was here that we expected to work, as soon as supplies could be +hauled to the claim, the monotony of bread making and dish washing to be +varied by the new and strange sights on an enormously rich gold claim +not far from the Arctic Circle. + +Everywhere around us were carpenter's hammers in operation, and tents +were rapidly going up. We found great difficulty in reserving ground +space enough for another tent, as others found the Sandspit as desirable +for tenting as we did, and elbowed us closely. Along the river's edge +and the beach near by many were digging and panning in the sands +searching for "colors." Dog-teams were hauling freight and baggage, with +their swearing and perspiring drivers at their heels, and while the big +black-snake whips flourished in air above the dogs or upon their +straining backs, the tongues of the faithful brutes hung from their +mouths, and their wide open eyes looked appealingly at bystanders. My +heart ached for the animals, but there were no humane societies in +Alaska. + +About five o'clock on Sunday afternoon it began to snow. This was the +first June snowstorm I had ever seen. Our little tent leaked badly, as +it had been hastily pitched, and the snow melted as it fell. Small +rivers of water were soon dropping upon our heads. Rain coats, oil +cloth, and opened umbrellas were utilized to protect the clothing and +the bedding. + +An hour of this experience would have been enough for one time, but +troubles seldom come singly, and so the wind began to blow. Donning her +rain coat and rubbers the English girl did her best to tighten ropes and +make the tent taut, for madam's son had not returned from town. +Presently, to our great joy, we saw him coming with a loaded dog-team of +freight, and best of all, with a man friend to assist him, whose strong +arms and broad shoulders were well fitted to tent pitching. Hastily the +cart was unloaded and the large canvas tent unrolled and laid upon the +sand. Stakes were driven, poles adjusted, ropes stretched with much +straining, as the wind whistled more vigorously, and snow still fell; +and the two men, both wet and cold, huddled into the little tent for a +cup of hot tea which was waiting. + +Then strong hands opened more boxes and a large oil stove, carpets, rugs +and many other necessary things were hustled into the new tent, as well +as trunks, bedding, and the contents of the small tent, with the +exception of canned goods and such things as water would not injure. The +sands were clean but wet, and if we were thankful for a stout canvas +cover over our heads we would have also been glad of a dry place under +foot. However, carpets and rugs were spread down, stoves lighted, and +the tent door flap fastened as securely as possible. + +As well as we could we arranged all for the night, but we expected to +sleep little, for the storm was now fearful. Rain, snow and hail, each +came down by turns, accompanied by a high wind which drove the surf in +roaring rage upon the beach. How thankful we were that we had chosen +this spot instead of one directly in reach of the great rollers with +their mist and spray; though we had the roar and boom of the surf in our +ears continually. Sometimes it seemed that the wind had lulled, and then +with increased violence it again screamed above our heads, threatening +us each moment with disaster. + +At midnight a supper of hot macaroni, cocoa, bread, butter and cheese, +with canned meat and jam, was heartily eaten by all, including the +visiting friend from Sitka who had assisted. A low box was used for a +table and we all sat upon the mats, eating from tin cups and plates with +the keenest appetites. + +The weather was now awful. The storm had increased until it seemed each +moment that the tent would be torn from its fastenings, and we be left +without any protection whatever. The ropes and stakes had frequently to +be looked after and made stronger. The snow had turned to rain, which +beat heavily upon the stout canvas resisting well the water without +leaking. + +By one o'clock the wind showed signs of abating, and we were so much in +need of sleep, that, all dressed as we were, we rolled ourselves in our +blankets and dozed on the rugs close to the oil stoves. For an hour I +lay uneasily dreaming, or listening to the royal cannonading of the +heavy surf upon the beach. From my diary I quote the following extract: + +"Monday, four in the morning, June eighteenth, 1900.--It is four in the +morning and we are sitting around the oil stoves in the middle of the +tent. We have just had hot cocoa and crackers. The surf still booms, but +it does not rain, and the wind has died down. We are better off than +many people. Tomorrow we will put up the other tent and get more +settled. We are thankful not to be on the sea beach, where so many are +camped. A. wishes herself home again. People around our tent all night +were talking, moving, afraid of the storm, but the big ships are still +here and they would put out to sea if it were necessary for their +safety. They say we have smallpox in town from the steamer 'Ohio,' and +yesterday Mrs. H., who came up on the 'St. Paul,' was reported to be +dying from pneumonia. The nurse, Mrs. Judge R.'s friend, is caring for +her. Judge R. and wife are still in Mrs. M.'s shack near the barracks. +It has been daylight all night. I hope to hear from father soon, and get +my freight. My friends here have all theirs. The two men are smoking and +talking while I write, and the Eskimo dogs not far away are howling in +their usual interesting nightly manner. I will now try to get a little +more sleep." + +We had heard much of beach mining at Nome, but saw little of it. Stories +were told of men who, in the summer of 1899, had taken hundreds of +dollars in gold dust from the beach sands by the crudest methods, and +thousands of men were now flocking into the camp for the purpose of +doing beach mining. They were sadly disappointed. Not, however, because +there was no gold in the beach sands, but because it was so +infinitesimally tiny that they had no means of securing it. No hand +rocker, copper plate, nor amalgam had been used with success, neither +did any of the myriads of prospective miners bring anything with them +which promised better results. Great heaps of machinery called by +hopeful promoters "gold dredgers" were being daily dumped upon the beach +from the ships, signboards were covered with pictures of things similar, +while the papers continually bloomed with advertisements of machines, +which, if speedily secured by the miners, would, according to the +imaginative advertiser, soon cause all to literally roll in riches. + +One flaming dodger ran in large letters thus: "Calling millions from the +vasty deep. A fortune in one hundred days. Our dredger will work three +thousand yards of sand in heavy surf at Cape Nome. It will take out +twenty-four thousand dollars in a day. You can make more money with us +than by taking flyers in wild-cat oil schemes, etc." The poster was +illustrated by a huge machine gotten up on the centipede plan; at least, +it resembled that hated insect from having attached to its frame two +sets of wheels of different sizes along the sides like the legs of a +centipede, but with a steam boiler for a head, and a big pipe for a +throat from which the salt water was disgorged to wash out this immense +amount of sand and give the gold to the miner. It did not save the gold. + +Thousands of dollars of good, hard-earned money were dumped upon the +beach in the shape of heavy machines of different kinds, which were +worse than useless, and only brought bitter disappointment to their +owners. Men had stripped the beach the summer before of all coarse gold +which had, perhaps, been ages in washing up from the ocean's bed, or +down the creeks from the hills, and only the fine, or "flour gold," as +it was called, remained. + +By the newcomers men were cursed for spreading abroad tales of beach +mining of the year before, but this was unjust, for conditions were not +the same. The waters bringing the gold to the beach could not, in one +season, replenish and leave the sands as rich as they had been after +long years, perhaps ages of action, and blame could not rightly be +attached to any one. Almost without exception, the men who did the +cursing were the men who had never been hard workers, and did not intend +to be, and so, after becoming satisfied that the nuggets were not there +to be simply picked up and pocketed, they turned, looked backward, and +went home. It was well for the new camp that they did. + +There was also much trouble over real estate. Land was very high in +price. Some Swedes, who, the year before, had paid seven hundred dollars +for a town lot three hundred by fifty feet in size, now sold one-half of +it for ten thousand dollars. It is small wonder, then, where "possession +is nine points of the law" that men who rightfully claimed ground were +ready to fight to keep it, and those who were wrongfully in possession +many times stood guard with firearms. + +In pitching our tents upon the sandy beach, especially after gaining +permission of the old captain who told us we would be in the street if +ever a street should be opened through on the Sandspit, but that was not +likely, and he had given us his full and free consent to our camping +temporarily there next his lots, we expected to have no trouble. Here we +miscalculated. Though the captain was kind and reasonable, he had a +partner who was just the reverse, and this person gave us infinite +trouble. + +Scarcely had our first load of baggage been put upon the ground when he +began to tramp fussily about at all times of day and night. After our +stakes were driven he would come quietly in the night and pull them up, +so we would find our canvas flapping in the morning breeze when we +waked. Or, after we had retired for the night, he would come with some +other, stand within hearing distance, and threaten us if we did not move +away. + +One morning, upon rising, we found that he had moved a long carpenter's +bench directly upon the spot next madam's tent, which I was trying to +reserve for my own tent as soon as I succeeded in getting my things from +the steamer. This disappointed me much, but I said nothing; and when my +tent finally came I pitched it on the other side, with my door directly +opposite hers and only six feet from her entrance. + +As to appearance this old man was a jolly sight. He wore long and +tangled hair which had once been curly, but now hung in unkempt and +dirty shreds upon his shoulders, while his hat was an antiquated relic +of a former life in the States. A pair of old trousers generally hung by +one suspender over a colored shirt, which, the summer before, possibly, +had had a wash-tub experience, but not later; his footwear was +altogether unmentionable. He was called well-to-do, and there was no +necessity for him to cut such an abominable figure, so he soon became a +by-word, and was designated as "sour dough." At all events, he was sour +enough, and kept up a continual siege of torment until he received a +temporary quietus. + +We three women were sitting in the tent one morning when there came a +voice at the door. Going forward to enquire what was wanted, a man said +gruffly, thrusting a piece of paper into my hand. + +"A notice from the chief of police." + +"For what?" I inquired. + +"For you, to vacate these premises without delay." + +"Indeed! Are they to open a street? Will the other campers about here +move also?" I asked. + +"I don't know. My orders are that you shall move immediately. See that +you do it," said the man rudely. + +While holding the paper in my hands I glanced over it hastily, and saw +the marks of a spurious document. It was poorly constructed, and bore +no official signs. I recognized it as a counterfeit. + +"We have had permission from captain S., one of the aldermen, to put our +tents here, and we shall stay unless he orders us away," said I stoutly. + +"You have permission from captain S.?" he asked in surprise. + +"Yes, sir, from captain S. himself, and you can say to the chief of +police that we shall stay here until the captain orders us to leave," +saying which I stepped back into the tent. + +The man retreated, muttering to himself as he went, for he was utterly +routed, and never returned; neither did we hear any more for some time +about moving our tents. It was as I suspected. Mr. Sourdough had thought +to frighten us away, and the order from the chief of police was utterly +bogus. + +Some time afterward, when madam attempted to put a floor into her tent, +"Sourdough" again put in an appearance. He threatened, but she held out, +when the obstinate and perverse old man trotted off down town and +secured an officer and four soldiers to come and put her off. The +officer looked the ground over, inquired if there was room for teams to +pass if necessary, and seeing her tent in line with many others, he +turned to the old man and said: + +"This tent takes up no more of the street than the others. This lady has +as much right to be here as any one else. What is the matter with you? +Let the women alone," and he and his soldiers marched away. + +Mr. Sourdough tore his hair. He was wild with anger. The floor of +madam's tent went down and stayed. + +Each day I was in the habit of giving my Swedish friends a call, and +found them finally ready to set up their restaurant tent. A large floor +was laid on Second street near the post-office, the large canvas +stretched over the frame, tables and seats provided, a corner +partitioned off for a kitchen, dishes placed upon shelves, and they +began serving meals. At this juncture I happened in one day just before +noon and found them rushed with work and unable to fill their meal +orders for lack of help. Mary was peeling potatoes in haste, while +trying to do other things at the same time, and Ricka and Alma were +flying like bees. + +"Let me peel those potatoes for you," said I, taking the knife from +Mary's hand; and when she demurred, I told her I really had nothing to +do, and would be glad to assist. + +When the potatoes were peeled, dishes were heaped up to be cleaned, and +I quickly washed them, feeling that I was of some service, and not +heeding the surprised looks of a few acquaintances who chanced to catch +a glimpse of me at work in the kitchen through the door. + +This I did each day, coming over after I had eaten my breakfast, and +rolling up my sleeves to my elbows, drove them deep into the dish pan +and hot water. + +Many were the jolly times we now had. How the jokes flew past each other +over the puddings, and the crisp pies needed almost no other seasoning. +How cheerfully "the boys" brought wood and water and counted it reward +enough if they only received a smile from little Alma. Many a man was +glad enough, too, to render such service for a meal or lunch of hot +coffee and doughnuts, especially such good, big, motherly ones as Mary +made, and there was no lack of men helpers. How the coffee steamed, the +hot bread and meats smoked, and the soup odors tantalized the +olfactories of hundreds of "tenderfeet" with their lusty Alaska +appetites, which were increased by an open air life such as all in those +days were living. + +When at last we were summoned to our work, on Number Nine, the Swedish +women pressed my hand cordially, leaving a good-sized bill in it at the +same time, saying: "When you get through on Number Nine come back to us; +we need you." I thanked them gratefully and said good-bye. + +The English girl and myself were soon settled in our little tent with +its clean new floor on the hillside of claim Number Nine. No tree was to +be seen on the long, rolling hills, and only an occasional boulder on +some summit like Anvil Peak, perched as a sentinel above us. A few wild +flowers bloomed on the tundra, and the waters of the little stream +gurgled over the soft slate pebbles that strewed its course; but the +season so far was a dry one, and more water was needed before much could +be done at sluicing. Miners were not happy at the prospect of a dry +season, which meant a stoppage of all mining operations, and eagerly +scanned the heavens for rain indications. A small force of men were at +work night and day. On Thursday, July twelfth, eleven hundred dollars in +gold dust was taken from the sluice boxes in the creek, and two days +afterwards twelve thousand dollars, with which the owner of the claim +was much dissatisfied, calling them small clean-ups. + +A few hundred feet up stream, on Number Ten, the machinery of C. D. Lane +whirred constantly. On the upper end of Number Nine a small new machine +called a separator was put in by some men from New York who had taken a +lay on the claim; but this scheme was not successful. + +Seeing men at work prospecting along the "benches," as the banks of a +stream or hillsides are called by miners, and having a woman's +proverbial curiosity, after my work was done I climbed the hill to +investigate. The prospectors had left after digging a hole about six +feet deep and four square, evidently having satisfied themselves as to +what the ground contained. Into this hole I descended to feel of the +cold, wet earth and inspect the walls. + +The miners had reached the frost line and gone, taking with them samples +of pretty white quartz rock, as much of the debris at the bottom of the +hole plainly showed, but whether it contained gold I knew not. As yet I +was a tenderfoot; but something satisfactory was without doubt found +here and in the vicinity, as quartz claims were staked over the placer +claims the whole length of Anvil Creek that summer. + +While rambling about in search of flowers during our afternoon rests, we +found many interesting spots. To the northwest, over the high, bare +ridge, lay Snow Gulch, from which fabulous sums had the summer before +been taken, the blue and winding waters of famous Glacier Creek lying +just beyond. Walking through the dry, deep tundra over the hills was +warm, hard work, though we wore short skirts and high, stout boots, and +womanlike, we were always filled to the brim with questions and ready to +rest if we chanced to meet any one, which was not often. + +Wherever we went, and whatever the hour, we met with no incivility. Hats +were lifted, and men rested a moment upon their shovels to look after us +as we passed, while frequently some rough miner swallowed the lump in +his throat or wiped a tear, as he thought of his wife, daughter or +sweetheart far away. We were the only women in the mines for miles +around, but felt no fear whatever, and indeed we were as safe there as +at home, and there was no occasion for anxiety. + +Life was extremely interesting. Our work was not hard the first few +weeks; after that the force of men was increased. Rich pans of dirt (two +shovels full to a pan) were daily being brought to light. One pan +contained seventy-two dollars and seventy-five cents, one eighty-three +dollars and thirty-five cents. Big, fat nuggets already melted into +wondrous shapes, but iron rusted, as all Anvil Creek gold is, for some +reason, was discovered each day. One nugget tipped the scales at +thirty-nine dollars, one at twenty dollars, and one at fifty dollars, +with many others of like value. + +Wednesday, August eighth, the following entry was made in my diary: +"Today has been the banner day for gold dust. The night's cleanup of +twelve hours' work was a big one--three pans full of gold. Later--Still +more yet. A cleanup of nine thousand dollars and three of the largest +nuggets I ever saw has just been made this evening. Two of the nuggets +were long and flat, as large as a tree-toad, and much the shape of one. +The men took the first load of gold dust to town--seventy-five +pounds--but the bank was closed before they could get the remainder +there. The foreman says they are prepared to keep it here safely over +night, however, and I believe they are, judging by the big protuberances +on their hip pockets." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +LIFE IN A MINING CAMP. + + +As the rains came to facilitate the sluicing, more men were added to the +force shovelling in the creeks, and this made our work heavier. An +exceedingly cranky foreigner, as head cook, presided over the big coal +range in the mess-house, and we women "played second fiddle," so to +speak. However, we all had enough hard work, as a midnight supper for +the second force had to be prepared and regularly served, and at this we +labored alternately. + +Strange to relate, the men at the long tables soon began to exhibit a +very great partiality for the dishes prepared by the English girl and +myself, to the end that the foreign fellow's black eyes snapped with +anger, and he swore deeply under his breath. + +"He vill eat vat I gif heem. He moose eat it ven he hoongry, else he +starve himsel'. I care not he no like it, he get nothing other!" the +angry man would exclaim, as the untouched plates of the men were scraped +into the waste box. He would then, fearing that we would cook some dish +more palatable to the miners, hide the best food, or forbid us to use +certain ingredients as we wished. + +Of the culinary stores provided there never could be a complaint. +Everything that money could buy in the way of fresh meat, potatoes, +onions, canned and dried fruits and vegetables, flour, corn and +oatmeals, were stacked up in the greatest profusion. From canned +oysters, clams and French sardines, to fine cocoa and cream, all was +here found in quantities, after being hauled in a wagon behind powerful +horses over the seven miles of heavy roads from Nome. By the time the +goods reached camp they were almost worth their weight in gold, but one +might have supposed them dirt cheap, for we, as hungry miners and cooks, +were never limited. + +Week after week the patient animals and their driver were kept measuring +the distance between the city and the claim, even though the wet tundra +in low places grew sodden and boggy, and the wheels repeatedly sank to +the hubs. At times more horses were attached to haul them out of some +hole, or if these were not at hand, certain heavy cases were dumped off +until the reeking, straining brutes had successfully extricated the +load. Covered with mud and sweat, his high-topped rubber boots each +weighing a number of pounds, and his stomach too empty to allow of +conversation, after a long, hard day's work, the driver of this team +would fling himself upon one of the benches alongside our table and +say: + +"Yes, I'm ready to eat anything. Been caved in for two hours." + +This young man, as well as the night foreman, was a cousin of Mr. A., +both farmer boys, honest, kind and true. No oaths fell from their lips, +and no language was used which their own mothers would ever blush to +hear. + +The second of these, the foreman, was dressed also in great rubber +boots, dark blue sweater, and broad-brimmed felt hat, with a quick eye +and ear for all around him, though he was a man of few words, which he +weighed well before using. His hip pocket always contained a loaded +revolver, and he was obliged to sleep days after being on duty nights. + +To eyes so unaccustomed as ours to the sight, how strange it all looked +at midnight. From the big tent door which faced south and towards Nome +City we could see the blue waters of Behring Sea away in the distance. +Great ships lying there at anchor, lately arrived from the outside world +or just about to leave, laden with treasure, at this long range looked +like mere dots on the horizon. Between them and us there straggled over +the beach in a westerly direction, a confused group of objects we well +knew to be the famous and fast growing camp on the yellow sands. To our +right, as well as our left, rolled the softly undulating hills, glowing +in tender tints of purples and greys, or, if the moon hung low above our +heads, there were warmer and lighter shades which were doubly +entrancing. + +Accompanying the low moon twinkled the silver stars with their olden +time coyness of expression. Little birds, not knowing when to sleep in +the endless daylight, hopped among the dewy wild flowers of the tundra, +calling to their mates or nestlings, twittering a song appropriate to +the time and place because entirely unfamiliar. + +No other sound was to be heard except the picks of the miners at work in +the stream. No word was spoken unless the foreman gave some order. Those +sleeping in nearby tents must not be wakened, and besides the men at the +shovels and picks did no loitering. There were the long sluice boxes to +be filled with what was once the creek bed, from which the water was now +turned in another direction to await the morning's cleanup of gold. + +At that time the water would be conducted into the long boxes to wash +away the dirt and gravel, leaving the heavier gold in the bottom. Either +Mr. A. or his brother, with the foreman, attended to cleaning up the +gold. When all the dirt and gravel, or rock, had been washed out of the +sluices, a whisk broom was used to brush the gold into a corner of the +box, a dustpan conveyed it to broad-mouthed gold pans close at hand, and +these were carried into the kitchen. + +Here the pans were placed upon the iron range, big mush spoons were +utilized for stirring, and the precious metal was well dried before +being weighed. As soon as possible afterward it was taken to the Bank of +Nome. A tall, black horse was purchased for this purpose alone, and +after a few such trips the intelligent creature most reluctantly +approached the office where the gold was kept, having learned of the +grievous burden he would have to bear. Sometimes he would snort, throw +himself and pull back, and in every way show his unwillingness to +proceed. + +But no shirk was allowed here. The horse was led close to the steps of +the office tent, and a gunny sack tied in the middle brought out by two +men and laid over the back of the unwilling beast. A rain coat or +blanket was flung over the sack, and the man at the halter started for +town, leading the horse, which walked slowly and resignedly after being +compelled to go. + +A second man, well armed with revolvers like the first, always +accompanied the pair, and when the three had returned to the claim +another cleanup awaited them. Enormous sums of money were taken from +this claim while we were there, averaging ten thousand to twenty +thousand dollars per day. Seventy men worked for a time when the water +was at its best, part of that number on the day force and part at night. + +In August the west bank of the creek was accidentally pricked and found +to be far richer than the bed of the stream. Nuggets worth many dollars +were continually unearthed, the largest one that summer amounting to +ninety dollars. The richest pans contained sixty-four dollars, +seventy-two dollars and seventy-five cents and eighty-four dollars, with +others ranging all the way below. + +From a bench claim next to Number Eleven on this creek, and only +one-fourth of a mile above us, great heaps of gold were taken from the +ground, no pan carrying less, it was said, than five hundred dollars. + +From seventy men to wait upon when the stream was at high water mark, to +twenty-five when it was lower, at any time our lot was hard. We worked +with chapped, bleeding hands and aching backs. We worked until our tired +limbs sometimes refused to carry us further. By the middle of August the +nights began to grow dark at nine o'clock, and a hold-up or two took +place on the creek. The weather was rainy and cold, with frosty nights +between, and as we were all in tents, and these sometimes leaked, which +did not improve the head cook's temper and he grew almost abusive; we +retired, went to town, and left him alone to meditate. Here he hastily +and angrily for a few days longer tossed up nondescript messes for the +men, which none could eat, and was then discharged in disgrace. + +In all there were fifteen placer claims staked on Anvil. Some of these +were scarcely touched that summer, but from those operated fully two +million five hundred thousand dollars were taken in three months. + +[Illustration: CLAIM NUMBER NINE, ANVIL CREEK.] + +During the six weeks we had spent at Number Nine, many improvements had +been made along the route and in Nome. Where before we had traveled +seven miles we now walked only two, riding on the new narrow gauge +railroad, spoken of there as Mr. Lane's, the remainder of the way. + +At Discovery Claim, instead of a few straggling tents, there were eating +houses, saloons, store-houses, a ticket and post-office, and the nucleus +of a town. The cars we boarded were open, flat cars, with seats along +the sides, to be sure, but they were crowded at one dollar per head to +Nome. After waiting a little time for a start, the whistle blew shrilly, +the conductor shouted "all aboard!" and we trundled along behind a +smoky, sturdy engine in almost civilized style. + +This was the first railroad in Alaska with the exception of the White +Pass and Yukon road, and will eventually extend to the southern coast +and Iliamna. + +Next morning, after spending the night on the Sandspit with madam, I +called, bright and early, upon my Swedish friends in their restaurant. + +"Good morning, Mrs. Sullivan!" cried Mary in a hearty voice, as she +stirred the steaming mush on the kitchen range. + +"Good morning!" said Ricka more quietly, but with a pleasant, welcoming +smile. "Did you come from Number Nine?" + +"Good morning!" from Alma, as she poured a cup of hot coffee for a +waiting customer. "Do you want to help us? We have plenty of work." + +"That's what I came for," said I, laying aside my hat and coat. "Will +you lend me an apron till I get mine?" glancing toward the kitchen sink +full of unwashed dishes, and the cupboard shelves quite demoralized. + +"I'll lend you six if you will only help us. We are so busy serving +meals we cannot take time to get settled," said Mary. "Yes, we moved +from the tent last week," she said in reply to my question. + +"We like this much better. The tent leaked during the hard rains, and +flapped so much in the wind that we were afraid it would come down upon +our heads. We have had this kitchen built on, and shall keep open till +the last boats are gone for the winter. That will be two months longer, +likely," and Mary talked on as she dished up the griddle cakes and the +two others waited upon the tables. + +I felt quite happy to have found work so soon, and that too among +friends, and without any particular responsibility attached to the +position. I would dignify my labor, doing it well and acceptably, +carrying always a sunny face and pleasing mood. The work was of a kind +despised by hundreds of women, who, after landing at Nome, had not found +agreeable and genteel situations, and so had gone back home, or, in +some cases, done even worse. + +To be sure, the pay was not large, the work tiresome, and I would be +snubbed by many persons, but I had not come to Alaska for my health. +That was excellent. Then I had good food in sufficient quantities, which +was always a thing to be considered in that country. I had a purpose in +view which I never lost. I would get some gold claims. + +The Swedish people were brave and fearless, as well as patient and +strong. I had many acquaintances among them already. I felt they were +good people to stay with, and they were congenial. To be sure, a few +spoke English with an accent, and there were no small, white hands among +them; but if the hearts and lives were clean and true, and so far as I +could judge they were so, I was satisfied. + +The missionaries from Golovin, including the young lady who had come up +on the "St. Paul," had, with my three friends here, called at Number +Nine at different times during the six weeks of our stay there. Already +a plan had been considerably discussed which would take a party of us to +Golovin to winter, either in the Swedish mission or near it, and of all +things in mind so far this prospect most pleased me. + +We would then be fifty miles from the rich Council City mines on the +Fish River Creeks, and only half that distance from the Topkok diggings, +of which we now heard considerable. Every creek within many miles +around Nome was entirely staked, but in the vicinity of Golovin we might +hope to secure claims, or, at least, be in a good position to learn of +new gold strikes if any were made during the coming winter. + +"But we will keep a roadhouse if we go there," said Alma, "and be making +some money. I am sure there will be many people traveling through +Golovin all winter, and we can make a few dollars that way as well as +any one else. Then we will not forget how to cook," and the young woman, +with eyes always open to the main chance for "making money," as she +called it, laughed at the bare possibility of such a thing. + +"We might do that and help in the mission, too, there are so many of us. +I would like to work in the mission for a change, I think," said Ricka, +who was very religiously inclined and quiet generally. + +"What would you like to do, Mrs. Sullivan?" asked Mary. "You say so +little, and we talk so much. I want to know what you think." + +"Well, there are three of you to talk, and I am only one," said I, +laughing, as I placed the cups and saucers, all clean and shining, on +the cupboard shelves. "I should like the mission plan better than +anything, for I have had some experience in mission work; but if they do +not need us there, then I should like the roadhouse well enough, though +I think if eight or ten of us, each having enough supplies for himself +for the winter, should form a club and live under one roof, we could do +so more cheaply and comfortably than any other way, and have a real +jolly, good time in the bargain. These young men, many of them, are +intending to winter here somewhere, and all hate to cook for themselves, +I know, while they would gladly get the wood, water, and shovel snow, if +we did the cooking and housework. None need to work hard, and if a rich +gold strike were reported, somebody might want to go and do some +staking. In that way we might get some gold claims," I reasoned, while +all three listened during a lull in the work. + +"That's what we all came to Alaska for--gold claims. I want three," +remarked Alma with complacency, "and besides, there is plenty of +driftwood at Golovin on the beach which we could have for nothing, and +save buying coal at three dollars a sack as we do here," glancing at the +scuttle near the range reproachfully, as if the poor, inanimate thing +was to blame for prices. + +Little Alma was keen at a bargain. There was nothing slow about the grey +matter in her cranium. If there was buying to do, or a commodity to +sell, Alma was the one of the restaurant firm to do it, enjoying well +the bargaining, where she was seldom outwitted. + +So in the intervals between meals, or at night when the day's work was +done, we discussed our plans outside the kitchen door next the sea +beach, watching the shipping in the roadstead, admiring the lovely sky +tints left by the setting sun, or gazing at the softly rolling breakers +under a silver-bowed moon. + +If we had plenty of hard work, with its not altogether desirable phases, +we also enjoyed much beside the novelty. Some one we knew was always in +from the creeks, principally Anvil, to bring latest news, as well as to +collect the same, and the kitchen as well as the dining-room, was the +constant rendezvous of friends of one or all of us. Those prospecting +among the hills or on the beach at some distance from town came in often +for supplies and to visit the post-office, giving the "Star" a call for +hot coffee, if not a supper, before leaving. Jokes and stories flew +about over the tables, and interesting incidents were always occurring. +Good humor and good cheer flowed on every side along with the cordial +greeting, and tea and coffee, though nothing stronger in the way of +drinks was ever placed upon the tables. + +In the kitchen we did not lack voluntary assistants when work pushed, or +there was what we called "a rush." One young man would fill the water +buckets at a neighboring hydrant, another would bring in coal, and some +other would carry away refuse. + +Happy, indeed, were the great numbers of dogs fed from the "Star" +kitchen. No beggar was ever turned away. No homeless and discouraged +soul, whether man or woman, sober or drunken, was allowed to leave as +forlorn as he entered. Men often sat down at the tables, who, when +filled with good food and hot drink, in a warm and comfortable room fell +asleep from the effects of previous stimulants and sank to the floor. +When this happened some strong and helpful arm assisted such a one with +friendly advice, to the street. + +The two sisters were now our nearest neighbors, the third and married +one having gone with her husband to live in a new cottage of their own +in another part of the town. The eldest of the two had kindly offered me +lodging in the back part of their store building of which our restaurant +rooms were a half, and from which we were only separated by a board +partition. This was a temporary arrangement until I could find something +that suited me close at hand, as I chose to be near my work on account +of going to my room in the evening after my duties were done. The +sisters themselves still lived in their large warehouse a few feet back +from the store, and between it and the surf which rolled ceaselessly +upon the sands. + +I was now more comfortably lodged than since I had landed at Nome. My +canvas cot, placed in the back of the store, vacant except for a few +rolls of carpeting, matting and oil cloth on sale by the sisters, stood +not far from the large coal heater in which fire was kept during the +day, making the room warm and dry when I came in at night. Near the +foot of my cot a good window admitted light and sunshine, and a door +opened upon a flight of six stairs into a tiny square yard before one +entered the warehouse, where lived the sisters. This latter building was +made of corrugated iron, on piles, with windows and a door in the south +end looking directly out upon the water only a few feet away, and was +fitted cosily enough for the summer, but not intended for anything +further except storage purposes. A second door in the north end, +opposite the one in the store, and only separated from it by the little +yard was the door generally used. At this time lodgings without fire +were worth dollars a night in crowded Nome, and one's next neighbors +might prove themselves anything but desirable. + +Meanwhile we worked steadily. Many of the Anvil Creek mine owners and +their men took meals at the "Star" whenever in town. Some of their +office employees came regularly. Hundreds were "going outside" on boats, +and all was bustle and excitement. At least twenty-five thousand people +had landed at Nome during the summer, and fully one-half of them had +gone home discouraged. + +On Sunday, September second, there came up a most terrible storm, which, +for the velocity of its gales, tremendous downfall of rain, terrific +surf, accompanied by great loss of life, as well as length of duration, +had not been equalled for over twenty years. Never before was the +property loss so great on the Behring Sea coast. + +By nine o'clock Sunday morning the large steamers at anchor had put far +out to sea for safety. The wind rose, the rain poured. The surf was +growing more rough. At dinner time those who came in reported the dead +bodies of nine men picked up on the beach. They had attempted to land +from a steamer, and their small boat was swamped. One of the men drowned +was the mate of the vessel. For days the storm lasted and our work +increased. It was not long before the continuous rain had penetrated our +little kitchen roof and walls, roughly built as they were of boards, and +from that on we worked in rubber boots and short skirts tucked still +higher. With the storm at its hardest, I donned a regular "sou'wester," +or water proof hat, rather than stand with the rain dripping upon my +head, and a cape of the same material covered my shoulders. + +People living in tents when the storm began--and there were +thousands--had been washed out, or been obliged to leave them, and could +not get their own meals. The "Star" swarmed with hundreds who had never +been there before, as well as those in the habit of coming. Ten days +passed. Sometimes there would be a lull in the storm for a few hours and +we hoped it was over, but the surf ran high and could not return before +the wind again lashed it into fury. + +One midnight, when I was sleeping soundly after an unusually hard day's +duties in the kitchen, there came a hasty knock at my door. + +"Let me in quick Mrs. Sullivan, the warehouse, we fear, is going. We +must come in here. We will bring some more of our things," and little +sister dropped the armful of clothing she carried and ran back for more. + +Sure enough, as I looked, the water surged up under the warehouse to the +foot of the steps. When she returned with another load I offered to +dress and assist them, but she said they would only bring the clothing +and bedding, and I better go back to bed. + +Breathlessly the sisters worked for a time, until the tide prevented +them from again entering the warehouse, and they made their bed near me +on the floor. When, after watching the waters, they felt satisfied that +they receded, they retired, weary and troubled, hoping that before +another high tide the storm would have subsided and the danger would be +past. + +By September twelfth the surf was the worst we had ever seen it, and +Snake River had overflowed its banks. Most of those on the Sandspit were +obliged to flee for their lives. Hundreds were homeless on the streets. +The town's whole water-front was washed away. Tents not only went down +by hundreds, but buildings of every description were swept away and +flung by the angry surf high up on the sands. + +Anchored lighters and barges were loosened from their moorings and came +ashore, as did schooners broken and disabled. Dead bodies were each day +picked up on the beach, which was strewn with wreckage. + +One dark night, when the rain had ceased for a time to give place to a +fearful gale which tossed the maddened waters higher and higher, there +appeared upon the horizon a dim, portentous shape. At first it was only +a form, indistinct and uncertain. As we watched longer, it gradually +assumed the semblance of a ship. Keen eyes soon discerned a huge, black +hulk, of monstrous size when riding the crest of the breakers, smaller +and partially lost to sight when buried at intervals in the trough of +the sea. + +A ship was drifting helplessly, entirely at the mercy of the elements, +and must soon be cast upon the beach at our feet. Approaching swiftly as +she was, in the heavy sea, as the violence of the wind bore her onward, +lights appeared as signals of distress, telling of souls on board in +fearful danger. + +In dismay we watched the helpless, on-coming vessel. We were in direct +line of her path as she was now drifting. If by chance the mountain of +water should, by an awful upheaval, rear the wreck upon its crest at +landing, we would be engulfed in a moment of time. No power could save +the buildings which would be instantly shivered to heaps of floating +debris. + +Should we flee for our lives? Or would the wind, quickly, by some +miracle, change its course, and thereby send the menacing vessel to one +side of us or the other? Groups of patrolmen and soldiers everywhere +watched with anxious eyes, and friends stood with us to encourage and +assist if needed. + +God alone could avert the awful, impending disaster. He could do so, and +did. + +When only a few hundred feet from shore, the huge black mass, rearing +and tossing like a thing of life in the raging sea, swerved to the west +by a sudden veer of the wind, and then, amid the roar of breakers angry +to ferocity, she, with a boom as of cannon in battle, plunged into the +sands of the beach only a hundred and fifty feet away. + +The earth trembled. With one long, quivering motion, like some dumb +brute in its death struggle, the ship settled, its great timbers parting +as it did so, and the floods pouring clean over its decks. Then began +the work of rescuing those on board, which was finally, after many +hours, successfully accomplished. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +BAR-ROOM DISTURBANCES. + + +"Girls, O girls!" shouted Mary from the kitchen door in order to be +heard above the waters, "Do come inside!" Then, as we answered her call +and closed the door behind us, she said: "The danger is over now, and +you can't help those poor people in the wreck. There are plenty of men +to do that. See! it is nearly midnight, and we shall have another hard +day's work tomorrow. Go to bed like good children, do." + +"How about yourself, ma?" said Ricka, carrying out the farce of mother +and children as we often did, Mary being the eldest of the four. + +"I'm going too, as soon as I get this pancake batter made, for I'm dead +tired. We will hear the particulars of the wreck at breakfast," replied +Mary. + +"Poor things! How I pity them. What an awful experience for women if +there were any on board," said sympathetic Ricka, and I left them +talking it over, to roll into my cot, weary from twelve hours of hard +work and excitement. + +No anxiety, and no thundering of the breakers could now keep me awake, +and for hours I slept heavily. + +Suddenly I was wide awake. No dream or unusual sound had roused me. Some +new danger must be impending. My pulses throbbed. The clock at the head +of my cot ticked regularly, and its hands pointed to four. The sisters +slept peacefully side by side. The whole town seemed resting after the +intense and continued anxiety caused by the storm, and I wondered why I +had wakened. + +However, something impelled me to get up, and, rising quietly from my +cot in order not to arouse the others, I went to the south window and +peered out. + +My heart fairly stood still. + +The waters were upon us! They had already covered the lower steps at the +door not six feet from the cot on which I had slept. I stood motionless. +If I knew that the waters were receding, I would go quietly to bed, +allowing the others to sleep an hour longer; but if they were rising +there was no time to lose. None could reckon on the tides now, for all +previous records had been recently broken. I would wait and watch a few +minutes, I decided, and I wrapped a blanket around me, for my teeth +chattered, and I shivered. + +How cruel the water looked as I watched it creep closer and closer. How +quietly now it swept at flood tide up through the piles under the +warehouse, covering the little back yard and the kitchen steps of the +restaurant. With the cunning of a thief it was creeping upon us in the +darkness when we were asleep and helpless. + +Would the resistless waters persist in our destruction? Where should we +go in the storm if obliged to fly for our lives? + +Twenty minutes passed. + +Another step was covered while I watched--the tide was rising. + +Crossing the room now to where my friends lay sleeping, I touched little +sister upon the shoulder. + +"Wake up! Wake up! The tide is coming,--the water is almost at the door! +I have been watching it for twenty minutes, and I'm sure we ought to be +dressed," said I, trying to keep my voice steady so as neither to betray +my fright nor startle them unnecessarily. + +Springing from their bed they hurried to the window and looked out. + +"I should say so!" exclaimed the younger lady in dismay. + +"These treacherous waters will not give us up. They want us, and all we +possess, and are literally pursuing us, I believe," groaned Miss S., the +older sister, struggling to get hastily into her clothing. "But we must +waken the girls," she said, rapping on the intervening wall, and calling +loudly for the three other women who still slept soundly from fatigue. + +With that, we all dressed, and began to pack our belongings; I putting +my rubber blanket upon the floor and rolling my bedding in that. This I +tied securely, and dragged to the street door, packing my bags and trunk +quickly for removal if necessary. + +In the restaurant none knew exactly what to do. The water had covered +the back steps, and the spray was dashing against the kitchen door. +Underneath, the little cellar, dug in the dry sand weeks before, and +used as a storing place for tents, chairs, vegetables and coal sacks, +was filled with water which now came within a foot of the floors. From +sheer force of habit, Mary began building a fire in the range, and I to +pack the spoons, knives and forks in a basket for removal. Ricka thought +this a wise thing to do, but Alma remonstrated. + +"The water will not come in. You need not be afraid. If it does, we will +only run out into the street, leaving everything. Let us get breakfast +now, the people are coming in to eat," and this very matter-of-fact +young woman began laying the tables for the morning meal. It was six +o'clock. The men soon began to pour into the dining room hungry, wet, +and cold. Many had been out all night assisting in the rescue work or +patrolling the beach, inspecting each heap of wreckage in search of dead +bodies and valuables, for many among the missing were supposed to have +perished in the storm. + +Three men engaged in rescuing the survivors of the big wreck of the +night previous, had been swept from the barge alongside, and gone down +in the boiling surf. Searching parties were out trying to locate a +number of men who had started two days before, during a lull in the +storm, against the warnings of friends, for Topkok to the east. They +were never again seen. + +I had now to find other lodgings, for the sisters needed their room. +Leaving my work for an hour in the forenoon I tramped about in the mud +looking everywhere within two blocks of the "Star," for I did not wish +to go further away. + +After calling at a number of places, I was directed to a small hotel or +lodging house across the street from the "Star," and about one and a +half blocks further east. A man and his wife kept the house, which +consisted of eating room and kitchen on the east side of the lower +floor, and a big bar-room or saloon on the west side. The second floor +was divided by a long narrow hall into two rows of small rooms for rent +to lodgers. The woman showed me a little room with one window on the +west side. + +"I wish to rent by the week, as I am expecting to leave town before +long," said I, after telling her my business, and where I was at work. +"What rent do you charge?" + +"Five dollars per week, unfurnished," said she. + +I caught my breath. The room was about eight feet square, and as bare as +my hand. Not even a shade hung at the window. It was ceiled with boards +around and overhead. I asked if she would put up a window shade. She +said she would when her husband returned, as she expected him in a few +days from Norton Sound. + +After talking with the little woman she seemed to wish me to take the +room, assuring me that there were only quiet, decent people in the +house, and the saloon below was closed each day at midnight. There was a +billiard table and piano in the bar-room; but no window shades, shutters +nor screens of any sort, she said. Her own room was next this one, and +she was always there after nine o'clock in the evening, so I need not +feel timid. + +Upon reflection, I took the room, and paid the rent. My things could not +stand in the street, and I must have a place in which to sleep at night. +It was high and dry, and far enough away from the surf, so that I need +not fear being washed out. I would not be in my room during the day, and +it was only for a few weeks anyway. It suited my needs better than +anything I could find elsewhere, and as for furnishings, I could do +without. + +I went back to my work, and had my baggage and cot sent to the room. I +could settle things in a few minutes in the evening before retiring. + +The surf still boomed upon the beach, and rain and mist continued all +day, but without wind. For hours the waters kept close to our floors, +but did not quite reach them. Floating wreckage washed up at our feet, +and two lighters, loose from their moorings, lodged beside the warehouse +at the mercy of the surf. We were in constant fear that they would shove +the warehouse off the piles against our buildings, and that would be, +without doubt, the finale. + +In the meantime there was "a rush" indoors such as we never before had. +Many carried hearts saddened by the loss of friends or property. Some +had not slept for days. At the tables, at one time, sat two beggars, and +a number of millionaires. Some who had reckoned themselves rich a few +days previous were now beggared. The great wreck of the night before was +going rapidly to pieces. With a mighty force, the still angry breakers +dashed high over the decks of the ship. Masts and rigging went down +hourly, and ropes dangled in mid-air, while men unloading coal and +lumber worked like beavers at windlass and derrick, which creaked loudly +above the noise of the waters. + +More and more was the ship dismantled. When the storm cleared, and the +sun came out next day, the scene was one of wondrous grandeur. Nothing +more magnificent had I ever before beheld. Great masses of water, +mountain high, rolled continually landward, their snowy crests +surmounted by veils of mist and spray, delicate as the tracery on some +frosted window pane. As the sun lifted his head above the horizon, +throwing his beams widely over all, each mist-veil was instantly +transformed into a thing of surpassing beauty. It could only be compared +to strings of diamonds, rubies and pearls. With a fairy's witchery, or a +magician's spell, the whole face of the waters was changed. Each wrecked +craft along the shore, partially buried in sand, masts gone, keel +broken, and anchor dragged, with the surf breaking over all, was +transformed under the brilliant sunshine, until no painting could be +more artistically beautiful. Under the fascination of it all we forgot +the anxiety, the labor, and suspense of the last days and weeks, and +every moment of interval between work we spent at our door next the +beach, or after the falling of the tide, further out upon the sands. + +Many wrecks lay strewn along the beach. Schooners, barges, and tugs lay +broken and helpless. Untold quantities of debris, lumber, pieces of +buildings, tents, boxes, and barrels, all testified to the sad and +tremendous havoc made by this great storm. + +In my little room I rested quietly when my day's work was done. The +landlady had taken down an old black shawl I had pinned to the window, +and hung a green cloth shade of ugly color, and too wide by several +inches. It was better than no shade, and I said nothing. For a bed I had +my own cot; for a washstand, a box. At the head of my cot stood two +small boxes, one above the other, and upon these I placed my clock, +matches, pincushion, brush and combs, while below were stowed away other +little things. A few nails on the wall held my dresses, but my trunk +remained packed. A candle, tin wash basin, and bucket completed my room +furnishings, simple and homely enough to satisfy the asceticism of a +cloistered nun or monk. + +On September twenty-seventh there fell the first snow of the season. A +little had for days been lying upon the hilltops of Anvil, but none +nearer. The only fire in my room was an oil lamp upon which I heated +water upon going home at night; but with plenty of blankets and wool +clothing I was comfortable with the window open. + +One evening while going to my room I heard some one singing in the +bar-room. I hurried up the stairs on the outside of the building, which +was the only way of entrance to the second floor, and entered my room. +Depositing my lighted lantern upon the floor, I listened. The singing +continued. It was a youthful woman's voice. I would see for myself. +Going quietly out the door, and down part way to a window crossed by the +stairs, I sat down upon a step and looked into the room below. It was +the big bar-room. It was pleasant and warm, with lights and fire. Upon +the bright green cloth of the billiard table lay a few gay balls, but no +game was then in progress. The big piano waited open near by. The +bartender stood behind the bar, backed by rows of bottles, shining +glasses and trays. A mirror reflected the occupants of the room, some of +whom were leaning against the counter in various attitudes, but the +central figure stood facing them. + +It was a beautiful young girl who was singing. + +A few feet from, and directly in front of the girl, was her companion, a +well dressed and good looking young man a little older. Both were +intoxicated, and trying to dance a cake walk, accompanying themselves by +singing, "I'd Leave my Happy Home for You." + +She was singing in a tipsy, disconnected way the senseless ditty, +swaying back and forth to the imaginary music. Beautiful as a dream, +with dark hair, and great melting eyes, her skin was like lilies, and +each cheek a luscious peach. Her tall, graceful figure, clad in long, +sweeping black draperies, with white jeweled fingers daintily lifting +her skirts while she stepped backward and forward, made a picture both +fascinating and horrible. + +I sat gazing like one petrified. The girl's laugh rang through the room. +"I'd Leave my Happy Home for You, ou--ou," she was singing still, +weaving and swaying now from side to side as if about to fall. Her +companion approached and attempted to place his arm about her shoulders, +but she gave him a playful push which sent him sprawling, at which she +shouted in great glee, dropping her drapery and flinging her lovely arms +above her head. How the diamonds sparkled on her little hands I How the +men in the bar-room clapped, swearing she was a good one, and must have +another drink. Someone gave an order, and the bartender handed out a +small tray upon which stood slender-necked amber-colored glasses filled +to the brim. + +As the girl quickly tossed off the liquor, I groaned aloud, awaked from +my trance, and fled to my room, where I bolted the door, and fell upon +my knees. God forgive her! What a sight! I wanted to rush into the +bar-room, seize the young girl, and lead her away from the place and her +companions, but I could not. I had barely enough room for myself. I had +little money. What could I do for her? Absolutely nothing. If I went in +and attempted to talk with her it would do no good, for she was drunk, +and a drunken person cannot reason. The men would jeer at me, and I +might be ejected from the place. + +Finally I went to bed. At midnight the singing and shouting ceased, the +people dispersed, the bartender put out the lights, and locked the +doors. + +For the first time since reaching Nome, my pillow was wet with tears, +and I prayed for gold with which to help lift these, my sisters, from +their awful degradation. + +It was well towards midnight, and I had been asleep for some time. My +subjective mind, ever on the alert as usual, and ready to share +enjoyment as well as pain with my objective senses, began gradually to +inform me that there was music in the air. Softly and sweetly, like +rippling summer waters over mossy stones, the notes floated upward to my +ears. The hands of an artist lay upon the keyboard of the instrument in +the room beneath. + +I listened drowsily. + +With the singing of brooks, I heard the twitter of little birds, the +rustle of leaves on the trees, and saw the maiden-hair nodding in the +glen. I was a little child far away in the Badger State. Again I was +rambling through green fields, and plucking the pretty wild flowers. How +sweet and tender the blue skies above! How gentle the far-away voice of +my mother as she called me! + +They were singing softly now,--men's voices, well trained, and in +sweetest harmony: + + "I'm coming, I'm coming, + My ear is bending low. + I hear the angel's voices calling + Old Black Joe." + +They sang the whole song through, and I was now wide awake. + +Familiar songs and old ballads followed, the master hand at the keys +accompanying. + +"We are going outside on the Ohio tomorrow," said one in an interval of +the music, "and then, ho! for home again, so I'm happy," and a momentary +clog dance pounded the board floor. + +"Have a drink on it, boys?" asked a generous bystander who had been +enjoying the music. + +"No, thanks, we never drink. Let's have a lively song now for variety," +and the musician struck up a coon song, which they sang lustily. Then +followed "America," "Auld Lang Syne," and "'Mid Pleasures and Palaces," +the dear old "Home, Sweet Home" coming with intense sweetness and pathos +to my listening ear. No sound disturbed the singers, and others filed +quietly out when they had gone away. "God bless them, and give them a +safe voyage home to their dear ones," I breathed, with tears slipping +from under wet lashes, and a great lump in my throat. + +"Thank God for those who are above temptation, even in far-away Alaska," +and again I turned, and slept peacefully. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OFF FOR GOLOVIN BAY. + + +By October twelfth the weather began to be quite wintry, with snow +flurries, cold wind, and a freezing ground. All now felt their time +short in which to prepare for winter, change residence, and get settled. +After many days of planning, in which eight or ten persons were +concerned, it was finally decided that we should go to Golovin Bay. The +head missionary, and one or two of his assistants from that place, had +been with us part of the time during the great storm, so we were quite +well acquainted, and we would be near the Mission. + +The "boys," as we called the young men for short, would build a cabin in +which the funds of the women were also to be pooled. Three of the boys +had gone, some weeks before, to Golovin to assist in the erection of a +new Mission Home, twelve miles further down the coast; but as a shipload +of mission supplies had been lost at sea, including building materials, +their work was much hampered, and it was not expected that the new home +would be completed, though sadly needed for the accommodation of the +constantly increasing numbers of Eskimo children for which it was +intended. + +In this case, no new helpers could be added to the missionary force, +though Miss L., a tall, intelligent young woman, was to be placed in the +Home kitchen as cook, and would accompany us to Golovin. It was decided, +then, that the restaurant be closed immediately before the last boat +left Nome for Golovin, as it would be impossible to get there after the +last steamer had gone until the ice was solid, and winter trails were +good over the hills. Most of us did not care to remain so long where we +were, and made ready to sail on the small coast steamer "Elk," scheduled +to leave Nome October eighteenth. + +On the evening of the sixteenth the doors of the "Star" were formally +closed. We had had a rush up to the last moment, and all hands were +completely tired out. It had been a long pull, and a steady pull, and +the thought uppermost in the minds of us four women was to get to +Golovin and rest. Even Alma sighed for a vacation from hard work, +feeling that the roadhouse, if they opened one, must wait until she was +rested. + +Mary wished to remain at Nome for a while, and come later by dog-team +when the trails were good. She would take a day after we had gone to +finish storing away the "Star" outfit for the next summer, and make the +rooms tidy, afterwards visiting acquaintances, and doing shopping. + +For two days after closing the "Star" we were busy as bees, but at a +change of occupation. We bought food supplies, coal-oil, and warm +clothing, receiving parcels of the latter, including yarns for winter +knitting, at the hands of the stewardess of the "St. Paul," who had +kindly made our purchases in San Francisco at better prices (for us) +than we found at Nome. Some bought furs, when they could find them, +though these were scarce and costly, and each person carried his own +bedding. Letters to the outside were written and posted, mails +collected, freight and other bills paid, and tickets secured on the +steamer. + +For my own part, I now found some kindly helper with strong arms +whenever I had a trunk, bag, or box to lift or transfer, and no +remuneration for services thus rendered beyond a smiling, "thank you +very much," was ever accepted. + +What a strong, hearty, clean, and good-natured lot were these Swedes. +How helpful, sympathetic, and jolly withal. It was easy for them to see +the clear, bright side of everything, and to turn an innocent joke on +themselves occasionally; for one told on another is never so effective +and enjoyable as a joke on oneself; but there were often those with +tears in their eyes, and a homesick feeling at their heart upon bidding +farewell to friends who were leaving for the outside. + +With the approach of a long, hard winter in the Arctic, so unknown and +untried by many, with a distance of thousands of miles of ocean soon to +roll between them, it was many times difficult to say a careless +good-bye. For those remaining in Alaska, who could foresee the future? +Was it to be a fortunate and happy one, or would it disclose only +misfortune, with, perchance, sickness and death? Would these partings be +followed by future happy meetings, or were they now final? Who could +tell? + +Among those constantly sailing for the outside were those who left +regretfully, and those who left joyfully; there was the husband and +father returning to his loved ones with "pokes," well filled with +nuggets, and the wherewithal to make them more happy than ever before. + +There were those returning to sweethearts who daily watched and waited +longingly for their home-coming which would be more than joyful. There +were those leaving who would come again when the long winter was over, +to renew their search for gold already successfully begun; and they were +satisfied. + +There were many who left the gold fields with discouragement depicted +upon their every feature. They had been entirely unable to adapt +themselves to circumstances so different to any they had before known, +and they had not possessed the foresight and judgment to decide affairs +when the critical moments came. Perhaps a fondness for home, and dear +ones, pulled too persistently upon the heartstrings; nothing here +looked good to them, and they went home disgusted with the whole world. +Unless a man or woman can quickly adjust himself or herself to changed +conditions, and has a willingness to turn his or her hand to any +honorable labor, he would better remain at home, and allow others to go +to Alaska. + +If a man goes there with pockets already well lined, intending to +operate in mining stocks, he still needs the adjustable spirit, because +of the new, crude, and compulsory manners of living. He must be able to +forget the luxury of silver spoons, delicate hands, soft beds, and steam +heat; enjoying, or at least accommodating himself to the use of tin +spoons, coarse food, no bed, and less heat, if his place and +circumstances for a time demand such loss of memory. + +A bountiful supply of hopefulness is also necessary, in order, at times, +to make the darkness and discomfort of the present endurable, and this +will wonderfully cheer and create patience. Thousands of persons who +were ill qualified in these and other respects had journeyed to Alaska, +only to return, homesick, penniless, and completely discouraged, who +never should have left their home firesides. + +Not so with the Swedish people. They are accustomed to a cold climate, +hard work, and conditions needing patience and perseverance, without +great luxuries in their homes, and being strong and hearty physically, +they are well fitted, both by nature and practice, for life in the new +gold fields of Alaska. There were more reasons than one for their +success in the far Northwest, and a little study of cause and effect +would disclose the truth, when it will be found that it was not all +"luck" which made so many successful. + +Our last day at Nome is a confused memory of trunks, boxes, bags, +barrels, dog-teams, tickets, bills, lunches, tables, dishes, and +numerous other things. Tramping hurriedly through busy, dirty streets, +and heavy, sandy beach, with arms loaded with small baggage (we had +neither parrots nor poodles) making inquiries at stores and offices, +doing innumerable errands, saying good-byes, and having good-luck wishes +called after us; and then, when the sun had disappeared for the day, and +night was almost upon us, we turned our backs upon our summer camp, and +hastened to our winter home. + +At the water's edge small pieces of ice washed up and down with a +clicking sound upon the sands, as if to give us notice of approaching +winter, but the ocean was almost as smooth as a floor. No breath of wind +disturbed the surface, and only a gentle swell came landward at +intervals to remind us of its still mighty, though hidden, power. + +Then we were all in readiness to leave. A little boat was drawn upon the +sand. Into it all small baggage was tossed. It was then pushed out +farther by men in high rubber boots standing in the water. + +"I cannot get into the boat," laughed Little Alma, "I will get my feet +wet." + +"Not if I can help it," answered a stalwart sailor, who immediately +picked her up bodily and set her down in the boat, repeating the +operation three times, in spite of the screams and laughter of Miss L., +Ricka and myself. Ricka and I were only of medium height, but Miss L. +was a good six-footer, and when we were safely in the boat, and she had +been picked up in the sailor's strong arms, if she did not scream for +herself, some of us did it for her, thinking she would certainly go head +first into the water; but no, she was carefully placed, like the rest of +us, in the boat. + +After getting settled, and the final good-byes were waved, the men +sprang in, those on shore pushed the boat off; we were again on the +bosom of old Behring Sea. Smaller and fainter grew all forms upon the +shore. Darker and deeper grew the waters beneath us. The lights of a few +belated steamers, twinkled in the distance, their reflections, beautiful +as jewels, quietly fixed upon the placid waters. Like a thing of sense, +it seemed to me, the great ocean, full of turmoil, rage, and fury so +recently, it would show us, before we left, how lamblike, upon +occasions, it could be; and all old scores against it were then and +there forgotten. + +A dark form soon lay just before us. "Where is the 'Elk,'" I asked of +a sailor rowing, looking about in the gathering darkness which had +rapidly fallen. + +[Illustration: CLAIM NUMBER FOUR, ANVIL CREEK, NOME.] + +"There it is," pointing to a black hulk which lay sullenly, without a +spark of light visible, close to us. + +"But do they not know we are coming? Have they no light on board? How +can we get upon deck?" we asked anxiously. + +"O, they will bring a lantern, I guess," laughed the sailor, then +thinking to put us at our ease, he called lustily as he rested himself +at his oars. Not getting a reply, he shouted again. + +Presently two men appeared with as many lanterns. + +"Here, you fellows, get a move on, and help these ladies on board, will +you? Were you asleep, hey?" + +"Wall, no, not 'zactly, sah, but I'se done been working hard today," it +was the colored cook replying, as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. + +"Haul up alongside this dory," said the other man as he put his lantern +down, "and let the ladies get into that first, then we'll help 'em up +here." + +With that we climbed out as we best could in the darkness, one after +another, the boys assisting, until we all stood laughing in the little +cabin, and counted noses. + +"Are we all here?" asked Mr. G., who, as usual had a thoughtful care +over all. + +"All here, I think, but the baggage. How about that?" said I. + +"I'll see to that," and he was already on deck, while I continued +counting. + +"Alma, Ricka, Miss L., Mr. G., Mr. L., Mr. B., and myself--the lucky +number of seven. How fortunate we are. We are sure to have good luck. +Too bad Mary is not here, but then we would not be seven," and we were +all laughing and talking at the same time. + +In the cabin there was only one lamp, and that was swung over the table, +looking in all its smoky smelliness as if it had hung there for ages +without a scrubbing. The table was covered with dirty dishes scattered +upon an oilcloth spread. The room smelled of fish, tobacco, and +coal-oil, and we were obliged to go to the door now and then for fresh +air. There was no fire, nor heat, neither was there a place for any. +Rows of berths in two tiers lined each side of the cabin, but they were +supplied with mattresses only. Dark curtains hung on wires before the +berths, and these would furnish us with our only privacy on the trip. + +Finally we selected our berths, assorted our luggage, and sat down to +rest. We were disappointed in the "Elk." She was not a "St. Paul," that +was certain. The colored cook soon entered. His apologies were profuse. + +"Hope de ladies will 'scuze de state ob dis year room, but I'se done +been mighty busy today, and will hab tings fine tomorer." + +"That's all right, Jim, if you only give us a good dinner tomorrow. Can +you do it?" asked Mr. L. + +"Yas, sah, dis chile good cook when de tings are gibben him to cook, but +when dere's no taters, no fresh meat, no chicken, no fruit, den it's +mighty hard to set up fine meals. Dat's de truf!" and Jim nodded his +woolly head emphatically at the frequent undesirable state of his +larder. + +"Prices high heah, sah, but dis old man almos' fru wid de business; de +las' trip ob de 'Elk' dis summah, an' I'se glad of it," and he +disappeared in the galley carrying his arms full of dishes. + +When the table was cleared and Jim had spread an old and much rumpled +red cover over it, I took from my basket a small square clock, and +winding it up with its little key, started it going. It was a musical +clock I had purchased when in Nome, of a small boy about to leave for +the outside. It had been given him by a lady, and he had grown tired of +it, his mind being so much upon his contemplated long journey. He would +sell it for three dollars, he said, and I paid the money, needing a time +piece, and having none. So now the little music box ticked off its music +to the entertainment of all. + +However, we were all tired and the place was cold, so after we had taken +our last look at the lights of Nome, scattered as they were along the +shore for miles in the darkness, we turned in for the night, all +dressed as we were, and drew the curtains around us. The long, +deep-toned whistle of the "Elk," had sounded some time before, and we +were headed east, making our way quietly over the smooth waters. + +Another chapter of our lives had begun. What would the end be, I +wondered. + +During the night I was awakened by men running and shouting on deck. The +steamer stopped. Somebody went out to inquire the cause. In a little +while he returned, saying that four men had been picked up, nearly +frozen, in an open boat which was leaking badly, and they were found +just in time. Dry clothes, with food and hot drinks, and they would be +all right again; so I turned over and tried to sleep, but the men +lounged about, smoking and talking with the captain a good share of the +night, so that sleep was almost out of the question. + +How I wished for fresh air! How I hated the tobacco smoke! But we could +say nothing, for the men had no beds, no other place to sit, and it was +too cold on deck. We must be patient, and I was patient, feeling +thankful that the lives of the four men had been saved, if each one did +smoke like a volcano and come near choking us to death. + +After a while there was another commotion. What now? Their five dogs had +been left in the leaking dory, which was trailing behind us, the boat +was swamping, and the animals were almost drowned. They were whining, +crying, and soaking wet; so the "Elk" was again stopped, the dogs taken +on board, along with some of the miners' outfits, and we again started +on our way. + +The men said their dory had been blown ten miles out to sea by a wind +many hours before, and had then sprung a leak, wetting their food, and +threatening them with destruction, when the "Elk" appeared and took them +aboard in the night. + +"Wall, yes, we had given ourselves up for lost, though none said much +about it," remarked one of the saved men next day, in speaking of their +experience. "Some one mentioned God Almighty, I believe, and I could +almost have spoken to Him myself, but it does look like He had done +something for us, don't it?" said the miner, laughing quietly, in a +pleased, relieved way as he finished. + +We were exceedingly glad for their deliverance from a watery grave, but +we pitied ourselves for our discomforts, until we pictured ourselves in +their forlorn condition, far out from land, at night, in a leaky boat, +without food and freezing; then I found myself feeling really grateful +for the privilege of sailing on the "Elk," and not discontented as at +first. We would get fresh air enough this winter, no doubt, to drive +away all remembrances of the air in the little steamer's cabin, which +was cold as well as foul. There were no windows or ports that we could +see; there was doubtless a closed skylight somewhere, but to keep warm +even in our berths required management. In my hand luggage I carried a +bright woolen Indian blanket, a souvenir of St. Michael the year before, +in which I now rolled myself, already dressed in my warmest clothing and +heavy coat. + +A light-weight grey blanket was loaned me by the cook, who had purloined +it from the pilot's bunk, he being on duty and not needing it that +night. This I was rather chary of using, for reasons of my own, but it +was that or nothing, only the mattress being underneath. On my head I +wore a pink crocheted affair, called sometimes a "fascinator," which was +now used simply and solely for service, I assured my friends, and not +from any lighter motive,--but my feet! How I should keep them +comfortable while on board was a question. With my feet cold I would be +perfectly miserable, and although I wore wool hose and high, stout laced +boots, I soon found on going aboard the "Elk" that to be comfortable I +must make a change. + +I said nothing, but turned the situation well over in mind. At last I +found a solution. Going to my bags once more, on the aside I drew out my +new reindeer skin muckluks, or high fur boots, and looked at them. What +enormous footgear, to be sure. Could I wear those things? I had put five +good, hard-earned dollars into them, and they were said to be warm and +very comfortable when worn properly, with hay in the bottoms, and Arctic +socks over one's hose, but I had no hay and could not get any. + +I had the socks in my trunk, but that was in the hold of the ship, or +somewhere out of my reach. I held the muckluks in my hands, and slowly +turned them round. Suddenly a bright thought came. I would pull them on +over my shoes. I did it. They went on easily. I drew the strings +attached at the back of the ankle forward over the instep, crossed them, +carried them back, crossed them a second time and tied them in front, in +order to use up the strings so they would not trip me in walking. Just +below the knees I pulled a woolen drawstring which was run into the +green flannel, inch-wide heading, and tied this loosely; then I studied +them. Shades of my buried ancestry! What a fright! My own mother would +never know me. I wanted to scream with laughter, but could not, for I +had performed the operation in a most surreptitious manner, behind +closed doors (bunk curtains), after the others had retired. + +I had no compunctions of conscience as to putting my shoes upon the bed, +for the mattress was both sombre and lonely, and as for the muckluks, +they had never been worn by man (and were surely never made for woman). +The most that I could do was to lie back upon my bed, cram my fascinator +into my mouth, and struggle to suppress my risibles. + +After a time I succeeded, and lay enjoying the new sensation of feet +and limbs warm and cozy as if in my mother's warm parlor at home; and +then I slept. + +Next morning I kept my berth late. My sleep had been much broken, and +the place was cold. The bad air had taken my appetite, and there were +already too many in the small cabin for convenience. Four or five men +and three women besides our own party of seven, crowded in between the +dining table and the berths, filled the small cabin quite beyond +comfort. + +The main question in my mind, however, was how to prevent the company +from seeing my feet. I would put off the evil hour as long as possible, +for they were sure to laugh heartily when they saw my muckluks, and to +take them off--I would not. Some one brought me a sandwich finally, +inquiring at the same time for my health, but I assured them it was +first class,--I was only resting. Watching my opportunity, toward noon I +slipped out of my berth quietly and made myself ready for dinner, +keeping my feet well out of sight, for cook Jim had promised a fine +spread for the two o'clock meal. + +When it came I was ready. It is said that hunger is a good sauce, and I +believe this is true, for otherwise I could never have eaten the dinner +that day. Upon a soiled and rumpled white (?) cloth Jim placed his "big +spread," which consisted of whole jacketed boiled and baked potatoes, +meat stew (no questions allowed), dried prunes stewed, biscuits, and +fourth rate butter, with tea and coffee. + +[Illustration: MAP OF ALASKA.] + +[Illustration: MAP OF ALASKA.] + +At only one camp was there a stop made. There were two or three +passengers on board for Bluff City, a new and prosperous mining camp, +composed chiefly, though so late in the season, of tents. Lumber and +supplies of different kinds had to be put off. As the entrance to the +hold of the ship where the stores were kept was in our cabin, we had +plenty of fresh air while the doors were all open, along with the +mustiness from below, for several hours. However, I managed to keep +pretty comfortable and snug in "fascinator" and muckluks, enveloped as I +was in my Indian blanket. + +Hearing a bluff, hearty voice which sounded familiar, I looked around, +and in walked a man whom I had seen at St. Michael the fall before. He +had charge of the eating house there, where my brother and I had taken +our meals for two weeks. I had not forgotten his kindness in giving me +sore throat medicine when there had been nothing of the sort to buy, and +I was suffering. + +This man remembered me well, and sat down to chat for a little while +with us. He was a miner now, and a successful one, he said, for he was +taking out "big money" from his lay on Daniels Creek, only five minutes' +walk from the beach. I had been informed of his good fortune before +meeting him, so was ready with congratulations. + +He told me of his cabin building, his winter's stores and fuel, and +seemed in high spirits. Of course I could not ask him what he meant by +"big money," or what he had taken from his claim, although it would not +here, as in the Klondyke, be a breach of etiquette to inquire. After a +few minutes chat the man bade us good-bye, and descended to the small +boat alongside, which was to carry him and his freight ashore. + +It was nearly dark by this time, and another night must be passed on +board. Some were complaining of the cold. Others were shuffling their +feet to get them warm. + +"My feet are awfully cold," said Alma, moving them uneasily about. +"Aren't yours, Mrs. Sullivan?" + +"Not at all," I replied, trying to look unconcerned, at the same time +putting my feet further under my skirts, which were not the very short +ones I had worn at Nome. "You know what having cold feet in this country +means, I suppose, Alma?" + +"O, I am not in the least homesick, if that is what you mean. I am +perfectly happy; but--" (here she glanced down upon the floor in the +direction of my feet) "what have you over your shoes, any way, to keep +so warm, Mrs. Sullivan?" + +There was no help for it, and the muckluks had to come to light, and +did. At sight of them they all shouted, and Alma laughed till the tears +ran down her cheeks. + +"And you have had these on all day without our seeing them? Where have +you kept your feet, in your pocket?" she persisted. + +"Well, no, not exactly, but of course, under the circumstances, you +could hardly expect me to hang a signboard out to call attention to +them, could you?" I laughed. + +"I should say not. Will we all look like that in muckluks? Is there +nothing else we can wear this winter? They will make our feet look so +awfully large, you see?" + +"That's the way we will all look, only a good deal worse, for some of us +have no skirts to cover them with, as you have," spoke up Mr. G. for the +first time. + +"I thought the 'Elk' leaned to the land side more today than usual," +said Mr. B. with a twinkle, "but now it is explained." + +"Bad boy! My muckluks were on that side of the ship from the first, only +they were in my bag for a while. They are no heavier now than they were +then. You shall have no supper," said I, with mock severity. + +So I kept the fur boots on, in spite of their jokes, wondering what they +would say when I arrived at Golovin and removed my fascinator (another +surprise I was keeping for them), and contented myself by thinking I had +the laugh on them, when they complained of cold feet, and my own were so +perfectly comfortable. + +At last, on the morning of October twentieth, with the sun just rising +over the snowy hills surrounding the water, the cliffs on both sides of +the entrance standing out clear and sharp in the cold morning light, and +with one ship already there, we dropped anchor, being in Golovin Bay. +The settlement, a score of houses, a hotel, a flagstaff or two, and the +Mission. + +I now waked the girls, who turned out of their bunks, dressed as they +had been since coming on board the "Elk," and we made ready to go +ashore. We were out in deep water, still some distance from the beach, +and must again get out into a small boat, probably for the last time +this year. Not all could get into the boat; we must take turns, but we +were bundled into it some way, and soon we were upon the sands, a dozen +feet from dry land. Again we were transferred by one man power, as at +Nome, to the sands, which were here frozen quite hard, and upon which I +had the sensation, at first, of walking with a gunboat attached to each +foot. + +Some one conducted us to the Mission House, only a few hundred yards +from our landing place, while the boat went back to the "Elk" for the +others. Miss E., who had come up on the "St. Paul" with us, and now the +housekeeper here, came running out to welcome all cordially. By her we +were shown into the cozy little parlor, so tidy, bright and warm that we +immediately felt ourselves again in civilization. Soon Mr. H., the head +missionary, whom I had already met in Nome, came in with Miss J., the +teacher of the Mission children. She also had spent some days with us at +Nome. These all made us very welcome, and our party of seven was soon +sitting together before a good, smoking hot breakfast, to which we did +real justice. + +When entering the house I had, upon first removing my wraps and +"fascinator," given my friends another surprise equal to the one of the +muckluks on the steamer. The day before leaving Nome I had +(surreptitiously again) made a visit to the hairdresser, and when I left +her room I appeared another woman. My head now, instead of being covered +with long, thin hair, done up hastily in a twist at the back, had short +hair and curled all over, a great improvement, they all voted, when the +first surprise was over. + +My hair, all summer, had been like that of most women when first in +Alaska, falling out so rapidly that I feared total baldness if something +was not done to prevent. This was the only sure remedy for the trouble, +as I knew from former experience, and as I again proved, for it entirely +stopped coming out. Ricka soon followed my example, and we, with Miss +J., who had been relieved of her hair by fever the year before, made +almost a colony of short-haired women, much to the amusement of some of +our party. + +After we had eaten our breakfasts, several of us set to work at writing +letters to send out to Nome by the "Elk," which would remain a few hours +unloading freight, as this might be our last opportunity for many weeks, +or until the winter mails were carried by dog-teams over the trails. We +fancied our friends on the outside would be glad to hear that we had +arrived safely at Golovin, and our pens flew rapidly over the paper. +These letters, finally collected, were placed in the hands of one of the +"Elk's" crew for mailing at Nome, and the steamer sailed away. + +Not all, however, wrote letters. The business head of the "Star" firm +had not been idle, nor writing letters, and while I wrote Alma was +deeply engaged, well seconded by Ricka, in making arrangements with Mr. +H. by which we could remain in this Mission House all winter. Before +noon it was decided that we should stay, assisting the missionaries all +in our power until such time as they could move to their new station, as +soon as the ice was firm enough in the bay to travel upon and the Home +was far enough toward completion. It was impossible to finish the +building now, but so far as practicable it would be made habitable, and +all necessary and movable articles of furniture would be carried to the +Home, though many large pieces would be left for our use. + +This arrangement included our party of seven, Mary at Nome, and the +three boys at work at this time on the new Home building, and would do +away with all necessity for building a cabin, lumber being expensive and +good logs scarce. + +This intelligence came just in time for insertion in our home letters +sent away on the "Elk," and it was a day of rejoicing for at least seven +persons (Miss L. was to go to the Home, but Mary was to come to us from +Nome), who already considered themselves a "lucky number." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +LIFE AT GOLOVIN. + + +Our first duty after arriving at Golovin was to look up our freight, +which seemed to be in a general mix-up. Each person was searching on the +beach and in the warehouse for something. For my part, I was greatly +concerned over the probable loss of a case of coal oil, and a box +containing wool blankets, feather pillow, and other things too precious +to lose after paying freight, especially as some of the articles could +not be replaced, and all were useful and necessary. The "Elk's" crew had +dumped the freight promiscuously upon the frozen sands, considering +their duty at that point done, and no assurance was given us that the +freight was all there, or that it was in good condition. The risk was +all ours. We could find it or lose it--that did not concern the "Elk." +As we had no idea as to the honesty of the community in which we had +come to reside, and little confidence in some of the "Elk's" passengers +who were also receiving freight, we visited the beach a number of times +during the first two days. While at Nome and packing up to leave I had +remembered the story of the person who, going to market, put all the +eggs into one basket, and for that reason, when an accident occurred, +she lost the whole lot; while, if she had placed them in two baskets, +one-half might have-been saved. For this reason I then packed my +blankets in two boxes, and now as one was missing I was glad I had done +so, for to be entering upon a cold, long winter without woolen blankets +would be hard lines indeed. + +The first day was spent by the boys in hauling baggage and freight into +the old school house, near the mission, which was to be our store room +for a time. This building was made of logs, sod and mud plaster, with +small doors and windows, and thatched roof, now overgrown with grass and +weeds. + +It had long-been deserted, or given over to storing purposes, as the new +school and church building was put up alongside, and was being used at +the present time. We would unpack as little as possible, while the +Mission family remained, as their house was too small to accommodate +comfortably so many. Mr. H. was like the old woman who lived in a shoe, +for he really had such a family that he was puzzled as to what +disposition he should make of them. However, the men were all lodged in +the new school building, as it was vacation time, and no session; trunks +and baggage, except bedding, were put in the store house. + +The Eskimo children and the women occupied the second floor of the +mission. Mr. H. had his room on the first floor, oftentimes shared with +some visiting missionary or friend, and I was the best lodged of all. +The big velvet couch in the sitting-room by the fire was allotted to me, +and I slept luxuriously, as well as comfortably. The newest and most +modern article of furniture in the establishment, this couch, was soft, +wide, and in a warm, cozy corner of the room. + +From being lodged above a bar-room in Nome, I had come to a parlor in +the Mission, and I was well pleased with the changed atmosphere, as well +as the reduction of charges; for, whereas I had paid five dollars per +week for my small, unfurnished room there, I now paid nothing, except +such help as I could give the women in the house. + +I felt, too, that I had earned, by my hard work during the summer, all +the rest and comfort I could get, and I thoroughly enjoyed the change. +Where among the drones and laggards is one who can find such sweets as +well-earned rest and comfort after labor? What satisfaction to feel the +joy all one's own. None assisted in the earning, and consequently none +expected a division of reward. It was all my own. If this is +selfishness, it is surely a refined sort, and excusable. + +I was not, however, the only one in the Mission who enjoyed a +well-earned rest. Each one of our party of seven had worked for months +as hard and harder than I, and all found a vacation as pleasing, while +the Mission people had the same round of work and as much as they could +accomplish all the year round. + +The day after our arrival at Golovin was Sunday. The weather was clear +and sunny, but cold. We were now not only to have a vacation ourselves, +but could give our working clothes a rest as well, and I took great +pleasure in unearthing a good black dress which was not abbreviated as +to length, surprising my friends by my height, after being in short +skirts so long. It was really Sunday now, and we wore our Sunday clothes +for the first time in months, not having had an opportunity for Sabbath +observance in the work we had done at Nome. + +To complete our enjoyment of the good day, there was the organ in the +sitting-room, and upon my first entering the room, and seeing the +instrument I had drawn a deep sigh of inward delight. To find an organ, +yes, two of them, for there was also one standing in the schoolroom, or +little church, was to feel sure of many bright and happy hours during +the coming winter, and I felt more than ever that for strangers in the +Arctic world we were, indeed, highly favored. + +It was not long before I discovered that with at least two of our party +of seven music was a passion, for Ricka, as well as Mr. B., could never +have enough, and it was a pleasure to see the real and unaffected +delight upon their faces when I played. We were really quite well +supplied with musical instruments, for there were now in the Mission +two guitars, one mandolin, a violin and a few harmonicas, besides the +two organs, while as for vocalists everybody sang from Mr. H. down to +the Eskimo boys, girls and the baby. + +But this day's climax was the three o'clock dinner, prepared by Miss E. +Could anything be more restful to three tired restaurant workers than to +sit quietly in easy chairs, allow others to prepare the meal and invite +them to partake, without having given a thought to the preparation of +the same, gaining, as we did, a knowledge of what was coming only by the +pleasant odors proceeding from the kitchen? Certainly not, and the +increased appetite that comes with this rest is only a part of the +enjoyment. So when we were seated at the table on Sunday, the second day +of our arrival at Golovin, before us fresh roast mutton, baked potatoes, +stewed tomatoes, coffee, bread and butter, with pickles, and a most +delicious soup made of dried prunes, apricots, raisins and tapioca for +dessert, we were about the happiest people in Alaska and appreciated it +immensely. What bread Miss E. did make, with slices as large as saucers, +not too thin, snowy, but fresh and sweet. What coffee from the big pot, +with Eagle brand cream from the pint can having two small holes in the +top, one to admit air and the other to let the cream out. Nothing had +tasted so good to us since we had come home, as hungry children, from +school. As then, we were care-free, if only for a little while, and we +were a jolly, happy crowd. + +In the evening, when the children were once in bed, we all gathered in +the sitting-room for music, stories and plans for the future, including +the placing of a few new strings on the musical instruments and tuning +of the same. Mr. H. had gone to the Home the afternoon before, so there +had been no preaching service as ordinarily in the little schoolhouse +across the road. The boys were talking of going to the Home across the +bay next day in a boat, but a wind came up which finally developed into +a stout southwester, and Monday was a most disagreeable day. Alma worked +on a fur cap, to practise, she said, on some one before making her own. +Ricka mended mittens and other garments for the boys, while I sewed on +night clothes for the little Eskimo baby. + +The child was probably between three and four years old, but nobody knew +exactly, for she was picked up on the beach, half dead, a year before, +by the missionary, where she was dying of neglect. Her mother was dead, +and her grandfather was giving her the least attention possible, so that +she was sickly, dirty and starved. She had well repaid the kind people +who took her into the Mission, being now fat and healthy, as well as +quite intelligent. She was a real pet with all the women immediately, +being the youngest of this brood of twenty youngsters and having many +cunning little ways. In appearance she looked like a Japanese, as, in +fact, all Eskimos do, having straight black hair, and eyes shaped much +like those of these people, while all are short and thick of stature, +with few exceptions. + +Among this score of little natives there were some who were very bright. +All were called by English names, and Peter, John, Mary, Ellen and +Susan, as well as Garfield, Lincoln and George Washington, with many +others, became familiar household words, though the two last named were +grown men, and now gone out from the Mission into houses of their own. + +As to the dressing of these children, it was also in English fashion, +except for boots, which were always muckluks, and parkies of fur for +outside garments, including, perhaps, drill parkies for mild weather, or +to pull on over the furs, when it rained or snowed, to keep out the +water. As the weather grew more severe, heavy cloth or fur mittens were +worn, and little calico and gingham waists and dresses were discarded +for flannel ones. + +The children, for weeks after our arrival, ran out often to play, +bareheaded and without wraps, having frequently to be reminded when the +weather was severe, to put them on. In the kitchen they had their own +table, where they were separately served, though at the same time as +their elders at another table in the room. To preserve the health of the +little ones, not taking entirely away their native foods of seal meat +and oil, tom-cod (small fish), reindeer meat and wild game, these were +fed to them on certain days of the week, as well as other native dishes +dear to the Eskimo palate, but they were well fed at all times, and grew +fat and hearty as well as happy. + +As we sewed contentedly in the sitting-room on Monday the storm +continued, snowing and blowing a gale from the southwest, which, though +not disturbing us even slightly, we felt sure would be bad for those at +sea and at Nome; our own experiences at that place giving us always a +large sympathy for others in similar plight. Long afterwards we learned +that in this storm the "Elk" had been blown ashore at Nome, and was +pretty thoroughly disabled, if not entirely wrecked, and we wondered if +poor cook Jim had "done been mighty busy, sah, gittin' tings fixed" ever +since. + +When evening came the children and Baby Bessie were put to bed; work, +indoors and out, was finished for that day, and we were twelve in the +sitting-room, as merry a crowd as one could find in all Alaska. Miss J. +had taken a lesson on the organ in the afternoon and was all interested +in making progress on that instrument, assuring her friends who declared +she would never practise her lessons, that she certainly would do so, as +they would afterwards learn. + +The winds might sigh and moan, and whirl the falling snow in the +darkness as they liked; waters congeal under the fingers of the frost +king, closing the mouth of innumerable creeks, rivers, and bays; but +here under cover we had light, health, warmth and food, without a single +care. In my cozy, soft bed under the blankets, the firelight playing on +the walls, the fine organ open and ready for use, I lay often with wide +open eyes, wondering if I were myself or another. + +In one corner of the room stood a case containing books enough to supply +us with reading matter for a year, those printed in Swedish being, of +course, of no use to me, but a variety of subjects were here presented +in English, ranging from Drummond's "Natural Law in the Spiritual World" +to nursery rhymes for the children. Volumes on medicine, law, science, +travels, stories, ethics and religion--all were here for the instruction +and edification of inmates of the Mission. In another corner there was a +large case of medicines, and here were remedies in powders, liquids, +salves and pills, drawers filled with lint, bandages, cotton, and books +of instruction teaching the uses of all. Even surgical instruments were +found here, as well as appliances for emergencies, from broken and +frozen limbs, mad-dog bites, and "capital operations," to a scratched +finger or the nose-bleed. + +This outfit was for the use of any and all, without charge, who should +be so unfortunate as to require assistance of this sort in this region. +Without money and without price, the only case of remedies for many +miles around, this Mission provided for all suffering ones who applied, +and during the winter many were relieved and assisted toward recovery. + +In the third corner of this room stood the large cabinet organ, nearly +new, and in good condition. Instruction books, hymnals, "Gospel Hymns," +small collections of words without music, Swedish songs--all were here +in abundance. + +The fourth corner contained my couch-bed. A heating stove, made of sheet +iron, a table with its pretty spread, a large student lamp, easy chairs, +a pretty ingrain rug covering the floor, window shades and lace +curtains, with pictures and Scripture texts upon the wall, completed the +room furnishings, making a homey place, which for years had been a haven +of refuge for the homeless Eskimo children. Besides these, it had given +food, shelter and clothing to many a white-faced wanderer, who came +penniless, hungry and cold, perhaps ill and starving. + +About seven years before this unpretending, now weather-beaten house had +been erected, and the kindly little dark-eyed man put in charge was at +once at home. He was blessed with rare versatility and patience, as well +as a great heart of love for all mankind, including the dark-skinned, +seal-eating races of the Arctic. + +From a door-latch to a baby's cradle, from a log-house to a sail-boat +rigged with runners on the ice, he planned, contrived and executed, +principally for others, for years. Here we found, in one room, from his +hands a bedstead, a table, and a washstand commode, all made in white +wood, of regulation size, shape and pattern, though without paint or +staining. Relegated now to an upper room, since the velvet couch had +arrived, was a long, wooden settle, with back, ends and sliding seat, +the latter to be pushed forward upon legs and made into double bed at +night. + +One day in the winter, when searching for open places under the roof +through which the snow was sifting, wetting the ceiling of the room +below, I found in the attic a number of curious things, and among them a +child's cradle. Not all the thought of the good man had been given to +the needs of the "grown-ups," but the small, weak and helpless ones of +his flock had received their equal share of attention. The cradle was +well made with solid high sides and ends, and curved upper edges, +swinging low and easily upon its two strong rockers. All was smooth, +well finished, and rounded, though there was no paint nor varnish, these +articles being doubtless unprocurable and not deemed strictly essential. +Near by were the remnants of a white fox robe fitting the cradle. It was +made of baby fox skin, fine, soft and pretty. A flannel lining with a +pinked-out edge completed what had once been a lovely cover for baby, +whether with white face or black, and I fell to wishing I might have +seen the complete outfit in its former days. + +From the rafters of the attic hung articles of wearing apparel of +curious make and pattern, sometimes of skins of the wild reindeer or +spotted seal. Of old mittens and muckluks there were numbers, still +preserved for the good they had done or might yet do at piecing out +somewhere. There were things for which I had not yet learned the uses, +but might do so before the cold winter had passed. There were also many +fur skins, and new articles of value stored in the attic. + +Tuesday, October twenty-third, the weather was not cold, but snow fell +part of the day, and it grew dark about half-past four in the afternoon. +The gale of Monday had subsided, and the sky was overcast. The steamer +"Sadie" of the Alaska Commercial Company surprised us by coming into +Golovin, and again suddenly we fell to letter writing in order to send +them out by her, remaining several hours as she always did to unload +freight and baggage, for this would positively be our last steamer. +Outside the boys worked as industriously as we women. In the old +log-house, a hundred feet from our door, was the building now used for a +woodshed. Here, upon a big "double-decker" saw-buck, two of the boys, +with the big saw between them, worked away, hour after hour, at the +great logs of driftwood brought from the beach, as this was the only +kind of fuel here used, and much was needed for the winter fires. + +When I had finished my work of sewing, and it grew too dark to thread +needles, between that hour and the one for the lamp lighting, I was +usually seated at the organ, and our music was not all Hymns from the +Hymnals, certainly. There were marches and polkas, and sprightly +waltzes, too, and nothing was ever tabooed, though these classic +selections were always omitted on Sunday. None ever minded how long I +sat at the organ, or how many times a day a certain piece was played, +and a few could never be sated; but I took good care that my work never +lagged, and a duty was never neglected for such pleasure, thereby making +it always the recreation and enjoyable exercise it was intended to be +and not tiresome. + +Miss J. now took a lesson on the instrument each day for a half hour +after the lamps were lighted, and as she had already had a few lessons, +and could play a few hymns, she was much interested in acquiring a +further knowledge which would be helpful in church and Sunday school +services. Miss E., too, thought of beginning lessons if she could find +time from her manifold duties as house-mother of the numerous flock, and +did take a few lessons before they moved away. + +In the evening there was always singing, for some were sure to be +present then, who had been absent during the day. Perhaps Mr. H. had +arrived with a Christian native from the Home, to spend the night before +going back on the morrow, with supplies of some sort for the completion +of his new house. He now headed the two establishments and vibrated +between them, simply camping at the new place and enjoying everything of +home life possible in the Mission. At jokes and repartee he was as good +as the best of them, and always enjoyed a laugh like the youngest. + +A level head and firm hand had this Swedish missionary of long +experience. From a dozen or more years at Yakutat, in southern Alaska, +where he had done invaluable work for that Mission, he had come about +two years before to Golovin Bay, and now had, besides the Eskimo +children in that place, over four hundred government reindeer in charge. +For these he kept a number of experienced and trusty native drivers, and +these either lived in his Mission or with their families near at hand, +as a few of them now were married. + +This herd of animals was kept upon the hills where the reindeer moss +grew in plenty, for they could not, and would not, eat anything else if +they literally starved to death, and they were now five miles away. To +remove this great family of a score and more with their belongings over +the ice, a distance of twelve miles in winter by dog-team, getting +settled in a large frame building, unplastered, and upon a bleak, +unprotected shore, was an undertaking which would have discouraged most +men; especially as a shipload of needed supplies for their new Home, +including furniture, had been lost at sea, leaving them short of many +such necessities. But this was not all. The whole reindeer herd and +their drivers, with their several families, were also to be moved near +the new Home, and to fresh moss pastures. + +Near the Home was a good-sized creek of fresh and pure water, which ran +singing along through the hills to the ocean, and for this reason the +site had been selected and built upon. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WINTER IN THE MISSION. + + +The first few garments I made for Little Bessie were not a great +success. I had told Miss E. that I would be delighted to assist her in +any way that I could, never dreaming what would come; and she being more +in need of warm clothing for the children than anything else, with rolls +of uncut flannels, and baskets piled high with materials to be made into +underwear, said immediately that I might help with their sewing. + +She then brought a piece of Canton flannel, and the shears, and put them +into my hands, saying that I might make two pairs of night-trowsers for +the baby. My heart sank within me in a moment. I made a desperate effort +to collect myself, however, and quietly asked if she had a pattern. No, +she had none. The child, she said, kicked the cover off her in the night +so often, and the weather was growing so cold, that she and Miss J. +thought a garment of the trouser description, taking in the feet at the +same time, would very well answer her needs, and this I was requested to +originate, pattern and all. Whatever should I do? I could more easily +have climbed Mt. McKinley! If she had told me to concoct a new pudding, +write an essay, or make a trip to Kotzebue, I should not have been so +much dismayed; but to make a garment like that, out of "whole cloth," so +to speak, from my own design--that was really an utter impossibility. + +"O, well," she said, "I am sure you can do this well enough. It is not +such a very particular job; just make something in which to keep the +child warm nights, you know. That is all I care for," kindly added she, +as she closed the door behind her and went back to the kitchen. + +Finally I appealed to Alma. She was busy. She had never cut out anything +of the sort, neither had Ricka nor Miss L., but I being a married woman +was supposed to have a superior knowledge of all such things. I admitted +that I might have a theory on the subject, but a "working hypothesis," +alas, I had none. + +Still I hung around Alma, who was an expert dressmaker of years' +standing in San Francisco. + +"No, I can't cut them out, really; but why don't you make a pattern from +some garment on hand?" + +Here was an idea. Something to build upon. + +"But there are the feet, and the waist?" I said still anxiously. + +"O, build them on to your pattern," she said carelessly; as if anyone +with half an eye and one hand could do that sort of building, and she +left the room for more important matters. + +There was nothing else for me to do. I secured a suit of the baby's +clothing throughout, and, taking the cloth, the shears, and an old +newspaper, I went upstairs to Miss J.'s room and closed the door. I +wanted to be alone. I longed to have my dear old mother there for just +one short hour, for in that time I felt certain she would have cut out +these as well as other garments, enough to keep us for weeks sewing, as +her own babies had kept her at one time. + +However, there was no help for me, and I went to work. For an hour I cut +and whittled on that old newspaper, along with a number of others, +before I got a pattern that I fancied might do. Then I submitted it to +Miss J. herself, who told me to go ahead and cut it out. It appeared all +right, so far as she could see. Then I cut, and basted, and tried the +garment on Bessie. It was too wide across the chest, too short in the +legs, and the feet were monstrosities. What was to be done, I asked of +the others? + +"Make new feet, and sew them on around the ankle," said Miss J., +thoughtfully, surveying her little charge from all sides, as the child +stood first on one foot, then on the other, "then you can lengthen the +legs a little if you want to," careful not to offend by criticising +abruptly, but still feeling that the height of the gearing should be +increased. + +"Dear me, that's easy enough," suggested Alma, "just put a wide box +plait down the front, like that in a shirtwaist, and it will be all +right." + +"The back can be taken out in the placket," and Ricka folded and lapped +the cloth on the little child's shoulders, and then we called Miss E. +from the kitchen. After making a few suggestions in a very conservative +way, as if they did not come readily because the garment was just about +right; she left the room hastily, saying her bread would burn in the +oven; and I thought I heard her giggling with Miss L. in Swedish until +she ran away out into the woodshed, ostensibly for an armful of wood; +though if her bread were already burning I wondered what she wanted of +more fire. + +I did not blame her; I laughed too. The little child looked exceedingly +funny as she stood there in that wonderful garment, with black eyes +shining like beads, and face perfectly unsmiling, as she nearly always +looks, wondering why it was we were laughing. + +October twenty-fourth the boys worked all day at making the house more +comfortable for winter, nailing tar paper upon the north side, where +some clapboards were missing, putting on storm or double windows outside +of the others, and filling the cracks with putty. A couple of the boys +also worked at hauling supplies of apples and potatoes from the +warehouse by dog-team, putting the eatables into the cellar under the +kitchen, which was well packed in with hay. This cellar was a rude one, +and in summer frequently filled with water from the surface and the hill +above the house, making it not altogether wholesome at times, but by +management, it was still being used for some things, and of course, in +cold weather, it made no difference, for everything was solidly frozen. + +Snow enough had fallen by this time, a little coming quietly down every +few hours, to make fair roads for the sleds, the ground being quite +hard; while Fish River and adjoining creeks were fast freezing over, as +were also the waters of the bay. + +In the evening Mr. H. came in, and we all gathered in the sitting room, +some sewing, some mending, but all chatting pleasantly. The missionary +had just been informed, he told us, of a gold strike on the Kuskokquim +River, some one having only recently returned from St. Michael, and +brought the report. From that place men were leaving for the new +diggings each day, and it might or might not prove a bona fide strike. +With reindeer, on a good winter trail, this distance would not be a +formidable trip, Mr. H. told us. + +This was the information we wanted to hear, and it probably started a +train of golden dreams that night in more than one head, which was long +in stopping, especially when he informed us that every acre of land +around us was then staked out in quartz claims, though no extensive +prospecting had yet been done, and we were pleased at finding ourselves +"so near" even though we were "yet so far." + +Today was a birthday for Mr. G., and he was teased unmercifully for his +age, but would not give it, so those who had known him the longest tried +their best to figure it out from incidents in his life and from +narratives of his own, and made it out to their satisfaction as about +thirty-two years, though he refused (like a woman) to the very last, to +tell them if they were guessing correctly. + +The next day it still snowed a little at intervals between clouds and +sunshine, and all "tenderfeet" were more comfortable indoors. Miss E. +and Ricka had gone the day before with the boys and Mr. H. to the Home +on a scow-load of lumber, though we feared it was pretty cold for them +without shelter on the water; but with the wind in the right direction, +they wanted to attempt it, and so started. They were to look the new +building over for the first time, Miss E. being much interested in the +inside arrangement of rooms, naturally, as it was to be her home and +field of labor, and rightly thinking a womanly suggestion, perhaps, +might make the kitchens more handy. + +In their absence the rest of us continued our sewing, Miss L. taking +Miss E.'s place in the kitchen, with help from the larger Eskimo girls +at dish washing. The latter were docile and smiling, and one little girl +called Ellen was always exceedingly careful to put each cup and saucer, +spoon and dish in its proper place after drying it, showing a +commendable systematic instinct, which Miss E. was trying to foster. + +Between times, their school not yet being in session, they played about, +either up in their rooms if it was too stormy outside, or out of doors +if the weather permitted; though, for that matter, they seldom hesitated +to do anything they wished on account of the weather, as it was not so +cold to the natives as to us. They played with balls, both large and +small, and sleds of all descriptions; and if the latter were not to be +had, or all in use, a barrel stave or board would be made to answer the +same purpose. It was a rush past the window down the hill, first by a +pair of muckluked feet, then a barrel stave and a boy, sometimes little +Pete, and sometimes John. One barrel stave would hold only one coaster, +and there were usually enough for the boys, but if by chance the little +girls laid hands upon the sleds before they did, the staves were then +their only resource. If a child rolled, by accident, upon the ground, it +never seemed to matter, for in furs he was well protected. The snow was +soft, and he, being as much at home there as anywhere, seemed rather to +like it. + +If he was seen to fall, it was the signal for some other to roll and +tumble him, keeping him under as long as possible, and it was a frequent +sight to see three or four small boys tumbling about like kittens, +locked in each other's arms, and all kicking and shouting +good-naturedly. Snowballing, too, was their delight, and their balls +were not always velvety, either, as the one stopping its course could +affirm. + +These children did little quarreling. I cannot remember seeing Eskimo +boys angry or fighting, a thing quite noticeable among them, for nowhere +in the world, perhaps, could the same number of white children be found +living so quietly and harmoniously together as did these twelve little +dark-faced Eskimos in the Mission. + +Our days were now growing much shorter, and it was necessary to light +the lamps at four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun having set some time +before. The sunset skies were lovely in bright and tender colors, +reflecting themselves as they did in the water of the bay, and tinting +delicately all surrounding hilltops. What a beautiful sight it was, and +how sadly we remembered that very soon the water would have disappeared +under the solid ice, there to remain for long months imprisoned. Little +did we then know that the heavenly beauty of the Arctic sky is never +lacking, but close upon the departure of one season, another, no less +beautiful, takes its place. + +Diary of October twenty-sixth: Alma and I called today upon two +neighbors in the old schoolhouse next the church, by name Dr. H. and +wife. They claim to have come from Dawson not very long ago, being +shipwrecked on the way, and losing their outfit. She seems a chatty, +pleasant little body, and inclined to make the best of everything, her +hard lot included, and she is baking and selling bread to the miners. +She is a brave little woman, and could teach many a pampered and +helpless one lessons of great usefulness and patience. Miss L. is ill +with quincy and suffering very much, so Alma makes the bread. + +I have just made four large aprons for Miss J., cutting them out and +making them, and they look really well, so I am quite proud of myself, +especially as Ricka has "set up" my knitting on needles for me, and I am +going to make some hose. I usually knit evenings, between times at the +organ, for my new yarn received from San Francisco is very nice, and +will make warm winter stockings. + +Saturday, October twenty-seventh: We have four inches of snow on the +ground, and more coming. Miss L. is quite ill with her throat, and did +not get up today. Alma, too, is very pouty, with a swollen, pudgy face, +and feels badly. They both say they think they took cold coming from +Nome on the "Elk," and I don't doubt it, for I would have done so myself +only for my great caution in taking care of my newly shingled head and +in applying a thorough dose of fur muckluks to my feet, but, thanks to +them, I am the most "chipper" one at present. + +Miss J. had Dr. H. examine Bessie today, and he says she has bronchitis, +but told the teacher what to do for her. + +The two girls came back from the Home with Mr. H. and Mr. L. about four +o'clock after we had begun to be worried about them. They were hungry, +and Alma and I got dinner for them, when Mr. H. started back immediately +in a small boat alone, after it had begun to grow dark. We begged him +not to attempt it, but he insisted on going, as he must be there +tomorrow to push the work on the building, and the ice is floating, so +he fears it will freeze the bay over. The sun shone out beautifully for +three or four hours, and it is just one week today since we landed in +Golovin, a most pleasant week to us all (pattern making not included). + +Later.--I helped with the housework and made two more aprons for Miss J. +There is nothing like feeling of some use in the world, is there? + +Sunday, October twenty-eight: A clear, bright morning, growing cloudy +about noon, and dark at four in the afternoon, when lamps were lighted. +We had a long, restful day indoors, both Miss E. and Ricka being very +lame from their long walk of fifteen miles over the stony beach and +tundra covered hills from the Home, Mr. H.'s boat being too small for +four persons. By water the distance is called a dozen miles, but by land +and on foot it is much farther, as the girls have found by sad +experience; and they were very glad it was Sunday, and they could rest. +Miss E. said laughingly that we would play we were at home in the States +again, and so she spread the breakfast table daintily in the +sitting-room, with white cover, pretty embroidered centre-piece, and +snowy napkins, bringing real comfort to our hearts, accustomed as we had +been for so many months to bare necessities and none of the luxuries. A +fashionable breakfast hour for Sunday in the States was also affected in +order to make the plan complete, and because the mornings, growing +darker as they are continually doing, nobody felt in haste to leave +their beds. Of course every one wore his Sunday clothes and I put on my +very best waist of olive green satin with a good black skirt, which had +a little train, thereby effectively hiding my uncouth feet, still clad +as they are in the ungainly muckluks. + +The ice is moving in the bay, and we hear that still another steamer may +come in, so we can send mail out to Nome, and write to have in +readiness. There have been no church services today, as Mr. H. is away +at the Home, but we had music and singing frequently, and Swedish hymns +all evening, which I play, but do not understand. + +Monday, October twenty-ninth: This has been a bright, sunny morning +until a little after noon, when it grew cloudy, as it often does. Miss +E. was still very lame from her long tramp of last Saturday, and Ricka +and I assisted in the kitchen. Alma has cut out a pretty brown cloth +dress for Miss J. and is making it. Miss L.'s throat is better, and she +is out of her room again, after a siege of severe suffering with +quinsy, which caused a gathering. About nine in the evening Mr. H. came +in from the Home, having walked the whole distance, a boat being now +unsafe in the floating ice. After drinking some hot coffee, he related +to us his adventure of Friday night in the Peterborough canoe. He had +left us quite late in the afternoon of that day to go to the Home, and +it was already beginning to grow dark. For a while, he said, he found +open water, and made good time at the paddle, but presently found +himself alongside of and soon after crowded by floating ice. + +It was young ice, and he did not have much fear of it. He kept on +paddling, but finally found himself entirely surrounded, and manage as +he would, he could not free his canoe. A breeze came up from the north, +which pushed him along with the ice out toward sea, for he was near the +mouth of the bay. There was nothing to do but wait. For an hour he +waited. + +It was well on towards midnight, and he could see no escape. The +missionary, in relating the incident to us, did not dwell upon this part +of his story, but he said he had given himself up for lost, and only +prayed and waited. By and by the breeze died away, the ice quietly +parted, and drifted away from him, and he paddled safely ashore. + +Tuesday, October thirty: A brand new experience today--that of watching +the natives and others fish through the ice. Little holes are made in +the ice, which is now quite strong in the north end of the bay near the +cliff, and the Eskimos sit there patiently for hours, fishing for +tom-cod. These are small fish, but quite tasty, one of the principal +means of subsistence for the natives, and are also much used by others. +No pole is needed on the line except a short one of three or four feet, +and when a bite is felt by the fisherman, the line is quickly drawn out, +given a sudden twitch, which frees the tom-cod, and he is summarily +dispatched with a few raps from the fishing stick kept at hand for the +purpose. + +Several river boats, including small steamers, are laid up under the +cliff for the winter, dismantled of loose gear and light machinery, and +I did get a few views which should prove of some value. The weather was +good all day, the sun setting at three in the afternoon, and it being +nearly dark an hour later. Mr. H. dressed himself from top to toe in +furs, hitched three dogs to a sled, took a lunch for himself, a few +supplies of eatables for the Home camp to which he was going, and +started out, on a longer, but we trusted a less venturesome and +dangerous route than by Peterborough canoe. Our evening was pleasantly, +and at the same time more or less profitably spent by our party in the +sitting-room, Alma sewing on Miss J.'s new dress, Ricka and I knitting, +and the others either mending or busying themselves at something. This +something frequently covers a good deal of ground, for with one or two +of the boys it means pranks or roguishness of some sort, which really +enlivens the whole household and keeps our risibles from growing rusty +by disuse. + +Wednesday, October thirty-one: I find no difficulty in running the +sewing machine here, which is a new and good one, and I like to use it +very well. Just how they could get along without it is more than I can +tell, with so much sewing to do for each of the children, not to mention +the others who are waiting to come into the Mission at the earliest +possible moment. During the day Mr. L. busied himself usefully in +several ways as he always does, and finally mended Miss J.'s guitar. +After supper we counted ourselves and found six women and a lot of +children, but he was the only man in the establishment, the others being +at the Home, and we hazed him considerably, all of which was taken most +good-naturedly. The bay is freezing more and more each day, with an +increasing depth of snow upon the ground. + +A very unpleasant day as to weather was Friday, November second. Snow, +high tide, and wind from the south, which blew the water further yet +upon the beach; but we sewed all day, though I did not get much +accomplished. I gave Miss E. her first lesson on the organ today. Alma +is making herself a new dress skirt, as she has Miss J.'s wool dress +nearly finished, and it looks exceedingly well, fitting, as some one +remarks, "like the paper on the wall." Alma likes dressmaking, and does +it well, but draws the line at baby clothes. + +Each day Miss J., the teacher, is now holding a little prayer meeting in +the kitchen for the natives. When the supper is cleared away, one of the +boys goes out and rings the bell, which is only a big, iron triangle +hung under three posts in the ground. A piece of iron is picked up and +put through the triangle, hitting it on both sides, and making a +ringing, vibrating sound which calls in the natives, who come +immediately, just as they are, and range themselves on the benches along +the walls. Those who can sing sit at the long table upon which are the +lamps and English song books, those used being principally Gospel songs. +One of the grown boys called Ivan is a very fair singer, and loves music +of all kinds. He is the interpreter for all meetings, understanding +English and speaking it quite well. None of the Eskimos are taught +Swedish--nothing but English. + +Miss J. reads a song which she wishes them to learn, and Ivan interprets +it into Eskimo, verse by verse, afterwards singing it. Tunes are learned +more quickly than words, but they get the meaning from Ivan. Then Miss +J. reads the Scripture, Ivan interpreting verse by verse. She next +offers prayer in English, and calls upon some older native Christian to +pray in his language, after which they sing several songs with which +they are familiar. Having selected beforehand some passage from the +Bible, she reads and expounds that, being interpreted by Ivan; there is +a short benediction and the meeting is over. They seem to like very well +to come, and are never eager to go, but say little, not being great +talkers, even in their own tongue. + +When the last Eskimo has departed, and the children are settled in bed, +the cozy hour of the day has arrived. For a good, old-fashioned tale of +love, fright and adventure, there is no time like a winter's night, when +the wind shrieks down the chimney and whirling snow cuddles into corners +and crannies. When supper is over, and the kitchen is well cleared, the +women of the house may take their yarn and bright needles, while the men +toast their feet at the fire and spin--other yarns, without needles, +which are, perhaps, not so essential, but far more entertaining to +listeners. + +This is what we did that winter at Chinik, the home of the Eskimo, in +that far away spot near the Arctic Sea. There were tales of the Norsemen +and Vikings, told by their hardy descendants sitting beside us, as well +as the stories of Ituk and Moses, the aged, called "Uncle," Punni +Churah, big Koki, and "Lowri." + +To the verity of the following narrative all these and many others can +willingly vouch. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE RETIRED SEA CAPTAIN. + + +Many years ago, close under the shadow of old Plymouth Rock, there was +born one day a fair-skinned, blue-eyed baby. Whether from heredity, or +environment, or both, the reason of his spirit will perhaps never +plainly appear, but as the child grew into manhood he seemed filled with +the same adventurous aspirations which had actuated his forefathers, +causing them to leave their homes in old England, and come to foreign +shores. Scarcely had he passed into his teens before he was devouring +tales of pirates, and kindred old sea yarns, and his heart was fired +with ambition to own a vessel and sail the high seas. Not that he +thirsted for a pirate's life, but a seafaring man's adventures he longed +for and decided he must have. + +Under these conditions a close application at his desk in the village +school was an unheard-of consequence; and, having repeatedly smarted +under the schoolmaster's ferule, not to mention his good mother's +switches plucked from the big lilac bush by her door, he decided to run +away to the great harbor, and ship upon some vessel bound for a foreign +land. + +This he did. Then followed the usual hard, rough life of a boy among +sailors in distant ports; the knotted rope's end, the lip blackening +language and curses, storms, shipwrecks and misfortunes; all followed as +a part of the life so hastily chosen by the adventurous young lad, until +he acquired familiarity with all that appertained thereto, and he was a +man. + +Years passed. To say that fortune never came to him would not be true, +because she is always a fickle dame, and cannot change her character for +sailor men. So it came about that he finally stood on the captain's +bridge of different sorts of craft, and gave orders to those beneath +him. + +And a typical sea captain was he. Gruff when occasion required, +rollicking as any when it pleased him, he was generous to a fault, and a +man of naturally good impulses. If he drank, he was never tipsy; if he +swore, he always had reason; and thus he excused himself when he thought +of his good old mother's early Bible teaching. + +From Montevideo to Canton, from Gibraltar to San Francisco, from Cape of +Good Hope to the Arctic Ocean; thus ran his itinerary year after year. +Crossing Behring Strait from Siberia in the summer of 18--, he landed, +with his little crew, at Cape Prince of Wales, for the purpose of +trading with the natives. The furs of the animals of this region were +found to be exceptionally fine, thick and glossy, and the Eskimos easily +parted with them. For flour, tobacco and woolen cloth they willingly +gave their furs to the sailors, who looked admiringly upon the skins of +the polar bear, sea otter, beaver, silver, black and white fox, as well +as those of many other animals. These furs were sold in San Francisco, +and other trips were made to the Arctic Northwest. + +Along the south coast of the Seward Peninsula there are few bays or +natural harbors. Golovin Bay is one of them. Here for many years the +Eskimos have subsisted upon the fine fish and game. The flesh and oils +of the white whale, seal and walrus being principally sought for, the +natives came to this bay from all directions. + +After many years of wandering, and when the ambitions of the captain for +a seafaring life had been satisfied, an incident occurred which changed +the current of his life and decided him to settle permanently at Golovin +Bay. + +During his visits on the peninsula his attention had been directed to a +bright and intelligent young Eskimo woman, lithe and lively, a good +swimmer, trapper and hunter. Like a typical Indian, she had a clear, +keen eye, steady nerves and common sense. She was a good gunner and +seldom missed her mark. She was fearless on land or sea, loved her free +out-door life, and was a true child of nature. Her name was Mollie. + +One day in the early springtime, nearly a dozen years ago, when the +winter's ice was still imprisoned in the bays and sounds of Behring +Sea, though the warm sun had for weeks been shining and already seams +appeared upon the ice in many places, the captain attempted the trip by +dog-team from St. Michael to Golovin Bay. With him were four trusty +natives, and three dog-teams, the animals being of the hardy Eskimo +breed, and well-nigh impervious to cold, their long, thick hair making +an effective protection. + +His men were experienced, knowing the country perfectly, including a +knowledge of winter trails and methods of traveling such as all Eskimos +possess, and though the weather was not just what the captain might have +wished, he decided to make the start, and left St. Michael in good shape +for the long trip. The strong sleds with high-back handle bar and railed +sides were firmly packed with freight, which was securely lashed down. +The dogs were driven in pairs, eleven to a sled, the eleventh being in +each case a fine leader and called such, besides having his own Eskimo +name, as did also the four men who were warmly dressed in furs from head +to foot. These natives were familiar with little English, but as the +captain had made himself acquainted with their language they had no +difficulty in making each other understood. + +Early in the evening of that day they reached the Mission station of +Unalaklik, on the mainland, about fifty miles northeast of the island, +where they spent the night. In this settlement were white traders, as +well as missionaries and numbers of Eskimos, it being an old port of +considerable importance. + +In the cold grey morning light Punni Churah and the men called to the +malemutes, patting their furry heads and talking kindly to them, for +many a weary, long mile of snow trail stretched northward for them that +day before they could rest and eat. Only at night, when their day's work +was done, were these faithful creatures ever fed on seal, fish, whale, +or walrus meat, for otherwise they would be drowsy, and not willing to +travel; so they were called early from their snow beds in a drift or +hollow, where they liked best to sleep, and made ready for the start. + +Dressed in their squirrel skin parkies, with wide-bordered hoods upon +their heads, reindeer muckluks on their feet and mittens of skin upon +their hands, stood Ah Chugor Ruk, Ung Kah Ah Ruk, Iamkiluk and Punni +Churah, long lashed whips in hand, and waiting. + +On one of the sleds, dressed and enveloped in furs, sat the captain, +before giving the order to start. At the word from him, the dogs sprang +to their collars, the little bells jingled, and away they all dashed. +Team after team, over the well-trodden trail they went, keeping up a +continuous and sprightly trot for hours, while behind at the handle bars +ran the natives, and rocks, hills and mountains were passed all +unnoticed. + +That night another Eskimo village was reached, and sixty miles of snow +trail were left behind. Shaktolik lay on the shore southeast of a +portage which would have to be made over a small point of land jutting +out into Norton Bay. + +During the night a storm came up which would necessarily much impede +their progress, being called in the western world a "blizzard." This +storm fiend, once met, is never forgotten. None but the man in the +Arctic has seen him. None know so well how to elude him. Like a Peele, +or a "tremblor" this Arctic king gathers his forces, more mighty than +armies in battle, and sweeps all opponents before him. To resist means +death. To crouch, cower or bow down to this implacable lord of the polar +world is the only way to evade his wrath when he rides abroad, and woe +to the man who thinks otherwise. + +Not long had the wind and snow been blowing when the little train +prepared to move. Ahead they could see the sled tracks of other +"mushers" (travelers by dog-team), and the captain concluded to hurry +along, notwithstanding that Ah Chugor Ruk shook his head, and spat +tobacco juice upon the ground, and Ung Kah Ah Ruk demurred stoutly in +few words. Punni Churah thought as the rest, but would go ahead if the +captain so ordered, and they headed northwest for the portage. + +On the dogs trotted for hours. The snow and sleet were blinding, the +wind had risen to a gale. The dogs traveled less rapidly now, and their +faces were covered with frost, the moisture freezing as they breathed. + +By this time the natives wanted to camp where they were, or head about +northeast for another Eskimo village called Ungaliktulik, which would +make the journey longer by twenty-five miles, but the captain decided to +keep on as they were going. + +By the middle of the afternoon the gale had increased to fury, causing +the thermometer to fall with great rapidity, while the snow was +blinding. The dogs were curling up in the wind like leaves before a +blaze. + +Ah Chugor Ruk was ahead with his team. His leader suddenly halted. + +"Muk-a-muk!" cried the Eskimo. + +"Muk!" echoed Punni Churah, running up alongside to look, and then back +to the captain's sled, where he shouted something loudly in order to be +heard above the storm. + +An ice crack crossed their trail. There was no help for it. There it +lay, dark and cold--the dreaded water. + +In the blinding blizzard they could not see the width of the chasm. It +was too wide for them to bridge; it was death to remain where they +were--they must turn back, and they did so. The wind was not now in +their faces as before, which made traveling some easier, but they had +not gone far when: "Muk-a-muk!" from Punni this time, who was ahead. + +Again the dogs stopped. Again Punni Churah came back, and reported. + +They were adrift on a cake of ice. Wind from the northeast was blowing a +hurricane, carrying them on their ice cake directly out to sea; but the +snow was drifting in hummocks, and in one of them the natives began +digging a hole for a hut. When this was of sufficient size, they pitched +a sled cover of canvas over it, made the sleighs fast outside, and +crawled underneath. Once inside their temporary igloo, they made a fire +of white drilling and bacon, taken from the sled loads of merchandise; +melted snow for water, and boiled coffee, being nearly famished. Then +for hours they all slept heavily, the dogs being huddled together in the +snow, as is their habit, but the blizzard raged frightfully, and drove +the dogs nearer the men in the hut. + +Crawling upon the canvas for more warmth, the poor, freezing creatures, +struggling for shelter, with the weight of their bodies caused the hut +to collapse, and all fell, in one writhing heap, upon the heads of the +unfortunates below. Howling, barking, struggling to free themselves from +the tangle, the pack of brutes added torment to the lot of the men; but +the storm raged with such terrific force that all lay as they fell, +until morning, under the snow. + +None now disputed the storm king's sway. All were laid low before him. +With the united fury of fiends of Hades, he laughed in demoniacal glee +at the desperation of the Arctic travelers under his heel. The whole +world was now his. Far from the icy and unknown wastes of the interior, +around the great Circle and Rockies, riding above the heads of rivers +and mountains, he came from the Koyuk and Koyukuk. Like a child at play, +as if weary of so long holding them in his cold embrace, he drove the +massive ice floes out into ocean, only, perhaps, in childish fitfulness, +to bring them back directly, by gales quite contrary. + +When morning dawned, the captain and his men crawled out of the crushed +snow hut, and, with hard work, made a new cave in the snow drift, +burying the sleighs in the old one. The dogs were starving, and, to +appease their appetites, were purloining bacon from the sled's stores; +but Providence, for once, was kind to them, and a large, fat seal of +several hundred pounds weight was shot that day on the edge of the ice +cake upon which they were camped, and this gave them food and fuel. Dogs +and natives were then well fed on the fresh seal meat and blubber, their +natural and favorite viands. From tin dishes upon the sleds, the natives +made little stoves, or lamps, using drilling for wicks, seal oil for +fuel, and their coffee was made. Among the stores on the sleds were +canned goods, beans, sausages, flour and other things, and on these the +captain subsisted. + +Day after day passed. The storm gradually died away, and the sun came +out. Then watches were set to keep a lookout, and the captain took his +turn with his men. Walking about in the cold morning air, he could see +the mainland to the northwest, many miles away, and his heart sank +within him. Would he ever put his foot upon that shore again? How long +could they live on the ice cake if they floated far out in the Behring +Sea? To him the outlook was growing darker each day, though the natives +seemed not to be troubled. + +Nearly two weeks passed. One night the captain was awakened by a hand on +his shoulder. It was Ung Kah Ah Ruk. The wind, he said, was blowing +steadily from the southwest, and if it continued they might be able to +reach the shore ice and the mainland. Anxiously together then they +watched and waited for long, weary hours, getting the sleds loaded, and +in readiness for a start; then, with bitterest disappointment, they +found the wind again changed to the southwest, which would carry them +out to sea as before. + +What were they to do? This might be their best and only chance to +escape. The shore ice lay near them, but, as yet, beyond their reach. +This treacherous wind might continue for days and even weeks. From +experience they knew that the wind blew where he listed, regardless of +the forlorn creatures under him, and with the thermometer at forty +degrees below zero, as it was, swimming was out of the question. The +crack appeared a dozen or so feet in width, and escape was only +possible by reaching the other side. + +Their strait was a desperate one. The captain decided to make the leap. +Removing his furs, he rolled them tightly, and threw them across the +chasm. It was now a positive dash for life, as without his furs he would +soon perish with the cold. + +He made the run and leaped. At that instant one of the natives, from +intense interest, or from a desire to assist, gave a loud Eskimo whoop, +which startled the captain, and he missed his footing, falling forward +upon the ice, but with his lower limbs in the water. + +The natives now bestirred themselves and threw to the captain a large +hunting knife and rifle, attached to their long sled lashings. With a +good deal of exertion, the captain crawled upon the ice, and with the +knife he chopped a hole, and inserted the rifle barrel, fastening the +lashings to it and holding it firmly in place. The natives then pulled +with united strength on the line, bringing the ice cake slowly up toward +the captain until within a few feet of the shore ice, when, using a sled +for a bridge, they and the dogs crossed safely over, without so much as +wetting their feet. To all, this was a matter for great rejoicing, and +no regretful farewells were given to the ice floe which had been their +prison house so long. They were not yet out of danger, however, for the +shore ice upon which they stood might, in the gale, at any moment be +loosened and carry them, like the other, out into the ocean. So with all +haste possible, they proceeded to get away. Punni Churah brought the +captain's fur sleeping bag and robes, in which he was stowed away in one +of the sleds, though his wet clothing was now frozen. There was no time +nor place to make a change, with the thermometer nearly forty degrees +below zero. + +Hours afterward they reached the mainland. How good once more to step +foot on terra firma! The dogs barked, and the natives hallooed +cheerfully to each other, for they were now going home. A deserted +native village was soon entered, an igloo in passable condition taken +possession of, and the dogs tied up for the night. + +The natives now worked rapidly and cheerfully, two putting up their camp +stove, another bringing snow for water with which to make the coffee, +and Punni Churah looking after the captain, who tried to remove his +clothing, but to no purpose. Muckluks and trousers were frozen together, +and as fast as the ice melted sufficiently they were cut away. Contrary +to his expectations, he was not severely frozen, a white patch, the size +of his hand, appearing upon each limb above the knee. With these they +did the best they could, and dry clothing from the sleds was put on. + +Their supper that night was a feast of rejoicing. They were now on the +home trail, and would soon be among friends. One more day of travel and +their long, hazardous, and eventful trip of two hundred miles over an +Arctic waste would be successfully accomplished. As they rolled +themselves in their furs at midnight for a few hours of needed rest and +sleep, they could almost fancy themselves at home again and happy. The +dogs huddled in the snow outside, now and then barking in their usual +way, but the tired men in the igloo did not hear them, for their sleep +was oblivion, after the strain of the last two weeks. + +Next morning, after traveling for several hours, a halt was made, and a +lunch was taken in an Eskimo camp; but the captain, by this time, was +suffering from exposure and frosted limbs, the trail was bad, and he +concluded to hurry on ahead of the teams. The way was familiar, and only +one low mountain, called the Portage, was to be crossed. It was early in +the day, and his teams would follow immediately; so on his snowshoes the +captain hastened toward home. + +God help the man who travels alone in the Arctic in winter! Little +matters it if the sun shines brightly at starting, and the sky appears +clear as a summer pool. In one short hour the aspect of all may be +changed, heavens overcast, snow flying, and wind rapidly driving. Under +the gathering darkness and whirling snowflakes the narrow trail is soon +obscured, or entirely obliterated, the icy wind congeals the traveler's +breath and courage simultaneously, he becomes confused and goes round +and round in a circle, until, benumbed by the frost, he sinks down to +die. This was what now happened to the captain. + +Another storm was upon him when he reached the hill portage, and as he +expected his natives momentarily, and beyond this point the trail was +good, so that he could ride behind the dogs, he waited until they should +come up to him. Hour after hour he waited. Night came on, and the +blizzard increased in severity. Hungry, cold and already frost-bitten, +he must spend the night on the mountain alone. Still he listened for the +bells on the malemutes, and the calls of his Eskimo drivers. + +They did not come. Nothing but snow, and the shriek of that storm king +whose rage he had so recently encountered while drifting to sea on the +ice floe, and from whom only cruelty was ever expected, now whistled in +his ears. + +He knew he must keep on walking, so removing his snowshoes he stuck one +in the snow drift and fastened a seal rope at the top. Taking the end of +this in his hand, he circled round and round for hours to keep himself +moving. At last he grew weary, and closed his eyes, still walking as +before. It was more pleasant to keep his eyes closed, for then he saw +visions of bright, warm rooms, blazing fires and cozy couches, and +smelled the odors of appetizing foods. There were flowers, sweet music +and children, and he was again in far-off sunny lands. + +He grew drowsy. He would only rest a little in a soft white drift, and +then go on again. Making a place in the bank with the snowshoe, while +the wind whistled horribly and the whirling snow bewildered him, he lay +down to---- + +Some men, one night, drove their dog-teams into Chinik. They had come +from St. Michael, two hundred miles over the trail. They said the +captain and his party left there many days before them, and by this they +were surely dead, unless drifted out to sea, which really meant the same +thing, as no man could live upon the ice during the recent great +blizzard. An Eskimo woman heard what they said. She was a cousin to +Punni Churah, but she said nothing. + +An hour later, the woman and two men with dogs and sleds left Chinik for +the Portage, going east. It was storming, but it was not dark, and they +knew each foot of the way. At first, on the level, the woman rode in one +of the sleds, but when it grew hilly, she trudged behind. Her sharp eyes +now keenly searched every dark or obscure spot along the hillside trail. +The wind lessened somewhat, and the moon came out behind the clouds. + +The dogs finally stopped, throwing back their heads and howling; then, +in more excitement, gave the short, quick bark of the chase. + +The natives began poking about with sticks in the drifts, and Mollie +(for it was she) soon found the unconscious man in the snow. + +Quick work then they made of the return trip. They were only a few miles +from home now, and the malemutes seemed to comprehend. Every nerve in +their bodies tingled. Every tiny bell on their harnesses jingled, and +the fleet-footed natives sped rapidly behind. The dogs needed no +guidance, for they were going home, and well knew it. The voice of big +Ituk, as he gave out his Eskimo calls, the sleigh-bells, and the creak +of the sled runners over the frosty snow, were the only sounds heard on +the clear morning air. + +The life of the captain was saved. + +The sequel of his story is not long. With the best care known to a +native woman, brought up near and inside a Mission station, the captain +was tended and brought back to life, though weeks passed before he was +well. In fact, he was never strong again, and, needing a life-long +nurse, decided, with Mollie's consent, to take her for his wife, and so +the missionary married them. Then they settled permanently at Golovin +Bay, where a trading post was already established, and where they are +living happily to this day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +HOW THE LONG DAYS PASSED. + + +On Saturday, November third, began a great sewing of fur caps, +children's clothes, and also garments for the teacher. For the caps, a +pattern had to be made before beginning, but Alma and not I did it. +About four in the afternoon Mr. H., Mr. G. and Mr. B. came in from the +Home, having worked all day at collecting driftwood as they came along, +piling it upon end so it will not be buried in the snow, for that is the +only fuel we will have this winter, and it must be gathered and hauled +by the boys. + +While in the sitting room after supper three gentlemen and the wife of +one of them called to spend the evening from the A. E. Company's +establishment. One was the manager and head of the company's store here, +another was his clerk, and the man and his wife were neighbors. + +We soon found out that the young clerk had been up the Koyuk River +prospecting, and wanted to go again. The boys want to go there +themselves, and we gathered considerable information from our callers +regarding the country, manner of getting there, the best route, etc., +and spent a pleasant evening, as they seemed also to do. + +Sunday, November fourth, was marked as the first time of holding church +service in the schoolhouse since our arrival, and a good number were +present. Twenty-two Eskimos and ten white people made a cozy little +audience for Mr. H. and his interpreter, Ivan. I played the organ, and +they all sang from Gospel songs. For some reason a lump would come up in +my throat when I played the old home songs that I had so many times +played under widely differing circumstances, thousands of miles away; +but under the current of sadness there was one also of thanksgiving for +protection and guidance all the way. + +It was a motley crowd listening to the preacher that day, from various +and widely separated countries, Sweden, Norway, Finland, United States, +Alaska and possibly some others, were represented at this service as +well as at the one of the evening held in the Mission House which needed +no extra lights nor warming. A few more natives came in at this time, +and Mollie, the captain's wife, was there with her mother. Again I +played the instrument, while the rest sang. The little sitting-room and +hall were crowded, seats having been brought in from the kitchen, and +some were standing at the doors. One old Eskimo woman seemed in deep +trouble, for she wiped her eyes a great deal, and she, with some others, +were very dirty, at least if odors tell stories without lying. + +Monday, November fifth: This has been a fine day, and brought with it a +new lot of experiences. I took a few kodak views of a dog-team and +fur-dressed people in front of the Mission. After supper four neighbors +came (the same who called on us the other evening) with their horse to +take us out for a moonlight ride, and it proved a very novel one. A big, +grey horse, with long legs supporting his great hulk, and carrying him +away up above us as we sat on the sled; the conveyance, a home-made +"bob" sled upon which had been placed rough boards piled with hay and +fur robes for the comfort of passengers, and the harness home-made like +the "rig," was ingeniously constructed of odds and ends of old rope of +different colors which the men assured us, when interrogated upon the +point, were perfectly strong and secure. + +In it were knots, loops, twists, and coils, with traces spliced at great +length in order to keep us clear of the horse's heels, but which +frequently got him entangled, so that he had to be released by the +footman (the clerk). When this occurred, the latter, with an Indian +war-whoop, leaped off the sledge, flourished and cracked his big "black +snake" whip in air to encourage the animal to run faster, and I, sitting +with the driver on the front seat, gripped for dear life the board upon +which I sat. No Jehu, I feel sure, ever drove as did our driver tonight, +assisted by the whooping footman with his black snake. Through drifts +and over the pond, which was frozen, down steep banks to the beach, +through snow deep and still deeper, helter-skelter they drove, +skurrying, shouting, urging the poor beast on until he was wild of eye, +short of breath, weary in limb, and reeking. + +Overhead the air was clear as crystal, stars bright, and a perfect full +moon shining with brilliant whiteness over all. Only the jingle of the +bells upon the horse, the shrieks of our footman and driver, and the +laughter of the passengers on the "bob" broke the stillness of the +quiet, frosty air, which, in its intense purity and lightness seemed +fairly to vibrate with electricity as we breathed. + +November sixth: I have spent the day at making a warm winter hood for +myself. Finding that Mr. H. had grey squirrel skins, I bought six of him +for twenty-five cents apiece, for a lining for hood and mittens. The +hood I made pretty large every way, sewing two red fox tails around the +face for a border to keep the wind off my face, as is the Eskimo +fashion. + +During the day G. and B. went out over the beach to collect driftwood +for winter, and G. came home finally without his companion. It was +thought that B. went on to the Home, as he found himself not so far from +that as from the Mission, where he would probably remain all night, and +come over next day. Two natives, with as many reindeer and sleds, came +for flour and other things, taking Mr. H.'s trunk of clothing with them +for the missionary. The little Eskimos were delighted to see the deer, +and ran out to them, petting and talking to them. Then they rattled on +among themselves about the animals, inspecting and feeling of their +horns, patting their fat sides, calling their names, and showing their +pleasure at seeing the pretty creatures in various ways. I did not know +which were of most interest, the deer with long, branching antlers, +sleek spotted sides and funny heads, or the group of odd little Eskimo +children, with their plump dark faces, dressed in furry parkies and +boots, tumbling gleefully around in the snow. + +Wednesday, November seventh: The weather is beautifully clear and sunny +today, with charming sky effects at sunrise and sunset. Red, yellow and +crimson lines stretched far along the eastern horizon, cut by vertical +ones of lighter tints, until a big golden ball climbed up higher, and by +his increased strength warmed the whole snowy landscape. A few hours +later, this great yellow ball, looking bright and clear-cut, like +copper, sank gently beneath the long banks of purple-red clouds massed +in artistic and majestic confusion. Everything, at this time, was +enveloped in the cooler, quieter tints of purple and blue, and hills, +peaks, and icy bay all lay bathed in exquisite color. + +The two Eskimos brought the reindeer back from the Home today, stopped +for lunch, and then went on their way to the herd again. Ricka, Alma +and Miss J. went out as far as the cliff for a ride on the sleds behind +the deer, but I felt safer indoors. Ricka says when the animals dashed +over the big bank, out upon the ice near the cliff, she thought her last +hour had come. At first the deer trotted steadily along on the trail, +but going faster and faster they rushed headlong through the drifts, +dragging the sleds on one runner, and tearing up the snow like a +blizzard as they went, until it seemed to the two girls, unused to such +riding as they were, that the animals were running away, and they would +be certainly killed. + +Miss J. was quite used to this kind of traveling, and made no outcry, +but Alma and Ricka finally got the natives to stop the deer and let them +get off and walk home, saying it might be great fun when one was +accustomed to it. + +The sleds used by the natives are called reindeer sleds because made +especially for use when driving deer. They are close to the ground, and +very strongly built, as they could not otherwise stand the wear and tear +of such "rapid transit." Side rails are put on, but no high handle-bar +at the back, and when a load is placed upon the sled it is lashed +securely on with ropes or thongs made of seal or walrus hide; otherwise +there would be no load before the journey was completed. + +Mr. H. says he has long experience with them, but never feels quite sure +that an animal will do what is wanted of him, though when driven by +natives who are well used to their tricks and antics, especially if the +animals have reached mature age, they make good travelers, and get over +the ground very fast. A hundred miles a day is nothing to them if the +snow is not too deep and their load reasonable. + +Men and dog-teams are coming into camp from Nome each day now, and say +that the trails are in first-class condition. We hope for mail soon from +Nome. Mr. H. came, bringing with him a Swedish preacher who is wintering +here, though not officially connected with the Mission. He is a sweet +singer, liking well to accompany his Swedish songs upon the guitar or +organ, for he plays both instruments. + +Mr. L. left at six in the morning for the Home, walked there and back, +and arrived at six in the evening. He went to ask Mr. H. if he and the +others could have reindeer with which to go to Koyuk River on a +prospecting trip. He gave his consent and they think of starting next +week. They think there may be some good creek up there that would do to +stake, and the clerk is going with them. + +We have jolly times each evening singing, visiting and knitting. My +black stocking grows under my needles a few inches each day, and will be +warm and comfortable footwear under my muckluks surely. + +November eighth: Some ptarmigan were brought in today, which are the +first birds of the kind I have seen, and they are beautiful. They look +like snow-white doves, only larger, with silky feathers and lovely +wings. They are soon to be cooked, for they are the Arctic winter birds +and make good eating. We are all blessed with ravenous appetites. + +A man was killed with a club last night in a drunken brawl, in a hotel +near by. He only lived a few hours after getting hurt, but it is said +that the other killed him in self defense. Both the United States +marshal and the commissioner were away at the time. It is a pity they +were not at home, for the affair, perhaps, would then have been +prevented. There are probably not more than one hundred white persons in +the camp altogether, but there must be fully half as many Eskimos, and +they are always coming and going. There are several saloons (one kept by +a woman), a large hotel and one or two smaller ones, besides two or +three company's stores and a few log cabins and native huts, besides the +Mission. + +The boys want to get off as soon as possible for Koyuk, but fear they +will have to go to Nome for camp stoves and pipe, as there are none to +buy here. They brought wood from the beach today on the sleds, and there +is no lack of fuel here, nor of strong, willing arms to gather it. It +seems a long, long time to wait without hearing from the home folks. I +wonder how it seems to them. I only wish they could see how comfortably +and happily we are situated, and what jolly times we have, for it would +do their hearts good. Few are so favored in all Alaska, of that I am +certain. + +Saturday, November tenth: I have sewed all day on a canvas coat for Mr. +B., Alma helping with the cutting. He wants it to put on over his fur +parkie to keep the snow and rain off it, and has himself made the loops +and fastenings. He whittled out the buttons from small pieces of wood, +twisted cord to loop over them, and put them all firmly on the coat so +that it looks well, and will be serviceable. I put a good-sized hood of +the same, with a fur border around the face, on the coat, and it will be +a good garment to hunt ptarmigan in, for it is the color of snow, and +the birds cannot see him. + +The visiting preacher has had an experience in being in the water, and +from it has contracted rheumatism in one limb, which he is nursing, so +he sits by the fire and plays and sings for us while we sew. He is very +pleasant, and all seem to like him. The weather is not cold and Miss J. +and Mr. H. started out with reindeer for the Home at seven in the +morning. It was a singular sight to see them when leaving. All the +little natives in fur parkies stood around, watching. The two sleds were +loaded with baggage, and Miss J. sat on the top of one of them, holding +the rope that went under the body of the deer and around his Head and +horns for a harness. This deer was tied to the back of the sled in +front of him, and Mr. H. went ahead having hold of the rope that was +fastened to the first deer. + +Sunday, November eleventh: We are having a heavy and wet snow storm. All +stayed in until three in the afternoon, when we attended church service +in the schoolhouse. I played the organ, the Swedish preacher read the +Scriptures, and Ivan interpreted. We sang hymns and songs, and the hour +was enjoyed by all, though the preacher did not feel quite well enough +acquainted with the English to preach in that tongue, and Mr. H. was +away. There were about twenty natives present, and ten or twelve white +people, Miss E. remaining at home to get the dinner. I went in thought +over the great waters to my southern home, where today the churches are +decorated with palms and floral beauties, and I saw the friends in their +accustomed seats--but I was not there. Thousands of miles away to the +frozen north we have come, and little do we know if we shall ever see +home again. Tears came to my eyes, but I kept them hidden, for none +shall say I am homesick; I am glad to be here. I have faith to believe +that the Father's loving watch-care will be still further extended, and +I shall reach my homeland and friends some time in the future. + +November thirteenth: Weather is warm, wet, and sunny. Water is running +in the bay and snow is soft under foot. I worked this afternoon on a +mitten pattern for myself, assisted by Alma. Evidently pattern making +was intended for others to do, for though my spirit is as willing as +possible, the flesh is very weak in that direction; but I did finally +get a mitten, thumb and all, that looks not half bad. This was banner +day for my laundry work, and my handkerchiefs have been ironed for the +first time since I sailed from San Francisco. Heretofore I was in luck +to get a time and place in which to wash them. At half-past four o'clock +in the afternoon, when it was too dark to sew longer, Alma, Ricka and I +went out upon the beach to meet the boys who had been gathering wood, +and we walked a half mile over the rough trail of ice blocks, drifts and +hummocks. + +We floundered on through all until we saw them coming, and then sat +resting on some logs until they came up. Two of Mr. H.'s dogs, Fido and +Muckaleta, had followed us, and ran at our heels playing in the snow, +which was more than one foot deep in places. The boys had found a long +ladder on the beach, probably from some wreck, and they had brought it +on the sled with the wood. It was most difficult work hauling the sled +over the uneven trail, and all were puffing and perspiring when they +reached home. + +A little prayer meeting was afterwards held in the kitchen during which +Mr. H. and Miss J. came in from the Home with reindeer, tired and +hungry. We spent a pleasant evening visiting, singing and knitting. + +A man has come from Nome, and says that the steamer bringing Mission +supplies from San Francisco was obliged during the last hard storm to +throw some of its cargo overboard, and part of the Mission's stores were +thus lost. All are sorry to hear this, as it means a shortage of +necessary things, like furniture for the Home, where much is needed. + +November fourteenth: Miss J. has taken in two more little Eskimos, a +girl and a boy. First of all, she cuts their hair close to their heads, +then each has a good bath in the tub, and they are dressed in clean +clothing from head to foot, and fed plentifully. This was their program, +and they look very happy after it, and evidently feel as well and look +better. This boy seems to be about ten years old, and the girl a little +older, but it is not customary among the Eskimos to keep account of +their ages, and so nobody really knows how old any one is. + +Alma has cut over a big reindeer skin parkie for the visiting preacher, +and a fur sleeping bag for Miss J., while Ricka has made a fine cap for +Mr. H. of dog's skin, lined with cloth. This morning when the men went +out to the hills where their two reindeer had been tied in the moss, the +animals were gone, and Ivan returned fearing that they had been stolen, +but when Mr. H., G. and B. went to look, they found no men's footprints, +and concluded that they had broken away and gone back to the herd, as +their tracks went in that direction. Mr. H. went on after them, and the +two boys came home wet with perspiration from floundering about in the +deep, soft snow, and wearing their heavy rubber boots. I gave them +coffee when they got back. + +I have sewed on my new mittens, and done some knitting, besides tending +the baby, who runs quickly from one thing to another like any other +mischievous child, getting into first one thing, and then some other, +which must be coaxed away from her by management. I usually do this by +giving her some new plaything, if I can possibly find any article she +has never yet had. A box of needles, buttons and thread she likes best +of anything I have yet found, and a grand reckoning day will come before +long when Alma finds the little Eskimo has been amusing herself with her +property. + +Mr. G. found a part of somebody's outfit, consisting of clothing and tin +dishes, on the beach today. Miss J. held a little meeting again in the +kitchen for the natives after supper, and is very happy over having the +two new little Eskimos. + +This is our fourth week in the Mission, and pleasant and happy ones they +have been, at least, if there have been vexations to some, they have +succeeded admirably in keeping them out of sight. + +November fifteenth: The weather is still warm, wet and slippery under +foot. This morning a young man called from Nome, with a letter from +Mary, saying she is coming by dog-team as soon as the trails are good. + +The commissioner called today to get the preacher to officiate at the +funeral of the man who was killed, but it was postponed until tomorrow, +because the grave could not be finished before dark. The commissioner +sat for half an hour, and chatted in the sitting room. + +November sixteenth: All hands are at work now for the children, and +overalls, waists and shirts for the little boys as well as garments for +the girls are on the docket. The big boys fished, and got smelt and +tom-cod. B. sewed at mittens for himself, and G. took the church organ +to pieces to clean and repair it. Mr. M., who has been at work on the +Home, has come here to spend the winter. I wish he would set to work and +catch some of the mice which infest the house, and run over me when I am +asleep in the night time. + +A meeting for the natives in the house again tonight, and the doors had +to be left open on account of the pungent seal oil perfume from the +garments of the Eskimos. + +The man who was killed was buried today in the edge of the little +graveyard on the hillside. The Swedish preacher was asked to go to the +grave, and he did so, reading a Psalm, and offering a prayer. Only four +or five men were present. It is a stony, lonely place, without a tree in +sight; the few scattering graves having only wooden slabs for head +boards. Being just above the beach, the spot commands a view of the bay +in front, but it is now all a snow and ice desert, and the most dreary +place imaginable. Very little was known of the murdered man, and no good +could be said of him, but it is supposed that he has a wife and children +somewhere. + +What a dreadful ending! Will his family ever know what has become of +him, and is his mother still living? If so, I hope they may never learn +of his horrid death and worthless life in Alaska. He was never conscious +for a moment after being hurt, so they know nothing as to where to write +to his relatives. It makes one shudder to think of it! He may have been +a good and bright child, beloved by parents and brothers, but the drink +curse claimed him for its own. + +The weather is clear, with sunshine and frost. The visiting preacher has +been making himself useful for a few days by helping us in cutting out +overalls and blouses for the Eskimo boys. Down on his knees upon the +floor, with shears, rolls of denim, and a pair of small trousers to +pattern by, he has wielded the little steel instrument to good purpose, +and encouraged and assisted us greatly. + +With their new clothes, the children are all quite well pleased, for +they are fresh and sweet. The missionaries are trying very hard to teach +them cleanliness among other things, and they sometimes come and stand +in the doorway and look at us sewing, their faces always good natured, +and showing more or less curiosity. When told to run away to play, they +obey quickly, and little Pete and the others like to keep the wood boxes +filled to help us. The older girls being from ten to twelve years of +age, are often caring for and amusing Bessie, and she is fond of them, +until, like any other child, she cannot have her own way, and then she +disapproves of them by kicking and screaming till Miss J. comes to +settle the business. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SWARMING. + + +Arctic explorers have always found it a difficult matter to keep +pleasantly and profitably employed during the long winter months, and I +have often wondered how it would be with ourselves. So far, there seems +to be no scarcity of employment for all hands, neither is there any +prospect of it. For the men there is always the beach-wood to collect, +haul and saw up into firewood, not to mention the splitting with an axe, +which is, I believe, as hard work as any of it, and there is water to +bring in barrels each day or two from Chinik Creek, a mile away, for +drinking and cooking purposes. The barrels are put upon sleds and hauled +by the men themselves, or by the dogs if they happen to be here, and are +not at work. As to the reindeer, of course there can be no such thing as +making them haul either wood or water, for none could be found steady +enough, and should the experiment be tried, there are ten chances to one +that not a stick of wood would remain upon the sleds, nor a drop of +water in the barrels, while the distance between creek and Mission was +being made. + +Of course there is always enough for women to do if they are +housekeeping, and with sewing, knitting and what recreation we take out +of doors, we fill in the time very well. It is much better and +pleasanter to be employed, and the time passes much more rapidly than +when one is idle, and I for one enjoy the change of work and the +winter's outlook immensely. Compared to what we have done in Nome during +the summer, this is child's play, and the boys who have worked at real +mining say the same thing. + +November seventeenth: We have had our first lady visitor today who came +from White Mountain about fifteen miles away. She is the lady doctor who +brought Miss J. through typhoid fever last fall, and is much at home +here. She was sent for by a sick woman in the hotel, and will spend the +night with Miss J., who is very kind to her. The visiting preacher left +for the Home this morning very early, going with a native and reindeer. +Mr. L. and B. were called in to the jury trial of the murderer who +killed the man in the hotel the other night, and they got home late. The +girls were out upon the ice in the evening for exercise, getting tired +of being indoors all day long, and needing fresh air. When all were in +at half-past eleven in the evening, coffee and crackers were taken by +all but me, but I have had to leave off drinking coffee, taking hot +water with cream and sugar instead. B. says he thinks the latter too +stimulating. + +[Illustration: ESKIMO DOGS.] + +This has been a bright and cold Sunday for November eighteenth. Mr. H. +walked in to nine o'clock breakfast from the Home, coming by dog-team, +and looked well dressed and smiling. No service was held until evening, +so we went out for a walk upon the hill behind the house. B. and L. left +us to go and examine some wood that natives were hauling away from the +beach, thinking it was some of theirs, for each stick is marked, so they +know their own; but it proved not to be their wood, and the two then +came home another way. + +While out, we walked through the small burial ground, and saw the +new-made grave of the murdered man. O, how desolate was that spot! A few +mounds, stones, snow and bleak winds forever blowing. Here we read a +headboard, upon which was the name and age of good old Dr. Bingham of +New England, who died here years ago, and whose wife planted wild roses +upon the grave. I wonder if we will see them in bloom next summer, or +will we be under the snow ourselves like these others. + +For our dinner today we ate fried tom-cod, baked potatoes, tomatoes, +pickles, bread and butter, and rice pudding. I feel positive that +nothing could have tasted better to our home folks in the States who +have more fruit and vegetables than did this plain and homely meal to +us, eaten with the heartiest appetites gotten out of doors while walking +in the snow. The ice in the bay is getting firmer, and will continue to +grow thicker all winter, being in the spring at breaking-up time many +feet through, no doubt, as it was in Minnesota in the Red River of the +North when I lived there. I am glad that I am a cold climate creature, +and was born in winter in a wintry state, for I will be sure to endure +Alaska weather better than I otherwise would. + +This evening we had service again in the church or schoolhouse, and the +room was quite filled. The woman doctor was there, also the storekeeper +and the United States Marshal, besides our own family, and a good many +natives. Mr. H. preached, and was interpreted in Eskimo as usual. I wish +some of my fastidious friends on the outside could have seen the +cosmopolitan company of tonight. + +The refined and serious face of the storekeeper, the black-eyed doctor +(woman), the fair-faced Swedes, and the square-jawed, determined +official, made a striking contrast to the Eskimos dressed in fur +parkies, and smelling of seal oil. Many of the latter continually carry +small children on their backs underneath their parkies, a heavy belt or +girdle of some sort keeping the youngster from falling to the ground, +but the smaller ones are seldom brought out in the evening. These women +squat upon the floor as often as they sit upon a chair, and when a baby +cries from hunger he is promptly fed on ahmahmuk, (mother's milk,) +regardless of the assembled company. With an Eskimo mother nothing +comes before the child's wishes, and if the latter only succeeds in +making his desires known to her, she will obey them to the letter. That +there are unruly Eskimo youngsters, goes without saying, as a child does +not need a white skin to help him understand this, and arrange his +tactics accordingly. + +The Mission is crowded to its utmost, but I believe the hearts of the +good missionaries are made of elastic. + +When we reached the house after service this evening we heard that a +mail was expected, and would leave for Dawson tomorrow, so we set to +work to write letters, and then found it all a mistake, for it is only +going to Nome from Unalaklik, and we were all disappointed. + +The weather today, November seventeenth, is a great surprise to us. It +is raining, and so icy underfoot as to be positively dangerous to life +and limb. I had occasion to go out for a while this forenoon, and knew +no better than to wear my muckluks, which are smooth as glass on the +bottoms. To make things more lively, the wind blew a gale from the +northeast. + +When I left the house, I was going in the same direction as the wind, +and though I nearly fell many times I kept stubbornly on, determined not +to be vanquished. On my return--then came the "tug of war." Near the +warehouse a gust of wind took me unawares, and, whisk! in a minute I +was sprawling flat upon the ice. I had gone out with my Indian blanket +over my head and shoulders, and this blew out like a sail, upsetting my +tall and slippery footed craft, and bumping me ignominiously. + +I now tried to rise, but could not. Turn as I would, using my hands to +steady me, I only made a vain effort to get upon my feet, as I slipped +each time quite flat again. Thinking to turn first, and get upon my +knees, I tried that, but rolled like a fuzzy caterpillar in a ball upon +the ice. Then, alas, I regret to relate it, but I really began to feel a +little vexed. I began calling loudly, supposing that someone in the +house would hear me, and come to my assistance; but the wind carried my +voice away faster than I could throw it, and that availed me nothing. At +no other time since my arrival at the Mission I felt certain had there +been so long a lull between the passing of its inmates through its +doors; but now, because of my present strait, they all remained indoors. + +In the meantime I had thrown my hands out suddenly into water which +stood in little pools in depressions of the ice around me, and I lay +there getting more vexed than ever. Again I tried to rise, but failed. A +stranger would suppose me tipsy, to be sure, and I glanced around to +make certain no one saw me. Finally the door opened, and Miss L. came +out. + +"What is the matter?" and she began laughing at my predicament. + +"Matter enough!" I shouted. "Can't you see? I can't get up to save my +life. Do come and help me," and I began struggling upon my slippery bed +again to convince her. + +Still she only laughed, standing in the wind with her hands upon her +hips in order to keep her balance. + +"Do come and help me," I begged, "or go in and send one of the boys, for +I shall stay here all day if you do not." + +When she had her laugh out, she came forward and assisted me to my feet, +and into the house, where I finally smoothed my ruffled feathers, and +recovered my equanimity, telling Miss L. I would pay her back in her own +coin when I got the opportunity. + +A native has come with reindeer to carry a load of goods to the Home, +but cannot leave on account of the icy trail until tomorrow, or whenever +it freezes again. + +Today is November twenty-first, and the weather is still soft and bad +under foot, so the family cannot move to the Home until the trail is in +better condition. B. shot more ptarmigan, and we had a dinner of them, +which was excellent. They almost seem too pretty to kill, but fresh meat +is scarce nowadays, and we must take it when we can get it. + +November twenty-second has come, and with it colder weather. It is five +degrees below zero, and the sun shines. The doctor from White Mountain +has been helping Miss J. pack her large medicine chest ready for moving, +as many of these supplies will be left in this house. + +Since the days are colder we have most beautiful skies at sunrise, +though we now keep the lamps burning until half-past eight in the +morning. + +We have heard that the Nome mail is in, but it brought nothing to me. We +are writing letters to send out the first chance we get, whenever that +will be, but nobody knows so far. + +The Commissioner called today and told us of a new strike at the +headwaters of Fish River; a man and woman coming down to record a bunch +of twenty claims having given the information. The woman runs a +roadhouse on the Neukluk River, and wants to take an Eskimo boy to +raise, and teach to work--probably it is mostly the latter, though she +seemed a kindly person. Miss J. told her that she had no boy to give +away. + +The Marshal and the man in the old schoolhouse started with dogs to +Norton Bay today for a short trip, so we hear. The wife of the man went +with small Eskimo boys to the bay to fish for tom-cod. + +Alma is making a fur sleeping bag of reindeer skins for the teacher, so +when she travels she can have it to sleep in nights. It is very heavy +to hold and handle while sewing. + +Two men called who have been shipwrecked in Norton Bay, and told of the +H. family, consisting of the father, mother, and little daughter whom I +have seen in Nome. They lost all their clothing, but saved part of their +"grub," and we have made up a package of clothing to send to the woman +and child by the men who are going back there. In the darkness, one +night, they say the schooner "Lady George" went aground on the mud flats +of Norton Bay, the tide rising soon after, and all having to flee for +their lives to nearby ice, from which they went ashore to a log hut long +ago deserted. The child, who is about twelve years old, is now without +clothing, and winter is coming on. + +The fates are hard on some people, surely, and this little girl lately +from San Francisco, the public school, and piano lessons, is left with +her parents in an Arctic wilderness in winter without clothing or +shelter, except a poor broken hut, and a few men's garments generously +donated. The men say that her mother is almost wild over it, and they +thought at first that she would go insane, but the brave little child +does all she can do to comfort her mother, and the men begged us to send +them some things. Among the clothing we sent I put in a few school +books, a slate, some pencils, and a Bible, which may be of use in +lonely hours. They may read the good book now if they never have +before. They are Swedish people. + +It is three degrees below zero today, November twenty-fifth, clear, +bright and cold. Mr. H. came with a man and his dog-teams to move the +whole family tomorrow to the Home. All are delighted to go there, as we +are to remain here. The shipwrecked men called again to tell us more +fully about their experiences, and are now going back to their camp. +They certainly had an awful time, but they are glad and thankful to have +come out alive, and we are also glad for their sakes. + +Two of the Commissioners have been here, one from fifty miles away, +wanting to buy a reindeer for his Thanksgiving dinner, but Mr. H. would +not sell one. He has been very urgent, and called a number of times, but +Mr. H. is firm in refusing. Our good dinner today was made up of mutton +stew with onions, baked potatoes, tomatoes, fruit soup, bread, butter +and coffee. I have taken a few kodak views today of Miss J. and the +Eskimo baby, Bessie, and hope they will be good. + +November twenty-sixth: It is ten degrees below zero, but the whole +household was up early this morning to move over the ice to the new +Home. Four big dog sleds were piled high with household things, the baby +was tucked into a fur sleeping-bag with only her head out, at which she +howled lustily, Miss J. running beside the team to comfort her, while +Mr. H., his assistant and Ivan, with Mr. G. of our party, ran ahead of +the dogs. Breakfast was eaten at eight o'clock in the morning, and all +was hurly burly and excitement till they had gone. Ricka, Alma and I ran +out to the beach to see them off upon the ice, as then they would have +fair traveling, but we were afraid they would tip everything over at the +bank where the drifts are high, and blocks of ice piled in places. +Everything was lashed tightly down, however, and no accident occurred. +All the children but Bessie ran alongside the sleds to keep warm, and +they had lunches with them to eat when they were hungry. When the +smaller ones grew tired, I suppose they rode for a while on the sleds. +It was eleven o'clock in the morning, and the bright sun shone directly +in our faces as we stood waving good-bye to them, really sorry to see +them leave us. The hills, almost bare of snow, lay pink and lovely under +the sunshine. + +After lunch M. went out, slipped on the ice and fractured his collar +bone. The Dawson man in the old schoolhouse, (who claims to be a +doctor), brought him indoors, but poor M. was pretty pale. The man, with +G.'s help, attended to his hurt, put his arm in a sling, and he is lying +on the lounge looking serious, but not discontented nor suffering +severely. + +We were not to have so small a family many hours, as we found at about +five o'clock in the afternoon today, when there was a great commotion at +the door. There were men's voices, a woman's jolly laughter, and the +quick barking of dogs, glad to reach their journey's end, and when we +opened the door to those knocking, there were Mary and two friends from +Nome with their dog-teams. In they came, laughing, talking and brushing +the frost off their parkies, glad to get here, and hungry from +traveling, so we gave them a warm welcome, and good hot coffee and +supper. + +Then Mary, (real Viking that she is, and from Tromso, in Norway,) +related the story of her journey by dog-team. Eighty-five miles, they +call it, from Nome by water to Chinik, but overland it is probably +farther. Nights were spent in the roadhouses, she said, but there was +little sleep to be had in them, for they were crowded and noisy, and she +was thankful the trip was now ended, and she had safely arrived. + +The two young men who came with her seem nice, honest fellows, and I am +acquainted with one of them from seeing him at the "Star" many times, +where he often ground coffee to help evenings, or chatted in the kitchen +when we worked. + +From Nome they had brought two sled loads, on one of them a cook stove +for the winter, as the big range in use here now will go later to the +Home, besides which they had food supplies and stove pipes. + +At night Mr. L. came back from the reindeer station, saying that they +can have four reindeer for their prospecting trip to the Koyuk River, +and they are making up their party to go there. + +November twenty-seventh: I was washing the dishes this morning in the +kitchen, when Mr. L. came quietly to say he will take my attorney paper +and stake a gold claim for me. He will do his best, he says, for me as +well as the others, for which I cordially thanked him, and flew on wings +to get the desired paper made out, as the others were also doing. + +At half-past three o'clock in the afternoon today the lamps were +lighted, and at four o'clock in the afternoon a mail got in from Nome, +but brought no letters for me, as all steamers have long since stopped +running, and I am not corresponding with any one at Nome. I wonder when +I will hear from my home folks? + +Our legal documents cost us each $2.50. + +November twenty-eighth: This has been a fine day out of doors, and a +busy one indoors. Mr. H. with a man and two natives came with the +dog-teams to take what household stuff they could carry, and they took +the organ with the rest. I hated to see it go, but we are to have the +one in the church, which G. has just cleaned and brought into the house, +as the frost in that building is bad for it. They loaded their sleds, +then ate a lunch at half-past eleven o'clock in the morning, and +started. The two boys from Nome also left for that place, they being +quite rested, as well as their dogs. Drilling parkies they wore to +"mush" in, their furs and other traps being lashed to the sleds; and +bidding us good-bye, one ran ahead, and the other behind the dogs. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +NEW QUARTERS. + + +After thinking for some time of doing so, I finally decided to call at +the hotel and ask the captain and his wife if I might not teach their +little black-eyed girl English, as Miss J.'s leaving deprives her of a +teacher. The woman was not in when I called, but the child's father +seemed to think favorably of my plan, and said he would consult with his +wife, so I hope to get the child for a pupil. + +B. and G. have moved all their things into the house from the +schoolroom, and Ricka hung the clothes she has been all day washing out +there to dry. There is a small stove in which a fire is often made to +dry them more quickly. It is most convenient to have such a place for +drying clothes, as it is impossible to get them dry outside on the lines +in the frost and snow. + +We spent the evening pleasantly together in the sitting room, listening +to B.'s jokes, and Mary's stories of Nome and the "trail." + +For our Thanksgiving dinner we had canned turkey, potatoes, tomatoes, +pickles, fruit, soup, bread, butter, and coffee, trying hard not to +think of our home friends and their roast turkeys and cranberries. +However, the dinner was a good one for Alaska, eaten with relish, and +all were jolly and very thankful, even M., with his sore collar-bone, +laughing with the rest. + +November thirtieth: Mr. H. came with a man, two natives, seven reindeer +and four sleds to take more furniture away. They all ate dinner here, +and I took some kodak views of the animals with Alma, Ricka, Mary, G. +and a native driver in the sunshine in front of the Mission. Mary goes +up to the animals and pets them, as does Ricka, but I keep a good way +off from their horns, as they look ugly, and one old deer has lost his +antlers, with the exception of one bare, straight one a yard long, +which, with an angry beast behind it, would, however, be strong enough +to toss a person in mid-air if the creature was so minded. + +There has been some hitch in the arrangements of the men going to the +Koyuk River, and there is a delay, but they will get off some day, +because L. never gives up anything he attempts to do, and I like him for +that. If more people were like this, they being always certain that they +were started in the right direction, the world would be the better for +it. + +December first: Mr. B. is making bunks in two rooms upstairs, as the +house is so full all the time. This will give quite a little more +lodging room, for cots cannot be provided for all, neither is there +room for so many, but with bunks, one above another, it will furnish +lodgings for all who come. + +Our two fisher women went out again this afternoon, and got tom-cod +through the ice by the cliff, near the snow-buried river steamers. + +About four o'clock in the afternoon I called on the captain's wife, and +found her sewing furs. For her helper she had her cousin Alice, the coy, +plump Eskimo girl, who traveled to San Francisco with her last year. +Both women sat upon fur rugs on the floor, as is their custom when +sewing, and they were sorting bright beads, and cutting moosehide into +moccasins and gauntlet gloves, to be decorated with beads in the fashion +of the Yukon River Indians. + +I had no difficulty in arranging for lessons with the captain's wife, +who would also study with her little girl, she said, and she showed me +school books, slates, etc., they had already been using. If their piano +were only here, the child, who is a pretty little thing, with a sweet +smile, might take music lessons, but it cannot be brought over the +winter trail. + +We had snow today, but no church service. We rested, sang, read, ate and +slept. A fine dinner of reindeer roast, with good gravy, mashed +potatoes, etc., for our two o'clock meal, was eaten and well relished; +but in spite of all the day seemed a long one for some reason. We wonder +how things are going on the outside and if the friends we love but +cannot hear from are well, happy, and think sometimes of us. + +The Commissioner came to say that he would bring the Recorder, or +Commissioner, from the Koyuk district with him to call this evening, and +he did so. The latter is a middle-aged man, whose family lives in +Minneapolis, Minnesota, he himself being a native born Norwegian, but +having lived in the States for twenty years. They brought two United +States marshals with them, and one of them played on the guitar quite +well, though I thought I detected a scent of the bottle when he sang his +songs. He has a good voice, but untrained. + +Yesterday it was fifteen degrees below zero, but grew warmer toward +night, and began snowing. Today it snowed quite hard until dark. Along +the shore huge blocks of ice lay heaped promiscuously, and deep drifts +rolled smoothly everywhere. When I grew tired walking I stopped a moment +and listened. There was no sound but the beating of my own heart. This +then was our new Arctic world. How wonderfully beautiful it was in its +purity and stillness. Look whichever way I would, all was perfect +whiteness and silence. When I walked the snow scarcely creaked under my +feet. Above, beneath, around, it was everywhere the same. It was a +solemn stillness, but ineffably sweet and tender. It was good to live. A +feeling of sweetest peace and happiness swept over me, and tears sprang +to my eyes. Was this heaven? It almost seemed like it, but glancing +toward the grave of the murdered man on the hillside I remembered that +this could not be. Farther down the shore line, when I started to go +home, I saw the smoke of the cabins, through the veil of the snowflakes. + +[Illustration: WINTER PROSPECTING.] + +While giving Jennie her lessons this afternoon the Commissioner came in +to say that he would like me to do some copying for him, for as yet he +has no clerk, and needs one. I told him I would do the work if I might +take it home, and could get a quiet corner by myself. I hardly see how I +am to manage that while there are so many people in the house, but I +shall try it, for I would like to earn the money. + +This morning it was three degrees above zero; yesterday it was fifteen +below. + +A full moon hung high in the sky this morning until nine o'clock. +Weather is warm and beautiful, with rosy clouds at sunrise, but it grew +colder by noon. + +Among other things Mary has brought from Nome is her little hand sewing +machine, which is an old-fashioned thing, to be fastened to a table and +the wheel turned by hand. It was brought from the old country, and looks +quite well worn, but is still useful and far better than no machine, if +it does have a chain stitch which is liable to rip easily. We have a lot +of amusement with this machine, for when Alma is sewing and one of the +boys happens to be idle about her she makes him turn the wheel while +she guides the cloth and watches the needle. + +Others besides myself are wearing muckluks by this time, though not all +have come to them, the felt shoes being worn in the house some by the +girls until severe cold forces them into the native boots of reindeer +skin. + +In her rooms at the hotel Mollie sits with Alice each day on the fur +rugs, cutting, sewing and beading moccasins and moosehide gloves. A +regular workshop it is. Boxes of thread, beads, scraps of fur, whole +otter skins, paper patterns, shears, bits of hair and fur scattered upon +the floor, and the walls covered with hanging fur garments; this is the +sewing-room of the captain's wife as it is now each day when I go there. +The room contains two large windows, one on the north side and one on +the west, at which hang calico curtains tied back with blue ribbons in +daytime. These women work very rapidly, with the thimble upon the first +finger and by pushing the three-cornered skin needle deftly through +skins they are sewing. The thread they use for this work is made by them +from the sinews of reindeer, and takes hours of patient picking and +rolling between fingers and palms to get spliced and properly twisted, +but when finished is very strong and lasting. Their sewing and bead work +is quite pretty and unique, and is done with exceeding neatness and +care, though not much attention is bestowed upon colors. + +Friday, December seventh, has been a busy day all round. L. and B. +started off early after breakfast on a prospecting trip, and the girls +kept at their sewing. Mr. H. came from the Home to get the sewing +machine and some lumber, and was packing up nearly all day, so that we +are still quite unsettled, but it is much pleasanter for him to come to +a warm house and where he gets hot meals after his twelve miles over the +ice with the deer or dogs. + +He left here at four in the afternoon and had been gone only an hour +when Mr. F. and another man came from Nome, on the way to the Koyuk. +Getting well warmed and eating a hearty supper, which was much enjoyed +after some days on the trail, they started with two reindeer and as many +sleds for the Home, which is on the way to Koyuk. Another hour passed +and two women and their guide from White Mountain came in, these +belonging to the same party as the last men going to the Koyuk, and +these three had to remain over night as it was too late to push on +further. The men brought their fur robes and blankets from their sleds, +threw them into the bunks in the west room, and called it a good lodging +place compared to the cramped and disorderly roadhouses upon the trails. + +December eighth: We had a fire fright this morning, which was not +enjoyed by any one in the Mission. Mary had gotten up early, and two +fires were already going, one in the kitchen range and one in the +sitting room heater near my bed. It was still dark at half-past seven +and I was awake, thinking seriously of dressing myself, though there was +no hurry, for Mary was the only one yet up, when I saw a shower of large +sparks of fire or burning cinders falling to the ground outside the +window. I rushed into the kitchen telling Mary what I had seen, and she +ran outside and looked up toward the chimney. Fire, smoke and cinders +poured out in a stream, but she satisfied herself it was soot burning in +the sitting-room chimney. + +Coming in, she pulled most of the wood from the heater, scattered salt +upon the coals, and by this time all in the house were down stairs, +asking what had happened. + +M. says he will also take my attorney paper and stake a claim for me, as +he has decided to go to the Koyuk with the men who came last night from +Nome. They have a horse, but as it is almost worn to the bone and nearly +starved, they hardly think he can travel much farther. M. wants me to +get him some location notices from the Commissioner when I see him. When +coming home from Jennie's lesson this afternoon I was turning the corner +of the hotel when the wind took me backward toward the bay for thirty +feet or more, and deposited me against an old wheelbarrow turned bottom +upwards in the snow. To this I clung desperately, keeping my presence of +mind enough to realize my danger if blown out upon the ice fifty feet +away and below me, where I would be unable to make myself either seen +or heard in the blinding storm and would soon be buried in the snow +drifts and frozen. + +In my right hand I carried my small leather handbag containing a dozen +or more deeds and other documents to be recorded for the Commissioner, +and if the wind blew this from my hand for an instant I was surely +undone, for it would never be recovered. I now clung to the barrow until +I had regained my breath and then made a quick dash for the lee or south +side of the hotel out of the gale, and into the living-room again. Here +I sat down to rest, trembling and breathless, to consider the best way +to get home. It was now dark, the snow blinding, and the gale from the +northeast fearful. A stout young Eskimo sat near me, and I finally asked +him to take me home, to which he consented. + +The Mission was only a few hundred feet away, but to reach it we had to +go directly into the teeth of the storm, which was coming from the +northeast. + +Not six feet ahead of us could we see, but I trusted to the sense of my +Eskimo guide to lead me safely home, and he did it. Motioning me to +follow him, he proceeded to pass through the building and out the east +end entrance, notwithstanding that he led me directly through the +bar-room of the hotel, where the idlers stared wonderingly at me. Once +outside the door, he grasped my right arm firmly and we started, but he +kept his body a little ahead of me, and with side turned from the +blizzard instead of facing it. + +In this sidelong way we struggled on with all our strength, through snow +drifts, against the elements in the darkness, with breath blown from our +bodies, and eyes blinded by whirling snow. Now and again I was forced to +stop to gain breath for a fresh struggle, and when we reached the +Mission we staggered into the door as if drunken. I now found that all +my clothing was blown so full of fine snow that the latter seemed fairly +a part of the cloth, would not be shaken out, and only a thorough drying +would answer. A good, hot cup of coffee was handed to each of us, and my +Eskimo guide sat until rested, but I think I shall take Alma's sage +advice, and in future remain at home during blizzards. + +Of course M. and the other men could not leave for the Koyuk as they +intended, but they do not appear to be discontented at having to remain +under our roof longer, as they seem to be enjoying themselves very well, +and say it is all really home-like here in the Mission. + +I am working on the Recorder's books, and like the work fairly well. + +This is a stormy Sunday, December ninth, but the weather is not so bad +as yesterday, and B. and L. came back from the Home. We have eight men +here today, including the two young fellows who have been at work on the +Home building, and who came over from Nome weeks before the rest of us. +This is the first time they have been here since we arrived. They, too, +are Swedes, as are all these men but M., who is a Finlander. + +For dinner we had reindeer roast with flour gravy, potatoes, plum +butter, rye and white bread and butter, coffee and tapioca pudding. The +potatoes taste pretty sweet from being frozen, but are better than none. +We have had music from the guitar, mandolin and organ, besides vocal +exercise without limit, and with all this I found time to do some Sunday +reading in Drummond's Year Book, and have well enjoyed the day. + +The thermometer registers thirteen degrees below zero, and at half-past +eight in the evening the wind was not blowing much; enough blizzard for +this time certainly. + +While talking with one of the men from Nome I asked if he supposed there +was gold in the Koyuk country, and he thought there was. As he was up +there all last summer, he ought to know the prospects. It appears that +there is a split in his party, or a disagreement of some kind, as is +quite the fashion in Alaska, and some of the men are to remain behind. +As soon as the weather clears sufficiently they will go to the Home, and +from there leave for Koyuk River. + +Monday, December tenth: The Commissioner, the Marshal, and three of +their friends came in to spend the evening with us, and one of the +strangers sang well, accompanying himself on the organ. He also belongs +to a party made up to go to Koyuk, but failed to reach that point, and +they are staying in Chinik. + +I bought two red fox skins today for ten dollars, but will have to pay +five dollars more for their cleaning by a native woman, to whom I have +given them for that purpose. It is the only kind of fur I can find of +which to make a coat, and I must have one of skins, as the wind goes +straight through cloth, no matter how thick it is. + +Six of our household went out today to get wood with the old horse and +sled, but the poor creature would not go, probably because it could not. +They had to unload a good many times and were gone five hours. Alma and +Ricka went with the four boys for an outing, but all came home tired and +voting the horse a great failure. + +This morning our house was astir very early, and the men were getting +ready to "mush on" towards the Koyuk. Mr. L. goes with the Marshal, the +clerk, and two others, taking seven dogs and sleds loaded with +provisions. It is a sight to see the preparations. There are sacks of +frozen tom-cod for the dogs, tents, Yukon stoves, tin dishes, snow +shoes, sleeping bags and robes, coffee pots, axes, picks, gold pans and +boxes, cans and bags of grub, ad infinitum. + +G. and B. stay behind to make another camp stove but will leave soon +for Nome. B. cleaned his gun today, and looked after his ammunition. + +[Illustration: AT CHINIK. THE MISSION.] + +Wednesday, December twelfth: Our sunset was very lovely today at one in +the afternoon, and at three o'clock, when I began with little Jennie's +lessons, we had to light the lamp. I usually go into the sewing-room for +a little while either before or after the lesson to watch the women sew +furs. + +Alice, the younger, is as quiet as a mouse, but the captain's wife is a +little more talkative, though not particularly given to conversation. +Now and then, while she sews, something is said with which she does not +agree, and she bites her thread off with a snap, with some terse remark +offsetting the other, or with a bit of cynicism, which, with a quick +glance of her black eyes and curl of the lip, is well calculated to +settle forever the offender; for the captain's wife is as keen as a +briar, and reads human nature quickly. I should say she is gifted with +wonderful intuitive powers, and these have been sharpened by her +constant effort to understand the words and lives of those around her, +these being to such an extent English speaking people, while she is an +Eskimo. Let none flatter themselves that they can deceive Mollie, for +they would better abandon that idea before they begin. She impresses me +as a thoroughly good and honest woman, and I am getting to respect her +greatly. + +Two of the boys from the Home spent the night in the Mission, and helped +with sawing wood all forenoon today. They went from Nome to assist at +building the Home, and came over here for the first time yesterday. They +are jolly fellows, and used often to assist us in the "Star" at Nome, +one always lightening our load of work by his cheery voice and pleasant, +hopeful smile. He, too, is a sweet singer, and a great favorite with +all. After a lunch they started to mush back to the Home over the ice, +promising to come again at Christmas. B. and G. finally got started on +their long, cold trip to Nome on business. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +CHRISTMAS IN ALASKA. + + +Thursday, December thirteenth: The old Eskimo whom I call "grandpa" came +from the Home with one of Mr. H.'s assistants for a load of supplies for +the place, and arrived in time for breakfast at half-past nine. They +loaded up the sleds, took hot coffee, and started back at eleven in the +morning. Mr. M. came back alone before noon, having given up his trip to +the Koyuk because his shoulder hurts him. The old horse had finally to +be killed, and Mr. M. decided that he did not want to take his place at +hauling, so turned back after selling part of his supplies to the +others. The weather is fine indeed. A little snow is falling this +afternoon, but there was a beautiful sky at sunrise and sunset, the +latter at half-past one o'clock. + +While giving Jennie her lesson today I was introduced for the first time +to little Charlie, who spends a good deal of time with Jennie. He is +four years old, and a bright and beautiful child. His papa is an +Englishman, and his Eskimo mother is dead. After the lesson I read +stories to the two children, holding the little boy upon my lap, while +Jennie sat beside us in the lamplight, her big black eyes shining like +stars. She wore a brown serge dress, trimmed with narrow red trimming, +her hair neatly braided in two braids down her back, and tied with red +ribbons. Both children wore little reindeer muckluks on their feet, the +boy being dressed in flannel blouse waist and knee pants. They are a +very pretty pair of children. + +Such a charming, soft-tinted, red, purple and blue sky today, stretching +along in bars above the snow-topped mountains. It makes one glad to be +here, and feel full of pity for those who cannot enjoy it with us. It is +good to enjoy everything possible as one goes along, for nobody knows +how long anything will hold out and what will come next. At noon two +hungry Eskimo children came, dirty, forlorn and cold, and we fed them. + +Mr. H. came again toward evening with reindeer to get a load of +supplies, and the girls and M. went fishing. They had great sport, all +dressed in fur, with short fish poles, hooks, bait and gunny sack for +the game, coming in frosty and rosy after dark, and calling for hot +coffee. + +I am quite interested in getting the fox skins for my coat. I have paid +the Eskimo girl five dollars for tanning my fur skins, and hope to have +a warm coat. My first three skins cost me twelve dollars, the next two +ten dollars, and now five dollars for tanning, but I have a lining, and +Mollie will make it for me next week. + +After supper we had a caller who has been here once before with others. +He is a finely trained baritone singer, and comes from one of the +Southern States. He sang and played entertainingly on the organ for an +hour, while we sewed and knitted as we do each evening. + +Saturday, December fifteenth: Eight weeks today since we landed at +Golovin Bay. Weather good, skies beautiful, but days are short. Sunset +at half-past one in the afternoon; sunrise about ten in the morning. + +The Commissioner came with legal documents and customary jokes, and I +try to get the copying done in between times. He is going to Nome for +Christmas, and wants the papers all finished before he leaves. He is +considered a very "rapid" young man, and looks like it. + +Sunday, December sixteenth: We had breakfast today at sunrise (ten in +the morning) and I went for a walk alone upon the ice in a southerly +direction, where the natives were fishing. There was a good trail which +has been made by a horse-team hauling wood from the other shore, and the +air was fine, so that I enjoyed it very much, though my hood was soon +frosty around my face. For a while I watched the natives haul tom-cod up +through the ice holes, but having no place to sit except upon the ice, +as they did, I returned after having been gone two hours, and was soon +dressed for dinner in Sunday suit. + +After dinner Mr. H. arrived with the teacher to hold an evening service +in the kitchen, the latter taking Ricka and Mary with her to call upon +some native families, two of whose members were sick. When they returned +Ricka was full of laughter at the way they had entered the native +igloos, especially Mary, who is a large woman and could barely squeeze +in through the small opening called by courtesy a door. Ricka says it +was more like crawling through a hole than anything else, and at one +time Mary was so tightly jammed in that she wondered seriously how she +was ever to get out. + +"Ugh!" said Ricka, when Mary related the incident, "that was not the +worst of it. I wanted to keep the good dinner I had eaten, but the smell +of the igloo almost made me lose it then and there, and as I was inside +already, and Mary stuck fast in the door so I could not get out, we were +both in a bad plight. When I tried to help her she would not let me, but +only laughed at me." + +"Next time we will send Mrs. Sullivan," said Alma, laughing. + +"And you go along with me," said I, knowing that I could stand as long +as Alma the smell of the Eskimo huts and their seal oil. So that was +settled, Miss J., I presume, thinking us all very foolish to make so +much fuss over a little thing like that in Alaska. + +This evening, when the kitchen was filled with natives, their service +had begun, and while some of us sat in the sitting-room to leave more +chairs for the others, there came a knock at the door, and in walked the +Commissioner and the young baritone singer, who was persuaded to sing a +few solos after the meeting was through in the kitchen. + +Monday, December seventeenth: Mollie is cutting my fur coat for me, but +says I must have one or two more skins to make it large enough. She says +she is too busy to study before Christmas, but will afterwards. The +Commissioner brought more copying for me to do, and told me I could have +the money for my work at any time. Some tell me he never pays anything +he owes, and that I must look sharp or I will not get anything. The +other Commissioner has invited me to go to a New Year's party at +Council, fifty miles away, saying he will take me there and back behind +his best dogs, but I refused, telling him that I never dance, and that I +am a married woman. At that he laughed, said he was also married, with a +wife in the States, but that does not debar him from having a good time. + +Word comes of a new gold strike not far away, but I think we are not +really sure that it is bona fide, and must not put too much dependence +on what we hear. The Commissioner comes with his copying, and is full of +jokes. + +Wednesday, December nineteenth: A man came from the Home yesterday who +has persuaded M. to go with him on a short staking expedition. They +think they know of a new "find" very near home, and I ran over to the +Recorder's to get two attorney papers made out for them to take as they +say they will stake for the girls and me. The Commissioner paid me +twenty dollars on copying, and said he would settle the remainder when +he got back from Nome, as he and the other Commissioner were just +setting out with a dog-team for that place. I have had to buy another +fox skin for my coat, making twenty-seven dollars paid out on the +garment thus far. + +Right sorry I was today that Mr. H. carried away the big velvet couch +yesterday that I have slept on nights since coming here, and I tried +last night the wooden settle brought down from upstairs to the +sitting-room. I found it a most uncomfortable thing to sleep on, as my +feet hung at least six inches over the end of the lounge, and they were +icy when I wakened in the morning. I then decided to go upstairs to one +of the canvas bunks in the northeast room, and I find it much better +every way. The bunk is long, wide and warm enough with a reindeer skin +under me, and all my blankets and comforters over me, while I have the +room alone, temporarily, at least. + +Saturday, December twenty-second: This is the middle shortest day of +winter, and a fine one, too, though we had not more than three and a +half hours daylight. The skies are beautiful, with many bright colors +blended in a most wonderful way. + +The girls are hard at work cooking for Christmas, and while the boys +were all away today and we needed wood brought into the house, I rigged +myself in rag-time costume and fetched several loads in my arms. How the +girls laughed when they saw me, and declared they would fetch the kodak, +but I ran away again. + +This afternoon M. and the other man returned from their little trip, +looking bright and happy over having staked some claims for themselves +and us not very far away. These are our first claims staked, and we +naturally feel more than usually set up, though the men say of course +there may be nothing of value in them. + +When I went to give Jennie her lesson I heard her father and another man +talking of a party of five persons who have been taken out to sea on the +ice, near Topkok. They started about three days ago from here, and one +was the sick woman who has been at the hotel, all on their way to Nome +by dog-team. + +There were two women and three men, two dog-teams and sleds. They were +crossing the ice between two points of land while upon the winter trail +to Nome, the wind had loosened the ice, and when they tried to get upon +shore again they found it impossible, and they were blown directly out +to sea. Without food or shelter, and with the nights as cold as they +are, how can they live on the ice at sea? Some men have arrived bringing +the news, and say that two men went out in a boat to their rescue, but +broke their oars, the ice closed in on them, they were soaked through, +and were obliged to use their best efforts to save themselves. + +The following night was very cold, and all think the unfortunates must +have perished. What a terrible fate, and one that may happen to any one +traveling in this country, though it does seem as if this ice should +soon freeze solidly. + +Sunday, December twenty-third: Soon after breakfast today a man came to +our door asking for iodine, or remedies for a dog bite. A mad dog had +rushed upon a man sleeping in a tent in the night and bitten him quite +severely upon the hands and leg. Mary and I put on our furs immediately +and started out with the man, who piloted us into a small saloon, where +the poor fellow sat by the stove with a white and pinched face. + +Several other men were standing about, after having done all they could +for the injured man, but Mary washed the torn flesh in strong carbolic +acid water, and tied it up in sterilized bandages, for which he seemed +very thankful. + +The little saloon was neat and clean, containing a big stove, six or +eight bunks across the back end, and a long table, upon which were +spread tin plates, cups and spoons. A short bar ran along one side by +the door. The men said that the mad dog had been shot immediately after +the accident, but there were others around in the camp, they feared. + +I could easily see that the injured man was badly frightened as to the +after-effects of the dog bite, and both Mary and I did all in our power +to suggest away his fear, knowing well that this was as harmful as the +injury. I told him that the missionary, Mr. H., had had a great deal of +experience with such accidents, but never yet had seen a person thus +bitten suffer from hydrophobia, which appeared to comfort him greatly. + +When we left the place he seemed more cheerful, though still very pale, +and Mary promised to come again to see him. He belongs to a party of +three men bound for Koyuk River. The young man who sings so well +sometimes at the Mission is one of the three, but the other I have not +yet seen. + +Later on Mary and I called upon Alice, the Eskimo girl, who lives with +her mother, near the hotel, and who is suffering with quinsy. I found +Jennie and Charlie there, and took them out for a walk down on the +beach, where the little girl's aunt was cutting ice. As we passed the A. +E. Store I noticed a dog lying on the porch having a bloody mouth, but +as he lay quietly I did not think much about it. After we had passed +down the trail for a block or so, I heard a commotion behind us, and +looking back saw a young man rush out into the trail and shoot a dog, +the one, as I afterwards learned, that I had seen on the porch. It had +been mad, and snapping around all day, but the men could not find it +earlier, and the two little children and I had passed within a few feet +of it without being conscious of danger. + +Mr. H. came in to supper, also two others from the camp of the +shipwrecked people, thirty miles away to the east of us. At supper one +of the men offered to stake some claims for us over near their camp, +where they think there is gold. They took our names on paper, and said +that after prospecting, if they found gold, they would let us into the +strike before any others. They will remain over night, and leave early +in the morning. Mr. H. and Mary called after supper to see the man who +was bitten by the mad dog, and found him looking better, and not so +worried as this morning. His friend was playing on the banjo, and all +were sitting quietly around the fire. + +Monday, December twenty-fourth: The two boys, G. and B., came in late +last evening, tired and hungry, from the Nome trail, glad to arrive at +home in time for Christmas. + +Early this morning Mary dressed herself up hideously as Santa Claus, +bringing a big box of presents in while we sat at the breakfast table +and distributing them. Of course there were the regulation number of +fake packages, containing funny things for the boys, but each one had a +present of something, and I had a souvenir spoon just from Nome, an +ivory paper knife of Eskimo make from the girls, and later a white silk +handkerchief. + +Going into the sitting-room after breakfast, we were met by the fumes +of burnt cork, hair or cotton, and upon inquiry were told that Santa +Claus had had a little mishap; his whiskers had been singed by coming +into contact with the lamp chimney and that it had delayed matters +somewhat until Ricka, his assistant, could find more cotton on the +medicine shelves; but the end of all was hearty laughter and a jolly +good time; an effort to forget, for the present, the day in our own +homes thousands of miles away. + +This morning, before noon, all in the Mission went to the Home to the +Christmas tree and exercises, leaving me alone to keep house, the first +time this has happened in Alaska. Mr. H. had left the dog-teams, two +reindeer, and three sleds, with which they were to drive over, and a +merry party they were. When they had gone I worked for some time at +getting the rooms in order, and making all as tidy and snug as possible, +but I had no holly berries nor greens with which to decorate. All was +snowy and white out of doors, and a cheerful fire inside was most to be +desired. In the afternoon I gave Jennie her lesson as usual. I am +invited to eat Christmas dinner tomorrow with Mollie, the captain and +little Jennie, and shall accept. A good many in camp have been invited, +I understand, and I am wondering what kind of a gathering it will be. + +Tuesday, December twenty-fifth: Christmas Day, and I was alone in the +Mission all night, so I had to build my own fires this morning. I did +not get up until ten o'clock, as it was cold and dark, and I had +nothing especial to do. There is plenty of wood and water, and +everything in the house, so I do not have to go out of doors for +anything. + +By noon I had finished my work, put on my best dress, and sat down at +the organ to play. I went over all the church music and voluntaries I +could find at hand, read a number of psalms aloud, and as far as +possible for one person I went through my Christmas exercises. + +If a certain longing for things and people far away came near possessing +me, I would not allow it to make me miserable, for longing is not +necessarily unhappiness, and I had set my mind like a flint against +being dissatisfied with my present state. With what knowledge I possess +of the laws of auto-suggestion, I have so far since my arrival in Alaska +managed the ego within most successfully, and tears and discontent are +not encouraged nor allowed. + +We are creatures of voluntary habits, as well as involuntary ones, and +habitual discontent and discouragement, gnawing at one's vitals are +truly death-dealing. The study of human nature is, in Alaska, +particularly interesting in these directions, to the one with his mind's +eye open to such things, and I am resolved, come what will, that I will +keep the upper hand of my spirit, that it shall do as I direct, and not +harbor "blues" nor discouragement. + +About two in the afternoon in came M. and one of the visiting Swedes, +after having walked from the Home, where they had attended the Christmas +party, and they were well covered with icicles. I prepared a hot lunch +for them, and ate something myself. Later a native was sent by Mollie to +fetch me over to the hotel to dinner, it being dark, and as I was +already dressed for the occasion, I went with him. + +When I arrived at the dining-room they were just seated at table, and +the waiters were bringing in the first course. Twenty-five persons sat +at the Christmas board, at one end of which sat the captain as host with +his wife and little Jennie at his left. At his right sat the young +musician, who had entertained us at the Mission several times with his +singing, and the storekeeper, but with a place between them reserved for +me. + +After a quiet Christmas greeting to those around me, I took my seat, and +the dinner was then served. A bottle of wine was ordered by the host for +me, and brought by the waiter, who placed it with a glass beside my +plate. At each plate there had already been placed the same +accompaniments to the dinner, with which great care had been taken by +the two French cooks in the kitchen, and upon which no expense had been +spared by the captain, who was host. While the waiters were serving the +courses, and conversation around the table near me became quite general, +on the aside I studied the company. It was cosmopolitan to the last +degree. Opposite me sat the hostess (Mollie) with her little Jennie, +dressed in their very best, the woman wearing a fashionable trained +skirt, pink silk waist and diamond brooch, while the little child wore +light tan cloth in city fashion, and looked very pretty. Below them sat +the regular boarders at the hotel, hotel clerk, the bartender, miners, +traders and the woman who kept the saloon. The latter appeared about +thirty years of age, dark, petite and pretty, richly and becomingly +gowned in garments which might have come along with her native tongue +from Paris. On our side of the long table, and opposite this woman, sat +the only other white woman besides myself present, and she, with her +husband, the two neighbors who had given us our first sleigh ride behind +the grey horse. On this side sat more miners and the few travelers who +happened to be at the hotel at this time. The clerk, next his employer, +who sat at my right, and the musician on my left, completed the number +of guests, with the exception of the one at the farther end of the +board, opposite the host. This was a young man in a heavy fur coat, his +head drooping low over his plate. + +"Don't let H. fall upon the floor, boys," said the captain, as he saw +the pitiable plight of the young man. "Poor fellow, he has been +celebrating Christmas with a vengeance, and it was too much for him, +evidently. It don't take much to knock him out, though, and this wine," +taking up his wine glass and looking through the liquid it contained, +"won't hurt a baby." + +"Do you never take wine?" politely inquired the musician of me, as he +noticed that my wine glass remained untouched, and a glass of cold water +was my only beverage. + +"I never do," said I firmly, but with a smile, as I noticed that both he +and the gentleman at my right barely touched theirs, while others drank +freely. + +"Waiter, bring Mellie another bottle of that wine," called the +bartender, from the other side of the table, "those bottles don't hold +nothin' anyway, and a woman who can't empty more'n one of 'em ain't +much," and a second bottle was handed the female dispenser of grog, a +connoisseur of long standing, and one who could "stand up" under as much +as the next person. By this time the woman opposite her was considerably +along the road to hilarity, and shouts and laughter came from both, +called forth by the jests of their companions alongside. + +Meanwhile the dinner progressed. The turkey was bona fide bird, and not +a few gull's bones from a tin quart can, while the cake and ice cream +with which my meal was ended, were all that could be desired in Alaska. +All voted that the cooks had "done themselves proud," and no one could +say that Christmas dinners could not be served in Chinik. + +Before rising from the table, at the close of the meal, toasts to the +host and hostess were drunk by those at the bottles, and Christmas +presents were distributed to many, principally to members of the family +and from boarders of the house. There were silk handkerchiefs, red +neckties, "boiled shirts," and mittens, and in some instances moosehide +gloves and moccasins, made by the Eskimo hostess herself, while "Mellie" +came in for a share, including a large black bottle of "choice +Burgundy." + +Upon leaving the dining table, the company separated, most of the men +going into the bar-room and store, while the family and invited guests +repaired to the living-room. Here a good-sized Christmas tree had been +arranged for Jennie and Charlie, and their presents were displayed and +talked over. In the meantime, the long dining table was cleared and +spread again for the Eskimos, who soon flocked into the room in numbers. + +Some one proposed that we go to the Mission and have some songs by the +musician, to which all assented, and nine of us, including the captain, +his wife and Jennie, started over about half-past eight o'clock. There +we found the rooms bright and warm, the two men keeping house in my +absence having escaped to the upper rooms on hearing the party +approaching. Here a pleasant hour or two were passed in listening to the +songs of the musician, who always accompanies himself on his +instrument, whether banjo or organ. He sang the "Lost Chord," "Old +Kentucky Home," and many other dear old songs, closing with "God Be With +You Till We Meet Again," and the doxology. After that they pulled on +their parkies and fur coats and went out into the snow storm (for by +this time the snow was falling heavily), and to their homes, while I sat +down alone in the firelight to review the events of the day--my first +Christmas Day in Alaska. How different from any other I have ever spent. +What a disclosure of the shady side of human nature this is,--and yet +there is some good intermingled with it all. + +Many here cannot endure the stress of the current, nor pull against it, +and so float easily on towards the rapids and destruction. Here is a +field for the Christian worker, though Mr. H. says he moved his little +flock twelve miles across the bay in order to get it farther away from +this iniquitous camp. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +MY FIRST GOLD CLAIMS. + + +Christmas is over for another year, and this is December twenty-sixth +with its daily winter routine. After I had given the two men their +breakfast, I went out for a walk upon the beach. A few snowflakes fell +upon my face as I walked, and it was not cold but pleasant. There was a +red and glowing, eastern sky, but no sunshine, and I looked out over the +ice to see if possibly the girls were returning. Seeing nothing of them, +I went home again. About two o'clock M. came in, saying that they could +be seen far out upon the ice, and we must build the fires and get dinner +started, which we then did. Soon Alma came riding on a reindeer sled, +with a native driver, getting in ahead of the others, who arrived half +an hour later. + +Mr. H. has come with two of his assistants and Miss E. by reindeer team +from the Home on their way to the station, where the animals are herded +in the hills, and all had a good lunch. After spending two hours in +packing, talking and resting, they left again, Miss E. on a sled behind +a reindeer, which was driven by a native, and which tore up the snow in +clouds as he dashed over the ice northward to the hills. I ran out upon +the cliff to see them on their way, being quite contented that it was +not myself. + +I have learned that the five persons who drifted out to sea on the ice +were brought back by the wind and tide, and escaped safely to land, +after being at sea several days, but were unharmed, and went on to Nome. +I was very glad to hear this, as they have had a narrow escape from +death. + +Friday, December twenty-eighth: The musician and his friend who was +bitten by the mad dog called this forenoon at the Mission to get the +man's wounds dressed by Mary, the nurse. His hands are much better, but +the wounded leg may yet give him trouble. Mary did her best for the man, +who seems to be growing more cheerful, and we do all possible to +encourage and help him, lending him reading matter of various kinds with +which to pass his time. A good many are going to the New Year's party at +Council, among them the captain and his wife, and the musician; but I +shall not go, though both commissioners have urged me to accept their +invitations, and did not enjoy overmuch my refusals. I was playing ball +with Jennie and Charlie before our lessons today when the party started +out with the dog-teams, for the nights are very moonlight and clear, and +they can travel for many hours. A cousin of Mollie's, by name Ageetuk, +went with her. Jennie is to stay with her auntie until her mamma's +return, and I will give her the afternoon lessons just the same, only at +her auntie's house. When the lesson was finished I led Charlie to +Ageetuk's house, where her mother cares for him in the night time, and +left Jennie with her auntie, Apuk. This woman has a neat little cabin of +three small rooms, furnished in comfortable fashion, with a pretty +Brussels rug covering the floor of her best room, in which is a white +iron bedstead, a good small table with a pretty cover, a large lamp, +white dimity curtains at the windows over the shades, and in the next +room there are white dishes upon the shelves. + +Sunday, December thirtieth: It is ten weeks yesterday since we arrived +at Golovin, or Chinik, as is the Eskimo name for the settlement, and +pronounced Cheenik, a creek of the same name flowing into the bay a mile +east of this camp. During the day I went to look after Jennie and +brought the child home with me, giving her candy and nuts, and playing +for her on the organ. + +This evening we all went out upon the ice for a walk. We took the trail +to White Mountain, going in a northwesterly direction, and enjoyed it +very much. We passed the cliff, and the boats, the snow creaking at +every step, and the moonlight clear and beautiful. We were out for two +hours, and felt better for the fresh air and exercise. All old timers +say that it is bad for one's health to remain indoors too much in +Alaska, and people should get out every day for exercise. There is far +more danger of getting scurvy by remaining in the house too much than +from any kinds of food we have to eat, and none of us wish to be ill +with that troublesome disease. + +About five o'clock Miss E. came in with a native from the station where +the reindeer are kept, having grown tired of staying in a native hut +with the Eskimo women while the missionary was busy at work. She started +early this morning when the weather was fine. Lincoln, the experienced +native who came with her, knew the way perfectly, and they expected to +make the twelve or fifteen miles and get into the Mission early, but the +weather suddenly changed, as it knows so well how to do in this country, +the wind blew, snow fell and drifted and though they came safely through +the hills, they lost their way upon the bay while crossing to Chinik, +and wandered for hours in the snow storm. + +Having no lunch, tent, nor compass, and no extra furs, they found +themselves in a disagreeable plight, especially as the snow was very +soft and wet. They kept on traveling, however, until they were satisfied +that they were going in circles, as do all when lost in a snow storm, +and were making no progress; then they halted. + +Here they were overtaken by two white men, lost like themselves, who, +when the matter had been talked over, would not follow the native, +thinking they knew better than he the way to Chinik, and they went off +by themselves. Miss E. says that both she and Lincoln had given up hope +of getting here today, but she knelt upon the ice and prayed that they +might find their way safely, then trusted that they would do so, and +started. After going on for a time in the storm, they saw a small, +deserted cabin not far from them which Lincoln instantly recognized as +one upon the point of land only a quarter of a mile west of Chinik, and +they were happy. + +They soon came into the Mission, full of gratitude, though wet, tired +and hungry, for it is so warm that there is water on the ice in places, +and the snow is very heavy. They had only one deer with them. + +The two lost men came into camp an hour after Miss E. arrived, having +gone past the cabin and camp, and southward too far in their reckoning. +It is never safe to travel without a compass of some sort in this +country. Mr. H. and his two men have, besides attending to the herd, +staked some gold claims while away, not far from our claims. The wind +has died down, and there is no snow falling tonight at half-past eight. + +This is New Year's Eve, and the girls and boys are singing, and having a +good time in the sitting-room while I write. We are going to sit up to +watch the old year out and the new year in, and have a little song +service at midnight. + +This is the last day of nineteen hundred, and a memorable year it has +been. How many new scenes and how great the changes through which we +have passed! What will the New Year bring? Where will we be next year at +this time? It is probably better that we do not know the future. + +New Year's Day, nineteen hundred and one. This has been a good day all +around, after our midnight watch meeting, when seven of the eight +persons present took a part, and we sang many songs with the organ. At +half-past twelve I retired, but the others remained up until two +o'clock. + +This evening the storekeeper and two others from White Mountain called +to see if we did not care to go out coasting on the hill behind the +Mission, and five or six of us went. When we got to the top of the hill +the wind was so strong that I could hardly stand, and after a few trips +down the Hill we gave it up, part of our number going out to walk upon +the ice, and the rest of us going indoors. The men were invited into the +Mission, and stayed for an hour, chatting pleasantly, as there is no +place for them to go except to the saloons. It is a great pity that +there is no reading room with papers and books for the miners, with the +long winter before them, and nothing to do. There is a crying need for +something in this line, and if they do not employ their time pleasantly +and profitably, they will spend it unprofitably in some saloon or +gambling place. I wish I had a thousand good magazines to scatter, but I +have none. + +I gave Jennie her lesson, and amused both children for a time this +afternoon. Yesterday the snow drifted badly, and I fear the people who +went to Council will not have a good trail on the way home. + +January second: It is pleasant to have a corner by myself in which to +write and be sometimes alone. The little northeast corner room where I +sleep has a tile pipe coming up from the kitchen, making the room warm +enough except in the coldest weather. It has a north window with no +double one outside, and when the wind comes from the north I expect it +will be extremely cold. From this window I can see (when the glass is +free from frost) out upon the trail to Nome and White Mountain. Today +there is water on the ice, and it has been raining and blowing. Three of +the boys returned from a four days' prospecting trip to the west, and as +two of them had been sick the whole time since they left here, they came +in wet, tired and hungry, without having much good luck to relate. I +told them it was something to get back at all again, and they agreed +heartily, while eating a hot supper. An hour later and Mr. H. with the +visiting preacher came in from the reindeer station, and their staking +trip, in the same condition as the three boys had been; so a supper for +them was also prepared. + +Our kitchen looks like a junk shop these days, and a wet one at that, +for the numbers of muckluks, fur parkies, mittens, and other garments +hung around the stove to dry are almost past counting, and the odor is +stifling; but the clothing must be dried somewhere, and there is no +other place. An engine room would be the very best spot I know for +drying so many wet furs, and I wish we had one here. + +In speaking to one of the men today about prospecting my claim, I told +him I would furnish the grub, but he said very kindly, "I wouldn't take +any grub from you. I've got enough, and shall be at work there any way, +so it won't take long to sink some holes in your claim," which I thought +was very good of him. I hope they will "strike it" rich. + +January third: A wet, sloppy, snowy day, our "January thaw," Mr. H. +says. I took the two children out on the sled upon the ice and pushed at +the handle-bars until I was reeking with perspiration, afterwards giving +Jennie her lesson at her auntie's. + +There are twelve of us under the Mission roof tonight, including Miss E. +and the native. + +January fourth: These are great days. We have a houseful of men, nine in +all, and some are getting ready to leave tomorrow to do some staking of +claims up near the station. M. said if the musician were only here, and +they could get a dog-team, he would like to get him to go with him on a +staking trip not far away. This man returned soon afterward, and M. +wanted me to ask him if he would go. I did so, and he replied that he +would go, and furnish dogs if possible; but the ones he tried to get +were engaged, and that plan fell through, much to his discouragement. +Learning this, I determined to go to the captain at the hotel, and see +if I could procure dogs from him for the trip. He said yes, I could have +his best dogs, and that a mail carrier is here resting who will lend us +his dogs, so that was all arranged. + +Location papers then had to be written out, grub boxes packed, a tent +looked up, and many things attended to before they left, so that others +in camp got an inkling of what was being done and wanted to go along. +Then M. and the musician decided to put off going until midnight, when +they would sneak quietly out of camp with their dogs and scamper away +among the hills without the others knowing it, but it could not be done, +and two or three sleds followed them at midnight in the moonlight, as is +the custom with Alaska "stampeders." + +January fifth: Mollie asked me today to go with her to visit her fox +traps, and I immediately decided to go. We started about half-past one +in the afternoon, on foot past the cliff, but when we had gone a short +distance Mollie stopped to call back to the house. Some native boys were +cutting wood at the north door, and she motioned one to come to her. +When he came, she spoke to him in Eskimo, and he, assenting to what she +said, ran back again. + +"I tell Muky to come with dog-team, bring us home, you get tired by and +by," she said thoughtfully, as we trudged on again over and through the +snow. The woman wore a reindeer parkie, short skirt, and muckluks, and +carried a gun on her shoulder. The snow was quite a foot deep, with a +crust on top which we broke at almost every step, and which made it hard +walking. On we "mushed," past the cliff, the boats, and out upon the +ice. The traps had been set by Mollie a week before on the northeast +shore of the bay among a few low bushes, and this was our objective +point. When we reached the first trap, which was buried in snow, but +found by a certain shrub which Mollie had in some way marked and now +recognized, I threw myself upon the snow to rest and watch her +movements. + +Around us we saw plenty of ptarmigan tracks, but no signs of foxes. A +foot below the snow's surface, Mollie found her trap, and proceeded to +reset it. Carefully covering the trap with a very little light snow and +smoothing it nicely over, she chipped off bits of reindeer meat from a +scrap she had brought with her, scattering them invitingly around. + +The scene about us was a very quiet one and wintry in the extreme. Long, +low hills stretched out on every side of the bay, and the whole earth +was a great snow heap. The sky and cloud effects were charming, fading +sunshine on the hilltops making them softly pink, and very lovely; but +with deep reddish purple tints over all as the sun-ball disappeared. + +One after another, four fox traps in different places were reset by +Mollie, while I mushed on behind her. + +At last we saw the dog-team and Muky coming on the bay. Five dogs he had +hitched to his sled, and each wore a tiny bell at its throat, making a +pretty din as they trotted. When the woman had finished her trapping, we +both climbed into the sled, the native running and calling to the dogs, +and they started for home. It was not a long ride, probably not more +than a mile and a half as we went, but while tramping through the snow +crust to the traps it seemed much longer. + +I now thoroughly enjoyed the novel ride. In the dusky twilight the dogs +trotted cheerfully homeward, obeying the musical calls of their driver, +and the little bells jingled merrily. Darker and more purple grew the +skies until they tinted the snow over which we were passing, and by the +time we had halted before the hotel door it was really night. + +By the clock it was fifteen minutes past four and the thermometer +registered fifteen degrees below zero. Then we toasted our feet before +the big heater, removed and shook out our frosty furs, and answered the +two children's questions. To these Mollie gave her explanations in +Eskimo, and I told of the ptarmigan tracks I had seen on the snow +drifts. + +Sunday, January sixth: Yesterday I moved into the little southeast room +which was formerly Miss J.'s. It has pretty paper on the walls, and a +small heater in one corner, besides a single cot, and I soon settled +quite comfortably. The room with the bunks was needed for the men, of +whom there are so many most of the time. The room I now have has a south +window, but not a double one, and gets heavy with frost, which remains +on the panes; but I can have a fire when I want one, as the stove burns +chips and short wood, of which there are always quantities in the shed. +B. tells me to use all the wood I want, as there is no shortage of fuel, +nor men to haul and cut it, which I think is very kind. A little fire +while I am dressing nights and mornings, however, is all I shall try to +keep burning. + +Miss J. came with Ivan, bringing several native children to visit their +parents for a few hours, but took them back with her after supper when +the meeting was over, which she had held in the kitchen. We had sixteen +to supper, including natives. Afterward we went down to the beach to see +the party off for the Home. Ivan led the dogs, five in number, hitched +to the big sled. Miss J. ran alongside, the visiting preacher at the +handle bar, and the little children on the sled. After watching them +off, we came home and then took a walk of a mile out upon the ice on the +White Mountain trail, which was in fairly good condition. There were +six of us. When we got back to the house, I played by request on the +organ, for the three Swedish visitors from Council. + +The weather is bright and beautiful, and sixteen degrees below zero. + +Monday, January seventh: The boys came in from their stampede to the +creeks, and M. says they staked us all rich if there is anything good in +the ground. My claim is Number Ten, below Discovery, on H. Creek, and +sounds well, if nothing more. Of course we women are all much elated, +and talk of "our claims" very glibly, but a few sunken prospect holes +will tell the story of success or failure better than anything else. + +This has been a busy day in the house until I went at half-past two in +the afternoon to Mollie's to find her ill in bed with a very bad throat. +I gave Jennie and Charlie two hours of my time, and went home, to return +in the evening at Mollie's request. The poor woman was suffering +severely, and I did what I could for her, rubbing her throat with +camphorated oil and turpentine and wrapping it in thick, hot flannels. +Then I assisted her to bed, rubbing her aching bones, and left her less +feverish than when I went in. The thermometer is above zero, and the +weather is pleasant. + +Two men from Topkok came in to see the Recorder's books, and searched +all through them without finding what they wanted and expected to find, +and then went away with sober and disappointed faces. "Curses not loud +but deep" come to our ears each day about the Commissioner's work of +recording, and many say he is now deep in dissipation at Nome, instead +of attending here to his business as he should. Miners declare him +unfitted in every way for his position, and affirm that they will depose +him from office. + +I went out this morning and bought a student lamp at the store, paying +six dollars and a half for it. This, with my case of coal oil, will +light my room nicely, besides giving a good deal of heat. + +The Marshal and men are home from the Koyuk River, after four weeks of +winter "mushing," and say nothing about their trip. They did not manage +to pull harmoniously together, and Mr. L. returned before them. + +January ninth: When I went today to the hotel to teach my pupils, I +found the men in the room cleaning the big heater, and ashes and dirt +drove us out of the place, so we went upstairs to another room in which +Mollie sometimes sews, and where we found her at work on a white parkie +for the musician. I played with Jennie for a time before the lesson, and +Ageetuk came in on an errand, while Polly, the Eskimo servant, jabbered +in a funny way and wabbled over the floor like a duck, as is her habit +when walking. This girl is short, fat and shapeless, with beady black +eyes, and a crafty expression, certainly not to be relied on if there is +truth in physiognomy. + +At the hotel all is excitement and bustle, getting the men off for the +Kuskokquim River, where the new strikes are reported. Strong new sleds +have been made by the natives, grub is being packed and dogs gotten into +condition, besides a thousand other things which must be done before the +expedition is ready to start. Seeing them make such extensive +preparations reminded me that perhaps I might get the men to carry my +paper and stake something for me, so, plucking up my courage, I asked +the promoter of the expedition, whom I know, if I could do this, and was +readily given permission. In a few minutes paper, pen and ink were +brought in, a clerk was instructed to draw up the paper in proper shape, +which he did, and it was signed and witnessed in due form, Mollie +subscribing her name as one of the witnesses. For this I tendered my +heartiest thanks, and ran home with a light heart, already imagining +myself a lucky claim owner in a new and rich gold section on the +Kuskokquim. The party of five men are to leave tomorrow morning for the +long trip of several hundred miles over the ice and snow. + +Mollie advises me to have another pair of muckluks made smaller, and to +keep these I am wearing for traveling, when I will wear more inside +them, so I will take my materials over tomorrow and she will have Alice +cut and sew them for me. I hope they will not make my feet look so +clumsy as do these, my first ones. + +January tenth: This was a cold and windy morning, so the men at the +hotel could not start out for the Kuskokquim as they intended. Some men +came to the Mission to see if they could rent the old schoolhouse to +live in, the doctor and his plucky little wife having left some weeks +ago for a camp many miles east of Chinik. After looking it over, the men +have concluded to take it, and move in soon. There are no buildings to +buy or rent in this camp, nor anything with which to build, so it is +hard lines for strangers coming to Chinik. This afternoon Alma went over +with me to the hotel to stitch on Mollie's sewing machine, and I carried +the deerskin for my new footgear which Alice will make acceptably, no +doubt, as she is very expert. + +Mr. H., two natives and two white men, were here to supper tonight on +their way to Nome by dog-team, and are wishing to start at three in the +morning in order to make the trip in two days. M. and L. are also here, +so we had seven men to supper. We had fried ham, beans, stewed prunes, +tea, and bread and butter. + +This morning it was two degrees below zero, with a strong, cold wind; +tonight it is fourteen degrees below zero with no wind, and is warmer +now than then. No moonlight till nearly morning, but the stars shine +brightly. + +January eleventh: Mary sat up all night baking bread, and starting the +men off for Nome between three and four in the morning. I got up at +nine o'clock and enjoyed the magnificent sunrise. I went out with Ricka +while she tried at the three stores to find a lining for her fur coat, +but one clerk told us that no provision for women was made by the +companies, and they had nothing on their shelves she wanted. At the +hotel store she found some dark green calico at twenty-five cents a +yard, which she was obliged to take for her lining. + +While I gave Jennie her lesson her mother came from her hunting, and had +shot six ptarmigan, having hurt her finger on the trigger of the gun. +Mollie studies a little while each day, when Jennie has finished her +lesson. + +There is a sick Eskimo woman here now who was brought in from the +reindeer camp yesterday, and Mollie has her upstairs in the sewing room +on a cot. Mary, the nurse, went over with me to see her, and says she +has rheumatic fever. She seems to be suffering very much, and cannot +move her hands or limbs. + +January twelfth: At eight o'clock today the thermometer stood at +forty-one degrees below zero, but registered thirty-two degrees during +the middle of the day, and the houses are not so warm as they have been. + +When I called for Jennie at the hotel today I found her crying with pain +in her leg, so she could not take a lesson, but I sent out for little +Charlie who came running to me with outstretched arms. He is a dear +little child, and I am getting very fond of him. It is some weeks since +Jennie first began crying occasionally with pain, and her parents cannot +understand it, unless it is caused by a fall she had on the steamer +coming from San Francisco last summer, and of which they thought nothing +at the time. I sincerely hope she is not going to be very ill, with no +doctor nearer than White Mountain. The sick woman still suffers, though +they are doing what they can for her. The captain requested me to bring +our medical books over, or send them, that he can look up remedies and +treatment of rheumatic fever, for that is what she no doubt has. + +While seated at the organ an hour later, in came the storekeeper and his +clerk, followed soon after by the captain and musician. Then we had +music and solos by the last named gentleman, and the knitting needles +kept rapidly flying. At eleven o'clock they went out into the intense +cold, which sparkled like diamonds, but which pinched like nippers the +exposed faces and hands. + +Here is another cold, quiet day, with the thermometer at thirty-five +degrees below zero, and it is a first class one to spend by the fire. We +have read, slept, eaten, and fed the fires; with only one man, three +girls and myself in the house. At ten in the evening G. and B. came in +from a five days "mushing" trip on the trails, being nearly starved and +frozen. They were covered with snow and icicles, their shirts and coats +stiff with frost from steam of their bodies, as they ran behind the +sled to keep warm. A hot supper of chicken (canned), coffee, and bread +and butter was prepared in haste for them, and they toasted themselves +until bedtime. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE LITTLE SICK CHILD. + + +The winter is rapidly passing, and so far without monotony, though what +it will bring to us before spring remains to be seen. Little Jennie has +been suffering more and more with her leg of late, and her papa sent for +the doctor at White Mountain, who came today by dog-team. The child's +mother has had a spring cot made for her, and she was put to bed by the +doctor, who says the knee trouble is a very serious one, and she must +have good nursing, attention being also paid to her diet. The Eskimos +are all exceedingly fond of seal and reindeer meat, and Jennie's Auntie +Apuk or grandmother will often bring choice tidbits to the child at +bedtime, or between meals, when she ought not to eat anything, much less +such hearty food. When the little child sees the good things, she, of +course, wants them, and having been humored in every whim, she must +still be, she thinks, especially when she is ill. A problem then is here +presented which I may help to solve for them. Jennie and I are growing +very fond of each other, and she will do some things for me which she +will not do for others who have obeyed her wishes so long. I begin by +round-about coaxing and reasoning, and get some other idea into her +mind, until the plate of seal meat is partially forgotten, and does not +seem so attractive at nine in the evening as when presented with loving +smiles by her old grandmother, who does sometimes resent the +alternative, but is still exceedingly solicitous that the little girl +should recover. As grandmother understands English imperfectly, Mollie +is obliged to reiterate the doctor's orders in Eskimo, making them as +imperative as possible, and the poor old Eskimo woman goes home with the +promise that Jennie shall have some of the dainties at meal-time on the +morrow. + +In appearance grandmother is still somewhat rugged, being a large woman, +with an intelligent face, which expresses very forcibly her inner +feelings, and being, probably, somewhere between sixty and seventy years +of age. Her husband, who has been dead only a year or two, was much +beloved by her, and no reference to him is ever made in her presence, +without a flow of tears from her eyes. Her love of home and kindred +seems very strong, and her devotion to little Jennie amounts almost to +idolatry, so the solicitude expressed by the good woman is only a part +of what she really feels, but which is shown in hundreds of ways. When +the doctor settled the little girl in her bed she adjusted a heavy +weight to the foot on the limb which has given her so much trouble, and +now the grief of Mollie and her mother is unbounded. Poor old +grandmother wipes her eyes continually, leaving the house quickly at +times to rush home and mourn alone, as she is so constrained to do, her +sorrow for her darling's sufferings being very sincere. Later she comes +in after doing her best at courage building, tiptoes her way in to see +if her pet is sleeping or awake, and bringing something if possible, +with which to amuse or interest the invalid. However great is the grief +of the women, that of the child's papa is equally sad to see, and he, +poor man, is forced to face the probability of a long and dreary winter, +if not a lifetime of suffering for his darling child. One cannot help +seeing his misery, though he tries like a Trojan to hide it, and keeps +as cheerful as possible to encourage others. He is always an invalid +himself. + +The main topic of interest to Jennie now is the little stranger who has +come to live with her Auntie Apuk, and whom she is so desirous of seeing +that she almost forgets her trouble and suffering, asking constantly +about its size, color, eyes, hair, hands and feet. She counts the days +before she can see it, and puzzles greatly over the fact of its not +possessing a name, her big black eyes getting larger and blacker as she +wonders where one will be found. Little Charlie is allowed in to see +Jennie at times, and wonders greatly to find her always in bed, asking +many questions in his childish Eskimo treble, and patting her hand +sympathetically while standing at her side. + +"Mamma," said he the other day to Mollie in Eskimo, with a pleased smile +on his face, and when the two were alone, "the ladie loves me." + +"How do you know?" asked Mollie. + +"Because," he said shyly, putting his little arms about her neck, +"because she kissed me." Whereupon Mollie did the same, and assured him +of her own love, always providing, of course, that he was a good boy, +and did what papa and mamma told him to do. + +This conversation Mollie reported to me a few days after it took place, +and I assured her with tears welling up in my eyes that the little child +had made no mistake. Strange action of the subjective mind of one person +over another, even to the understanding by this Eskimo baby of a +stranger heart, and that one so unresponsive as mine. The child, +deprived as he was of an own mother's love, still hungered and thirsted +for it, and he was quick to discern in my eyes and voice the secret for +which he was looking. How I should enjoy giving my whole time to these +two children, and they really do need me to teach and care for them; but +I am dividing myself between them and the Mission, and the winter days +are very short. + +The thermometer today registered fourteen degrees below zero, against +twenty-eight yesterday and thirty below the day before that. + +Mr. H. has returned from Nome, bringing me a package of kodak films sent +from Oakland, Cal., last August, and which I never expected to receive +after so long a time. I was delighted to get them, and now I can kodak +this whole district, above and below. + +Mollie is trying to study English a little, but with many interruptions +on every hand. The big living room is light and warm, our only study +place, and yet the rendezvous of all who care to drop in, regardless of +invitations, making it somewhat difficult for us to concentrate our +attention on the lessons. The Marshal, the bartender, the clerks, cooks, +miners, natives, strangers and all come into this room to chat, see and +inquire for Jennie, play with Charlie, and get warm by the fire. Here is +an opportunity of a lifetime to study human nature, and I am glad, for +it is a subject always full of interest to me, though I frequently feel +literally choked with tobacco smoke, and wish often for a private +sitting-room. + +Sunday, January twentieth: We are snuggled indoors by the fires under +the most terrible blizzard of the season so far, with furious gales, +falling and drifting snow, and intense cold. It is impossible to keep +the house as warm as usual, and I have eaten my meals today dressed in +my fur coat, my seat at table being at the end with my back close to the +frosty north window. Though this is the place of honor at the board, and +the missionary's seat when he eats in the Mission, still it is a chilly +berth on occasions, and this is decidedly one. + +The dining-room contains, besides the north window, one on the south +side as well, and though both are covered with storm windows, the frost +and ice is several inches thick upon the panes, precluding any +possibility of receiving light from either quarter unless the sun shines +very brightly indeed, and then only a subdued light is admitted. During +the night the house shook constantly in the terrific gale, rattling +loose boards and shingles, and I was kept awake for several hours. + +At night I am in the habit of tossing my fur coat upon my bed for the +warmth there is in it, as I am not the possessor of a fur robe, as all +persons should be who winter here. Furs are the only things to keep the +intense cold out in such weather as we are now having, but with some +management I get along fairly well. + +A reindeer skin not in use from the attic makes my bed soft and warm +underneath, my coat over my blankets answers the same purpose, and the +white fox baby robe from the old wooden cradle upstairs makes a soft, +warm rug on the floor upon which to step out in the morning. Wool +slippers are never off my feet when my muckluks are resting, and I +manage by keeping a supply of kindlings and small wood in my box by the +stove, to have a warm fire by which to dress. + +These days we do not often rise early, and ten o'clock frequently finds +us at breakfast, but we retire correspondingly late, and midnight is +quite a customary hour lately. Today we passed the time in eating, +sleeping, singing, and reading. A visiting Swedish preacher came over a +few days ago from the Home, and is storm-bound in the Mission. He is a +large, heavy man, with a hearty voice and hand grip, and is a graduate +of Yale College, using the best of English, having filled one of the +vacant Nome pulpits for several weeks last fall before coming to +Golovin. + +Today he has read one of Talmage's sermons to us, and we have sung +Gospel songs galore, in both Swedish and English, with myself as +organist. When this is tired of, the smaller instruments are taken out, +and Ricka has the greatest difficulty in preventing Alma from amusing +the assembled company with her mandolin solo, "Johnny Get Your Hair +Cut," the young lady's red lips growing quite prominent while she +insists upon playing it. + +"Good music is always acceptable, Ricka, and on Sunday as well as on any +other day, so I cannot see why you will not let me play as I want to. I +do not think it a sin to play on the mandolin on Sunday. Do you, Pastor +F.?" asked Alma of the preacher, appealingly, and in all innocence. + +What could he say to her? He laughed. + +"O, no," said Ricka, "I do not say that mandolin music is sinful on +Sunday, and if you would play 'Nearer My God to Thee,' or some such +piece, and not play 'Johnny,' I should not object." And she now looked +at the preacher and me for reinforcements. + +Alma is not, however, easily put down, and the contest usually winds up +with Ricka going into the kitchen where she cannot hear the silly +strains of "Johnny," which Alma is picking abstractedly from the strings +of the instrument, while the preacher continues his reading, and I go +off to my room. + +Mr. Q., a Swedish missionary, and his native preacher called Rock, have +arrived from Unalaklik, with the two visiting preachers at the Home, and +they held an evening service in the schoolhouse, which was fairly well +attended. There were seven white men, the three women in this house and +myself, besides many natives of both sexes. Grandmother was there with +Alice, Ageetuk and others, and the missionary spoke well and feelingly +in English, interpreted by Rock into Eskimo. One of the preachers sang a +solo, and presided at the organ. Some of the native women present had +with them their babies, and these, away from home in the evening, +contrary to their usual habit, cried and nestled around a good deal, and +had to be comforted in various ways, both substantial and otherwise, +during the evening; but the speakers were accustomed to all that, and +were thankful to have as listeners the poor mothers, who probably could +not have come without the youngsters. + +Considerable will power and auto-suggestion is needed to enable me to +endure the fumes of seal oil along with other smells which are +constantly arising from the furs and bodies of the Eskimos, made damp, +perhaps, by the snow which has lodged upon them before entering the +room. Fire we must have. Those who are continually with the natives in +these gatherings do get "acclimated," but I am having a hard struggle +along these lines. + +The three Swedish and one Eskimo preacher left today for the Home, after +I had taken a kodak view of them, and their dog-team. As the wind blew +cold and stiffly from the northwest, they hoisted a sail made of an old +blanket upon their sled. + +There are many who are ingenious, and who are glad to help the sick +child, Jennie, pass her time pleasantly, and among them is the musician. +Being a clever artist as well as musician, he goes often to sit beside +Jennie, and then slate and pencils are brought out, and the drawing +begins. Indian heads, Eskimo children in fur parkies, summer landscapes, +anything and everything takes its turn upon the slate, which appears a +real kaleidoscope under the artist's hands. Jennie often laughs till the +tears run down her face at some comical drawing or story, or the +musician's efforts to speak Eskimo as she does, and both enjoy +themselves immensely. + +Yesterday Mollie went out to hunt for ptarmigan. She is exceedingly +fond of gunning, has great success, and she and the child relish these +tasty birds better than anything else at this season. Ageetuk also is a +good hunter and trapper, and brought in two red foxes from her traps +yesterday, when she came home from her outing with Mollie. Little +Charlie ran up to Mollie on her return from her hunt, and cried in a +mixture of Eskimo and English: + +"Foxes peeluk, Mamma?" meaning to ask if she did not secure any animals, +appearing disappointed when told by his mamma (for such she calls +herself to the child) that she did not find anything today but +ptarmigan. + +It was twenty degrees below zero this morning, and the sun was +beautifully bright. The days are growing longer, and it is quite light +at eight o'clock in the morning. The short days have never been tiresome +to me because we have not lacked for fuel and lights, and have kept +occupied. + +One of the Commissioners and two or three other men have been trying for +a long time to get their meals here, but the girls have pleaded too +little room, and other excuses, until now the Commissioner has returned, +and renewed his requests. Today he came over and left word that he and +two others would be here to six o'clock supper, at which the girls were +wrathy. + +"I guess he will wait a long time before I cook his meals for him," +sputtered Alma, who disliked the coming of the official to the house, +and under no consideration would she consent to board him. + +"My time is too short to cook for a man like that," declared Mary, with +a toss of her head, as she settled herself in the big arm chair in the +sitting room, and poor Ricka, whose turn it was this week to prepare the +meals, found herself in the embarrassing position of compulsory cook for +at least two of the men she most heartily despised in the camp, and this +too under the displeasure of both Alma and Mary. + +"What shall I do?" groaned Ricka, appealing to me in her extremity. +"Will you sit at table with them tonight, Mrs. Sullivan? because Alma +and Mary will not, and I must pour the coffee. O, dear, what shall I +have for supper?" and the poor girl looked fairly bowed down with +anxiety. + +"O, never mind them, Ricka," said I, "just give them what you had +intended to give the rest of us. I suppose they think this is a +roadhouse, and, if so, they can as well board here as others; but if +Alma refuses to take them, I do not see what they can do but keep away," +argued I, knowing both Alma and Mary too well by this time to expect +them to change their verdict, as, indeed, I had no desire for them to +do. + +"I'm sure it is not a roadhouse for men of their class," growled Alma, +biting her thread off with a snap, for she was sewing on Mollie's dress, +and did not wish to be hindered. "I'll not eat my supper tonight till +they have eaten; will you, Mary?" + +"Indeed, I will not," was the reply from a pair of very set lips, at +which Ricka and I retired to the kitchen to consult together, and +prepare the much-talked-of meal. + +Then I proceeded to spread the table with a white cloth and napkins, +arrange the best chairs, and make the kitchen as presentable as I could +with lamps, while Ricka went to work at the range. We had a passable +supper, but not nearly so good as we usually have, for the official had +not only taken us by surprise, but had come unbidden, and was not, (by +the express orders of the business head of the restaurant firm), to be +made welcome. + +At any rate, Ricka and I did the best we could under the circumstances, +the meal passed in some way, and the official then renewed his request +to be allowed to take all his meals in the Mission, meeting with nothing +but an unqualified refusal, much to his evident disappointment. + +I doubt very much now the probability of my getting any more copying to +do for him, as he says I could have persuaded Alma to board him if I had +been so inclined; but then I never was so inclined, and have about +decided that I do not want his work at any price. + +January twenty-fifth: This has been a very cold, windy day, but three of +the men came in from prospecting on the creeks, and have little to +report. To think of living in tents, or even native igloos, in such +weather for any length of time whatever, is enough to freeze one's +marrow, and I think the men deserve to "strike it rich" to repay them +for so much discomfort and suffering. Mr. L. and B. walked to the Home +and back today--twenty-four miles in the cold. I bought two more fox +skins of the storekeeper with which to make my coat longer. + +Mr. H. and Miss J. came to hold a meeting in the kitchen for the +natives, and Mollie interpreted for them, as Ivan was not present. They +all enjoy singing very much, and are trying to learn some new songs. +Contrary to my expectations, they learn the tunes before they do the +words, which are English, of course. + +Later the musician came over and sang and played for an hour and a half +at the organ, which all in the house enjoyed; but he is worried about +his friend, who was bitten by the mad-dog, and is in poor health, he +told us tonight. They have lately moved into the old schoolhouse, and +like there better than their former lodgings, which were very cold. +There are three of them in the schoolhouse, or rather cabin, for it is +an old log building, with dirt roof, upon which the grass and weeds grow +tall in summer, and under the eaves of the new schoolhouse, a frame +structure with a small pointed tower. + +Sunday, January twenty-seventh: The missionaries held a meeting in the +sitting room this forenoon at which the Commissioner was present, not +because he was interested in the service, Alma says. I suppose he had +nothing else to do, and happened to get up earlier than usual. I +presided at the organ, and Miss J. led the singing. The day was a very +bright one, but the thermometer registered thirty degrees below zero. + +The missionaries have taken Alma with them to visit for a few days, and +do some sewing at the Home. We all ran out upon the ice with them, but +did not go far, as it was very cold. For a low mercury these people do +not stay indoors, but go about as they like dressed from top to toe in +furs, and do not suffer; but let the wind blow a stiff gale, and it is +not the same proposition. + +Four men came from the camp of the shipwrecked people, the father of +Freda, the little girl, being one. They say the child and her mother are +well, and as comfortable as they can be made for the present, but in the +spring they will go back to Nome. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF THE MINING CAMP. + + +Again the boys are starting for the Koyuk River country. Although it is +the twenty-eighth of January, and between twenty-five and thirty degrees +below zero, nothing can deter Mr. L., who has made up his mind to go to +the headwaters of the big river regardless of weather. L., B. and a +native are to compose the party, and this time they are going with +reindeer. They will take with them a tent, stove, fur sleeping bags, +matches, "grub," guns and ammunition, not to mention fry pans and a few +tins for cooking purposes. Then they must each take a change of wearing +apparel in case of accident, and make the loads as light as possible. B. +has made it a point to look well at his guns and cartridges, and has +been for days cleaning, rubbing and polishing, while hunting knives have +also received attention. The party may have, in some way, to depend upon +these weapons for their lives before their return. + +January twenty-ninth: Twenty-five degrees below zero, but without wind, +and the boys have started off on their long trip up the Koyuk. The +reindeer were fresh and lively, and when everything was loaded and +lashed upon the three sleds, the animals were hitched to them, when, +presto! the scene was changed in a moment. Each deer ran in several +directions at the same time as if demented, overturning sleds and men, +tossing up the snow like dust under their hoofs, and flinging their +antlers about like implements of battle. Now each man was put to his +wit's end to keep hold of the rope attached to the horns of the deer he +was driving, and we who had gone out upon the ice to watch the departure +feared greatly for the lives of the men interested. + +At one time Mr. H., who was kindly assisting, was flung upon the ground, +while a rearing, plunging animal was poised in mid-air above him; and I +uttered a shriek of terror at the sight, thinking he would be instantly +killed. However, he was upon his feet in an instant, and pursuing the +animals, still clinging to the rope, as the deer must never, under any +consideration, be allowed to get away with the loaded sleds. + +When one of the boys attempted to sit upon a load, holding the rope as a +guide in his hands, there would be a whisk, a whirl, and quicker than a +flash over would go the load, sled and man, rolling over and over like a +football on a college campus. + +At this time the sun shone out brightly, tinting rosily the distant +hills, and spreading a carpet of light under our feet upon the +ice-covered surface of the bay. The clear, cold air we breathed was +fairly exhilarating, sparkling like diamonds in the sun-beams, and +causing the feathery snowflakes under our feet to crackle with a +delightful crispness. + +When the elasticity of the reindeer's spirits had been somewhat lessened +by exercise, a real start was made, and we watched them until only small +dots on the distant trail could be distinguished. + +Something unpleasant has happened. M., the Finlander, told me this +morning that he wants the room I occupy upstairs, and, of course, I will +have to give it up. As the other rooms upstairs must be left for the +men, of whom there are such numbers, there is no place for me except on +the old wooden settle in the sitting room. To be sure, this is in a warm +corner, but there are many and serious inconveniences, one being that I +must of necessity be the last one to retire, and this is usually +midnight. + +For some time past I have been turning over in my mind the advisability +of asking for the situation of nurse and teacher to Jennie and Charlie, +and living in the hotel. Supplies are growing shorter in the Mission as +the weeks go by, and my own are about exhausted, as is also my money. +The children need me, and there is plenty of room in the hotel, though I +am not fond of living in one. + +I have consulted Mr. H., who sees no harm in my doing this if I want to. +Meals are one dollar each everywhere in Chinik, and most kinds of +"grub" one dollar a pound, while for a lodging the same is charged. To +earn my board and room in the hotel by teaching and taking care of the +two children I should be making an equivalent to four dollars a day, and +I could have a room, at last, to myself. This is the way I have figured +it out; whether Mollie and the Captain will see it in the same light +remains to be seen. + +Later: I ran over to see Mollie and her husband, and to present my plan +to them. They both assented quickly, the Captain saying he does not want +Jennie to stop her studies, and she is fond of having me with her. +Besides, her mother wants to spend a good deal of time out hunting and +trapping, as she thinks it better for Jennie, Charlie and herself to +have fresh game, of which they are so fond, than to eat canned meats. I +think it is better for them, and shall not object to some of the same +fare myself when it is plenty. I am very glad, indeed, of the +opportunity to earn my board and room in this way, for my work will only +be with and for the two children, and I love them very much. + +January thirtieth: A bad storm came up this afternoon with wind and +snow. At the Mission one of the newcomers is making two strong reindeer +sleds. He says he is used to Alaska winters, has been up into the +Kotzebue Sound country, and is now going again with reindeer as soon as +his sleds are finished. He is exceedingly fond of music, and enjoys my +playing. I wonder if he will offer to stake a claim for me! I will not +ask him. + +January thirty-first: This terrible storm continues with snow drifting +badly, and with wind most bitter cold. What about the boys on the Koyuk +trail? I fear they will freeze to death. I have finished six drill +parkies for the storekeeper, but cannot get them to him in the blizzard. + +February first: I found when calling upon Jennie today that her mother +was sick in bed with a very bad throat, so I spent most of the day and +evening there. I did all I could for Jennie as well as Mollie, doing my +best to amuse the child, who is still strapped down on her bed, and must +find the day long, though she has a good deal of company. I had a +first-class six o'clock dinner at the hotel tonight,--that is, for +Alaska, at this season of the year. + +February second: This is my birthday, and I have been thinking of my +dear old mother so far away, who never forgets the date of her only +daughter's birth, even if I do. I should like to see her, or, at least, +have her know how well I am situated, and how contented I am, with a +prospect before me which is as bright as that of most persons in this +vicinity. If I could send my mother a telegram of a dozen words, I think +they would read like this: "I am well and happy, with fair prospects. +God is good." I think that would cheer her considerably. + +It is beginning to seem a little like spring, and the water is running +down the walls and off the windows in rivers upon the floors of the +Mission, which we are glad are bare of carpets; the snow having sifted +into the attic and melted. The warm rain comes down at intervals, and we +are hoping for an early spring. + +Mollie is really very sick, and must have a doctor, her throat being +terribly swollen on one side. The pain and fever is intense, and though +we are doing all we know how to do, she gets no better. Some men started +out for the doctor at White Mountain, but there was too much water on +the ice, and they returned. + +February sixth: The man who made the two reindeer sleds for his Kotzebue +trip has gone at last with two loads and three reindeer. He wanted his +drill parkie hood bordered with fur, as I had done some belonging to +others, and I furnished the fox tails, and sewed them on for him. + +"Shall I stake a claim for you?" asked the man with a smile the day +before he left the Mission. + +"O, I would like it so much!" said I, really delighted. "I did not wish +to ask you, because I thought you had promised so many." + +"So I have," he replied, "but I guess I can stake for one more, and if I +find anything good I will remember you." + +"Shall I have a paper made out?" I inquired, feeling it would be safer +and better from a business point of view to do so. + +"You may if you like. I will take it," said he; and I thanked him very +cordially, and hastened to the Commissioner to have the paper drawn up. +It did not take long, and the man has taken it, and gone. Being an old +mail carrier and stampeder of experience in this country, he ought to +know how to travel, and, being a Norwegian, he is well used to the snow +and the cold. He says he always travels alone, though I told him he +might sometime get lost in a storm and freeze to death, at which he only +laughed, and said he was not at all afraid. Two years afterwards he was +frozen to death on the trail near Teller City, northwest of Nome. He was +an expert on snowshoes or ski, both of which he learned to use when a +boy in Norway. + +February tenth: The two young men, B. and L., have returned from the +Koyuk trip, having been able to travel only three days of the eleven +since they left here on account of blizzards, but they will not give it +up in this way. + +Mollie and Jennie are better, the doctor having been here two days. For +the little invalid there is nothing of such interest as Apuk's baby, and +as the child is well wrapped and brought in often to see her, she is +highly delighted. She holds the baby in her arms, and hushes it to sleep +as any old woman might, lifting a warning finger if one enters the room +with noise, for fear of waking it. Little Charlie cries with whooping +cough a great deal and is taken to Ageetuk's house when he gets +troublesome, as he worries both Mollie and Jennie. Under no +consideration is Charlie to come near enough to Jennie to give her the +whooping-cough, for she coughs badly already. She and I make paper dolls +by the dozen, and cloth dresses for her real dolls, which, so late in +the season, are getting quite dilapidated and look as though they had +been in the wars. + +Many natives are now bringing beautiful furs into camp for sale, and +among others one man brought a cross fox which was black, tipped with +yellow, another which was a lovely brown, and a black fox valued at two +hundred dollars which the owner refused to sell for less, though offered +one hundred for it. I have never seen more lovely furs anywhere, and I +longed to possess them. + +It seems almost like having a hospital here now, for we have another +patient added to our sick list. Joe, the cook, is ill, and thinks he +will die, though the doctor smiles quizzically as she doses him, +thinking as she does so that a few days in bed and away from the saloons +will be as beneficial as her prescriptions. + +Today the hills surrounding the bay were lovely in the warm sunshine +both morning and evening, pink tinted in the sunrise and purple as +night approached. + +Mail came in by dog-team from Nome, going to Dawson and the outside, so +I mailed several letters. I wonder if they will be carried two thousand +miles by dogs--the whole length of the Yukon, and finally reach Skagway +and Seattle. + +What a wicked world this is anyway! My two fox skins were stolen from +the living room of the hotel last night, where I hung them, not far from +the stove, after having had them tanned, and forgetting to take them to +my room. I can get no trace of them, and am exceedingly sorry to lose +them. The captain thinks the skins will be returned, but I do not. + +The Commissioner from Council came into the hotel, and he, with the +resident official, proceeded to celebrate the occasion by getting +uproariously drunk, or going, as it is here called, "on a toot," which +is very truthfully expressive, to say the least. + +February eighteenth: The doctor went home several days ago. Mollie is +better, and wore, at the Sunday dinner yesterday, her new grey plaid +dress made by Alma, which fits well and looks quite stylish. I sat with +her at the long table which was filled with guests, employees and +boarders--a public place for me, which I do not like over much, but what +can I do? The two Commissioners are sobered, look sickly, and more or +less repentant; the resident official declaring to me he would now quit +drinking entirely, and buy me a new silk dress if he is ever seen to +take liquor again. + +I had nothing to say to him, except to look disgusted, and he took that +as a rebuke. The other Commissioner was exceedingly polite to me when he +came into the living room to bid all good-bye, and said if, at any time, +there was anything in the way of business transactions he could do for +me, to let him know; he would be delighted--as if I would ever ask any +favor of him! + +The weather is blustery, like March in Wisconsin. Mollie asked me to go +upstairs with her, look at rooms, and select one for myself, which I +did, deciding to take a small unfurnished one (except for a spring cot, +mirror, and granite wash bowl and pitcher), as this will be easily +warmed by my big lamp, and it has a west window, through which I will +get the afternoon sun. + +I cleaned the floor, and tacked up a white tablecloth which I had in my +trunk, for a curtain; spread my one deer skin rug upon the floor, made +up the cot bed with my blankets, opened my trunk, hung up a few +garments, and was settled. This is the first spring bed I have slept +upon since Mr. H. took the velvet couch away from the Mission. I found +the boarded walls very damp, as was also the floor after cleaning, but +my large lamp, kept burning for two hours, dried them sufficiently, and +I am quite well satisfied. + +Ageetuk has been papering the sewing-room with fresh wall paper, and it +looks better, but it has made a good deal of confusion all round, and +there are numbers of people, both native and white, coming and going all +day long. + +February twenty-third: Yesterday was Washington's Birthday, but quiet +here. Today Mollie and I took Jennie and Charlie out on a sled with Muky +to push behind at the handle-bar through the soft, deep snow. Mollie sat +upon the sled, and rode down hill twice with the children, Muky hopping +on behind; but I took a few kodak views of them, which I hope will be +good. I also received some mail from the outside which was written last +November. + +Some of the men in the hotel have tried to play what they call "a joke" +on me. The steward of the house has a key which unfastens the lock on my +door, as well as others; so they went into my room and tied a string to +the foot of my bed, first boring a hole through the boards into the +hall, and running the string through it. This string, I suppose, they +intended to pull in the night and frighten me; but Mollie and I happened +to go up there for something and found it. + +I was indignant, but everybody of whom Mollie inquired denied knowing +anything of it, and I said very little. Going to my trunk afterwards, I +found that the lock had been picked and broken,--a pretty severe "joke," +and one I do not relish, as now I have no place in which to keep +anything from these men. If they enter my room whenever they choose in +the daytime, what is to prevent them when I am asleep? I took Mollie +upstairs and showed her the broken lock, and she stooped to brush some +white hairs from her dark wool skirt. + +"Where they come from?" she asked suddenly. Then, picking at the +reindeer skin upon the floor under her feet, she said, nodding her head +decidedly, "I know. He--Sim--come to me in sewing-room,--hair all same +this on two knees of blank pants. I say, 'Where you get white reindeer +hair on you, Sim?' He say, 'I don't know.' Sim make hole in wall, and +string on bed for you, Mrs. Sullivan. He make lock peeluk, too," and +Mollie's face wore a serious and worried expression. + +"O, well, Mollie," said I, "don't worry. I shall say nothing to any of +the men as they are mad at me now." + +Mollie nodded significantly and said: "Your fox skins peeluk, Mrs. +Sullivan. Sim knows where--he never tell--sell for whiskey, maybe," and +Mollie turned to go, as though he were a hopeless case, and beyond her +government. + +"Yes, Mollie, I think so; but you can not help what these bad men do. I +know that, and do not blame you." + +"My husband very sorry 'bout fox skins. He cannot find--he no blame," +and she seemed to fear that I would attach some blame to the captain. + +"No, indeed, Mollie, I don't think your husband can help what they do. I +should not have left my fox skins hanging in that room, and will be +careful in future, but if they come into my room they may steal other +things, and I do not like it." + +"I know, I know,--Sim no good--Joe no good--Bub no good," and she went +away in a very depressed state of mind to Jennie and Apuk's baby. + +Of course Mollie told all to the captain, who immediately accused the +men in the bar-room, and they all swore vengeance upon me from that on, +so I suppose they will do all they can to torment me. + +We are having a sensation in Chinik. The "bloomin' Commissioner" is +about to be deposed from office, for unfitness, neglect of duty, and +dissipation; and a petition is being handed around the camp by the +Marshal, praying the Nome authorities that he be retained. The honest +storekeeper refused to sign it, as have many of the Swedes. The +Commissioner swears by all that is good and great to quit drinking, and +be decent. Time will tell--but I have no faith in him. + +Mollie goes often these days to look for foxes and to shoot ptarmigan, +taking with her a dog-team, and a native boy or two with their guns. +When it is bright and sunny, I take the two little children out in the +fur robes on the sled, with a native to push the latter, and I enjoy the +outing fully as well as they. Jennie is put to bed again on her return, +and the weight--a sand bag--attached to her foot, according to the +doctor's orders. + +The weather is very springlike, and we have wind "emeliktuk," as little +Charlie says when he has a plenty of anything. Snow storms are +sandwiched nicely in between, but many "mushers" are on the trails. +Mollie gets now and then a fox, either white or crossed, and one day she +brought in a black one. + +Liquor is doing its fiendish work in camp each hour of the twenty-four. +Some are going rapidly down the broad road to destruction; a few turn +their backs upon it, and seek the straighter way. Some half dozen of the +men headed by Sim and Bub are drinking heavily most of the time, +gambling between spells for the money with which to buy the poison. + +Very late one night a party of drunken men pounded with their fists upon +my door. + +"She's in--hic--there, boys," said one of the men in a halting way +customary with tipplers. + +"Bust in the door!" blurted another. + +"Drive her out'n here, Bub, ye fool!" yawned another, almost too sleepy +for utterance. + +In the meantime I lay perfectly still. Not a sound escaped me, for +although my heart beat like a sledge hammer, and I was trembling all +over, I knew it was best not to speak. After a little more parleying +they all went off to finish their "spree" elsewhere. Next day I reported +the affair to the captain, who, with his wife, in their ground floor +apartments in the farther end of the building, had not heard the noise +of the night before. Of course the men were now furious, denying +everything, calling me a "liar," ad infinitum. + +A fine-looking young man, a dentist and doctor, claiming to come from an +eastern city, while sitting at the table last evening, after much insane +gibberish, fell back intoxicated upon the floor, and lay insensible for +some time. He was finally, when the others had finished eating, dragged +off to bed in a most inglorious condition, to suffer later for his +dissipation. O, how my heart ached for his dear old mother so far away! +If she had seen him as I saw him, I think she would have died. It is +better for her to believe him dead than to know the truth. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +AN UNPLEASANT ADVENTURE. + + +When Sunday comes, Jennie and I always wear our best clothes, neither +sewing, studying, nor doing any work, but we read Bible stories, learn +verses, look at pictures, and keep the big music box going a good share +of the time. Sometimes if it is bright and warm, I take the two children +out for a ride, and Jennie likes to call upon her grandmother. + +The long front porch of the hotel has been opened again, the sides +having been taken off, and the ice and snow cut away from the steps, so +the little ones often play upon the porch in the sun for an hour or two. +There are now a number of little puppies to be fed and brought up, some +of them of pure Eskimo breed, and Charlie likes to frolic with them by +the hour. They are very cunning, especially when Mollie puts a little +harness which she has made upon each one, making them pull the sticks of +wood she fastens behind in order to teach them to haul a load. Mollie is +frequently gone for two days hunting, and if she does not find what she +looks for the first day she sleeps upon her sled a few hours rolled in +her furs, then rises and "mushes" on again. + +Far and near she is known and respected, and the name of "Mollie" in +this country is the synonym of all that is brave, true and womanly; +hunting and trapping being for an Eskimo woman some of the most +legitimate of pursuits. The name of Angahsheock, which means a leader of +women in her native tongue, was given her by her parents, as those who +know her acknowledge. + +In severe contrast to the character of Mollie is Polly, who has +developed an insane jealousy of me on the children's account, and who +never loses an opportunity to annoy and insult me, much to my surprise. +One day she will hide my books, pour soup over my dress in the kitchen, +slam the door in my face, and make jeering remarks in Eskimo, causing +the native boys to giggle; and worst of all, telling Charlie in her +language that I will kill and eat him, thus making him scream when I +attempt to wash or dress him. + +However, there is another and principal reason for her ill treatment of +me, which is far reaching, for Polly and Sim are cronies, and the girl +does what he tells her to do, and that is to torment me as much as +possible. + +For these reasons and others I decided some time ago to carry my meals +into the living room on a tray when I give the children theirs; +especially when Mollie is away, and the rough element does not feel the +restraint of her presence at table. There are no other white women in +the house, unless, perhaps, one comes in from the trail with the men for +a day, and these are, as a rule, not the kind of women to inspire the +respect of any one. So I spread Charlie's and my food upon a small +table, and Jennie's on her own tray, for after each little outing she is +strapped and weighted down in bed as before, and we would be very happy +if it were not for Polly, Sim, and a few other "toughs" in the hotel and +vicinity. + +Each day I manage, when Jennie is busy with Apuk's baby, O Duk Dok, the +deaf girl, grandmother, and her other numerous Eskimo friends, to slip +away and run out for a little fresh air, and into the Mission for a few +minutes. Then I sit down at the organ for a while, or hear of those +coming and going on the trails, perhaps climbing the hill behind the +Mission for more exercise before going back to Jennie. + +The first week in April has been pleasant, and sunny for the most of the +time, but last night the eighth of the month, the thermometer, with a +high wind, fell to thirty degrees below zero, and froze ice two inches +thick in my room upstairs. + +Mr. L. and B. have returned from their Koyuk trip, having staked one +creek upon which they found colors, and which they were informed by +natives was a gold bearing creek. Their supply of grub would not allow +them to remain longer. They have staked a claim for me, with the +others. Number Fourteen, above Discovery, is mine, but they do not give +out the name of the creek until they have been up there and staked +another stream near the first one. When I get my papers recorded I shall +feel quite proud of this, my best claim, perhaps, so far; and I am +thankful and quite happy, except for the disagreeable features of hotel +life, which I am always hoping will be soon changed. So long, however, +as the deadly liquor is sold in almost every store and cabin, the cause +of disturbances will remain, and men's active brains, continually fired +with poison as they are, will concoct schemes diabolical enough to shame +a Mephistopheles. + +Today, after due deliberation regarding the matter, I asked B., on the +aside, if he would lend me a revolver. He gave me a quick and searching +look. + +"Do you want it loaded?" he asked. + +"Yes, please, and I will call after supper for it," said I, in a low +tone, while going out the door. + +Early this morning, putting on my furs and carrying a small shoe box +under my arm, I ran over to the Mission. In the hall I was met by B., to +whom I handed the box. He took it quietly and went directly to his room, +reappearing in a moment and handing it back to me, saying significantly +as he did so: "Three doses of that are better than one, if any are +needed," which remark I understood without further explanation. + +I have brought the box to my room and have placed it under the head of +my cot upon the floor, where, in case of emergency, it may be of +service. It is not a pretty plaything, and will not be used as such by +me, but I shall feel safer to know it is near at hand. + +Little did I know when I selected my room the day Mollie brought me +upstairs that on the other side of the board partition slept the man who +had killed another in the early winter; and, though the murderer has so +far never molested me in any way, still he sometimes gets what they call +"crazy drunk," and is as liable to kill some other as he was to kill the +first; then, too, thin board walls have ears, and I have heard the +mutterings and threats of these wretches for a number of weeks. + +I have been exceedingly sorry for a month past to see the preparations +my friends, the Swedish women in the Mission, are making to go to Nome, +and now they expect to start tomorrow. They must be in town to put +everything in readiness for the opening of the "Star" when the first +steamers arrive from the outside. The weather is bright and pretty cold +today, making the trails good, but in a thaw they are bad and are now +liable to break up at any time. Quite a party will go to Nome, Mr. L., +M. and others, and they will travel with dogs. I dread to see my Swedish +friends, the only white women in this camp with whom I can be friendly, +leave Chinik, for I shall then be more alone than ever. If this +tiresome ice in the bay would only move out so the boats could get in, +we should have others, but there is no telling when that will be. Many +are now betting on the breaking up of the ice, and all hope it will be +very soon. + +May second: My Swedish friends left very early today for Nome, and only +Miss L. from the Home is there, sweeping out the place; but B. and the +visiting preacher will go with her to the Home today, closing the +hospitable doors of the Mission for a time. This evening they held a +meeting for the natives in camp, and I attended, but it seemed like a +funeral without the friends now "mushing" on the Nome trail. + +A woman has come to live at Mellie's, and is a study in beaver coat, +dyed brown hair (which should be grey, according to her age), and with, +it is reported, a bank account of one hundred and fifty thousand +dollars, after having lived in Alaska nearly five years. She is called a +good "stampeder," has a pleasant, smiling face, but is usually +designated "notorious." + +May tenth: Mollie went out early with Muky, her dog-team and guns, to +escort Ageetuk, Alice and Punni Churah, with their mother, who is +Mollie's aunt, to their new hunting camp in the mountains. At seven in +the evening Mollie returned with wet feet. Tomorrow she will take a net, +and some other things they have forgotten. They have gone to take their +annual spring vacation and hunt grey squirrels for a month, living in a +hut in the meantime. The weather is warm and springlike. + +May thirteenth: The captain has been obliged to go to Nome on business, +weak and ill though he is, and has been for months. It did not seem to +me that he could live through the winter, and he is far too weak to take +this long trip over the trail, but he says he is obliged to go, and will +return at the earliest possible moment. He has taken Fred, the Russian +boy, and a team of nine dogs, leaving after supper, and intending to +travel night and day, as we now have no darkness. + +The dissipated men around camp, idle and drunken most of the time, with +nothing to occupy their attention after the long, tedious winter, still +spend their hours in gossiping, swearing, drinking, and gambling, +knowing no day and no night, but making both hideous to those around +them. As a destroyer of man's self-respect, independence, and dignity, +there is nothing to compare with the accursed liquor. There are numbers +of instances in camp proving the truth of this statement. There is the +English clergyman's tall and handsome son, well educated, musical and of +agreeable manners--fitted to grace the best society, but--liquor is to +blame for his present condition, which is about as low as man can sink. + +It is ten in the evening and I am in my little room upstairs, the only +white woman in the camp except Mellie and two like her. Down stairs in +the bar-room the men are singing, first coon songs and then church +hymns, with all the drunken energy they can muster. The crash of broken +glass, angry oaths, and the slamming of doors reaches my ears so +frequently as to cause little surprise, the French cooks in the kitchen +adding their share to the disturbance. In a distant part of the hotel +lies the little sick girl, her cot rolled each night close to the +bedside of her mother, who tries to soothe her in her pain, Mollie and +the wicked little Eskimo servant being the only women besides myself in +the house. The noise and confusion increases down stairs, and I shall +sleep little tonight. I will look at my revolver and see that its +contents have not been removed. + +May fifteenth: Here I am alone with the little children, a bad native +girl, and a gang of the worst men in Alaska, Mollie having gone out +hunting. At midnight Sim, Mellie and several others left for a dance at +White Mountain, but it was two o'clock in the morning before the house +was quiet. While I lay perfectly still, and trying to sleep, a man's +stealthy footstep passed my door. He walked in his stocking feet--bare +floors and walls echo the slightest sound, and my ears are keen. Was it +a friend or foe? What was his object? My heart beat with a heavy thud, +but I remembered the loaded revolver under my bed, and thanked God for +it. + +After a long time I slept a fitful, uneasy sleep for an hour, and +dressed myself as usual at half-past six o'clock, feeling badly for want +of needed sleep. Afterwards I washed, dressed and fed the children, +amusing and entertaining them in my accustomed way. Ageetuk's house +being closed, little Charlie is kept here all the time, Polly looking +after him nights. A saloon keeper named Fitts, villainous in reality as +well as in looks, is hanging around continually, wearing the blackest of +looks at every one, having been in trouble nearly all winter, and +closing out his saloon a few weeks ago. A big Dutchman, burly as a +blacksmith and well soaked in whiskey, lounges about in blue denim and +skull cap, winking his bleared eyes at Polly and swearing soundly at his +native wife when she steps inside the doors to look after him. + +All went well for a while today after Mollie's leaving, Jennie coaxing +to be carried to her grandmother's for a visit, to which I consented, +until Charlie and I sat down to supper, which I had spread, as is my +habit, in the living room. During the day I had turned matters well over +in mind, and decided, with Mollie's advice, to sleep in her bed +alongside of Jennie's cot, and to have grandmother stay with us, locking +the doors of the rooms, as they should be. To my consternation, when I +chanced to look for the keys in the doors, there were none, showing +plainly that they had been removed. + +This looked like a trap. There was nothing to do, much as I disliked +it, but to ask for the keys, as I would never spend the night in the +house without them. Soon afterward the steward entered, and I very +calmly and politely asked for the door keys of the two rooms, saying +that I would spend the night with Jennie. With cool insolence he replied +that he would lock them himself. + +Again the trap. I made no reply. I saw that he had been drinking--that +he was not himself, and that it was useless to argue with him. + +After waiting for an answer, and getting none, the man went out +carelessly, leaving the door ajar behind him. At that moment the supper +bell rang and he, with others, sat down to the table. + +"She wants the keys to the doors, she says," drawled the man I had +spoken with regarding them. + +"What did ye tell her?" demanded one of the ruffians. + +"I told her I would lock the doors myself," said the fellow. + +"What does she want of keys? Who is she afraid of? It must be you, Bub; +'tain't me," said one. + +"You're a liar!" shouted Bub. "It's the genial dispenser of booze here +beside me she's afraid of." + +"I'll see to her after supper, you bet!" shouted an official voice, at +which I shuddered. A general hubbub now ensued; among others I could +distinguish the word "black-snake whip," but I had heard enough. + +I was planning as I listened. Leaning forward I kissed the little child +beside me, and said softly, "Eat all your supper, dear, and then go to +Polly. 'Sully' is going to grandma's." + +Throwing a light wrap over my head, I ran out of the front door, and +around the west end of the house, careful not to pass the dining-room +windows, where the men would see me, and hastened to grandmother's +cabin, knowing that I should there find Jennie. Grandmother lived alone +except for O Duk Dok, the deaf girl, and they must give me shelter for +the night. + +Here I found Jennie quite happy, with her deaf friend sitting on the +edge of the bed beside her, while her grandmother was busy with her +work. + +In a few words I explained to the old woman the situation, and I was +made welcome, Jennie being pleased to remain in the cabin all night. I +knew Polly would put Charlie to bed when the time came, and the boy was +safe enough where he was. I did not believe the gang would disturb me in +grandmothers' cabin, but I feared they would loot my room in my absence. + +Here Jennie could assist me. I now asked her to have O Duk Dok go out +for the native named Koki, and bring him to me, which she did, the deaf +girl understanding by the motion of the child's lips what was being +said. + +O Duk Dok then drew on her parkie, and went out. + +"Koki," said I, when the native had entered the room a few minutes +later, and closed the door behind him, "will you go to my room--Number +three--in the hotel, and get some things for me?" + +"Yes," was the laconic reply of the man. + +"Here is the key of the door. Between the mattresses of the bed you will +find two books, and in the shoe box on the floor there is a revolver. +Bring them to me under your parkie so no one shall see what you have. +Take this little key, lock my trunk and be sure you fasten the door +behind you. You won't forget?" + +"All right. I no forget," and Koki grinned, and went out. + +He did not forget. In about twenty minutes he returned, bringing the +keys, revolver, and diaries which I had kept hidden for fear the lawless +fellows might find and destroy them. + +I now felt much relieved. I did not think the gang would come to the +cabin, but in case they did there was the revolver, and grandmother's +two doors had locks, which if not the very strongest, were better than +none, and I fastened them immediately after Koki's departure. + +May eighteenth: The night I slept in grandmother's cabin with Jennie +passed quietly for us. I slept in my clothes and muckluks, an old quilt +and fur parkie on some boards being my bed, though grandmother finally +gave me a double blanket for covering when I asked for it. + +It was long past midnight before we slept. The child was restless, and +urged her grandmother to tell her Eskimo stories. O Duk Dok slept +heavily, unconscious of all around her. My own senses were on the alert. +I listened intently to catch every sound, but we were too far away from +the hotel to hear the carousal that I well knew was there in progress. +The mushers from the dance were hourly expected home, and would then add +their part to the midnight orgies. The low droning of the old Eskimo +woman, telling her tales of the Innuits, of the Polar bear, the seal and +the walrus, of the birds, their habits and nestlings; this was the only +sound I heard. + +After a time the others slept and I went to the window and looked out. +At my right, only a stone's throw away, was the Mission, its windows and +doors all fastened, and its occupants gone. I felt a heart-sinking +sensation as I thought of the friends who were there lately. Across the +way was the old schoolhouse, in which were the musician, his partner and +the deaf man, who had been bitten by the mad dog. They were within +calling distance, and for that I felt thankful. I had dreaded the night +in the cabin for fear that I should suffer for fresh air, but seeing a +broken pane of glass into which some cloth had been stuffed, I removed +the latter, and allowed the pure air to enter. Of course the place was +scented with seal oil, but grandmother's cabin was comparatively tidy +and clean. + +Next morning, when we knew that breakfast was over, we went in a body to +the hotel, grandmother carrying Jennie on her back, according to Eskimo +custom. Some of the men were still sleeping off their dissipation of the +night before. Nothing was said about our remaining away, and the Eskimo +women spent the day with us. Others also came, called quietly in to see +Jennie, and remained to the meals I was glad to give them for their +company. + +When six o'clock arrived, and still we saw nothing of Mollie, I felt +anxious. If she did not return it meant another night in the native hut +for us. Eight, nine, ten o'clock--thank God! She had come at last. I +could have hugged her for joy. She had nearly one hundred ptarmigan, +enough to last till the captain came home, and would not leave us again +alone. + +Later: The captain returned from Nome, having made the trip of +eighty-five miles and back by dog-team in four days and nights, a very +quick trip indeed. The "toughs" have subsided, and are on their good +behavior for the present, at least, fearing what the captain will say +and do when their last doings are reported, but I understand that most +of them are mortally offended at my remaining at grandmother's, as no +one takes offense so easily as a rogue when his honesty is doubted. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +STONES AND DYNAMITE. + + +The last week of May has finally come, and with it real spring weather. +The children play out in the sand heap on the south side of the house +for hours together, enjoying the warm sunshine and pleasant air, the +little girl clothed from head to foot in furs. Never has a springtime +been so welcome to me, perhaps because in striking contrast to the long, +cold winter through which we have just passed. From the hillside behind +the Mission, the snow is slowly disappearing, first from the most +exposed spots and rocks, the gullies keeping their drifts and ice +longer. Mosses are everywhere peeping cheerfully up at me in all their +tints of gorgeous green, some that I found recently being tipped with +the daintiest of little red cups. This, with other treasures, I brought +in my basket to Jennie when I returned from my daily walk upon the hill, +and together we studied them closely under the magnifying glass. + +To examine the treasures brought in by Mollie, however, we needed no +glass. They are sand-pipers, ptarmigan, squirrels, and occasionally a +wild goose, shot, perhaps, in the act of flying over the hunter's head, +as these birds are now often seen and heard going north. In the evening +I see from my window the neighboring Eskimo children playing with their +sleds, and sometimes they light a bonfire, shouting and chattering in +their own unique way. All "mushers" now travel at night when the trail +is frozen, as it is too soft in the daytime, and the glare of the sun +often causes snow-blindness. Then, too, there is water on the ice in +places, which we are glad to see, and pools of the same are standing +around the Mission and schoolhouse. I can no longer go out in my +muckluks, but must wear my long rubber boots and short skirts. + +Today I went out for an hour, walking to Chinik Creek over the tundra, +from which the snow has almost disappeared, and returned by the hill-top +path. The tundra was beautiful with mosses, birds were singing, and the +rushing and roaring of the creek waters fairly made my head swim, they +were such unusual sounds. The water was cutting a channel in the sands +where it empties into the bay. Here it was flowing over the ice, helping +to loosen the edge and allow it to drift out to sea. + +There is little change in the manners and dispositions of the rough men +in camp. There are the same things with which to contend day after day, +the same annoyances and trials to endure, with new ones in addition +quite frequently. + +June has come at last, and all the world should be happy, but, alas, +there is always some worm in the bud to do the blasting. This morning +about three o'clock I was wakened by the sound of drunken voices outside +my window, followed by stones hurled against the side of the house. +Quickly rising, I cautiously peeped out from behind the curtain, but was +not surprised at what I saw. There, about a hundred feet away, were four +men, all well known to me as members of the gang, and all in the most +advanced stages of intoxication. On the step of a neighboring cabin sat +the murderer, Ford, hugging in a maudlin way a big black bottle. + +On the ground, in the dirt, there rolled two young men, the Englishman +underneath, and Big Bub over him. Sim, the leader, had aimed four stones +at my window, but missed it, and felt the need of more stimulant, so he +took the bottle from Ford, carried it to the lumber pile, a few feet +away, sat down, put it to his lips and drank heavily. Again and again he +tipped up the bottle while he drank, but finally threw it away empty. +Then, with much exertion, he stooped to pick up a stone. + +He was aiming at my window. I dodged into a corner, but the box +washstand stood partly in my way. Would he hit his mark? I did not +believe it. He was too drunk. Crack! came the stone against the house. + +I waited. Another followed. In the meantime the other men had paid no +attention to him, as Ford was watching the two tumblers, the lumber +pile being between them and Sim; and the three started for the front +door around the south side of the house. Sim followed them. I now hoped +he would forget his stone throwing. When they were all out of sight I +breathed more freely. Surely now the trouble was over, I thought, and I +threw off my fur coat which I had hastily pulled on over my wrapper, +crept into bed and covered my head with the blankets. + +I now thought quickly. Even if Sim should forget to throw more stones, +would he not soon come upstairs and perhaps give me more trouble? Would +it not be better to dress myself and be prepared for any emergency? I +was hurriedly deliberating upon the matter--my head still covered with +the blankets--when there was a loud crash and shivered glass covered the +floor and the bed clothes. Instantly throwing the latter back, I looked +around me. I could see no stone, and I had heard none fall upon the +floor, but it must be there somewhere. + +I now stepped carefully out of bed, in order to avoid the glass, my feet +being already in knit, wool slippers, with thick, warm soles--and again +looked out. + +There was no one to be seen. Sim had done his dastardly work, and gone +indoors. Would this end it? My teeth shattered, and I felt cold. I must +keep my nerve, however, and I did so, dressing myself carefully even to +my stout shoes which I laced up in front and tied. Then I drew on my +fur coat and sat down to wait. + +Below the four men were poking around in the kitchen, trying to find +something to eat or drink. It was not long before I heard them coming +upstairs, and all tumbled into the next room, which was occupied by +Ford. + +If they came to molest me further there was yet one way of escape which +I would try before using my revolver. The weapon I did not want to use +unless driven to it. There was the staging outside my window which had +never been removed since the house was built, the year before. I could +very easily step out upon it, and walk to the end of the house, but then +I must either jump or remain, for there was no ladder. This staging was, +perhaps, twenty feet from the ground, and the latter frozen. To slide +down a post would tear my hands fearfully. + +I had not long to wait. To go peaceably to bed seemed to be the last +thing these men thought of, and one picked up a gun, which, for hunting +purposes, every man in the house kept close at hand. + +"I zay, now, Bub, put up zat gun. Zis ain't no place for shootin'," +drawled a thick, sleepy voice which I recognized instantly. + +"Shut yer gab! Who's hurtin' you?" answered Bub, the biggest of the +four, and one of the ugliest when intoxicated. + +"Mrs. Sullivan's in the next room. You wouldn't shoot her, would you?" +asked Sim sneeringly in a loud tone, for he could stand up under great +quantities of liquor. + +"Sh! Keep still a minute, you fool!" in a harsh whisper from Bub. + +I was now thankful that I was dressed. I waited no longer. Opening the +door I ran down stairs to Mollie and the captain, knocking loudly upon +their door. + +"Hang those brutes!" exclaimed the captain angrily, when I had finished +telling him what had happened. "What is the matter with them, any way?" + +"Whiskey," said I. "They are all as drunk as pirates." + +"Show me your room and window," demanded the captain, who by this time +had gotten into some of his clothing, and stepped into the living room +where I was. + +I then led the way upstairs, and threw open my door. What a sight! +Broken glass covered the floor and bed, the cool morning air pouring in +through the broken pane of which there was little left in the sash. + +That was enough for the captain. He made straight for the next room, +where all was now perfectly still, only Ford remaining in it, the others +having had sense enough to sneak off to their own places, after hearing +me run down stairs to report. + +Seizing my blankets I closed and locked the door and made my way down +stairs to Mollie. Above we could hear the captain's voice in angry +altercation with the men, they denying everything, of course, even the +stone throwing, with the window as evidence against them. It was +half-past four and I had slept little. There was no fire in the house, +and I was cold; so, throwing down a few skins in a corner of the +sewing-room, with my blankets upon them, I covered myself to get warm. + +At last the house was once more quiet, and I slept for an hour, only to +meet black and angry looks from the men all day, accompanied by threats +and curses, though I said nothing to them. I picked up the stone from my +reindeer rug, where it had fallen after shattering the window pane, and +it lay only two feet from my head. It was about the size of an egg. + +Of course it is impossible for me to leave Chinik, as the winter trails +are broken up, the ice has not left the bay, and no steamers can enter; +so we are practically prisoners. O, how I long to get away from this +terrible place! Never since I came to Chinik have I given these men one +cross word, and yet they hate me with a bitter, jealous hatred, such as +I have never before seen. Some weeks ago I pinned a slip of paper into +my Bible, upon which I have written the address of my parents, in case +anything should happen to me. O, to be once more safe at home with them! +God grant that I may be before many months shall have passed. + +A splendid warm, bright day, June thirteenth, the most of which the +children and I have spent upon the sandy beach in front of the hotel. +Little Jennie lies and plays on the warm, dry sand, though, of course, +she does not stand on her feet nor walk. Other small Eskimos come to +play with them, for Charlie is always on hand for a play spell on the +sand, and I doze and read under my umbrella in the meantime, with an eye +always upon them. They make sand pies, native igloos, and many imaginary +things and places, but more than any other thing is my mind upon the +coming of the steamers, when I hope to get away. + +Mollie came in last night from a seal hunt upon the ice, and she, with +the three native boys, secured a white seal, and eight others, but did +not bring all with them. There is a great deal of water on the ice at +this time, and none but natives like to travel upon it. Ducks and geese +are flying northward in flocks above our heads, and we feast daily upon +them. They are very large and tasty, and the cook knows well how to +serve them. + +We now see a line of blue water out beyond the ice, and even distinguish +white breakers in the distance. Today I took a field glass, and climbing +the hill behind the Mission to look as far out as possible, strained my +eyes to see a steamer. As I stood upon the point to get a better view, +the whole world around seemed waking from a long, long sleep. + +At my left was Chinik Creek, pouring its rushing waters out over the bay +ice with a cheerful, rapid roaring. Farther away south stretched the +Darby Cape into blue water which looked like indigo, surmounted by long +rolling breakers with combs of white, all being fully fourteen miles +away. To the northwest of the sand-spit upon which Chinik is built, and +which cuts Golovin Bay almost in two, the Fish River is also emptying +itself, as is Keechawik Creek and other smaller streams. Over all the +welcome sunshine is flooded, warming the buds and roots on the hillside, +and making all beautiful. + +June seventeenth: This is Bunker Hill Day in New England, and the men +have been celebrating on their own account, setting off a fifty pounds +box of dynamite in the neighborhood to frighten the women, I suppose. +The shock was terrific, breaking windows, lamp shades, and jarring +bottles and other articles off the shelves. Jennie was dreadfully +frightened, and screamed for a few minutes, while the living room soon +filled with men inquiring the cause of the explosion. By and by a man +came in saying that another box of giant powder would be set off, but +with that the Marshal left the room with a determined face, and we heard +no more dynamiting. The men, as usual, were intoxicated. + +I have just had a pleasant little outing at the Home, going with Mollie, +who invited me to go with her. She was going out seal hunting on the +ice, would leave me at the Home for a short visit, and pick me up on her +return. Ageetuk and grandmother would take good care of Jennie for so +short a time, and I needed the change, so I ran up to my room, threw +some things hastily into a small bag to take with me, locked my trunk, +(I had long ago put a package consisting of papers and diaries into the +safe in the kind storekeeper's care), dressed myself in my shortest +skirts and longest rubber boots, and we started. The weather was too +warm for furs in sunshine, or while running behind a sled, so I wore a +thick jacket, black straw hat with thick veil, and kid gloves. + +We left the hotel about half-past seven o'clock in the evening, but with +the sun still high and warm. Mollie had her small sled and three dogs, +with Muky and Punni Churah and their guns. The other sled was a large +one, and to it were hitched seven good dogs, accompanied by Ituk and +Koki. Upon the sleds were furs, guns, bags and fishing tackle. Along +shore there was considerable water on the ice, in a few spots the latter +had disappeared, and we could see the sandy beach, but farther east the +ice was firmer, and Mollie, who made for the best looking places, led +the way, I running closely in her footsteps. + +Behind us came the men and teams, the calls of the Eskimos to their dogs +sounding musically on the quiet evening air. Mollie and I were now +leaping over water-filled cracks or lanes in the ice, she having assured +me that after getting away from the shore it would be better traveling, +and we could ride on the sleds when we were tired, but I felt +considerable pride in keeping up with her, and soon grew very warm from +the stiff exercise, unaccustomed as I was, while she was well used to +it. + +After we had left the shore some distance behind us we halted for the +sleds to come up, Mollie seating herself upon the small one, I waiting +for the other a little later. There I ran at the handle-bars for a time, +but at last I threw myself upon the sled among the furs, and pulled a +parkie over me. We were now in the water a foot deep most of the time, +the dogs picking their way along over the narrowest water lanes, Ituk +and Koki shouting to them to gee and haw, and with Eskimo calls and +whip-snapping, urging them on continually. + +Soon we left the smaller sled behind; Mollie, Muky and Punni making the +air ring with laughter and Eskimo songs. As we started out from home the +sun shone brightly upon us, but as we left the land at our backs, and +made our way farther out upon the bay, the sun dropped lower and lower, +the sky became a mass of crimson and yellow, and the whole world seemed +modestly blushing. + +Along the east shore the rolling hills lay almost bare of snow, the +brown tundra appearing softly and most artistically colored. To the +north the mountains were still tipped with snow, as was also the +promontory--Cape Darby, at the extreme southeast point. This was spotted +and streaked with white, its rocky cliff black in shadow by contrast. +Our eyes eagerly scanned the horizon for steamers, and a schooner had +been reported off Darby loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, but we +could not see it. + +By and by we were past most of the water lanes, and the ice was better. +At half-past nine o'clock in the evening the sky was exceedingly grand, +and a song of gratitude welled up in my heart, for this was another +world from the one we had just left, and I no longer wondered at +Mollie's love of hunting in the fresh air, under the beautiful skies, +and with her freedom to travel wherever she liked. + +With her I felt perfectly safe. No harm could come to me when Mollie led +the way, and my confidence in the native men was equally strong; for +were they not as familiar with ice and water as with land? I soon saw +that we were headed toward the island, though I did not know why, and by +this time Mollie was far ahead, also that we were being followed by a +dog-team from Chinik, which puzzled me, for I had not heard that others +were going out hunting for seal, or starting for the Home, which was my +destination. + +When we reached the north end of the small island Mollie ran up the path +like a deer, I following, as did the natives, leaving the dogs to rest +upon the ice. From a hole in the rocks Koki now hauled his kyak or +small skin boat, where he had left it from a former trip, and dragging +it down upon the ice, he lashed it upon the small sled to be carried +still farther. + +The dog-team, which I had seen following in the distance, had now come +up with us, and I heard one man say to the other: "There is Mrs. +Sullivan," but I did not recognize the voice. When they came nearer, we +found it to be two men from camp who were going out to the schooners to +buy fruit and vegetables, and they wanted to get a dog belonging to them +which Mollie had borrowed and had hitched into her team. A change of +dogs was then made, and we started--Mollie and I on her big sled, the +other two following. + +We now skirted the rocky cliffs, and found the ice hummocky between +great, deep cracks where the water was no longer white, but dark and +forbidding. Sometimes Koki suddenly started the dogs to one side to +avoid dark-looking holes in the ice, the dogs leaping over seams which +quickly lay beneath us as the fore and hinder parts of our sled bridged +the crevasse of ugly water. + +Now the sled swayed from side to side as the dogs made sudden curves or +dashes, then a big hummock of ice and snow had to be crossed, and one +end of the sled went up while the other went down. I was holding to the +side rails with both hands, and knowing that the sled was a good, strong +one, I had no fear of its breaking, but my feet were cold in my rubber +boots, and I had drawn some furs over me. + +Mollie is not a great talker, she seldom explains anything, and one has +only to wait and see the outcome of her movements, and this I did, when +she suddenly with Ituk left the sleds and climbed the rocks of the +island again on the south side. Then I saw them gathering sticks and +small driftwood, and knew that they would make a fire upon the ice at +midnight, while preparing to hunt for seals. + +Coming to a rough place, with high-piled ice between great, ugly seams +over which the sagacious dogs dragged the sleds always in a straight +line, not slantwise, I climbed out, and Mollie and Ituk came with their +driftwood, which they threw upon the sled; the two men making for the +schooner forging ahead in the direction of Cape Darby. + +Ituk and Muky now made ready to go with me to the Home, a half mile away +to the east where they were also to get some bread, this important item +having been forgotten in the hurry of departure from Chinik. In the +meantime Mollie, not to lose a moment of time, as is her method, had +gotten out her fishing tackle and was already fishing for tom-cod +through a hole in the ice. Bidding her Beoqua (good-bye), we started for +the Home, Ituk politely taking my little bag, and Muky leaping lightly +over the rocks toward the mainland. Along the shore of the island I was +fearful of cutting my boots on the jagged rocks and rubble thickly +strewn over the sands, and had to proceed cautiously for a time, but +Ituk, perceiving my difficulty, led to a smoother path, and we were soon +on the mainland, and upon the soft tundra, when it was only a few +minutes walk to the Home. + +It was eleven o'clock in the evening, and we found the missionaries just +returned from a trip to the schooner, where they had secured fresh +potatoes and onions. The smell and taste of an onion was never so good +to me before, and the potatoes were the first we had seen in six months. + +I had been in the Home in the early spring for a day, and now, as then, +met with a warm welcome from the missionaries. They now had double the +number of native children they had in Chinik, and their house is large +and commodious, though unfinished. + +I was assigned the velvet couch upon which I had spent a good many +nights, and the two natives returned to Mollie after securing some bread +from Miss E. for their lunches. + +Next day we visited, and I rested considerably, finding again how good +it was to be in a safe and quiet place with no fear of stone throwers or +giant powder. + +About half-past ten o'clock in the evening, just after the sun had set, +we started on our return trip, Mollie having arrived with her dog-teams +and natives. The sunset sky was exceedingly beautiful, but beneath our +feet we had only very bad ice and water. Near the island great ice cakes +were floating, interspersed with dark seams and lanes wider than we had +before seen. Sometimes I rode on one of the sleds or walked, ran or +leaped over the water holes to keep up with the rest until too tired and +heated, when I threw myself upon a sled again; but as we proceeded we +found firmer ice and less water. Mollie and I had both to ride upon one +sled now, for Ituk had lashed the kyak upon the little one, and they +were one dog short, as an animal had run away while they were eating +supper at the Home. Finally, pitying the dogs upon the large sled, who +seemed to have a heavy load (although only one seal, as they had met +with little success in hunting), I motioned to Ituk to wait for me, +which he did. + +"Ituk," I called, as I came nearer, "let me ride in the kyak, will you?" + +"You ride in kyak?" asked the man in surprise. + +"Yes, let me get in, I will hold on tight," and, as he made no +objection, I climbed upon the boat, crept into the hole made for that +purpose and sat down. + +"All right, Ituk; I am ready," I said. + +The man laughed, cracked his whip, and the dogs started. + +I had not before realized that I would be sitting so high up, and that +at each dip in a crack or depression of the ice, when the sled runner +ran a little higher than the other, I should stand a grand chance of +being spilled into the water, but my feet were so cold in my rubber +boots that I was thinking to get them under cover would be agreeable, +and though Ituk probably well knew what the outcome of my ride would be, +he very patiently agreed to allow me to try it. + +We had not gone far when our dogs made a sudden dash or turn, the +right-hand runner slipped lengthwise into a seam, and over we went, +sled, kyak, woman and all upon the ice in a sorry heap. The dogs halted +instantly, and Ituk, who had been running on the left-hand side of them, +came back at my call. + +"O, Ituk, come here and help me! I cannot get out of the kyak," I cried +lustily. "I will not get into it again," and I rubbed my wrist upon +which the skin had been slightly bruised, and he assisted me to my feet. + +The native laughed. + +"Kyak no good--riding--heap better run," he said. + +"That's so, Ituk, but my feet are very cold." + +"Get warm quick--you running," was his reply, and we started on again. + +When five or six miles from Chinik the water became more troublesome, +and our progress was slow. We were wading through holes, leaping over +seams, and treading through slush and water. It was colder than the +night before, a thin skin of ice was forming, but not firm enough to +hold one up. I was cold and cuddled into the sled with Mollie, but the +two natives running alongside were continually sitting upon the rail to +get a short ride instead of walking, thus loading the sled too heavily +upon one side, and we were soon all tumbled into water a foot deep. + +As I went over I threw out my arm to save myself, and my sleeve was +soaked through in an instant. Koki and Muky thought it great fun, and +laughed and shouted in glee, but to me it was a little too serious. My +clothes were wet through on my right side, and I was now obliged to run +whether I wanted to do so or not, for we were fully a mile from home. My +gloves and handkerchief were soaked with water, and I threw them away, +thrusting my hands into my jacket pockets and running to keep up with +the others. + +We were now wading and leaping across frequent lanes, and were more in +the water than upon the ice. The sharp eyes of the natives had discerned +the shore line well bordered by open water, and they were wondering how +they would get across. Finally we could get no farther, and were a +hundred feet from the beach. + +"Dogs can swim," said Mollie, sententiously, as was her habit. + +"How will you and I get on shore, Mollie?" I asked anxiously. + +"Ituk, big man,--he carry you, may be," answered Mollie, roguishly, with +a twinkle. + +"But," I continued seriously, "how deep is the water, anyway, Koki?" +seeing that he had been wading in to find out. + +"Him not much deep. We walk all right,--'bout up here," and the native +placed his hand half way between his knee and thigh to show the depth, +then walking a little farther down towards the hotel he seemed to find a +better place, and called for all to follow, which we did. + +The men waded across to the shore, stepping upon stones which now and +then, at this point, were embedded in the sand, Mollie boldly following +their example. All wore high-skin boots, coming far above their knees, +and water-tight, but my rubber-boots had never been put to a test like +this, only coming a little above my knees, where the soft tops were +confined by a drawstring, and this water was very cold, as I had good +reason to know. + +However, there was nothing to do but go on, first watching the others, +and then plunging boldly in. I drew my boot-tops higher, fastened the +strings securely, picked up my short skirts and wound them closely about +me, but not in a manner to impede my progress, and stepped in. + +By this time the dogs and men were upon the sands, and making for home, +only a few rods away, but I took my time, walking slowly in order that +the water should not slop over the tops of my boots, and we finally +reached the beach and the house safely. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +GOOD-BYE TO GOLOVIN BAY. + + +On the morning of the twenty-sixth of June I awoke to find that the ice +had drifted out to sea in the night, eight days after Mollie and I had +taken our twelve miles trip across the bay and return. Then came hard +rain and wind, that, for several days, blew the ice back into the bay, +first to one side, and then to the other, so that the steamers waiting +to come in could not do so for fear of the drifting floes. By the +thirtieth of June schooners were coming into the bay with passengers and +freight, and the coast steamers, "Elmore" and "Dora," had begun to make +regular trips to and from Nome. + +With them came mails from the outside, with newspapers and tidings of +friends in the States. Then our fingers trembled at opening our letters +until we found that all our dear ones were well, and we heartily thanked +the Lord. There were other white women in camp by this time, and many +strangers at the hotel, among others, officials, and those in authority. + +Since the stone-throwing episode the Marshal had been doing duty as +watchman, sleeping during the day and guarding the house nights, the +heavy iron "bracelets" in his inner coat pocket weighing scarcely more +than the loaded revolver in his belt. + +Our little sick girl being obliged now to keep her bed continually, with +no more playing in the sand and sunshine, although her cough had left +her, was still the same sweet, patient child she had been through all +her illness, and my whole time was given to her. Before one of the sunny +south windows of the living room we placed her cot each morning, and +here she received her numerous friends, both Eskimo and white, and their +names were legion. They came from the east, west, north and south, all +sorry to know of her illness, and bringing presents with them. + +Sometimes it was a little live bird or squirrel, a delicious salmon +trout or wild fowl for her supper; sometimes it was candy, nuts, or +fresh fruit from Nome, and with everything she was well pleased and +joyous. Friends soon came in from the outside, bringing city dolls +dressed in ribbons and laces; there were tiny dishes, chairs, tables,--a +hundred things dear to a little girl's heart, and all pleased her +immensely, but all were laid quickly aside for a basket of wild flowers +or mosses, for a fish, bird, animal or baby, showing plainly her taste +for the things of nature in preference to art. Her love for her +birthplace, with its hills, streams and ocean is a sincere one, and, +young as she is, and having seen the great city by the Golden Gate, +with many of its wonders, she is happiest in Chinik. + +Here lives her dear, old grandmother, her cousins and aunts, not to +mention the little calico-capped baby belonging to Apuk, for which she +has a whole heartful of love, and the sight of which is better to her +than medicine. + +During the month of July we eagerly watched the incoming steamers, and +welcomed all new comers who landed in Chinik. Many were simply passing +through on their way up Fish River to the mines, and praise of the land +of the "Ophir" gold was sung on all sides. A few remained for the +summer. Here men built boats, and rowed away to Keechawik and Neukluk, +carrying supplies for hunting or prospecting. + +The captain's vegetable garden in the sand was growing rapidly, and was +watched with eager eyes by everyone. We ate lettuce and radishes, picked +fresh from the garden beds where they had been sown by the captain's own +hands, and we found Ageetuk and Mollie to be quite famous cooks. Nothing +so delicious as their salads (for the French cooks had long ago gone, +the hotel management being changed, and Mollie had a nice little kitchen +of her own), and with fresh salmon trout, wild fowl, fresh meats and +vegetables, we made up for many months of winter dieting. + +All this time I longed to get away. I was going each day to the hill-top +to watch for the steamers which would bring the letters for which I +waited. Affairs connected with my gold claims were, with much anxiety +and trouble, arranged as well as possible, and when I boarded the +steamer, I would carry with me, at least, three deeds to as many claims, +with a fair prospect of others; but I could not decide to remain another +winter. I was determined to go to St. Michael, up the Yukon to Dawson, +and "outside," and laid my plans accordingly. Letters from my father and +brother in Dawson had been received. + +[Illustration: CLAIM ON BONANZA CREEK.] + +How my heart ached when I thought of leaving the little sick girl and +Charlie, the latter now grown wilful, but still so bright and pretty. I +wanted to take both with me, but, no, I could not. + +The little girl's work was not ended. Hers is a wonderful mission, and +she is surely about to fulfill it. Born as she was in a rough mining +camp at the foot of the barren hills, she was given the Eskimo name of +Yahkuk, meaning a little hill, and she, like an oasis in a desert place, +is left here to cheer, love, and help others. + +Many times I have seen evidence of the sweet and gentle influences going +out from the life of little Yahkuk as she lies upon her cot of pain. A +tall, brown miner enters the living room, goes to the little bed by the +window, speaks softly, and, bending over the tiny girl, kisses her. Then +her big, black eyes glance brightly into blue ones looking down from +above, full red lips part in a cordial smile, while the one solitary +dimple in the smooth, round cheek pricks its way still deeper, and small +arms go up around his neck. When the man turns, his face wears a soft +and tender expression as though he were looking at some beautiful sight +far away, and, perhaps, he is. God grant that the sweet memory of that +little child's kiss may be so lasting that all their lives, he and +others, may be purer and better men. + +When August came I sailed away. The "Dora" had entered the bay in the +morning and found my trunk packed and waiting; it was then only the work +of a little time to make ready to leave. To my good missionary friends I +had already said good-bye, and the captain and Mollie were kindly +regretful. With tears in my eyes, but with real pain in my heart I bade +Jennie good-bye, and stepped into the little boat which was to carry me +to the "Dora." + +Farewell, then, to Chinik, the home of the north wind and blizzard. +Farewell to the ice fields of Golovin, so tardy in leaving in summer, +and to Keechawik and Chinik, whose clear rushing waters so cheered us in +spring time. Farewell to the moss-covered hills and paths thickly +bordered with blossoms. Farewell to my white-faced friends, and to the +dark-skinned ones, "Beoqua." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +GOING OUTSIDE. + + "Do I sleep? Do I dream? + Do I wonder and doubt? + Are things what they seem? + Or are visions about?" + + +I was now actually on my way home. It was not a dream, for here I was on +board the snug little ocean steamer "Dora," belonging to the Alaska +Commercial Company, and I was on my way to St. Michael and Dawson. For +ocean travel our steamer was a perfect one in all its appointments, +being staunch and reliable, with accommodating officers. After taking a +last look at Chinik, I went to my stateroom. Only one stop was made +before we reached St. Michael, that being at Port Denbeigh, a new mining +camp where for some hours freight was unloaded. In about twenty-two +hours from the time we left Chinik we were in St. Michael harbor, +climbing down upon a covered barge which took us ashore. + +It was nearly two years since I had first landed at this dock,--then in +a snow storm, now in the rain,--then with my brother, now alone. Not at +all like Nome is this quiet little hamlet of St. Michael by the sea. +Neither saloons nor disorderly places are allowed upon the island. What +was formerly a canteen for soldiers was now a small but tidy restaurant, +where I ate a good dinner of beef-steak with an appetite allowable in +Alaska. + +Upon the streets and about the barracks were many boys in blue, while +the hotel parlors swarmed at dinner time with officers and their wives +and daughters, all richly and fashionably attired. At the parlor piano +two ladies performed a duet, while the silken skirts of others rustled +in an aristocratic manner over the thick carpet, and gentlemen in dress +suits and gold-laced uniforms gracefully posed and chatted. + +For my own part, a little homesick feeling had to be resolutely put down +as I pulled on my old rain coat, and with umbrella and handbag trudged +out in the darkness and rain to look for my baggage. I had already +secured my transportation at the steamship office, where, at the hands +of the kindly manager of the Alaska Commercial Company's affairs in this +country I had received the most courteous treatment I could desire. With +little delay I found my trunk and went on board the Yukon steamer T. C. +Power. + +Some months before a consolidation of the three largest transportation +companies in Alaska had been effected, including the Alaska Commercial +Company, and I was now traveling with the latter under the name of the +Northern Commercial Company, but I felt a security like that of being +in charge of an old and trustworthy friend, and was quite content. + +I had a long journey before me. We should reach Dawson in fourteen days +unless we met with delays, but a fast rising wind warned us that we +might encounter something of the sort where we were, and we did. For two +days and nights our steamer lay under the lee of the island, not daring +to venture out in the teeth of the gale which buffeted us. Straining, +creaking, swaying, first one way and then the other, we lay waiting for +the storm to abate. No river steamer with stern wheel and of shallow +draught, could safely weather the rough sea for sixty miles to the +Yukon's mouth, and we tried to be patient. + +Early on the morning of the third day we started, and for twelve hours +we ploughed our way through the waters with bow now deep in the trough +of the sea, now lifted high in mid-air, to be met the next moment by an +uprising roller, which, with a boom and a jar, sent a quiver through the +whole vessel. + +When at last the Yukon was reached, another obstacle appeared and we +stuck fast on a sand bar. Soon two other steamers lay alongside, +waiting, as did we, for a high tide to float us. + +By night we lay in a dead calm. Indians in canoes came with fish and +curios to sell, and we watched the lights of the other steamers. + +When the high tide came, we floated off the bar, but the scene was one +of dull monotony, and it was not until the day following that we came +into the hill country, and I was permitted to again see the dear trees I +loved so well, not one of which I had seen since leaving California. + +At Anvik there came on board a little missionary teacher bound for +Philadelphia, who had spent seven years with the natives in this +Episcopal Mission without a vacation, and her stories were interesting +in the extreme. + +Our days were uneventful. A broken stern wheel, enforced rests upon sand +bars, frequent stops at wood yards with a few moments run upon shore in +which to gather autumn leaves, and get a sniff of the woods, this was +our life upon the Yukon steamer for many days. After a while the nights +grew too dark for safe progress, and the boat was tied up until +daylight. + +Russian Mission, Tanana, Rampart, Fort Yukon and the Flats were passed, +and the days wore tediously on. We were literally worming our way up +stream, with low water and dark nights to contend with, but a second +summer was upon us with warm, bright sunshine, and the hills were +brilliantly colored. + +One morning we approached the towering Roquett Rock, so named by +Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka in his explorations down the Yukon years +before, and connected with which is an Indian legend of some interest. + +This immense rock (so the story runs) once formed a part of the western +shore of the Yukon, and was one of a pair of towering cliffs of about +the same size, and with similar characteristics. Here the two huge +cliffs lived for many geological periods in wedded bliss as man and +wife, until finally family dissensions invaded the rocky household, and +ended by the stony-hearted husband kicking his wrangling wife into the +distant plain, and changing the course of the great river so that it +flowed between them, to emphasize the perpetual divorce. The cliff and +the rock are still known as "the old man" and "the old woman," the +latter standing in isolation upon a low, flat island with the muddy +Yukon flowing on both sides. + +At this time of the year the days in Alaska grow perceptibly shorter, +and we were not surprised to find dusky twilight at five in the +afternoon, and to notice the eerie loneliness of the dark, sweet scented +woods a few hours later, when the steamer lay tied to the river's bank. + +One night after dinner a number of passengers sat idly about in the +saloon of our steamer. Many had grown tired of cards, or had lost their +money, and, finding themselves pitted against more lucky players, had +called a halt and looked for other occupation. Miners lounged about, +chatting of the gold mines, their summer's work and experiences. Big +Curly and his little black-eyed wife listened attentively for a time. + +The old miner was a born story teller, and knew a good yarn when he +heard it. The boat was tied up for the night, and all was quiet around +us. It was the time and place for a story. + +At last Big Curly hitched his chair out farther from the wall, and +placed his feet comfortably upon the rungs; then, shifting his tobacco +from one cheek to the other, he asked if any one present had heard the +story of Nelson and the ghost. No one had heard it, and, after some +coaxing, this is the tale he told. + + +The Ghost of Forty Mile. + +Alaska has long smiled over old Indian legends, but Yukon men are still +puzzling over the nocturnal rambles of the ghost of a murdered man in +the Forty Mile District. Following the excitement of the discovery of +Bonanza Bar and the sensational riches of Franklin Gulch came the murder +of an old Frenchman named La Salle. Tanana Indians committed the crime +in 1886. They crossed the mountains to Forty Mile, and killed La Salle +in his cabin at the mouth of O'Brian Creek. With axes and bludgeons the +old Frenchman's head was crushed beyond recognition. + +Three months later the snow lay thick upon the ground. Upon the branches +of trees it persistently hung, each added layer clinging tenaciously +because there was no breath of wind to send it to the ground. +Occasionally a dead twig, weighted too heavily by the increasing fall +of snow, broke suddenly and dropped noiselessly into a bed of feathery +flakes, thus joining its sleeping companions, the leaves. + +[Illustration: ON BONANZA CREEK.] + +It was in January that two men might have been seen following their +dog-teams down a frozen stream emptying into Forty Mile River. They +wished to reach the mouth of the creek before they halted for the night. +They had heard of a cabin in which they planned to spend the night, +although it was a deserted one, and they were almost at the desired +point. + +The men were Swedes. They were strong and hardy fellows, and although +frost covered their clothing and hung in icicles about their faces, they +ran contentedly behind the dog-teams in the semi-darkness, as only the +snow-light remained. + +"Hello!" called out Swanson finally to his companion. "Is that the +place, do you think?" pointing to the dim shape of a log cabin a little +ahead. + +"Guess it is, but we'll find out. I'm nearly starved, and must stop +soon, any way," said Nelson decidedly. "It's no use for us to travel +further tonight." + +"So I think," was the reply, as the dogs halted before the door, and the +men entered the cabin. Here they found a good-sized room, containing one +window. There was evidently a room on the other side, but with no +connecting door, the two cabins having been built together to save +laying one wall. + +"This is good enough for me, and much warmer than a tent--we'll stay +here till morning, and take the dogs inside," said kind-hearted Nelson, +already unhitching the dogs from a sled. + +Swanson did the same. The next moment their small store was carried into +the cabin, wood was collected, and a cheery fire soon roared up the +chimney. + +After the men had eaten their supper and the dogs had been fed, pipes +were brought out; and, stretching themselves upon their fur sleeping +bags before the fire, the miners smoked and chatted while resting their +weary limbs. + +Suddenly, in the midnight stillness they heard a strange noise in the +other part of the cabin. Some one was moaning and crying for help. There +was no mistaking the sound, and both men were wide awake and intently +listening. + +It was the cry of some one in distress. The sounds grew more blood +curdling. Nelson, unable to restrain himself longer, ran outside to +investigate. Going to the window he looked inside. The sight he beheld +congealed his blood, and fastened him to the spot as in a trance. This +was the image of a man surrounded by a cloud of white, mist-like +phosphorescent light, a deep scar standing out like a bleeding gash down +the side of the head. Then the forgotten story of the murdered La Salle +came to his mind, and for several minutes he was chained to the spot by +the terror of the spectacle. + +The apparition was half lying upon the floor, with arm uplifted, as if +warding off a blow from some deadly instrument. Finally, in the +desperation of his terror, Nelson called his partner to come to his +assistance. Upon the approach of his companion he summoned enough +courage to step to the door at the other end of the cabin, and try to +open it. It was held fast by some superhuman agency, which allowed the +door to be only partly opened. + +Swanson, at sight of the ghostly visitor, was not so badly overcome as +his friend, and having an inquisitive turn of mind, wished to find if +the apparition really existed. He called out, demanding to be told who +was there, but no answer came. + +Still the mysterious, unearthly noises came through the cabin door. No +soughing of the wind could make such sounds had a tempest been blowing, +but a deathly stillness prevailed, and no breath of air stirred. + +Then it was that Swanson gathered all that was left of his fast +disappearing courage, and said: "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy +Spirit, are you demon, man or ghost?" + +Suddenly the door opened and in the uncertain, misty light the +apparition raised its hands to the stars as if in prayer, then it grew +dark and the ghostly visitor vanished as if the earth had engulfed it +forever. + +While turning this tale over in mind later, I came to the conclusion, +which seems a reasonable one, that some fortunate miner had, in all +probability, hidden an amount of golden treasure in or about the cabin +on the creek, and wishing to keep others away, had circulated the ghost +story with good effect. + +When Eagle City was reached I telegraphed my brother to meet me at the +steamer's dock in Dawson, and my message was sent by one of Uncle Sam's +boys in blue in charge of the office. + +The town had grown considerably in the two years since I visited it, and +now boasted new government buildings, officer's quarters, and a +Presbyterian church, besides new stores and shops. + +After Cudahy and Forty Mile, came Dawson, and we steamed up to the +city's dock in the morning fog, and were met by the usual multitude of +people, I having been seventeen days out from Golovin Bay. There, among +others, waited my brother and his little son, and my joy at meeting them +was great. Landing, it was only a walk of a few minutes to my kind old +father, and my brother's wife was not far away. + +I was now practically at home, for home is where our dear ones are, and +surroundings are matters of small moment. + +Three happy weeks followed, I went everywhere and noted well the +improvements in the camp since I last saw it. It was now a cleaner town +every way, with better order, good roads and bridges, new government +buildings, post-office and fine large schoolhouse. New frame churches +replaced the old log ones in most cases. There was the governor's new +palatial residence which would never be graced by the presence of its +mistress as she and her babe had gone down to death a few weeks before +in the Islander disaster in Lynn Canal; and there was the same steady +stream of gold from the wondrous Klondyke Creeks, which I was now +determined to visit. + +[Illustration: SKAGWAY RIVER, FROM THE TRAIN.] + +One bright, warm day, taking the hand of the small boy of the family, my +sister and I started for Bonanza Creek. We were bound for the house of a +friend who had invited us, and we would remain over night, as the +distance was five miles. My kodak and three big red apples weighed +little in our hands, and we turned toward the Klondyke River in high +spirits. + +For a mile the road was bordered with log cabins on the hillside, with +the famous little river flowing on the other. We crossed the fine +Ogilvie Bridge, and soon found ourselves upon Bonanza Creek, the stream +which, with the Eldorado, had given to the world perhaps the major part +of golden Klondyke treasure up to this date. Following the trail by a +short cut we crossed shaky foot bridges, rested upon logs along the +trail, and picked our way over boggy spots until our limbs were weary. + +Everywhere there were evidences of the industry of the miners, but the +claims and cabins looked deserted. Only in a few instances were men at +work near the mouth of the creek. Many people were going to and from +Dawson, and bicycles and wagons were numerous. + +When we reached our destination we had walked five miles in the hot +sunshine, and were hungry and warm, but a warm welcome from Mr. and Mrs. +M., as well as a good dinner, awaited us. + +After resting a while we were shown around the premises. Three log +cabins were being built in a row upon the hillside, the one finished +being already occupied by the M. family. Tunnels were being made in the +mountain by Mr. M., as well as other claim owners near by, and across +the gulch mining operations were in full blast. On the M. claim +preparations were being made for winter work, and it was expected that a +valuable dump would be taken out before spring. For three hundred feet +one tunnel entered the mountain back of the cabins, and we were invited +to go into it. + +Putting on our warmest wraps, with candles in hand, we followed our +guide, the proprietor, for some distance. It was like walking in a +refrigerator, for the walls and floor of the tunnel were solidly frozen +and sparkled with ice. Whether the bright specks we saw were always +frost, we did not enquire, etiquette forbidding too much curiosity, but +from the satisfied nods and smiles we understood that it was a good +claim, though only recently purchased by Mr. M., a handful of pudgy gold +nuggets being shown us which fairly made our eyes water (because they +did not belong to us). + +Here we lodged all night, enjoying a graphophone entertainment in the +evening. The next morning my kodak was brought out, and before leaving +for home I had several views to carry with me. + +Our walk back to Dawson was much easier than the one out to the claim. + +From this on, we made ready to leave Dawson for Seattle, and were soon +upon our way. Again I was forced to say good-bye to my father and +brother, though they would follow us a month later, and together, my +sister and I, stood with the little boy on the deck of the steamer, +waving our good-byes. + +We now traveled in luxury. We occupied a large and elegant stateroom, +ate first-class meals, and had nothing to do but enjoy ourselves. To +change from steamer to steam cars at White Horse, which was now a good +mining town, was the work of an hour's time, while a day's ride to +Bennett and over the White Pass to Skagway was a real pleasure. + +We found the quiet little port of Skagway swarming with people rushing +for the steamers, and as if to give us variety we had considerable +difficulty in finding our trunks in the custom's house, and in getting +upon the steamer in the darkness of the late evening; but at last it was +all successfully accomplished, and we took our last look at Skagway. + +Eleven days after leaving Dawson we reached our journey's end, and +landed in Seattle, our home coming being a source of delight to our dear +waiting ones, as well as to ourselves; our safe arrival being another +positive proof of the mercy and goodness of God. + + +[Decoration] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Woman who went to Alaska, by May Kellogg Sullivan + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WOMAN WHO WENT TO ALASKA *** + +***** This file should be named 22409.txt or 22409.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/4/0/22409/ + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Library of Congress) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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