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diff --git a/41158-0.txt b/41158-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3c43fa --- /dev/null +++ b/41158-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3328 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41158 *** + +[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic +text by _underscores_.] + + + +=North American Transportation and Trading Company= + + +[Illustration] + + +_DIRECTORS..._ + + _JOHN J. HEALY, Dawson, Klondike Gold Fields_ + _ELY E. WEARE, Fort Cudahy, N. W. T._ + _CHARLES A. WEARE, Chicago, Ill._ + _JOHN CUDAHY, Chicago, Ill._ + _PORTUS B. WEARE, Chicago, Ill._ + _MICHAEL CUDAHY, Chicago, Ill._ + + +ALASKA and NORTHWEST TERRITORY MERCHANTS and CARRIERS + + +STEAMERS: + + Portus B. Weare + John Cudahy + C. H. Hamilton + J. J. Healy + T. C. Power + J. C. Barr + Klondike + + +TRADING POSTS: + + Fort Get There + Weare + Healy + Circle City + Fort Cudahy + Dawson + + +Operates Steamships + + between Seattle and Ft. Get There, St. Michael's + Island, and steamboats from Ft. Get There, St. + Michael's Island to all points on the Yukon River. The + only established line running from Seattle to + Klondike. Also operates large, well-stocked stores at + all of the principal mining points in the interior of + Alaska and Northwest Territory on the Yukon River. For + rates and full information of this wonderful mining + country call on or address any of the Company's + offices. + + Steamers leave September 10, 1897, first steamer in + 1898, June 1st, and every two weeks thereafter. + + + =CHICAGO OFFICE ... R. 290 Old Colony Building= + =SEATTLE, WASH., OFFICE ... No. 618 First Avenue= + =SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE ... No. 8 California Street= + + + + +"THE GREATEST GOLD DISTRICT ON EARTH." + + +The Yukon-Cariboo British Columbia Gold Mining Development Company + +[Illustration] + + CAPITAL + $5,000,000 + + Shares ... + $1.00 each. Full Paid--Non Assessable. + + + J. EDWARD ADDICKS, PRESIDENT, CLAYMONT, DELAWARE. + SYLVESTER T. EVERETT, 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT, CLEVELAND. + BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH, 2D VICE-PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON. + E. F. J. GAYNOR, TREASURER, _Auditor Manhattan R. R., New York City_. + CHARLES H. KITTINGER, SECRETARY, + _66 Broadway, New York City, Harrison Building, Philadelphia_. + + +DIRECTORS. + + HON. JOHN H. McGRAW, Ex-Governor, State of Washington. Vice-President + First National Bank, Seattle. + CAMILLE WEIDENFELD, Banker, 45 Wall Street, New York. + CHARLES E. JUDSON, President Economic Gas Company, Chicago. + HON. BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH, Com'sioner of Patents, Washington. + HON. JAMES G. SHAW, Manufacturer, New Castle, Delaware. + SYLVESTER T. EVERETT, V-Pres't Cleveland Terminal & Valley R. R., + Cleveland. + CHARLES H. KITTINGER, 66 Broadway, New York, Harrison Building, + Philadelphia. + HON. JOHN LAUGHLIN, Ex-State Senator, New York, Laughlin, Ewell & + Haupt, Attorneys-at-Law, Buffalo. + JULIUS CHAMBERS, Journalist, New York. + GEN. E. M. CARR, of Preston, Carr & Gilman, Attorneys-at-Law, Seattle. + THOMAS W. LAWSON, Banker, 33 State Street, Boston. + GEORGE B. KITTINGER, Mining Engineer, Seattle, Wash. + E. F. J. GAYNOR, Auditor Manhattan Railway Co., New York. + PHILO D. BEARD, Treasurer Queen City Gas Co., Buffalo. + J. M. BUXTON, M. E., Vancouver, British Columbia. + GEORGE A. KELLY, 66 Broadway, New York. + J. EDWARD ADDICKS, Delaware. + + +... THIS COMPANY is formed to explore and develop the GOLD FIELDS of +British Columbia, including the Cariboo District and the Klondike +District at the headwaters of the Yukon River. Shares of its Capital +Stock are offered to the public at par--=$1.00 per share=. The Company +has placed exploring parties in the Gold Regions, and now has its own +Agents in this marvelously rich field. Each party is in charge of mining +engineers, fully equipped for successful discovery and development. + +Prospectus and additional information furnished, and subscriptions to +stock received at office of + + J. EDWARD ADDICKS, Harrison Building, + 1500 Market St., Philadelphia. + +[Illustration: JUNEAU CITY.] + + + + +GOLDEN ALASKA + + + A COMPLETE ACCOUNT TO DATE + OF THE + YUKON VALLEY + + + _ITS HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, MINERAL AND OTHER + RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES AND + MEANS OF ACCESS_ + + + BY + ERNEST INGERSOLL, + (_Formerly with the Hayden Survey in the West_) + + AUTHOR OF + + "KNOCKING 'ROUND THE ROCKIES," "THE CREST OF THE CONTINENT," + ETC., AND GENERAL EDITOR OF RAND, MCNALLY & + CO.'S "GUIDE BOOKS." + + CHICAGO AND NEW YORK: + RAND, McNALLY & COMPANY. + 1897. + + + + +ALASKA. + + +Bullion Safe Gold Mining Company + + CAPITAL ... $1,000,000 + + Shares ... $1.00 each + Full Paid + Non-Assessable + + +Mines on the Yukon. + +Mines on the Blue River. + + This Company owns =160 acres= of Gold-bearing gravel + from five to forty feet thick containing many millions + of value. + + A limited amount of the full paid, non-assessable + shares will be sold at =one dollar= each. + + For prospectus and particulars, address, + + + _W. L. BOYD & CO., 6 WALL STREET, + NEW YORK._ + + Copyright, 1897, by Rand, McNally & Co. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +To make "a book about the Klondike" so shortly after that word first +burst upon the ears of a surprised world, would be the height of +literary impudence, considering how remote and incommunicado that region +is, were it not the public is intensely curious to know whatever can be +said authentically in regard to it. "The Klondike," it must be +remembered, is, in reality, a very limited district--only one small +river valley in a gold-bearing territory twice as large as New England; +and it came into prominence so recently that there is really little to +tell in respect to it because nothing has had time to happen and be +communicated to the outside world. But in its neighborhood, and far +north and south of it, are other auriferous rivers, creeks and bars, and +mountains filled with untried quartz-ledges, in respect to which +information has been accumulating for some years, and where at any +moment "strikes" may be made that shall equal or eclipse the wealth of +the Klondike placers. It is possible, then, to give here much valuable +information in regard to the Yukon District generally, and this the +writer has attempted to do. The best authority for early exploration and +geography is the monumental work of Capt. W. H. Dall, "Alaska and its +Resources," whose companion, Frederick Whymper, also wrote a narrative +of their adventures. The reports of the United States Coast Survey in +that region, of the exploration of the Upper Yukon by Schwatka and Hayes +of the United States Geological Survey, of Nelson, Turner and others +attached to the Weather Service, of the Governor of the Territory, of +Raymond, Abercrombie, Allen and other army and naval officers who have +explored the coast country and reported to various departments of the +government, and of several individual explorers, especially the late E. +J. Glave, also contain facts of importance for the present compilation. +The most satisfactory sources of information as to the geography, routes +of travel, geology and mineralogy and mining development, are contained +in the investigations conducted some ten years ago by the Canadian +Geological Survey, under the leadership of Dr. G. M. Dawson and of +William Ogilvie. Of these I have made free use, and wish to make an +equally free acknowledgement. + +It will thus be found that the contents of this pamphlet justified even +the hasty publication which the public demands, and which precludes +much attention to literary form; but an additional claim to attention is +the information it seeks to give intending travelers to that far-away +and very new and as yet unfurnished region, how to go and what to take, +and what are the conditions and emergencies which they must prepare to +meet. Undoubtedly the pioneers to the Yukon pictured the difficulties of +the route and the hardships of their life in the highest colors, both to +add to their self-glory and to reduce competition. Moreover, every day +mitigates the hardships and makes easier the travel. Nevertheless, +enough difficulties, dangers and chances of failure remain to make the +going to Alaska a matter for very careful forethought on the part of +every man. To help him weigh the odds and choose wisely, is the purpose +of this little book. + +[Illustration: MAP OF ALASKA.] + + + + +ALASKA. + +Districts, Capes and Points, Islands, Lakes, Mountains, Rivers, and +Towns. + + +Districts. + + Pop. + First, or Southeastern district 8,038 + Second, or Kadiak district 6,112 + Third, or Unalaska district 2,361 + Fourth, or Nushagak district 2,726 + Fifth, or Kuskokwim district 5,424 + Sixth, or Yukon district 3,914 + Seventh, or Arctic district 3,222 + Total 31,795 + + +Capes and Points. + + Addington, C-9. + Alitak, C-5. + Anchor, C-5. + Anxiety, A-6. + Banks, C-5. + Barnabas, C-5. + Barrow, A-4. + Bartolome, C-9. + Becher, A-6. + Beechey, A-6. + Belcher, A-3. + Black, C-5. + Blossom, A-8. + Campbell, B-6. + Chiniak, C-5. + Chitnak, B-1. + Christy, A-4. + Cleare, C-6. + Collie, A-3. + Constantine, C-4. + Cross, C-8. + Current, C-5. + Dall, B-2. + Danby, B-3. + Denbigh, B-3. + Douglas, B-2. + Douglas, C-5. + Dyer, A-2. + Dyer, B-2. + Edward, C-8. + Elizabeth, C-5. + Eroline, C-4. + Espenberg, A-3. + Etolin, B-2. + Fairweather, C-8. + Foggy, C-4. + Franklin, A-3. + Glasenap, C-3. + Grenville, C-5. + Griffin, A-7. + Gulross, B-6. + Halkett, A-5. + Harbor, C-9. + Hinchinbrook, C-6. + Hope, A-2. + Icy, A-3. + Icy, C-8. + Igvak, C-4. + Ikti, C-4. + Ikolik, C-5. + Kahurnoi, C-5. + Kanarak, C-4. + Karluk, C-5. + Kayakliut, C-4. + Khituk, D-8. + Krusenstern, A-3. + Kupreanof, C-4. + Lapin, D-3. + Lay, A-3. + Lazareff, D-3. + Leontovich, C-8. + Lewis, A-2. + Lisburne, A-2. + Low, C-5. + Lowenstern, A-2. + Lutke, D-3. + Manby, C-7. + Manning, A-7. + Martin, A-7. + Martin, C-6. + Menchikof, C-4. + Muzon, D-9. + Narrow, C-5. + Newenham, C-8. + Nome, B-2. + Ocean, C-7. + Ommaney, C-8. + Pankoff, D-3. + Peirce, C-3. + Pellew, B-6. + Pillar, C-5. + Pitt, A-5. + Prince of Wales, A-2. + Providence, C-4. + Puget, C-6. + Resurrection, C-6. + Rodknoff, C-3. + Rodney, B-2. + Romanof, B-3. + Romanzof, B-2. + Saritchey, D-2. + Seniavin, C-3. + Seppings, A-2. + Sitkagi, C-7. + Smith, B-2. + Spencer, A-2. + Spencer, C-8. + St. Augustine, D-9. + St. Elias, C-7. + St. Hermogenes, C-5. + Steep, C-5. + Strogonof, C-4. + Suckling, C-7. + Tangent, A-5. + Thompson, A-2. + Toistoi, B-3. + Tonki, C-5. + Trinity, C-5. + Two Headed, C-5. + Ugat, C-5. + Unalishagvak, C-4. + Uyak, C-5. + Vancouver, B-2. + West, B-1. + Yaktag, C-7. + + +Islands. + + Adakh, A-10. + Admiralty, C-9. + Afognar, C-5. + Agattu, A-8. + Aghiyuk, C-4. + Akun, D-2. + Akutan, D-2. + Aleutian, A-8. + Amak, C-3. + Amaoa, D-3. + Amatiguak, A-9. + Amatuli, C-5. + Amchitka, A-9. + Amlia, A-10. + Amukta, A-10. + Andreanof, A-10. + Andronica, C-4. + Annete, D-9. + Anowik, C-4. + Atka, A-10. + Atkulik, C-4. + Attu, A-8. + Augustine, C-5. + Avantanak, D-2. + Ban, C-5. + Baranof, C-9. + Barren, C-5. + Barter, A-7. + Besboro, B-3. + Big Diomede, A-2. + Big Koniushi, C-4. + Bim, D-3. + Biorha, A-11. + Buldir, A-9. + Chankilut, C-4. + Chernabura, D-3. + Chernobour, D-3. + Chiachi, C-4. + Chichagoi, C-8. + Chirikof, C-4. + Chiswell, C-6. + Chowiet, C-4. + Chugatz, C-5. + Chuginadak, A-10. + Chugul, A-10. + Coronation, C-9. + Dall, D-9. + Deer, D-3. + Dolgoi, C-3. + Douglas, C-9. + Duke, D-9. + Dundas, D-9. + Egg, B-3. + Etolin, C-9. + Flaxman, A-6. + Forrester, D-9. + Gareloi, A-9. + Geese, C-5. + Great Sitkin, A-10. + Green, B-6. + Hagemeister, C-3. + Hall, I-1. + Hassler, C-9. + Hawkin, B-6. + Hazy, C-8. + Hinchinbrook, B-6. + Igitkin, A-10. + Jacob, C-4. + Kadiak, C-5. + Kagalaska, A-10. + Kagamil, A-11. + Kalgin, B-5. + Kanaga, A-9. + Kateekhuk, C-4. + Kavalga, A-9. + Kayak, C-7. + Khoudiakoff, C-3. + Khoudoubine, C-3. + Kigalgin, A-11. + King, B-2. + Kiska, A-9. + Kiukdauk, C-5. + Knights, B-6. + Korovin, C-4. + Kuiu, C-9. + Kupreanof, C-9. + Little Diomede, A-2. + Little Koniushi, C-4. + Little Sitkin, A-9. + Marmot, C-5. + Middleton, C-6. + Mitkof, C-9. + Mitrofania, C-4. + Montagu, C-6. + Nagai, C-4. + Nakchamik, C-4. + Near, A-8. + Nelson, B-3. + North, D-9. + Nunivak, B-2. + Okolnoi, C-3. + Otter, C-2. + Paul, C-4. + Pinnacle, B-1. + Pribilof, C-2. + Prince of Wales, C-9. + Punuk, B-2. + Pye, C-5. + Rat, A-9. + Revillagigedo, C-9. + Sand, B-2. + Sannak, D-3. + Seal, C-4. + Seguam, A-10. + Semichi, A-8. + Semidi, C-4. + Semisopochnoi, A-9. + Shumagin, C-4. + Shuyak, C-5. + Simeonof, D-4. + Sitkalidak, C-5. + Sitkinak, C-5. + Sledge, B-2. + South, C-4. + Spruce, C-5. + St. George, C-2. + St. Lawrence, B-2. + St. Matthew, B-1. + St. Michael, B-3. + St. Paul, C-2. + Stephens, D-9. + Stuart, B-3. + Sutwik, C-4. + Tagalakh, A-10. + Tanaga, A-9. + Tigalda, D-3. + Trinity Is., C-5. + Tugidak, C-5. + Ugamok, D-2. + Ulak, A-9. + Uliaga, A-11. + Umga, D-3. + Umnak, A-11. + Unalaska, D-2. + Unavikshak, C-4. + Unga, C-3. + Unimak, D-3. + Ushugat, C-5. + Walros, C-2. + Wooded Is., C-6. + Wossnessenski, C-3. + Wrangell, C-9. + Wrigham, C-7. + Yakobi, C-8. + Yunaska, A-10. + Zaiembo, C-9. + Zayas, D-9. + + +Lakes. + + Aleknagik, C-3. + Becharof, C-4. + Iliamna, C-5. + Imuruk, B-2. + Mentasta, B-7. + Naknek, C-4. + Nushagak, B-4. + Rat, A-7. + Selawik, A-3. + Skillokh, B-6. + Tasekpuk, A-5. + Tustumena, B-5. + Walker, A-5. + + +Mountains. + + Aghileen Pinnacle, C-3. + Alaskan, B-5. + Asses Ears, A-3. + Black Peak, C-4. + Boundary, A-7. + British, A-7. + Cathul, A-7. + Deviation Peak, A-3. + Devils, A-3. + Four Peaked, C-5. + Franklin, A-6. + Gold, A-5. + Iliamna Peak, B-5. + Jade, A-4. + Kayuh, B-4. + Lionshead, C-9. + Lower Ramparts, A-6. + Makushin, D-2. + Miles Glacier, B-7. + Mt. Becharof, C-4. + Mt. Bendeleben, A-3. + Mt. Blackburn, B-7. + Mt. Chiginagar, C-4. + Mt. Crillon, C-8. + Mt. Drum, B-6. + Mt. Edgecumbe, C-8. + Mt. Fairweather, C-8. + Mt. Greenough, A-7. + Mt. Hononita, B-4. + Mt. Kelly, A-3. + Mt. Kimball, B-7. + Mt. Lituya, C-8. + Mt. Olai, C-4. + Mt. Sanford, B-7. + Mt. Tillman, B-7. + Mt. Wrangel, B-7. + Mulgrave Hills, A-3. + Palisades, A-5. + Pavloff Volcano, C-3. + Progromnia Volcano, D-2. + Rampart, A-5. + Ratzel, A-7. + Red, A-5. + Redoubt Volcano, B-5. + Shishaldin Volcano, C-3. + Snow, A-5. + Spirit, B-7. + Tanana Hills, A-6. + Vsevidoff Volcano, A-11. + Yukon Hills, A-4. + + +Rivers. + + Allenkakat, A-5. + Ambler, A-4. + Anvik, B-3. + Azoon, B-3. + Baczakakat, A-5. + Big Black, A-7. + Black, B-3. + Bradley, B-6. + Bremner, B-6. + Buckland, A-3. + Cantwell, B-6. + Chilkat. + Chisana, B-7. + Chitslechina, B-6. + Chittyna, B-7. + Chittystone, B-7. + Chulitna, B-4. + Colville, A-5. + Copper, B-6. + Cutler, A-4. + Daklikakat, A-4. + Dall, A-5. + Delta, B-6. + Doggetlooscat, A-4. + Dugan, B-6. + Fickett, A-5. + Fish, A-3. + Forty-mile, B-7. + Gakona, B-6. + Gersde, B-6. + Goodpaster, B-6. + Hokuchatna, A-4. + Husstiakatna, A-4. + Ikpikpung, A-5. + Inglixalik, A-4. + Innoko, B-4. + Ippewik, A-3. + Johnson, B-6. + Kaknu, B-5. + Kalucna, B-7. + Kandik, A-7. + Karluk, C-5. + Kashunik, B-3. + Kassilof, B-5. + Kaviavazak, A-3. + Kayuh, B-4. + Kevwleek, A-3. + Kinak, B-3. + Klanarchargat, A-6. + Klatena, B-6. + Klatsutakakat, B-5. + Klawasina, B-6. + Knik, B-6. + Koo, A-4. + Kookpuk, A-3. + Kowak, A-4. + Koyuk, A-3. + Koyukuk, A-5. + Kuahroo, A-4. + Kuguklik, C-3. + Kukpowruk, A-3. + Kulichavak, B-3. + Kuskokwim, B-3. + Kvichak, C-4. + Liebigitag's, B-6. + Little Black, A-7. + Lovene, B-5. + Marokinak, B-3. + Meade, A-4. + Melozikakat, A-5. + Naknek, C-4. + Noatak, A-3. + Nushagak, C-4. + Pitmegea, A-3. + Porcupine, A-7. + Ray, A-5. + Robertson, B-6. + Salmon, A-7. + Selawik, A-4. + Slana, B-6. + Soonkakat, B-4. + Stikine, C-9. + Sucker, A-7. + Sushitna, B-6. + Taclat, B-5. + Tahkandik, A-7. + Tanana, B-6. + Tasnioio, B-6. + Tatotlindu, B-7. + Tazlina, B-6. + Teikhell, B-6. + Traodee, A-7. + Tokai, B-7. + Tovikakat, A-5. + Ugaguk, C-4. + Ugashik, C-4. + Unalaklik, B-4. + Volkmar, B-6. + White, B-7. + Whymper, A-6. + Woliek, A-3. + Yukon, B-3. + + +Towns. + + Pop. + Afognak, C-5 409 + Alaganik, B-6 48 + Anagnak, C-4 + Anvik, B-3 191 + Attanak, A-4 + Attenmut, A-4 + Belkoffski, D-3 185 + Belle Isle, B-8 + Cape Sabine, A-2 + Chilkat, C-8 153 + Douglas, C-9 40 + Dyea[B] + Egowik, B-3 + Fort Alexander, C-4 + Fort Andreafski, B-3 10 + Fort Cudahy, B-8 + Fort Get There, B-3 + Fort Healy, B-5 + Fort Kenai, B-5 + Fort St. Michaels, B-3 101 + Fort Weare, A-7 + Fort Wrangel, C-9[A] 316 + Igagik, C-4 60 + Ikogmut Mission, B-4 140 + Initkilly, A-2 + Jackson, D-9 105 + Juneau, C-9[A] 1253 + Kaguyak, C-5 112 + Kaltig, B-4 + Karluk, C-5 1123 + Katniai, C-4 + Ketchikan, C-9 + Killisnoo, C-9 79 + Kipmak, B-3 + Klawock, C-9 287 + Kodiak, C-5[A] 495 + Koggiung, C-4 133 + Kutlik, B-3 31 + Leather Village, B-4 + Loring, C-9 200 + Mary Island, D-9 + Metlakahtla[B] + Mitchell, A-8 238 + Morzhovoi, D-3 68 + Nig-a-lek, A-6 + Nikolski, A-11 + Nulato, B-4 118 + Nushagak, C-4 268 + Old Morzhovoi, C-3 + Orca, B-6 + Ounalaska, A-11 + Pastolik, B-3 113 + Redoubt Kolmakoff, B-4 + Sandpoint, C-3 + Seward, C-5 + Shageluk, B-3 + Shakan, C-9 + Shaktolik, B-3 + Sitka, C-8[A] 1190 + St. Orlovsk, C-5 + Sutkum, C-4 + Suworof, C-4 + Taku, C-9 + Tikchik, B-4 + Ukak, C-4 + Unalaklik, B-3 175 + Unalaska, D-2 317 + Unga, C-3 159 + Village, C-4 + Wrangel, C-9 + Yakitat, C-8 + + +Addenda. + + Pop. + Weare, B 5 + Circle City, B 7 + Dawson, B 7 + Klondyke River, B 8 + Klondyke District, B 8 + Dyea, C 8 + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote A: Money Order Offices.] + +[Footnote B: Post Offices not located on Map.] + + +[Illustration: [Drawn from a rough sketch made on June 18 by G. W. F. +Johnson at Dawson City.]] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF SITKA--FROM BARANOFF CASTLE.] + + + + +GOLDEN ALASKA. + + + + +ROUTES TO THE YUKON GOLD-FIELDS. + + +The gold-fields of the Yukon Valley, at and near Klondike River, are +near the eastern boundary of Alaska, from twelve to fifteen hundred +miles up from the mouth of the river, and from five to eight hundred +miles inland by the route across the country from the southern Alaskan +coast. In each case an ocean voyage must be taken as the first step; and +steamers may be taken from San Francisco, Portland, Ore., Seattle, +Wash., or from Victoria, B. C. + +The overland routes to these cities require a word. + +1. To San Francisco. This city is reached directly by half a dozen +routes across the plains and Rocky Mountains, of which the Southern +Pacific, by way of New Orleans and El Paso; the Atchison & Santa Fé and +Atlantic & Pacific by way of Kansas City, and across northern New Mexico +and Arizona; the Burlington, Denver & Rio Grande, by way of Denver and +Salt Lake City; and the Union and Central Pacific, by way of Omaha, +Ogden and Sacramento, are the principal ones. + +2. To Portland, Oregon. This is reached directly by the Union Pacific +and Oregon Short Line, via Omaha and Ogden; and by the Northern Pacific, +via St. Paul and Helena, Montana. + +3. To Seattle, Wash. This city, Tacoma, Port Townsend and other ports on +Puget Sound, are the termini of the Northern Pacific Railroad and also +of the Great Northern Railroad from St. Paul along the northern boundary +of the United States. The Canadian Pacific will also take passengers +there expeditiously by rail or boat from Vancouver, B. C. + +4. To Vancouver and Victoria, B. C. Any of the routes heretofore +mentioned reach Victoria by adding a steamboat journey; but the direct +route, and one of the pleasantest of all the transcontinental routes, is +by the Canadian Pacific Railway from Montreal or Chicago, via Winnipeg, +Manitoba, to the coast at Vancouver, whence a ferry crosses to Victoria. + +Regular routes of transportation to Alaska are supplied by the Pacific +Coast Steamship Company, which has been dispatching mail-steamships once +a fortnight the year round from Tacoma to Sitka, which touch at Juneau +and all other ports of call. They also maintain a service of steamers +between San Francisco and Portland and Puget Sound ports. These are +fitted with every accommodation and luxury for tourist-travel; and an +extra steamer, the Queen, has been making semi-monthly trips during +June, July and August. These steamers would carry 250 passengers +comfortably and the tourist fare for the round trip has been $100. + +The Canadian Pacific Navigation Company has been sending semi-monthly +steamers direct from Victoria to Port Simpson and way stations the year +round. They are fine boats, but smaller than the others and are +permitted to land only at Sitka and Dyea. + +Such are the means of regular communication with Alaskan ports. There +has been no public conveyance north of Sitka, except twice or thrice a +year in summer, in the supply-steamers of the Alaskan commercial +companies, which sailed from San Francisco to St. Michael and there +transferred to small boats up the Yukon. + +Whether any changes will be made in these schedules for the season of +1898 remains to be seen. + +Special steamers.--As the regular accommodations were found totally +inadequate to the demand for passage to Alaska which immediately +followed the report of rich discoveries on Klondike Creek, extra +steamers were hastily provided by the old companies, others are fitted +up and sent out by speculative owners, and some have been privately +chartered. A score or more steamships, loaded with passengers, horses, +mules and burros (donkeys) to an uncomfortable degree, were thus +despatched from San Francisco, Puget Sound and Victoria between the +middle of July and the middle of August. An example of the way the +feverish demand for transportation is found in the case of the +Willamette, a collier, which was cleaned out in a few hours and turned +into an extemporized passenger-boat. The whole 'tween decks space was +filled with rough bunks, wonderfully close together, for "first-class" +passengers; while away down in the hold second-class arrangements were +made which the mind shudders to contemplate. Yet this slave-ship sort of +a chance was eagerly taken, and such space as was left was crowded with +animals and goods. Many persons and parties bought or chartered private +steamers, until the supply of these was exhausted by the end of August. + +Two routes may be chosen to the gold-fields. + +1. By way of the Yukon River. This is all the way by water, and means +nearly 4,500 miles of voyaging. + +2. By way of the seaports of Dyea or Shkagway, over mountain passes, +afoot or a-horseback, and down the upper Yukon River and down the lakes +and rivers by raft, skiff and steamboat. + +[Illustration: GLACIER BAY. STEAMSHIP QUEEN.] + +To describe these routes is the next task--first, that by the way of St. +Michael, and second--up the Yukon River. + +Route, via St. Michael and the Yukon River.--This begins by a +sea-voyage, which may be direct, or along the coast. The special +steamers (and future voyages, no doubt) usually take a direct course +across the North Pacific and through the Aleutian Islands to St. +Michael, in Norton Sound, a bight of Bering Sea. The distance from San +Francisco is given as 2,850 miles; from Victoria or Seattle, about 2,200 +miles. The inside course would be somewhat longer, would follow the +route next to be described as far as Juneau and Sitka, then strike +northwest along the coast to St. Michael. + +This town, on an island near shore in Norton Sound, was established in +1835 by Lieut. Michael Tébenkoff, of the Russian navy, who named it +after his patron saint. Though some distance to the mouth of the Yukon +entrance, St. Michael has always been the controlling center and base of +supplies for the great valley. The North American Trading and +Transportation Company and the Alaska Commercial Company have their +large warehouses here, and provide the miners with tools, clothing and +provisions. Recently the wharf and warehouse accommodations have been +extended, and the population has increased, but if, as is probable, any +considerable number of men are stopped there this fall by the freezing +of the river, and compelled to pass the winter on the island, they will +find it a dreary, if not dangerous experience. + +The vessels supplying this depot can seldom approach the anchorage of +St. Michael before the end of June on account of large bodies of +drifting ice that beset the waters of Norton Sound and the straits +between St. Lawrence and the Yukon Delta. + +A temporary landing-place is built out into water deep enough for loaded +boats drawing five feet to come up at high tide, this is removed when +winter approaches, as otherwise it would be destroyed by ice. The shore +is sandy and affords a moderately sloping beach, on which boats may be +drawn up. A few feet only from high water mark are perpendicular banks +from six to ten feet high, composed of decayed pumice and ashes, covered +with a layer about four feet thick of clay and vegetable matter +resembling peat. This forms a nearly even meadow with numerous pools of +water, which gradually ascends for a mile or so to a low hill, of +volcanic origin, known as the Shaman Mountain. + +Between the point on which St. Michael is built and the mainland, a +small arm of the sea makes in, in which three fathoms may be carried +until the flagstaff of the fort bears west by north, this is the +best-protected anchorage, and has as much water and as good bottom as +can be found much farther out. + +The excitement of the summer of 1897 caused an enlargement of facilities +and the erection of additional buildings, forming a nucleus of traffic +called Fort Get There. Here will be put together in the autumn or winter +at least three, and perhaps more, new river steamboats, of which only +two or three have been running on the lower river during the last two or +three years. These are taken up, in pieces, by ships and fitted together +at this point. All are flat-bottomed, stern-wheeled, powerfully engined +craft, the largest able to carry perhaps 250 tons, such as run on the +upper Missouri, and they will burn wood, the cutting and stacking of +which on the river bank will furnish work to many men during the coming +winter. To such steamers, or smaller boats, all the persons and cargoes +must be transferred at St. Michael. + +For the last few years there has been no trader here but the agent of +the Alaska Commercial Company, and a story is told of the building of a +riverboat there in 1892, which illustrates what life on the Yukon used +to be. In that year a Chicago man, P. B. Weare, resolved to enter the +Alaskan field as a trader. He chartered a schooner, and placed upon it a +steamboat, built in sections and needing only to be put together and +have its machinery set up, and for this purpose he took with him a force +of carpenters and machinists. On reaching St. Michael Weare was refused +permission to land his boat sections on the land of the Commercial +Company's post, and was compelled to make a troublesome landing on the +open beach, where he began operations. Suddenly his ship carpenters +stopped work. They had been offered, it was said, double pay by the +rival concern if they would desist from all work. Weare turned to the +Indians, but with the same ill-success. The Indians were looking out for +their winter grub. Here was the Chicago man 2,500 miles from San +Francisco and only two weeks left to him in which to put his boat +together and then hope for a chance to ascend the river before winter +came on. There was no time in which to get additional men from San +Francisco. In the midst of his trouble Weare one day espied the revenue +cutter Bear steaming into the roadstead. On board of her was Captain +Michael A. Healy. That officer, on going ashore and discovering the +condition of affairs, threatened to hang every carpenter and mechanic +Weare had brought up if they failed to immediately commence work. The +men went to work, and with them went a gang of men from the Bear. The +little steamer was put together in a few days, and the Bear only went to +sea after seeing the P. B. Weare steaming into the mouth of the Yukon. + +[Illustration: STEAMER PORTUS B. WEARE.] + +The Weare was enabled that summer to land her stores along the Yukon, +and was the only vessel available for the early crowds of miners going +to Klondike. + +The mouth of the Yukon is a great delta, surrounded by marsh of +timber--a soaking prairie in summer, a plain of snow and ice in winter. +The shifting bars and shallows face out from this delta far into Bering +Sea, and no channel has yet been discovered whereby an ocean steamer +could enter any of the mouths. Fortunately the northernmost mouth, +nearest St. Michael and 65 miles from it, is navigable for the light +river steamers, and this one, called Aphoon, and marked by its unusual +growth of willows and bushes is well known to the local Russian and +Indian pilots. It is narrow and intricate, and the general course up +stream is south-southeast. Streams and passages enter it, and it has +troublesome tidal currents. The whole space between the mouth is a +net-work, indeed, of narrow channels, through the marshes. + +Kutluck, at the outlet of the Aphoon, on Pastol Bay, is an Indian +village, long celebrated for its manufacture of skin boats (bidars), and +there the old-time voyagers were accustomed to get the only night's +sleep ashore that navigation permits between St. Michael and Andraefski. +On the south bank of the main stream, at the head of the delta, is the +Roman Catholic mission of Kuslivuk; and a few miles higher, just above +the mouth of the Andraefski River, is the abandoned Russian trading +post, Andraefski, above which the river winds past Icogmute, where there +is a Greek Catholic mission. The banks of the river are much wooded, and +the current even as far down as Koserefski averages over three knots an +hour. Above Koserefski (the Catholic Mission station), the course is +along stretches of uninviting country, among marsh islands and +"sloughs," the current growing more and more swift on the long reach +from Auvik, where the Episcopal mission is situated, to Nulato. + +The river here has a nearly north and south course, parallel with the +coast of Norton Sound and within fifty miles or so of it. Two portages +across here form cut-offs in constant use in winter by the traders, +Indians and missionaries. The first of these portages starts from the +mainland opposite the Island of St. Michael, and passes over the range +of hills that defines the shore to the headwaters of the Anvik River. +This journey may be made in winter by sledges and thence down the Auvik +to the Yukon, but it is a hard road. Mr. Nelson, the naturalist, and a +fur trader, spent two months from November 16, 1880, to January 19, +1891, in reaching the Yukon by this path. + +The other portage is that between Unalaklik, a Swedish mission station +at the mouth of the Unalaklik River, some fifty miles north of St. +Michael, and a stream that enters the Yukon half way between Auvik and +Nulato. In going from St. Michael to Unalatlik there are few points at +which a boat can land even in the smoothest weather; in rough weather +only Major's Cove and Kegiktowenk before rounding Tolstoi Point to +Topánika, where there is a trading post. Topánika is some ten miles from +Unalaklik, with a high shelving beach, behind which rise high walls of +sandstone in perpendicular bluffs from twenty to one hundred feet in +height. This beach continues all the way to the Unalaklik River, the +bluff gradually decreasing into a marshy plain at the river's mouth, +which is obstructed by a bar over which at low tide there are only a few +feet of water except in a narrow and tortuous channel, constantly +changing as the river deposits fresh detritus. Inside this bar there are +two or three fathoms for a few miles, but the channel has only a few +feet, most of the summer, from the mouth of the river to Ulukuk. + +Trees commence along the Unalaklik River as soon as the distance from +the coast winds and salt air permit them to grow; willow, poplar, birch +and spruce being those most frequently found. + +The Unalaklik River is followed upward to Ulukuk, where begins a +sledging portage over the marshes to the Ulukuk Hills, where there is a +native village known as Vesolia Sopka, or Cheerful Peak, at an altitude +of eight hundred feet above the surrounding plain. This is a well-known +trapping ground, the fox and marten being very plentiful. From Sopka +Vesolia (Cheerful Peak) it is about one day's journey to Beaver Lake, +which is only a marshy tundra in winter, but is flooded in the spring +and summer months. From the high hills beyond the lake one may catch a +first glimpse of the great Yukon sweeping between its splendid banks. + +[Illustration: OLD RUSSIAN BLOCK HOUSE AT SITKA.] + +The natives call Nulato emphatically a "hungry" place, and it was once +the scene of an atrocious massacre. Capt. Dall, from whose book much of +the information regarding this part of Alaska is derived, describes the +Indians here as a very great nuisance. "They had," he explains, "a +great habit of coming in and sitting down, doing and saying nothing, but +watching everything. At meal times they seemed to count and weigh every +morsel we ate, and were never backward in assisting to dispose of the +remains of the meal. Occasionally we would get desperate and clean them +all out, but they would drop in again and we could do nothing but resign +ourselves." + +The soil on the banks of the Yukon and that of the islands probably +never thaws far below the surface. It is certain that no living roots +are found at a greater depth than three feet. The soil, in layers that +seems to mark annual inundations, consists of a stratum of sand overlaid +by mud and covered with vegetable matter, the layers being from a half +inch to three inches in thickness. In many places where the bank has +been undermined these layers may be counted by the hundred. Low bluffs +of blue sandstone, with here and there a high gravel bank, characterize +the shores as far as Point Sakataloutan, and some distance above this +point begin the quartzose rocks. + +The next station on the river is the village of Nowikakat, on the left +bank. Here may be obtained stores of dried meat and fat from the +Indians. The village is situated upon a beautiful bay or Nowikakat +Harbor, which is connected by a narrow entrance with the Yukon. "Through +this a beautiful view is obtained across the river, through the numerous +islands of the opposite shore, and of the Yukon Mountains in the +distance. The feathery willows and light poplars bend over and are +reflected in the dark water, unmixed as yet with Yukon mud; every island +and hillside is clothed in the delicate green of spring, and luxuriates +in a density of foliage remarkable in such a latitude." + +Nowikakat is specially noted for the excellence of its canoes, of which +the harbor is so full that a boat makes its landing with difficulty +among them. It is the only safe place on the lower Yukon for wintering a +steamer, as it is sheltered from the freshets which bring down great +crushes of ice in the spring. + +At Nuklukahyet there is a mission of the Episcopal church and a trading +store, but there may or may not be supplies of civilized goods, not to +speak of moose meat and fat. This is the neutral ground where all the +tribes meet in the spring to trade. The Tananah, which flows into the +Yukon at this point, is much broader here than the Yukon, and it is here +that Captain Dall exclaims in his diary: "And yet into this noble river +no white man has dipped his paddle." Recently, however, the Tananah has +been more or less explored by prospectors with favorable results +towards the head of the river, which is more easily reached overland +from Circle City and the Birch Creek camps. + +Leaving Nuklukahyet, the "Ramparts" are soon sighted, and the Yukon +rapids sweep between bluffs and hills which rise about fifteen hundred +feet above the river, which is not more than half a mile wide and seems +almost as much underground as a river bed in a canyon. The rocks are +metaphoric quartzites, and the river-bed is crossed by a belt of +granite. The rapid current has worn the granite away at either side, +making two good channels, but in the center lies an island of granite +over which the water plunges at high water, the fall being about twelve +feet in half a mile. + +Beyond the mouth of the Tananah the Yukon begins to widen, and it is +filled with small islands. The mountains disappear, and just beyond them +the Totokakat, or Dall River of Ketchum, enters the Yukon from the +north. Beyond this point the river, ever broadening, passes the "Small +Houses," deserted along the bank at the time, years ago, when the +scarlet fever, brought by a trading vessel to the mouth of the Chilkat, +spread to the Upper Yukon and depopulated the station. This place is +noted for the abundance of its game and fish. + +The banks of the river above this point become very low and flat, the +plain stretching almost unbroken to the Arctic Ocean. + +The next stream which empties into the Yukon is Beaver Creek, and +farther on the prospector bound for Circle City may make his way some +two hundred miles up Birch Creek, along which much gold has already been +discovered, to a portage of six miles, which will carry him within six +miles of Circle City on the west. + +Meanwhile the Yukon passes Porcupine River and Fort Yukon, the old +trading-post founded in 1846-7, about a mile farther up the river than +the present fort is situated. The situation was changed in 1864, owing +to the undermining of the Yukon, which yearly washed away a portion of +the steep bank until the foundation timbers of the old Redoubt over-hung +the flood. + +Many small islands encumber the river from Fort Yukon to Circle City, +and the river flows along the rich lowland to the towns and mining +centers of the new El Dorado, an account of which belongs to a future +chapter. + +This voyage can be made only between the middle of June and the middle +of September, and requires about forty days, at best, from San Francisco +to Circle City or Forty Mile. + +[Illustration: INDIAN TOTEM POLE, FORT SIMPSON.] + +Route via Juneau, the Passes and down the Upper Yukon River. The +second and more usual, because shorter and quicker course, is that to +the head of Lynn Canal (Taiya Inlet) and overland. This coast voyage may +be said to begin at Victoria, B. C. (since all coast steamers gather and +stop there), where a large number of persons prefer to buy their +outfits, since by so doing, and obtaining a certificate of the fact, +they avoid the custom duties exacted at the boundary line on all goods +and equipments brought from the United States. Victoria is well supplied +with stores, and is, besides, one of the most interesting towns on the +Pacific coast. The loveliest place in the whole neighborhood is Beacon +Hill Park, and is well worth a visit by those who find an hour or two on +their hands before the departure of the steamer. It forms a +half-natural, half-cultivated area of the shore of the Straits of Fuca, +where coppices of the beautiful live oak, and many strange trees and +shrubs mingled with the all-pervading evergreens. + +Within three miles of the city, and reached by street cars, is the +principal station in the North Pacific of the British navy, at +Esquimault Bay. This is one of the most picturesque harbors in the +world, and a beginning is made of fortifications upon a very large scale +and of the most modern character. This station, in many respects, is the +most interesting place on the Pacific coast of Canada. + +Leaving Victoria, the steamer makes its way cautiously through the +sinuous channels of the harbor into the waters of Fuca Strait, but this +is soon left behind and the steamer turns this way, and that, at the +entrance to the Gulf of Georgia, among those islands through which runs +the international boundary line, and for the possession of which England +and the United States nearly went to war in 1862. The water at first is +pale and somewhat opaque, for it is the current of the great Fraser +gliding far out upon the surface, and the steamer passes on beyond it +into the darker, clearer, salter waters of the gulf. Then the prow is +headed to Vancouver, where the mails, freight and new railway passengers +are received. + +From Vancouver the steamer crosses to Nanaimo, a large settlement on +Vancouver Island, where coal mines of great importance exist. A railway +now connects this point with Victoria, and a wagon road crosses the +interior of the island to Alberni Canal and the seaport at its entrance +on Barclay Sound. This is the farthest northern telegraph point. The +mines at Nanaimo were exhausted some time ago, after which deep +excavations were made on Newcastle Island, just opposite the town. But +after a tremendous fire these also were abandoned, and all the workings +are now on the shores of Departure Bay, where a colliery village named +Wellington has been built up. A steam ferry connects Nanaimo with +Wellington; and while the steamer takes in its coal, the passengers +disperse in one or the other village, go trout fishing, shooting or +botanizing in the neighboring woods, or trade and chaffer with the +Indians. Nanaimo has anything but the appearance of a mining town. The +houses do not stretch out in the squalid, soot-covered rows familiar to +Pennsylvania, but are scattered picturesquely, and surrounded by +gardens. + +Just ahead lie the splendid hills of Texada Island, whose iron mines +yield ore of extraordinary purity, which is largely shipped to the +United States to be made into steel. The steamer keeps to the left, +making its way through Bayne's Sound, passing Cape Lazaro on the left +and the upper end of Texada on the right, across the broadening water +along the Vancouver shore into Seymour Narrows. These narrows are only +about 900 yards wide, and in them there is an incessant turmoil and +bubbling of currents. This is caused by the collision of the streams +which takes place here; the flood stream from the south, through the +Strait of Fuca and up the Haro Archipelago being met by that from Queen +Charlotte Sound and Johnstone straits. These straits are about 140 +miles long, and by the time their full length is passed, and the maze of +small islands on the right and Vancouver's bulwark on the left are +escaped together, the open Pacific shows itself for an hour or two in +the offing of Queen Charlotte's Sound, and the steamer rises and falls +gently upon long, lazy rollers that have swept all the way from China +and Polynesia. Otherwise the whole voyage is in sheltered waters, and +seasickness is impossible. The steamer's course now hugs the shore, +turning into Fitz Hugh Sound, among Calvert, Hunter's and Bardswell +islands, where the ship's spars sometimes brush the overhanging trees. +Here are the entrances to Burke Channel and Dean's Canal that penetrate +far amid the tremendous cliffs of the mainland mountains. Beyond these +the steamer dashes across the open bight of Milbank Sound only to enter +the long passages behind Princess Royal, Pit and Packer islands, and +coming out at last into Dixon Sound at the extremity of British +Columbia's ragged coast line. + +[Illustration: STREET IN SITKA.] + +The fogs which prevail here are due to the fact that this bight is +filled with the waters of the warm Japanese current and the gulf stream +of the Pacific from which the warm moisture rises to be condensed by the +cool air that descends from the neighboring mountains, into the dense +fogs and heavy rain storms to which the littoral forest owes its +extraordinary luxuriance. During the mid-summer and early autumn, +however, the temperature of air and water become so nearly equable that +fog and rain are the exception rather than the rule. + +Crossing the invisible boundary into Alaska the steamer heads straight +toward Fort Tougass, on Wales Island, once a military station of the +United States, but now only a fishing place. Between this point and Fort +Wrangel another abandoned military post of the United States, two or +three fish canneries and trading stations are visited and the ship goes +on among innumerable islands and along wide reaches of sound to Taku +Inlet (which deeply indents the coast, and is likely in the near future +to become an important route to the gold fields), and a few hours later +Juneau City is reached. + +Juneau City has been lately called the key to the Klondike regions, as +it is the point of departure for the numberless gold hunters who, when +the season opens again, will rush blindly over incalculably rich ledges +near the coast to that remote inland El Dorado of their dreams. + +Juneau has for seventeen years been supported by the gold mines of the +neighboring coast. It is situated ten miles above the entrance of +Gastineau Channel, and lies at the base of precipitous mountains, its +court house, hotels, churches, schools, hospital and opera house forming +the nucleus for a population which in 1893 aggregated 1,500, a number +very largely increased each winter by the miners who gather in from +distant camps. The saloons, of which in 1871 there were already +twenty-two, have increased proportionately, and there are, further, at +least one weekly newspaper, one volunteer fire brigade, a militia +company and a brass band in Juneau. The curio shops on Front and Seward +streets are well worth visiting, and from the top of Seward Street a +path leads up to the Auk village, whose people claim the flats at the +mouth of Gold Creek. A curious cemetery may be seen on the high ground +across the creek, ornamented with totemic carvings and hung with +offerings to departed spirits which no white man dares disturb. + + +FROM JUNEAU TO THE GOLD FIELDS. + +The few persons who formerly wished to go to the head of Lynn Canal did +so mainly by canoeing, or chartered launches, but now many opportunities +are offered by large steamboats. Most of the steamers that bring miners +and prospectors from below do not now discharge their freight at Juneau, +however, but go straight to the new port Dyea at the head of the canal. +Lynn Canal is the grandest fiord on the coast, which it penetrates for +seventy-five miles. It is then divided by a long peninsula called +Seduction Point, into two prongs, the western of which is called Chilkat +Inlet, and the eastern Chilkoot. "It has but few indentations, and the +abrupt palisades of the mainland shores present an unrivalled panorama +of mountains, glaciers and forests, with wonderful cloud effects. Depths +of 430 fathoms have been sounded in the canal, and the continental range +on the east and the White Mountains on the west rise to average heights +of 6,000 feet, with glaciers in every ravine and alcove." No Cameron +boundary line, which Canada would like to establish, would cut this +fiord in two, and make it useless to both countries in case of quarrel. +The magnificent fan-shaped Davidson glacier, here, is only one among +hundreds of grand ice rivers shedding their bergs into its waters. At +various points salmon canneries have long been in operation; and the +Seward City mines are only the best among several mineral locations of +promise. A glance at the map will show that this "canal" forms a +straight continuation of Chatham Strait, making a north and south +passage nearly four hundred miles in length, which is undoubtedly the +trough of a departed glacier. + +Dyea, the new steamer landing and sub-port of entry, is at the head of +navigation on the Chilkoot or eastern branch of this Lynn Canal, and +takes its name, in bad modern spelling, from the long-known Taiya +Inlet, which is a prolongation inland for twenty miles of the head of +the Chilkoot Inlet. It should continue to be spelled Tiaya. This inlet +is far the better of the two for shipping, Chilkat Inlet being exposed +to the prevalent and often dangerous south wind, so that it is regarded +by navigators as one of the most dangerous points on the Alaskan coast. +A Presbyterian mission and government school were formerly sustained at +Haines, on Seduction Point, but were abandoned some years ago on account +of Indian hostility. + +The Passes.--Three passes over the mountains are reached from these two +inlets,--Chilkat, Chilkoot and White. + +[Illustration: HEAD WATERS, DYEA RIVER.] + +Chilkat Pass is that longest known and formerly most in vogue. The +Chilkat Indians had several fixed villages near the head of the inlet, +and were accustomed to go back and forth over the mountains to trade +with the interior Indians, whom they would not allow to come to the +coast. They thus enjoyed not only the monopoly of the business of +carrying supplies over to the Yukon trading posts and bringing out the +furs, and more recently of assisting the miners, but made huge profits +as middle-men between the Indians of the interior and the trading posts +on the coast. They are a sturdy race of mountaineers, and the most +arrogant, treacherous and turbulent of all the northwestern tribes, but +their day is nearly passed. The early explorers--Krause, Everette and +others--took this pass, and it was here that E. J. Glave first tried (in +1891) to take pack horses across the mountains, and succeeded so well as +to show the feasibility of that method of carriage, which put a check +upon the extortion and faithlessness of the Indian carriers. His account +of his adventures in making this experiment, over bogs, wild rocky +heights, snow fields, swift rivers and forest barriers, has been +detailed in The Century Magazine for 1892, and should be read by all +interested. "No matter how important your mission," Mr. Glave wrote, +"your Indian carriers, though they have duly contracted to accompany +you, will delay your departure till it suits their convenience, and any +exhibition of impatience on your part will only remind them of your +utter dependency on them; and then intrigue for increase of pay will at +once begin. While en route they will prolong the journey by camping on +the trail for two or three weeks, tempted by good hunting or fishing. In +a land where the open season is so short, and the ways are so long, such +delay is a tremendous drawback. Often the Indians will carry their loads +some part of the way agreed on, then demand an extravagant increase of +pay or a goodly share of the white man's stores, and, failing to get +either, will fling down their packs and return to their village, leaving +their white employer helplessly stranded." + +The usual charge for Indian carriers is $2 a day and board, and they +demand the best fare and a great deal of it, so that the white man finds +his precious stores largely wasted before reaching his destination. +These facts are mentioned, not because it is now necessary to endure +this extortion and expense, but to show how little dependence can be +placed upon the hope of securing the aid of Indian packers in carrying +the goods of prospectors or explorers elsewhere in the interior, and the +great expense involved. This pass descends to a series of connected +lakes leading down to Lake Labarge and thence by another stream to the +Lewes; and it requires twelve days of pack-carrying--far more than is +necessary on the other passes. As a consequence, this pass is now rarely +used except by Indians going to the Aksekh river and the coast ranges +northward. + +Chilkoot, Taiya or Parrier Pass.--This is the pass that has been used +since 1885 by the miners and others on the upper Yukon, and is still a +route of travel. It starts from the head of canoe navigation on Taiya +inlet, and follows up a stream valley, gradually leading to the divide, +which is only 3,500 feet above the sea. The first day's march is to the +foot of the ascent, and over a terrible trail, through heavy woods and +along a steep, rocky and often boggy hillside, broken by several deep +gullies. The ascent is then very abrupt and over huge masses of fallen +rock or steep slippery surfaces of rock in place. At the actual summit, +which for seven or eight miles is bare of trees or bushes, the trail +leads through a narrow rocky gap, and the whole scene is one of the most +complete desolation. Naked granite rocks, rising steeply to partly +snow-clad mountains on either side. Descending the inland or north slope +is equally bad traveling, largely over wide areas of shattered rocks +where the trail may easily be lost. The further valley contains several +little lakes and leads roughly down to Lake Lindeman. The distance from +Taiya is twenty-three and a half miles, and it is usually made in two +days. Miners sometimes cross this pass in April, choosing fine weather, +and then continue down the lakes on the ice to some point where they can +conveniently camp and wait for the opening of navigation on the Yukon; +ordinarily it is unsafe to attempt a return in the autumn later than the +first of October. + +Lake Lindeman is a long narrow piece of water navigable for boats to its +foot, where a very bad river passage leads into the larger Lake Bennett, +where the navigation of the Yukon really begins. + +"The Chilkoot Pass," writes one of its latest travelers, "is difficult, +even dangerous, to those not possessed of steady nerves. Toward the +summit there is a sheer ascent of 1,000 feet, where a slip would +certainly be fatal. At this point a dense mist overtook us, but we +reached Lake Lindeman--the first of a series of five lakes--in safety, +after a fatiguing tramp of fourteen consecutive hours through +half-melted snow. Here we had to build our own boat, first felling the +timber for the purpose. The journey down the lakes occupied ten days, +four of which were passed in camp on Lake Bennett, during a violent +storm, which raised a heavy sea. The rapids followed. One of these +latter, the "Grand Canyon," is a mile long, and dashes through walls of +rock from 50 to 100 feet high; six miles below are the "White Horse +Rapids," a name which many fatal accidents have converted into the +"Miner's Grave." But snags and rocks are everywhere a fruitful source of +danger on this river, and from this rapid downward scarcely a day passed +that one did not see some cairn or wooden cross marking the last resting +place of some drowned pilgrim to the land of gold. The above is a brief +sketch of the troubles that beset the Alaskan gold prospector--troubles +that, although unknown in the eastern states and Canada, have for +many years past associated the name of Yukon with an ugly sound in +western America." + +[Illustration: RAFT ON LAKE LINDEMAN.] + +It is probable that few if any persons need go over this pass next year, +and its hardships will become a tradition instead of a terrible +prospect. + +White Pass.--This pass lies south of the Chilkoot, and leaves the coast +at the mouth of the Shagway river, five miles south of Dyea and 100 from +Juneau. It was first explored in 1887 and was found to run parallel to +the Chilkoot. The distance from the coast to the summit is seventeen +miles, of which the first five are in level bottom land, thickly +timbered. The next nine miles are in a cañon-like valley, beyond which +three miles, comparatively easy, take one to the summit, the altitude of +which is roughly estimated at 2,600 feet. Beyond the summit a wide +valley is entered and leads gradually to the Tahko arm of Tahgish lake. +This pass, though requiring a longer carriage, is lower and easier than +the others, and already a pack-trail has been built through it which +will soon be followed by a wagon road, and surveys for a narrow gauge +railway are in progress. At the mouth of the Shkagway River ocean +steamers can run up at all times to a wharf which has been constructed +in a sheltered position, and there is an excellent town site with +protection from storms. + +An English company, the British Columbia Development Association, +Limited, has already established a landing wharf and is erecting a wharf +and sawmills at Skagway, whence it is proposed (as soon as feasible) to +lay down a line of rail some thirty-five miles long, striking the Yukon +River at a branch of the Marsh Lake, about 100 miles below Lake +Lindeman. By this means the tedious and difficult navigation between +these two points will be avoided, and the only dangerous parts of the +river below will be circumvented by a road or rail portage. +Light-draught steamers will be put on from Teslin Lake to the cañon and +from the foot of the latter to all the towns and camps on the river. + +Dyea is a village of cabins and tents, and little if anything in the way +of supplies can be got there; it is a mere forwarding point. + +Pending the completion of the facilities mentioned above, miners may +transport their goods over the pack trail on their own or hired burros, +and at Tahgish Lake take a boat down the Tahco arm (11 miles) to the +main lake, and down that lake and its outlet into Lake Marsh. This chain +of lakes, filling the troughs of old glacial fiords to a level of 2,150 +feet above the sea, "constitutes a singularly picturesque region, +abounding in striking points of view and in landscapes pleasing in their +variety or grand and impressive in this combination of rugged mountain +forms." All afford still-water navigation, and as soon as the road +through White Pass permits the transportation of machinery, they will +doubtless be well supplied with steamboats. Marsh Lake is 20 miles long, +Bennett 26, and Tagish 16½ miles, with Windy Arm 11 miles long, Tahko +Arm 20 miles, and other long, narrow extensions among the terraced, +evergreen-wooded hills that border its tranquil surface. The depression +in which this group of lakes lies is between the coast range and the +main range of the Rockies; and as it is sheltered from the wet sea-winds +by the former heights, its climate is nearly as dry of that of the +interior. The banks are fairly well timbered, though large open spaces +exist, and abound in herbage, grass and edible berries. Lake Marsh, +named by Schwatka after Prof. O. C. Marsh of Yale, but called Mud Lake +by the miners, without good reason, is twenty miles long and about two +wide. It is rather shallow and the left bank should be followed. The +surrounding region is rather low, rising by terraces to high ranges on +each side, where Michie mountain, 5,540 feet in height, eastward, and +Mounts Lorue and Landsdowne, westward, 6,400 and 6,140 feet high +respectively, are the most prominent peaks. "The diversified form of the +mountains in view from this lake render it particularly picturesque," +remarks Dr. Dawson, "and at the time of our visit, on the 10th and 11th +of September, the autumn tints of the aspens and other deciduous trees +and shrubs, mingled with the sombre greens of the spruces and pines, +added to its beauty." + +Near the foot of this lake enters the McClintock river, of which little +is known. The outlet is a clear, narrow, quiet stream, called Fifty-mile +River, which flows somewhat westerly down the great valley. Large +numbers of dead and dying salmon are always seen here in summer, and as +these fish never reach Lake Marsh, it is evident that the few who are +able, after their long journey, to struggle up the rapids, have not +strength left to survive. + +[Illustration: DOG PACK TRAIN.] + +The descent of the Lewes (or Yukon) may be said to begin at this point, +and 23 miles below Lake Marsh the first and most serious obstacle is +encountered in the White Horse Rapids, and Miles Cañon. Their length +together is 2¾ miles, and they seem to have been caused by a small +local effusion of lava, which was most unfortunately ejected right in +the path of the river. The cañon is often not more than 100 feet in +width, and although parts of it may be run at favorable times, all of it +is dangerous, and the White Horse should never be attempted. The portage +path in the upper part of the cañon is on the east bank, and is about +five-eighths of a mile long. There a stretch of navigation is +possible, with caution, ending at the head of White Horse Rapids, where +one must land on the west bank, which consists of steep rocks, very +awkward for managing a boat from or carrying a burden over. Usually the +empty boat can be dropped down with a line, but when the water is high +boat as well as cargo must be carried for 100 yards or more, and again, +lower down, for a less distance. The miners have put down rollways along +a roughly constructed road here to make the portage of the boats easier, +and some windlasses for hauling the boats along the water or out and +into it. It would be possible to build a good road or tramway along the +east bank of these rapids without great difficulty; and plans are +already formulated for a railway to be built around the whole three +miles of obstruction, in the summer of 1898, to connect with the +steamboats above and below that will no doubt be running next year. + +The river below the rapids is fast (about four miles an hour) for a few +miles, and many gravel banks appear. It gradually subsides, however, +into a quiet stream flowing northwest along the same wide valley. No +rock is seen here, the banks being bluffs of white silt, which turns the +clear blue of the current above into a cloudy and opaque yellow. +Thirteen miles (measuring, as usual, along the river) brings the voyager +to the mouth of the Tah-Keena, a turbid stream about 75 yards wide and +10 feet deep, which comes in from the west. Its sources are at the foot +of the Chilkat Pass, where it flows out of West Kussoa lake (afterwards +named Lake Arkell), and was formerly much employed by the Chilkat +Indians as a means of reaching the interior, but was never in favor with +the miners, and is now rarely followed by the Indians themselves, +although its navigation from the lake down is reported to be easy. + +Eleven and a half miles of quiet boating takes one to the head of Lake +Labarge. This lake is 31 miles long, lies nearly north and south, and is +irregularly elongated, reaching a width of six miles near the lower end. +It is 2,100 feet above sea level and is bordered everywhere by +mountains, those on the south having remarkably abrupt and castellated +forms and carrying summits of white limestone. This lake is a very +stormy one, and travelers often have to wait in camp for several days on +its shores until calmer weather permits them to go on. This whole river +valley is a great trough sucking inland the prevailing southerly summer +winds, and navigation on all the lakes is likely to be rough for small +boats. + +The river below Lake Labarge is crooked, and at first rapid--six miles +or more an hour, and interrupted by boulders; but it is believed that a +stern wheel steamer of proper power could ascend at all times. The banks +are earthen, but little worn, as floods do not seem to occur. +Twenty-seven miles takes one to the mouth of a large tributary from the +southeast,--the Teslintoo, which Schwatka called Newberry River, and +which the miners mistakenly call Hotalinqu. It comes from the great Lake +Teslin, which lies across the British Columbia boundary (Lat. 62 deg.), +and is said to be 100 miles long; and it is further said that an Indian +trail connects it with the head of canoe navigation on the Taku river, +by only two long days of portaging. Some miners are said to have gone +over it in 1876 or '77, Schwatka and Hayes came this way; and it may +form one of the routes of the future,--perhaps even a railway route. +This river flows through a wide and somewhat arid valley, and was +roughly prospected about 1887 by men who reported finding fine gold all +along its course, and also in tributaries of the lake. As the mountains +about the head of the lake belong to the Cassiar range, upon whose +southern slopes the Cassiar mines are situated, there is every reason to +suppose that gold will ultimately be found there in paying quantities. + +This part of the Lewes is called Thirty-mile River, under the impression +that it is really a tributary of the Teslintoo, which is, in fact, wider +than the Lewes at the junction (Teslintoo, width 575 feet; Lewes, 420 +feet), but it carries far less water. From this confluence the course is +north, in a deep, swift, somewhat turbid current, through the crooked +defiles of the Seminow hills. Several auriferous bars have been worked +here, and some shore-placers, including the rich Cassiar bar. Thirty-one +miles below the Teslintoo the Big Salmon, or D'Abbadie River, enters +from the southeast--an important river, 350 feet wide, having clear blue +water flowing deep and quiet in a stream navigable by steamboats for +many miles. Its head is about 150 miles away, not far from Teslin Lake, +in some small lakes reached by the salmon, and surrounded by granite +mountains. Prospectors have traced all its course and found fine gold in +many places. + +[Illustration: DAVIDSON GLACIER. CHILKAT INLET.] + +Thirty-four miles below the Big Salmon, west-north-west, along a +comparatively straight course, carries the boatman to the Little Salmon, +or Daly River, where the valley is so broad that no mountains are +anywhere in sight, only lines of low hills at a distance from the banks. +Five miles below this river the river makes an abrupt turn to the +southwest around Eagle's Nest rock, and 18½ miles beyond that +reaches the Nordenskiold, a small, swift, clear-watered tributary from +the southwest. The rocks of all this part of the river show thin seams +of coal, and gold has been found on several bars. The current now flows +nearly due north and a dozen miles below the Nordenskiold carries one to +the second and last serious obstruction to navigation in the Rink +rapids, as Schwatka called them, or Five-finger, as they are popularly +known, referring to five large masses of rock that stand like towers in +mid channel. These other islands back up the water and render its +currents strong and turbulent, but will offer little opposition to a +good steamboat. Boatmen descending the river are advised to hug the +right bank, and a landing should be made twenty yards above the rapids +in any eddy, where a heavily loaded boats should be lightened. The run +should be made close along the shore, and all bad water ends when the +Little Rink Rapids have been passed, six miles below. Just below the +rapids the small Tatshun River comes in from the right. Then the valley +broadens out, the current quiets down and a pleasing landscape greets +the eye as bend after bend is turned. A long washed bank on the +northeast side is called Hoo-che-koo Bluff, and soon after passing it +one finds himself in the midst of the pretty Ingersoll archipelago, +where the river widens out and wanders among hundreds of islets. +Fifty-five miles by the river below Rink Rapids, the confluence of the +Lewes and Pelly is reached, and the first sign of civilization in the +ruins of old Fort Selkirk, with such recent and probably temporary +occupation as circumstances may cause. Before long, undoubtedly, a +flourishing permanent settlement will grow up in this favorable +situation. + +The confluence here of the Lewes and Pelly rivers forms the Yukon, which +thenceforth pursues an uninterrupted course of 1,650 miles to Behring +Sea. The country about the confluence is low, with extensive terrace +flats running back to the bases of rounded hills and ridges. The Yukon +below the junction averages about one-quarter of a mile in width, and +has an average depth of about 10 feet, with a surface velocity of 4¾ +miles an hour. A good many gravel bars occur, but no shifting sand. The +general course nearly to White River, 96 miles, is a little north of +west, and many islands are seen; then the river turns to a nearly due +north course, maintained at Fort Reliance. The White River is a powerful +stream, plunging down loaded with silt, over ever shifting sand bars. +Its upper source is problematical, but is probably in the Alaskan +Mountains near the head of the Tenana and Forty-mile Creek. + +For the next ten miles the river spreads out to more than a mile wide +and becomes a maze of islands and bars, the main channel being along the +western shore, where there is plenty of water. This brings one to +Stewart river, which is the most important right-hand tributary between +the Pelly and the Porcupine. It enters from the east in the middle of a +wide valley, and half a mile above its mouth is 200 yards in width; the +current is slow and the water dark colored. It has been followed to its +headquarters in the main range of the Rockies, and several large +branches, on some of which there are remarkable falls, have been traced +to their sources through the forested and snowy hills where they rise. +These sources are perhaps 200 miles from the mouth, but as none of the +wanderers were equipped with either geographical knowledge or +instruments nothing definite is known. Reports of traces of precious +metals have been brought back from many points in the Stewart valley, +but this information is as vague as the other thus far. All reports +agree that a light draught steamboat could go to the head of the Stewart +and bar up its feeders. There is a trading post at its mouth. + +[Illustration: VIEW FROM INDIAN CHURCH, LOOKING NORTHEAST.] + +The succeeding 125 miles holds what is at present the most interesting +and populous part of the Yukon valley. The river varies from half to +three-quarters of a mile wide and is full of islands. About 23 miles +below Stewart River a large stream enters from the west called +Sixty-mile Creek by the miners, who have had a small winter camp and +trading store there for some years, and have explored its course for +gold to its rise in the mountains west of the international boundary. +Every little tributary has been named, among them (going up), Charley's +Fork, Edwards Creek and Hawley Creek, in Canada, and then, on the +American side of the line, Gold Creek, Miller Creek and Bed Rock Creek. +The sand and gravel of all these have yielded fine gold and some of +them, as Miller Creek, have become noted for their richness. Forty-four +miles below Sixty-mile takes one to Dawson City, at the mouth of +Klondike River,--the center of the highest productiveness and greatest +excitement during 1897, when the gold fields of the interior of Alaska +first attracted the attention of the world. Leaving to another special +chapter an account of them, the itinerary may be completed by saying +that 6½ miles below the mouth of the Klondike is Fort Reliance, an +old private trading post of no present importance. Twelve and a half +miles farther the Chan-din-du River enters from the east, and 33½ +below that in the mouth of Forty-mile Creek, or Cone Hill River, which +until the past year was the most important mining region of the +interior. It took its name from the supposition that it was 40 miles +from Fort Reliance, but the true distance is 46 miles. On the south side +of the outlet of this stream is the old trading post and modern town of +Forty-Mile, and on the north side the more recent settlement Cudahy. +Both towns are, of course, on the western bank of the Yukon, which is +here about half a mile wide. Five miles below Cudahy, Coal Creek comes +in from the east, and nearly marks the Alaskan boundary, where a +narrowed part of the river admits one to United States territory. +Prominent landmarks here are two great rocks, named by old timers Old +Man rock, on the west bank, and Old Woman, on the east bank, in +reference to Indian legends attached to them. Some twenty miles west of +the boundary--the river now having turned nearly due west in its general +course--Seventy-mile, or Klevande Creek, comes in from the south, and +somewhat below it the Tat-on-duc from the north. It was ascended in 1887 +by Mr. Ogilvie, who describes its lower valley as broad and well +timbered, but its upper part flows through a series of magnificent +cañons, one of which half a mile long, is not more than 50 feet wide +with vertical walls fully 700 feet in height. There are said to be warm +sulphur springs along its course, and the Indians regard it as one of +the best hunting fields, sheep being especially numerous on the +mountains in which it heads, close by the international boundary, where +it is separated by only a narrow divide from Ogilvie River, one of the +head streams of the Peel river, and also from the head of the Porcupine, +to which there is an Indian trail. Hence the miners call this Sheep +River. The rocks along this stream are all sandstones, limestone and +conglomerates, with many thin calcite veins. Large and dense timber +prevails, and game is abundant. + +Below the mouth of the Tat-on-duc several small streams enter, of which +the Kandik on the north and the Kolto or Charley's River--at the mouth +of which there used to be the home of an old Indian notability named +Charley--are most important. About 160 miles from the boundary the Yukon +flats are reached, and the center of another important mining +district--that of Birch Creek and the Upper Tenana--at Circle City, the +usual terminus of the trip up the Lower Yukon from St. Michael. + + + + +HISTORY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UPPER YUKON VALLEY. + + +The sources of the Yukon are just within the northern boundary of +British Columbia (Lat. 62 deg.) among a mass of mountains forming a part +of the great uplift of the Coast range, continuous with the Sierras of +California and the Puget Sound coast. Here spring the sources of the +Stikeen, flowing southwest to the Pacific, of the Fraser, flowing south +through British Columbia, and of the Liard flowing northeasterly to the +Mackenzie. Headwaters of the Stikeen and Liard interlock, indeed, along +an extensive or sinuous watershed having an elevation of 3,000 feet or +less and extending east and west. There are, however, many wide and +comparatively level bottom lands scattered throughout this region and +numerous lakes. The coast ranges here have an average width of about +eighty miles and border the continent as far north as Lynn Canal, where +they trend inland behind the St. Elias Alps. Many of their peaks exceed +8,000 feet in height, but few districts have been explored west. +Eastward of this mountain axis, and separated from it by the valleys of +the Fraser and Columbia in the south and the Yukon northward, is the +Continental Divide, or Rocky Mountains proper, which is broken through +(as noted above) by the Laird, but north of that cañon-bound river forms +the watershed between the Liard and Yukon and between the Yukon and +Mackenzie. These summits attain a height of 7,000 to 9,000 feet, and +rise from a very complicated series of ranges extending northward to the +Arctic Ocean, and very little explored. The valley of the Yukon, then, +lies between the Rocky Mountains, separating its drainage basin from +that of the Mackenzie, and the Coast range and St. Elias Alps separating +it from the sea. Granite is the principal rock in both these great lines +of watershed-uplift, and all the mountains show the effects of an +extensive glaciation, and all the higher peaks still bear local remnants +of the ancient ice-sheet. + +The headwaters of the great river are gathered into three principal +streams. First, the Lewes, easternmost, with its large tributaries, the +Teslintoo and Big Salmon; second, the Pelly, with its great western +tributary, the MacMillon. + +[Illustration: SCENE IN JUNEAU--MOUNTAINS AND INDIAN HOUSES.] + +The Lewes River has been described. It was known to the fur traders as +early as 1840, and the Chilkat and Chilkoot passes were occasionally +used by their Indian couriers from that time on. The gold fields in +British Columbia from 1863 onwards stimulated prospecting in the +northern and coastal parts of that province, and in 1872 prospectors +reached the actual headwaters of the Lewes from the south, but were +probably not aware of it; and that country was not scientifically +examined until the reconnaissance of Dr. G. M. Dawson in 1887. In 1866 +Ketchum and La Barge, of the Western Union Telegraph survey, ascended +the Lewes as far as the lakes still called Ketchum and La Barge. In 1883 +Lieut. Frederick Schwatka, U. S. A., and an assistant named Hayes, and +several Indians, made their way across from Taka inlet to the head of +Tahgish (a Tako) Lake, and descended the Lewes on a raft to Fort +Selkirk, studying and naming the valley. From Fort Selkirk an entirely +new route was followed toward the mountains forming the divide between +the Yukon and the White and Copper rivers, which flow to the Gulf of +Alaska, north of Mt. St. Elias. After discovering a pass little more +than 5,000 feet high, they struck the Chityna River and followed that to +the Copper River and thence to the coast. The Copper River Valley was +thoroughly explored somewhat later by Lieuts. Abercrombie and Allen, U. +S. A., who added greatly to knowledge of that large river, which, +however, seems to have no good harbor at its mouth. The miners began to +use the Chilkoot Pass and the Lewes River route to the Yukon district +in 1884. Some additions were made to geography in this region by an +exploring expedition despatched to Alaska in 1890 by Frank Leslie's +Weekly, under Messrs. A. J. Wells, E. J. Glave and A. B. Schanz. They +entered by way of Chilkat pass and came to a large lake at the head of +the Tah-keena tributary of the Lewes, which they named Lake Arkell, +though it was probably the same earlier described by the Drs. Krause. +Here Mr. Glave left the party and striking across the coast range +southward discovered the headwaters of the Alsekh and descended to Dry +Bay. At Forty-mile creek Mr. Wells and a party crossed over into the +basin of the Tanana and increased the knowledge of that river. Mr. +Schanz went down the Yukon and explored the lower region. In 1892 Mr. +Glave again went to Alaska, demonstrated the possibility of taking pack +horses over the Chilkat trail, and with an aid named Dalton made an +extensive journey southward along the crest of the watershed between the +Yukon valley and the coast. + +Turning now to the Pelly, we find that this was the earliest avenue of +discovery. The Pelly rises in lakes under the 62nd parallel, just over a +divide from the Finlayson and Frances Lake, the head of the Frances +River, the northern source of the Liard, and this region was entered by +the Hudson Bay Company as early as 1834, and gradually exploring the +Laird River and its tributaries, in 1840 Robert Campbell crossed over +the divide north of Lake Finlayson (at the head of the Frances), and +discovered (at a place called Pelly Banks) a large river flowing +northwest which he named Pelly. In 1843 he descended the river to its +confluence with the Lewes (which he then named), and in 1848 he built a +post for the H. B. Company at that point, calling it Fort Selkirk. This +done, in 1850, Campbell floated down the river as far as the mouth of +the Porcupine, where three years previously (1847) Fort Yukon had been +established by Mr. Murray, who (founded by James Bell in 1842) crossed +over from the mouth of the Mackenzie. The Yukon may thus be said to have +been "discovered" at several points independently. The Russians, who +knew it only at the mouth, called it Kwikhpak, after an Eskimo name. The +English at Fort Yukon, learned that name from the Indians there, and the +upper river was the Pelly. The English and Russian traders soon met, and +when Campbell came down in 1850 the identity of the whole stream was +established. The name Yukon gradually took the place of all others on +English maps and is now recognized for the whole stream from the +junction of the Lewes and Pelly to the delta. + +The Yukon basin, east of the Alaskan boundary, is known in Canada as the +Yukon district, and contains about 150,000 square miles. This is nearly +equal to the area of France, is greater than that of the United Kingdom +of Great Britain and Ireland by 71,000 square miles, and nearly three +times bigger than that of the New England states. To this must be added +an area of about 180,000 square miles, west of the boundary, drained by +the Yukon upon its way to the sea through Alaska. Nevertheless, Dr. G. +M. Dawson and other students of the matter are of the opinion that the +river does not discharge as much water as does the Mackenzie--nor could +it be expected to do so, since the drainage area of the Mackenzie is +more than double that of the Yukon, while the average annual +precipitation of rain over the two areas seems to be substantially +similar. Remembering these figures and that the basin of the Mississippi +has no less than 1,225,000 square miles as compared with the 330,000 +square miles of the Yukon basin, it is plain that the statement often +heard that the Yukon is next to the Mississippi in size, is greatly +exaggerated. In fact, its proportions, from all points of view, are +exceeded by those of the Nile, Ganges, St. Lawrence and several other +rivers of considerably less importance than the Mississippi. + +[Illustration: EARLY MORNING AT JUNEAU.] + +Resuming the historical outline, a short paragraph will suffice to +complete the simple story down to the year 1896. + +Robert Campbell had scarcely returned from his river voyage to his +duties at Fort Selkirk, when he discovered that its location in the +angle between the rivers was untenable, owing to ice-jams and floods. +The station was therefore moved, in the season of 1852 across to the +west bank of the Yukon, a short distance below the confluence, and new +buildings were erected. These had scarcely been completed, when, on +August 1st, a band of Chilkat Indians from the coast came down the river +and early in the morning seized upon the post, surprising Mr. Campbell +in bed, and ordered him to take his departure before night. They were +not at all rough with him or his few men, but simply insisted that they +depart, which they did, taking such personal luggage as they could put +into a boat and starting down stream. The Indians then pillaged the +place, and after feasting on all they could eat and appropriating what +they could carry away, set fire to the remainder and burned the whole +place to the ground. One chimney still stands to mark the spot, and +others lie where they fell. This act was not dictated by wanton +destructiveness on the part of the Chilkats--bad as they undoubtedly +were and are; but was in pursuance of a theory. The establishment of +the post there interfered with the monopoly of trade that they had +enjoyed theretofore, with all the Indians of the interior, to whom they +brought salable goods from the coast, taking in exchange furs, copper, +etc., at an exorbitant profit, which they enforced by their superior +brutality. The Hudson Bay Company was robbing them of this, hence the +demolition of the post, which was too remote to be profitably sustained +against such opposition. + +A little way down the river, Mr. Campbell met a fleet of boats bringing +up his season's goods, and many friendly Indians. These were eager to +pursue the robbers, but Campbell thought it best not to do so. He turned +the supply-boats back to Fort Yukon and led his own men up the Pelly and +over the pass to the Frances and so down the Liard to Fort Simpson, on +the Mackenzie. Such is the story of the ruins of Fort Selkirk. Fort +Yukon flourished as the only trading post until the purchase of Alaska +by the United States, when Captain Raymond, an army officer, was sent to +inform the factor there that his post was on United States territory, +and require him to leave. He did so as soon as Rampart House could be +built to take its place up the Porcupine. Old Fort Yukon then fell into +ruins, and Rampart House itself was soon abandoned. In 1873 an +opposition appeared in the independent trading house of Harper & +McQuestion, men who had come into the country from the south, after long +experience in the fur trade. They had posts at various points, occupied +Fort Reliance for several years, and in 1886 established a post at the +mouth of the Stewart River for the miners who had begun to gather there +two years before. Many maps mark "Reed's House" as a point on the upper +Stewart, but no such a trading-post ever existed there, although there +was a fishing station and shelter-hut on one of its upper branches at an +early day. This firm became the representatives of the Alaska Commercial +Company (a San Francisco corporation) and opened a store in 1887 at +Forty Mile, where they still do business. + +Gold Discoveries.--The presence of fine float gold in river sands was +early discovered by the Hudson Bay Company men, but in accordance with +the former policy of that company, no mining was done and as little said +about it as possible. The richness of the Cassiar mines led to some +prospecting northward as early as 1872, and by 1880 wandering gold +hunters had penetrated to the Testintos, where for several years $8 to +$10 a day of fine gold was sluiced out during the season by the small +colony. In 1886 Cassiar Bar, on the Lewes, below there, was opened, and +a party of four took out $6,000 in 30 days, while other neighboring +bars yielded fair wages. By that time Stewart River was becoming +attractive, and many miners worked placers there profitably in 1885, '86 +and '87. During the fall of 1886 three or four men took the engines out +of the little steamboat "New Racket," which was laid up for the winter +there, and used them to drive a set of pumps lifting water into +sluice-boxes; and with this crude machinery each man cleared $1,000 in +less than a month. A judicious estimate is, that the Stewart River +placers yielded $100,000 in 1885 and '86. + +[Illustration: HARBOR OF SITKA.] + +Prospecting went on unremittingly, but nothing else was found of promise +until 1886, when coarse gold was reported upon Forty Mile Creek, or the +Shitando River, as it was known to the Indians, and a local rush took +place to its cañons, the principal attraction being Franklin Gulch, +named after its discoverer. Three or four hundred men gathered there by +the season of 1887, and all did well. This stream is a "bed-rock" +creek,--that is, one in the bed of which there is very little drift; and +in many places the bed-rock was scraped with knives to get the little +loose stuff out of crannies. Some nuggets were found. At its mouth are +extensive bars along the Yukon, which carry gold throughout their depth. +During 1888 the season was very unfavorable and not much +accomplished. Sixty Mile Creek was brought to notice, and Miller Gulch +proved richer than usual. It is one of the headwaters of Sixty Mile, and +some 70 miles from the mouth of the river where, in 1892, a trading +store, saw-mill and little wintering-town was begun. Miller Creek is +about 7 miles long, and its valley is filled with vast deposits of +auriferous drift. In 1892 rich strikes were made and 125 miners gathered +there, paying $10 a day for help, and many making fortunes. One clean-up +of 1,100 ounces was reported. Glacier Creek, a neighboring stream, +exhibited equal chances and drew many claimants, some of whom migrated +thither in mid-winter, drawing their sleds through the woods and rocks +with the mercury 30 degrees below zero. All of these gulches and other +golden headwaters on both Forty Mile and Sixty Mile Creek, are west of +the boundary in Alaska; but the mouths of the main streams and supply +points are in Canadian territory. In all, the great obstacle is the +difficulty of getting water up on the bars without expensive machinery; +and the same is true of the rich gravel along the banks of the Yukon +itself. Birch Creek was the next find of importance, and was promising +enough to draw the larger part of the local population, which by this +time had been considerably increased, for the news of the richness of +the Forty Mile gulches had reached the outside world and attracted +adventurous men and not a few women from the coast not only, but from +British Columbia and the United States. A rival to Harper & McQuestion, +agents of the Alaska Commercial Company, appeared in the North American +Transportation and Trading Company, which increased the transportation +service on the Yukon River, by which most of the new arrivals entered, +and by establishing large competitive stores at Fort Cudahy (Forty Mile) +and elsewhere reduced the price of food and other necessaries. About +this time, also, the Canadian government sent law officers and a +detachment of mounted police, so that the Yukon District began to take a +recognized place in the world. + +Birch Creek is really a large river rising in the Iauana Hills, just +west of the boundary and flowing northwest, parallel with the Yukon, to +a debouchment some 20 miles west of Fort Yukon. Between the two rivers +lie the "Yukon Flats," and at one point they are separated by only six +miles. Here, at the Yukon end of the road arose Circle City, so-called +from its proximity to the Arctic Circle. This is an orderly little town +of regular streets, and has a recorder of claims, a store, etc. + +Birch Creek has been thoroughly explored, and in 1894 yielded good +results. The gold was in coarse flakes and nuggets, so that $40 a day +was made by some men, while all did well. The drift is not as deep here +as in most other streams, and water can be applied more easily and +copiously,--a vast advantage. Molymute, Crooked, Independence, Mastadon +and Preacher creeks are the most noteworthy tributaries of this rich +field. + +The Koyukuk River, which flows from the borders of the Arctic Ocean, +gathering many mountain tributaries, to enter the Yukon at Nulato, was +also prospected in 1892, '93 and '94, and indications of good placers +have been discovered there, but the northerly, exposed and remote +situation has caused them to receive little attention thus far. + + + + +THE KLONDIKE. + + +During the autumn of 1896 several men and women, none of whom were "old +miners," discouraged by poor results lower down the river resolved to +try prospecting in the Klondike gulch. They were laughed at and argued +with; were told that prospectors years ago had been all over that +valley, and found only the despised "flour gold," which was too fine to +pay for washing it out. Nevertheless they persisted and went at work. +Only a short time elapsed, when, on one of the lower southside branches +of the stream they found pockets of flakes and nuggets of gold far +richer than anything Alaska had ever shown before. They named the stream +Bonanza, and a small tributary El Dorado. Others came and nearly +everyone succeeded. Before spring nearly a ton and a half of gold had +been taken from the frozen ground. Nuggets weighing a pound (troy) were +found. A thousand dollars a day was sometimes saved despite the rudeness +of the methods, but these things happened where pockets were struck. +Probably the total clean-up from January to June was not less than +$1,500,000. The report spread and all those in the interior of Alaska +concentrated there, where a "camp" of tents and shanties soon sprang up +at the mouth of the Klondike called Dawson City. A correspondent of the +New York Sun describes it as beautifully situated, and a very quiet, +orderly town, due to the strict supervision of the Canadian mounted +police, who allowed no pistols to be carried, but a great place for +gambling with high stakes. It bids fair to become the mining metropolis +of the northwest, and had about 3,000 inhabitants before the +advance-guard of the present "rush" reached there. + +[Illustration: FIVE FINGER RAPIDS, YUKON RIVER.] + +Hundreds of claims were staked out and worked in all the little gulches +opening along Bonanza, Eldorado, Hunker, Bear and other tributaries of +the Klondike, and of Indian River, a stream thirty miles south of it, +and a greater number seem to be of equal richness with those first +worked. All this is within a radius south and east of 20 miles from +Dawson City, and most of it far nearer. The country is rough, wooded +hills, and the same trouble as to water is met there as elsewhere, yet +riches were obtained by many men in a few weeks without exhausting their +claims. + +So remote and shut in has this region been in the winter that no word of +this leaked out until the river opened and a party of successful miners +came down to the coast and took passage on the steamer Excelsior for +San Francisco. They arrived on July 14, and no one suspected that there +was anything extraordinary in the passenger list or cargo, until a +procession of weather beaten men began a march to the Selby Smelting +works, and there began to open sacks of dust and nuggets, until the heap +made something not seen in San Francisco since the days of '49. The news +flashed over the world, and aroused a fire of interest; and when three +days later the Portland came into Seattle, bringing other miners and +over $1,000,000 in gold, there was a rush to go north which bids fair to +continue for months to come, for one of the articles of faith in the +creed of the Yukon miner is that many other gulches will be found as +rich as these. One elderly man, who went in late last fall and with +partners took four claims on Eldorado Creek, told a reporter that his +pickings had amounted to $112,000, and that he was confident that the +ground left was worth $2,000,000 more. "I want to say," he exclaims, +"that I believe there is gold in every creek in Alaska. Certain on the +Klondike the claims are not spotted. One seems to be as good as another. +It's gold, gold, gold, all over. It's yards wide and deep. All you have +to do is to run a hole down." + +One might go on quoting such rhapsodies, arising from success, to end +of the book, but it is needless, for every newspaper has been full of +them for a month. + +One man and his wife got $135,000; another, formerly a steamboat +deck-hand, $150,000; another, $115,000; a score or more over $50,000, +and so on. These sums were savings after having the heavy expenses of +the winter, and most of them had dug out only a small part of their +ground. + +It is curious in view of this success to read the only descriptive note +the present writer can discover in early writings as to this gold river. +It occurs in Ogilvie's report of his explorations of 1887, and is as +follows: "Six and a half miles above Reliance the Tou-Dac River of the +Indians (Deer River of Schwatka) enter from the east. It is a small +river about 40 yards wide at the mouth and shallow; the water is clear +and transparent and of a beautiful blue color. The Indians catch great +numbers of salmon here. A miner had prospected up this river for an +estimated distance of 40 miles in the season of 1887. I did not see +him." + + + + +THE METHODS OF PLACER MINING + + +in the Klondike region and elsewhere along the Yukon are different from +those pursued elsewhere, owing to the fact that from a point about three +feet below the surface the ground is permanently frozen. The early men +tried to strip off the gravel down to the gold lying in its lower levels +or beneath it, upon the bed rock, and found it exceedingly slow and +laborious work; moreover, it was only during the short summer that any +work could be done. Now, by the aid of fires they sink shafts and then +tunnel along the bed rock where the gold lies. A returned miner +described the process as follows, pointing out the great advantage of +being able to work under ground during the winter: + +[Illustration: PLACER MINE, CLAIM No. 3, ON MILLER CREEK.] + +"The miners build fires over the area where they wish to work and keep +these lighted over that territory for the space of twenty-four hours. +Then the gravel will be melted and softened to a depth of perhaps six +inches. This is then taken off and other fires are built until the gold +bearing layer is reached. When the shaft is down that far other fires +are built at the bottom, against the sides of the layer and tunnels made +in the same manner. Blasting will do no good, the charge not cracking +off but blowing out of the hole. The matter taken out, and containing +the gold is piled up until spring, when the torrents come down, and is +panned and cradled by these. It is certainly very hard labor." + +Another quotation may be given as a practical example of this process: + +"The gold so far as has been taken from Bonanza and Eldorado, both well +named, for the richness of the placers are truly marvelous. Eldorado, +thirty miles long, is staked the whole length and as far as worked has +paid. + +"One of our passengers, who is taking home $100,000 with him, has worked +one hundred feet of his ground and refused $200,000 for the remainder, +and confidently expects to clean up $400,000 and more. He has in a +bottle $212 from one pan of dirt. His pay dirt while being washed +averaged $250 an hour to each man shoveling in. Two others of our miners +who worked their own claim cleaned up $6,000 from one day's washing. + +"There is about fifteen feet of dirt above bed rock, the pay streak +averaging from four to six feet, which is tunnelled out while the ground +is frozen. Of course, the ground taken out is thawed by building fires, +and when the thaw comes and water rushes in they set their sluices and +wash the dirt. Two of our fellows thought a small bird in the hand +worth a large one in the bush, and sold their claims for $45,000, +getting $4,500 down, and the remainder to be paid in monthly +installments of $10,000 each. The purchasers had no more than $5,000 +paid. They were twenty days thawing and getting out dirt. Then there was +no water to sluice with, but one fellow made a rocker, and in ten days +took out the $10,000 for the first installment. So, tunnelling and +rocking, they took out $40,000 before there was water to sluice with." + + + + +LEGAL ASPECT OF ALASKA. + + +Commissioner Hermann, of the General Land Office, has announced that the +following laws of the United States extend over Alaska, where the +general land laws do not apply: + +First--The mineral land laws of the United States. + +Second--Town-site laws, which provide for the incorporation of +town-sites and acquirement of title thereto from the United States +Government by the town-site trustees. + +Third--The laws providing for trade and manufactures, giving each +qualified person 160 acres of land in a square and compact form. + +The coal land regulations are distinct from the mineral regulations or +laws, and as in the case of the general land laws Alaska is expressly +exempt from this jurisdiction. + +On the part of Canada, however, the provisions of the Real Property act +of the Northwest Territories will be extended to the Yukon country by an +order in council, a register will be appointed, and a land title office +will be established. + +The act approved May 17, 1884, providing a civil government for Alaska, +has this language as to mines and mining privileges: + +"The laws of the United States relating to mining claims and rights +incidental thereto shall, on and after the passage of this act, be in +full force and effect in said district of Alaska, subject to such +regulations as may be made by the Secretary of the Interior and approved +by the President," and "parties who have located mines or mining +privileges therein, under the United States laws applicable to the +public domain, or have occupied or improved or exercised acts of +ownership over such claims, shall not be disturbed therein, but shall be +allowed to perfect title by payment so provided for." + +There is still more general authority. Without the special authority, +the act of July 4, 1866, says: "All valuable mineral deposits in lands +belonging to the United States, both surveyed and unsurveyed, are hereby +declared to be free and open to exploration and purchase, and lands in +which these are found to occupation and purchase by citizens of the +United States and by those who have declared an intention to become +such, under the rules prescribed by law and according to local customs +or rules of miners in the several mining districts, so far as the same +are applicable and not inconsistent with the laws of the United States." + +The patenting of mineral lands in Alaska is not a new thing, for that +work has been going on, as the cases have come in from time to time, +since 1884. + +[Illustration: THE POINT AND BEACH AT METLAKAHTLA.] + +One of the difficulties that local capitalists find in their +negotiations for purchase of mining properties on the Yukon is the lack +of authenticated records of owners of claims. Different practices +prevail on the two sides of the line and cause more or less confusion. +The practice has been at most of the new camps to call a miners' meeting +at which one of the parties was elected recorder, and he proceeded to +enter the bearings of stakes and natural marks to define claims. +Sometimes the recorder would give a receipt for a fee allowed by +common consent for recording, and also keep a copy for future reference, +but in a majority of cases even this formality was dispensed with, and +the only record kept was the rough minutes made at the time. + +On the Canadian side a different state of affairs exists. The Dominion +Government has sent a commissioner who is empowered to report officially +all claims, and while no certificate is issued to the owners thereof, +properties are thoroughly defined and their metes and bounds +established. The commissioner in the Klondike district, whose name is +Constantine, also exercises semi-judicial functions, and settles +disputes to the best of his ability, appeal lying to the Ottawa +Government. + +As to courts and the execution of civil and criminal law generally, none +were existent in the upper Yukon Valley on the American side of the line +during 1897. The nearest United States judge was at Sitka. At Circle +City and other centers of population the people had organized into a +sort of town-meeting for the few public matters required; and a sort of +vigilance committee took the place of constituted authority and police. +As a matter of fact, however, the people were quiet and law-abiding and +little need for the machinery of law is likely to arise before courts, +etc., are set up. A movement toward sending a garrison of United States +troops thither was vetoed by the War Department. + +Canada, however, awoke to the realization that her interests were in +jeopardy, and took early steps to profit by the wealth which had been +discovered within her borders and the international business that +resulted. The natural feeling among the Canadians was, and is, that the +property belongs to the Canadian public, and that no good reason exists +why the mineral and other wealth should be exhausted at once, mainly by +outsiders, as has largely happened in the case of Canada's forests. A +prohibitory policy was urged by some, but this seemed neither wise nor +practicable; and the Dominion Government set at work to save as large a +share as it could. As there are gold fields on the Alaska side of the +line, and the approaches lie through United States territory, a spirit +of reciprocal accommodation was necessary. One difficulty has been +averted last spring by President Cleveland's veto of the Immigration +bill, one provision of which would have prevented Canadian laborers +drawing wages in this country, and probably would have provoked a +retaliatory act. + +Canada has already placed customs officers on the passes and at the +Yukon crossing of the boundary to collect customs duties not only on +merchandise but on miner's personal outfits. There is practically no +exception, and the duty comes below 20 per cent. on but few articles. On +most of the goods the duty is from 30 to 35 per cent., and in several +instances higher, but the matter may be very simply adjusted by +purchasing tools and outfits in Victoria or Vancouver, for thus far the +United States has placed no corresponding obstruction in the way of +Canadian travellers to the gold-fields, but, on the contrary, has made +Dyea a sub-port of entry, largely to accommodate British transportation +lines. The Canadian Government is represented in that region now only by +customs officers and 20 mounted police, but it is taking steps to +garrison the whole upper Yukon Valley with its mounted police,--a body +of officers, whose functions are half military, half civil, and which, +it may as well be conceded once for all, cannot be trifled with. There +is no question but that they will do their level best to enforce the +laws to the utmost. The commander of each detachment will be constituted +a magistrate of limited powers, so that civil examinations and trials +may be speedily conducted. + +The plan is to erect a strong post a short distance north of the +sixtieth degree of latitude, just above the northern boundary of British +Columbia, and beyond the head of the Lynn Canal, where the Chilkoot +Pass and the White Pass converge. This post will command the southern +entrance to the whole of that territory. Further on small police posts +will be established, about fifty miles apart, down to Fort Selkirk, +while another general post will patrol the river near the international +boundary, with headquarters, probably, in the Klondike valley. + +The mining regulations of Canada, applying to the Yukon placer claims, +are as follows: + +"Bar diggings" shall mean any part of a river over which water extends +when the water is in its flooded state and which is not covered at low +water. "Mines on benches" shall be known as bench diggings, and shall +for the purpose of defining the size of such claims be excepted from dry +diggings. "Dry diggings" shall mean any mine over which a river never +extends. "Miner" shall mean a male or female over the age of eighteen, +but not under that age. "Claims" shall mean the personal right of +property in a placer mine or diggings during the time for which the +grant of such mine or diggings is made. "Legal post" shall mean a stake +standing not less than four feet above the ground and squared on four +sides for at least one foot from the top. "Close season" shall mean the +period of the year during which placer mining is generally suspended. +The period to be fixed by the gold commissioner in whose district the +claim is situated. "Locality" shall mean the territory along a river +(tributary of the Yukon) and its affluents. "Mineral" shall include all +minerals whatsoever other than coal. + +[Illustration: FORT WRANGELL.] + +1. Bar diggings. A strip of land 100 feet wide at highwater mark and +thence extending along the river to its lowest water level. + +2. The sides of a claim for bar diggings shall be two parallel lines run +as nearly as possible at right angles to the stream, and shall be marked +by four legal posts, one at each end of the claim at or about high water +mark; also one at each end of the claim at or about the edge of the +water. One of the posts shall be legibly marked with the name of the +miner and the date upon which the claim is staked. + +3. Dry diggings shall be 100 feet square and shall have placed at each +of its four corners a legal post, upon one of which shall be legibly +marked the name of the miner and the date upon the claim was staked. + +4. Creek and river claims shall be 500 feet long, measured in the +direction of the mineral course of the stream, and shall extend in width +from base to base of the hill or bench on each side, but when the hills +or benches are less than 100 feet apart the claim may be 100 feet in +depth. The sides of a claim shall be two parallel lines run as nearly +as possible at right angles to the stream. The sides shall be marked +with legal posts at or about the edge of the water and at the rear +boundary of the claim. One of the legal posts at the stream shall be +legibly marked with the name of the miner and the date upon which the +claim was staked. + +5. Bench claims shall be 100 feet square. + +6. In defining the size of claims they shall be measured horizontally, +irrespective of inequalities on the surface of the ground. + +7. If any person or persons shall discover a new mine and such discovery +shall be established to the satisfaction of the gold commissioner, a +claim for the bar diggings 750 feet in length may be granted. A new +stratum of auriferous earth or gravel situated in a locality where the +claims are abandoned shall for this purpose be deemed a new mine, +although the same locality shall have previously been worked at a +different level. + +8. The forms of application for a grant for placer mining and the grant +of the same shall be according to those made, provided or supplied by +the gold commissioner. + +9. A claim shall be recorded with the gold commissioner in whose +district it is situated within three days after the location thereof if +it is located within ten miles of the commissioner's office. One day +extra shall be allowed for making such record for every additional ten +miles and fraction thereof. + +10. In the event of the absence of the gold commissioner from his office +for entry a claim may be granted by any person whom he may appoint to +perform his duties in his absence. + +11. Entry shall not be granted for a claim which has not been staked by +the applicant in person in the manner specified in these resolutions. An +affidavit that the claim was staked out by the applicant shall be +embodied in the application. + +12. An entry fee of $15 shall be charged the first year and an annual +fee of $100 for each of the following years. + +13. After recording a claim the removal of any post by the holder +thereof or any person acting in his behalf for the purpose of changing +the boundaries of his claim shall act as a forfeiture of the claim. + +14. The entry of every holder for a grant for placer mining must be +renewed and his receipt relinquished and replaced every year, the entry +fee being paid each year. + +15. No miner shall receive a grant for more than one mining claim in the +same locality; but the same miner may hold any number of claims by +purchase, and any number of miners may unite to work their claims in +common upon such terms as they may arrange, provided such agreement be +registered with the Gold Commissioner and a fee of $15 for each +registration. + +16. And miner may sell, mortgage, or dispose of his claims, provided +such disposal be registered with and a fee of $5 paid to the Gold +Commissioner. + +17. Every miner shall, during the continuance of his grant, have the +exclusive right of entry upon his own claim for the miner-like working +thereof, and the construction of a residence thereon, and shall be +entitled exclusively to all the proceeds realized therefrom; but he +shall have no surface rights therein, and the Gold Commissioner may +grant to the holders of adjacent claims such rights of entry thereon as +may be absolutely necessary for the working of their claims, upon such +terms as may to him seem reasonable. He may also grant permits to miners +to cut timber thereon for their own use, upon payment of the dues +prescribed by the regulation in that behalf. + +18. Every miner shall be entitled to the use of so much of the water +naturally flowing through or past his claim, and not already lawfully +appropriated as shall in the opinion of the Gold Commissioner be +necessary for the due working thereof, and shall be entitled to drain +his own claim free of charge. + +[Illustration: CHILKOOT PASS.] + +19. A claim shall be deemed to be abandoned and open to occupation and +entry by any person when the same shall have remained unworked on +working days by the guarantee thereof or by some person in his behalf +for the space of seventy-two hours unless sickness or some other +reasonable cause may be shown to the satisfaction of the Gold +Commissioner, or unless the guarantee is absent on leave given by the +commissioner, and the Gold Commissioner, upon obtaining satisfactory +evidence that this provision is not being complied with, may cancel the +entry given in the claim. + +20. If the land upon which a claim has been located is not the property +of the Crown it will be necessary for the person who applies for entry +to furnish proof that he has acquired from the owner of the land the +surface right before entry can be granted. + +21. If the occupier of the lands has not received a patent thereof the +purchase money of the surface rights must be paid to the Crown and a +patent of the surface rights will issue to the party who acquired the +mining rights. The money so collected will either be refunded to the +occupier of the land when he is entitled to a patent there or will be +credited to him on account of payment of land. + +22. When the party obtaining the mining rights cannot make an +arrangement with the owner thereof for the acquisition of the surface +rights it shall be lawful for him to give notice to the owner or his +agents or the occupier to appoint an arbitrator to act with another +arbitrator named by him in order to award the amount of compensation to +which the owner or occupier shall be entitled. + +The royalty and reserve additions to this, made since the recent +discoveries and on account of them, are as follows: + +1. A royalty of 10 per cent will be collected for the government on all +amounts taken out of any one claim up to $500 a week, and after that 20 +per cent. This royalty will be collected on gold taken from streams +already being worked, but in regard to all future discoveries the +government proposes + +2. That upon every river and creek where mining locations shall be +staked out every alternate claim shall be the property of the +government. + +These regulations, say the Canadians, are made with the purpose of +developing a country, which, as elsewhere shown in this pamphlet, is +capable of supporting a large permanent population and varied +industries. Whether they can be enforced remains to be seen, and +difficulties will certainly attend the collection of a royalty on +gold-dust. The effect of these regulations, it is believed by the +authors, will be to encourage permanent settlement and the treatment of +mining as a regular industry and not simply as an adventurous +speculation. Another effect, undoubtedly, will be to cause immigrants, +including Canadians themselves, to prospect and mine on the United +States side of the line, whenever they have an equal opportunity for +success. + +The boundary dispute does not as yet seriously affect the question or +rights and privileges in the new gold regions, as the disputed part of +the line, southeast of Alaska, runs through a region not yet occupied, +and practically the whole of Lynn Canal is administered by the United +States, and the Canadians act as though it were decided that their +boundary was farther inland than some of them pretend. From Mt. St. +Elias north, the 141st meridian is the undisputed boundary, and this has +been fixed by an international commission, crossing the Yukon at a +marked point near the mouth of Forty Mile Creek. Nearly or quite all of +the diggings upon which are written Alaskan territory, as also are the +valuable placers on Birch and Miller creeks. It will be a matter of +extreme difficulty along this part of the boundary to prevent smuggling, +to discover and collect Canadian royalties, and to capture criminals +except by international coöperation. + + + + +CLIMATE, AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH. + + +The Weather Bureau has made public a statement in regard to the climate +of Alaska, which says: "The climates of the coast and the interior of +Alaska are unlike in many respects, and the differences are intensified +in this as perhaps in few other countries by exceptional physical +conditions. The fringe of islands that separates the mainland from the +Pacific Ocean from Dixon Sound north, and also a strip of the mainland +for possibly twenty miles back from the sea, following the sweep of the +coast as it curves to the northwestward to the western extremity of +Alaska form a distinct climatic division which may be termed temperate +Alaska. The temperature rarely falls to zero; winter does not set in +until Dec. 1, and by the last of May the snow has disappeared except on +the mountains. + +"The mean winter temperature of Sitka is 32.5, but little less than that +of Washington, D. C. The rainfall of temperate Alaska is notorious the +world over, not only as regards the quantity, but also as to the manner +of its falling, viz.: in long and incessant rains and drizzles. Cloud +and fog naturally abound, there being on an average but sixty-six clear +days in the year. + +[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF SILVER BOW BASIN, NEAR JUNEAU.] + +"North of the Aleutian Islands the coast climate becomes more rigorous +in winter, but in summer the difference is much less marked. + +"The climate of the interior is one of extreme rigor in winter, with a +brief but relatively hot summer, especially when the sky is free from +cloud. + +"In the Klondike region in midwinter the sun rises from 9:30 to 10 a. +m., and sets from 2 to 3 p. m., the total length of daylight being about +four hours. Remembering that the sun rises but a few degrees above the +horizon and that it is wholly obscured on a great many days, the +character of the winter months may easily be imagined. + +"We are indebted to the United States coast and geodetic survey for a +series of six months' observations on the Yukon, not far from the site +of the present gold discoveries. The observations were made with +standard instruments, and are wholly reliable. The mean temperatures of +the months October, 1889, to April, 1890, both inclusive, are as +follows: October, 33 degrees; November, 8 degrees; December, 11 degrees, +below zero; January, 17 below zero; February, 15 below zero; March, 6 +above; April 20 above. The daily mean temperature fell and remained +below the freezing point (32 degrees) from Nov. 4, 1889, to April 21, +1890, thus giving 168 days as the length of the closed season of +1889-'90, assuming that outdoor operations are controlled by +temperature only. The lowest temperatures registered during the winter +were: Thirty-two degrees below zero in November, 47 below in December, +59 below in January, 55 below in February, 45 below in March, and 26 +below in April. + +"The greatest continuous cold occurred in February, 1890, when the daily +mean for five consecutive days was 47 degrees below zero. + +"Greater cold than that here noted has been experienced in the United +States for a very short time, but never has it continued so very cold +for so long a time as in the interior of Alaska. The winter sets in as +early as September, when snow-storms may be expected in the mountains +and passes. Headway during one of those storms is impossible, and the +traveler who is overtaken by one of them is indeed fortunate if he +escapes with his life. Snowstorms of great severity may occur in any +month from September to May, inclusive. + +"The changes of temperature from winter to summer are rapid, owing to +the great increase in the length of the day. In May the sun rises at +about 3 a. m. and sets about 9 p. m. In June it rises about half past 1 +in the morning, and sets at about half past 10, giving about twenty +hours of daylight and diffuse twilight the remainder of the time. + +"The mean summer temperature in the interior doubtless ranges between 60 +and 70 degrees, according to elevation, being highest in the middle and +lower Yukon valleys." + +Accurate data of the temperature in the Klondike district were kept at +Fort Constantine last year. The temperature first touched zero Nov. 10, +and the zero weather recorded in the spring was on April 29. + +Between Dec. 19 and Feb. 6 it never rose above zero. The lowest actual +point, 65 below, occurred on Jan. 27, and on twenty-four days during the +winter the temperature was below 50. + +On March 12 it first rose above the freezing point, but no continuous +mild weather occurred until May 4, after which date the temperature +during the balance of the month frequently rose above 60 degrees. + +The Yukon River froze up on Oct. 28 and broke up on May 17. + +The long and severe winter and the frozen moss-covered ground are +serious obstacles to agriculture and stock raising. The former can +change but little with coming seasons, but the latter, by gradually +burning off areas, can be overcome to some extent. On such burned tracts +hardy vegetables have been and may be raised, and the area open to such +use is considerable. Potatoes do well and barley will mature a fair +crop. + +Live stock may be kept by providing an abundance of shelter and feed and +housing them during the winter. In summer an abundance of the finest +grass pasture can be had, and great quantities of natural hay can be cut +in various places. + +Diseases: In spite of all that is heard in the newspapers regarding the +healthfulness of the climate of Alaska and the upper Yukon, the Census +Report of Alaska offers its incontestable statistics to the effect that +the country is not more salubrious, nor its people more healthy than +could be expected in a region of violent climate, where the most +ordinary laws of health remain almost totally ignored. From the +Government Report we quote the following: + +"Those diseases which are most fatal to life in one section of Alaska +seem to be applicable to all others. In the first place, the native +children receive little or no care, and for the first few years of their +lives are more often naked than clothed, at all seasons of the year. +Consumption is the simple and comprehensive title for the disease which +destroys the greater number of the people of Alaska. Aluet, Indian and +Eskimo suffer from it alike; and all alike exhibit the same stolid +indifference to its slow and fatal progress, make no attempt to ward +it off, take no special precautions even when the disease reaches its +climax. + +[Illustration: MUIR GLACIER (MIDDLE PORTION).] + +Next to consumption, the scrofulous diseases, in the forms of ulcers, +eat into the vitals and destroy them until the natives have the +appearance of lepers to unaccustomed eyes. As a consequence of their +neglect and the exigencies of the native life, forty or fifty years is +counted among them as comparatively great age, and none are without the +ophthalmic diseases necessarily attendant on existence in smoky +barabaras. Against snow-blindness the Eskimo people use peculiar +goggles, but by far the greater evil, the smoke poisoning of the +opthalmic nerve is neither overcome nor prevented by any of them. All +traders carry medicine chests and do what they can to relieve suffering, +but it requires a great deal of medicine to make an impression on the +native constitution, doses being about four times what would suffice an +Englishman or American. + + + + +OUTFITS, SUPPLIES, ETC. + + +Houses.--Almost every item has been taken into consideration by the +prospectors starting out to face an Alaskan winter except the item of +shelter when they shall have put their boats in winter dock. The result +will be that many hundreds will find themselves in the bleak region with +plenty of money and victuals, but insufficient protection from the cold +weather. From accounts that have come from Alaska and British Columbia, +there are more men there skilled in digging and bookkeeping than in +carpentry, and more picks and shovels than axes and planes. With the +arrival of parties that have lately gone to the headwaters of the Yukon, +there will necessarily be an immense demand for houses, for without them +the miners will freeze. This matter is beginning to receive attention in +San Francisco and Seattle, and preparations are now under way to provide +gold seekers with houses. + +Within a week negotiations have been conducted between parties in San +Francisco and this city for the shipment of entire houses to the gold +regions. The houses will be constructed in sections, so that they may be +carried easily in boats up the Yukon or packed on sleds and carried +through the rough country in baggage trains. A New York firm which +makes a specialty of such houses has received orders for as many as can +be sent there. + +[Illustration: SUPPLY STATION FOR CIRCLE CITY.] + +No tents are used in winter, as they become coated with ice from the +breath of the sleepers and are also apt to take fire. + +Clothing for Men.--A year's supply of winter clothing ought be taken, +especial pains being taken to supply plenty of warm, durable underwear. +Old-timers in the country wear in winter a coat or blouse of dressed +deer skin, with the hair on, coming down to the knees and held by a belt +round the waist. It has a hood which may be thrown back on the shoulders +when not needed. This shirt is trimmed with white deerskin or wolfskin, +while those worn in extreme weather are often lined with fur. Next in +importance to them are the torbassâ or Eskimo boots. These are of +reindeer skin, taken from the legs, where the hair is short, smooth and +stiff. These are sewed together to make the tops of the boots which come +up nearly to the knee, where they are tied. The sole is of sealskin, +turned over at heel and toe and gathered up so as to protect those parts +and then brought up on each side. They are made much larger than the +foot and are worn with a pad of dry grass which, folded to fit the sole, +thickens the boot and forms an additional protection to the foot. A pair +of strings tied about the ankle from either side complete a covering +admirably adapted to the necessities of winter travel. If the newcomer +can get such garments as these he will be well provided against winter +rigors. + +Women going to the mines are advised to take two pairs of extra heavy +all-wool blankets, one small pillow, one fur robe, one warm shawl, one +fur coat, easy fitting; three warm woollen dresses, with comfortable +bodices and shirts knee length, flannel-lined preferable; three pairs of +knickers or bloomers to match the dresses, three suits of heavy all-wool +underwear, three warm flannel night dresses, four pairs of knitted +woollen stockings, one pair of rubber boots, three gingham aprons that +reach from neck to knees, small roll of flannel for insoles, wrapping +the feet and bandages; a sewing kit, such toilet articles as are +absolutely necessary, including some skin unguent to protect the face +from the icy cold, two light blouses or shirt waists for summer wear, +one oilskin blanket to wrap her effects in, to be secured at Juneau or +St. Michael; one fur cape, two pairs of fur gloves, two pairs of surseal +moccasins, two pairs of muclucs--wet weather moccasins. + +[Illustration: VILLAGE OF ST. PAUL.] + +She wears what she pleases en route to Juneau or St. Michael, and when +she makes her start for the diggings she lays aside every civilized +traveling garb, including shoes and stays, until she comes out. +Instead of carrying the fur robe, fur coat and rubber boots along, she +can get them on entering Alaska, but the experienced ones say, take them +along. Leggings and shoes are not so safe nor desirable as the +moccasins. A trunk is not the thing to transport baggage in. It is much +better in a pack, with the oilskin cover well tied on. The things to add +that are useful, but not absolutely necessary, are chocolate, coffee and +the smaller light luxuries. + +Beds are made on a platform raised a few feet from the floor, and about +seven feet wide. Often consists of a reindeer skin with the hair on and +one end sewn up so as to make a sort of bag to put the feet in. A pillow +of wild goose feathers, and a pair of blankets. Sheets, which have been +unknown heretofore, may become essential, but such a conventionality as +a counterpane would better be left behind. + +Provisions.--There was a report that Canadian mounted police would guard +the passes during the latter part of the summer of 1897 and refuse +admission to anyone who did not bring a year's provisions with him. This +has been estimated as weighing 1,800 pounds. Whether this is true or +not, it is certain that no one should go into the Yukon country without +taking a large supply of food, and taking it from his starting-point. +Whatever is the most condensed and nutritious is the cheapest, and this +should be collected with great care. There is well-grounded fear that +famine may overtake all the camps there before the opening of navigation +in the spring. Newspapers on August 2nd reported agents of the Alaska +Commercial Company as saying: + +"We shall refuse to take passengers at all in our next steamer. We could +sell every berth at the price we have been asking--$250, as against $120 +last spring--but we shall not sell one. We shall fill up with +provisions, and I have no doubt the Pacific Coast Company will do the +same. We are afraid. Those who are mad to get to the diggings will +probably be able to get transportation by chartering tramp steamers, and +there is a serious risk that there will not be food enough for them at +Juneau or on the Yukon. After the season closes it will be next to +impossible to get supplies into the Yukon country, and a large +proportion of the gold seekers may starve to death. That would be an +ominous beginning for the new camp. Alaska is not like California or +Australia or South Africa. It produces nothing. When the supplies from +outside are exhausted, famine must follow--to what degree no one can +tell." + +[Illustration: PANORAMIC VIEW OF JUNEAU.] + +It was further understood at this date that there are 2,000 tons of food +at St. Michael, and the Alaska Company has three large and three +small steamers to carry it up river. It is hard to ascertain how much +there is at Juneau; it is vaguely stated that there are 5,000 tons. At a +pinch steamers might work their way for several months to come through +the ice to that port from Seattle, which is only three days distant. But +it may be nip and tuck if there is any rush of gold seekers from the +East. + +Alaskan Mails.--Between Seattle and Sitka the mail steamers ply +regularly. On the City of Topeka there has been established a regular +sea post-office service. W. R. Curtis is the clerk in charge. Between +Sitka and Juneau there is a closed pouch steamboat service. Seattle +makes up closed pouches for Douglas, Fort Wrangel, Juneau, Killisnoo, +Ketchikan, Mary Island, Sitka, and Metlakatlah. Connecting at Sitka is +other sea service between that point and Unalaska, 1,400 miles to the +west. This service consists of one trip a month between Sitka and +Unalaska from April to October and leaves Sitka immediately upon arrival +of the mails from Seattle. Captain J. E. Hanson is acting clerk. From +Unalaska the mails are dispatched to St. Michael and thence to points on +the Yukon. + +The Postoffice department has perfected not only a summer but a winter +star route service between Juneau and Circle City. The route is overland +and by boats and rafts over the lakes and down the Yukon, and is 900 +miles long. A Chicago man named Beddoe carries the summer mail, making +five trips between June and November, and is paid $500 a trip. Two +Juneau men, Frank Corwin and Albert Hayes, operate the winter service +and draw for each round trip $1,700 in gold. About 1,200 letters are +carried on each trip. The cost of forwarding letters from Circle City to +Dawson City is one dollar for each letter and two for each paper, the +mails being sent over once a month. The Chilkoot Pass is crossed with +the mail by means of Indian carriers. On the previous trips the +carriers, after finishing the pass, built their boats, but they now have +their own to pass the lakes and the Lewes River. + +In the winter transportation is carried on by means of dogsleds, and it +is hoped that under the present contracts there will be no stoppage, no +matter how low the temperature may go. The contractor has reported that +he was sending a boat, in sections, by way of St. Michael, up the Yukon +River, to be used on the waterway of the route, and it is thought much +time will be saved by this, as formerly it was necessary for the +carriers to stop and build boats or rafts to pass the lakes. + +[Illustration: VIEW OF WRANGELL (FROM CHIEF'S HOUSE).] + +Contracts have been made with two steamboat companies for two trips from +Seattle to St. Michael. When the steamers reach St. Michael, the mail +will be transferred to the flat-bottomed boats running up the Yukon as +far as Circle City. It is believed the boats now run further up. + +The contracts for the overland route call for only first-class matter, +whereas the steamers in summer carry everything, up to five tons, each +trip. + +Sledges and Dogs.--The sleds are heavy and shod with bone sawed from the +upper edge of the jaw of the bowright whale. The rest of the sled is of +spruce and will carry from six to eight hundred pounds. The sleds used +in the interior are lighter and differently constructed. They consist of +a narrow box four feet long, the front half being covered or boxed in, +mounted on a floor eight feet long resting on runners. In this box the +passenger sits, wrapped in rabbit skins so that he can hardly move, his +head and shoulders only projecting. In front and behind and on top of +the box is placed all the luggage, covered with canvas and securely +lashed, to withstand all the jolting and possible upsets, and our snow +shoes within easy reach. + +An important item is the dog-whip, terrible to the dog if used by a +skillful hand and terrible to the user if he be a novice; for he is sure +to half strangle himself or to hurt his own face with the business end +of the lash. The whip I measured had a handle nine inches long and lash +thirty feet, and weighed four pounds. The lash was of folded and plaited +seal hide, and for five feet from the handle measured five inches round, +then for fourteen feet it gradually tapered off, ending in a single +thong half an inch thick and eleven feet long. Wonderful the dexterity +with which a driver can pick out a dog and almost a spot on a dog with +this lash. The lash must be trailing at full length behind, when a jerk +and turn of the wrist causes it to fly forward, the thick part first, +and the tapering end continuing the motion till it is at full length in +front, and the lash making the fur fly from the victim. But often it is +made to crack over the heads of the dogs as a warning. + +[Illustration: A TEAM OF DOGS AND DOG SLEDGES.] + +The eleven dogs were harnessed to the front of the sled, each by a +separate thong of seal hide, all of different lengths, fastened to a +light canvas harness. The nearest dog was about fifteen feet from the +sled, and the leader, with bells on her, about fifty feet, the thongs +thus increasing in length by about three feet. When the going is good +the dogs spread out like the fingers of a hand, but when the snow is +deep they fall into each other's tracks in almost single file. As they +continually cross and recross each other, the thongs get gradually +plaited almost up to the rearmost dog, when a halt is called, the +dogs are made to lie down, and the driver carefully disentangles them, +taking care that no dog gets away meanwhile. They are guided by the +voice, using "husky," that is, Eskimo words: "Owk," go to the right; +"arrah," to the left, and "holt," straight on. But often one of the men +must run ahead on snowshoes for the dogs to follow him. + +The dogs are of all colors, somewhat the height of the Newfoundland, but +with shorter legs. The usual number is from five to seven, according to +the load. + +List of prices that have been current in Dawson City during 1897: + + Flour, per 100 lbs. $12.00 to $120.00 + Moose ham, per lb. 1.00 to 2.00 + Caribou meat, lb. .65 + Beans, per lb. .10 + Rice, per lb. .25 to .75 + Sugar, per lb. .25 + Bacon, per lb. .40 to .80 + Butter, per roll 1.50 to 2.50 + Eggs, per doz. 1.50 to 3.00 + Better eggs, doz. 2.00 + Salmon, each 1.00 to 1.50 + Potatoes, per lb. .25 + Turnips, per lb. .15 + Tea, per lb. 1.00 to 3.00 + Coffee, per lb. .50 to 2.25 + Dried fruits, per lb. .35 + Canned fruits .50 to 2.25 + Lemons, each .20 to .25 + Oranges, each .50 + Tobacco, per lb. 1.50 to 2.00 + Liquors, per drink .50 + Shovels 2.50 to 18.00 + Picks 5.00 to 7.00 + Coal oil, per gal. 1.00 to 2.50 + Overalls 1.50 + Underwear, per suit 5.00 to 7.50 + Shoes 5.00 to 8.00 + Rubber boots 15.00 to 18.00 + +Based on supply and demand the above quoted prices may vary several +hundred per cent. on some articles at any time. + +Fare to Seattle by way of Northern Pacific, $81.50. + +Fee for Pullman sleeper, $20.50. + +Fee for tourist sleeper, run only west of St. Paul, $55. + +Meals served in dining car for entire trip, $16. + +Meals are served at stations along the route a la carte. + +Distance from New York to Seattle, 3,290 miles. + +Days required to make the journey, about six. + +Fare for steamer from Seattle to Juneau, including cabin and meals, $35. + +Days, Seattle to Juneau, about five. + +Number of miles from Seattle to Juneau, 725. + +Cost of living in Juneau, about $3 per day. + +Distance on Lynn Canal to Healey's Store, steamboat, seventy-five miles. + +Number of days, New York to Healey's Store, twelve. + +Cost of complete outfit for overland journey, about $150. + +Cost of provisions for one year, about $200. + +Cost of dogs, sled and outfit, about $150. + +Steamer leaves Seattle once a week. + +Best time to start is early in the Spring. + +Total cost of trip, New York to Klondike, about $667. + +Number of days required for journey, New York to Klondike, thirty-six to +forty. + +Total distance, New York to the mines at Klondike, 4,650 miles. + + + + +Doane & McDonald + +233-235 Monroe St., Chicago, Ill. + + Leather and + Duck Clothing + Fur Garments and Robes + Prospectors' Clothing + Three-Point Blankets + Exquimaux Suits + Sleeping Bags + +[Illustration: No. 477.] + +[Illustration: No. 21.] + + + + +RAND, MCNALLY & CO.'S + +Large Map of Alaska + +SIZE, 24 × 36 INCHES. + +From United States and Dominion of Canada Official Survey, revised to +July 29, 1897, shows in detail + + +THE GOLD FIELDS OF THE KLONDIKE REGION + +The Routes from + + JUNEAU, YUKON RIVER AND NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA + +Locates and names + + DAWSON + FORT RELIANCE + FORTY MILE CREEK + SIXTY MILE CREEK + FORT SELKIRK + JUNEAU + TELEGRAPH CREEK + TESLIN RIVER + LEWIS RIVER + CHILKOOT PASS + CHILKAT PASS + WHITE PASS + ATLIN LAKE + WRANGELL + TESLIN LAKE + TAMZILLA RIVER + And all other points of importance. + + + SCALE 1:3,600,000, OR 55 MILES TO THE INCH. + + =Price, in pocket form, 50 cents.= Sent to any address in the + United States and Canada prepaid, upon receipt of price. + + + Rand, McNally & Co., Publishers, + + NEW YORK BRANCH: + 61 EAST NINTH STREET. ....CHICAGO. + + + + +For Convenient Reference. + +NEW COLORED MAPS OF EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AN ACCURATE UP-TO-DATE +READY REFERENCE WORK FOR THE USE OF EVERYBODY. + +[Illustration] + + 160 PAGES. SIZE, 12 × 14 INCHES. + +Showing NOTHING BUT MAPS of + + Each State, Territory, and large City in the United + States, Provinces of Canada, the Continents and their + Subdivisions, with Ready-reference Marginal Index. + + Bound in stiff cloth, colored edges. Price, $2.50 + + + + +THE LATEST ACKNOWLEDGED STANDARD MANUAL + +FOR + +Presidents, Secretaries, + +DIRECTORS, CHAIRMEN, PRESIDING OFFICERS, + +And everyone in anyway connected with public life or corporate bodies + +IS + +_Reed's Rules_ + +BY + +THE HON. THOMAS B. REED, + +Speaker of the House of Representatives, + + "I commend the book most highly." + + =WILLIAM McKINLEY,= _President of the United States._ + + + "Reasonable, right, and rigid." + + =J. STERLING MORTON,= + _Ex-Secretary of Agriculture._ + + CLOTH, 75 CENTS, + + LEATHER, $1.25. + + RAND, McNALLY & CO., Publishers, + CHICAGO. + + + + +MARAH ELLIS RYAN'S WORKS. + + +A FLOWER OF FRANCE. + +A STORY OF OLD LOUISIANA. + + The story is well told.--_Herald, New York._ + + A real romance--just the kind of romance one delights + in.--_Times, Boston._ + + Full of stirring incident and picturesque + description.--_Press, Philadelphia._ + + The interest holds the reader until the closing + page.--_Inter-Ocean, Chicago._ + + Told with great fascination and brightness. * * * The + general impression delightful. * * * Many thrilling + scenes.--_Herald, Chicago._ + + A thrilling story of passion and action.--_Commercial, + Memphis._ + + +A PAGAN OF THE ALLEGHANIES. + + A genuine art work.--_Chicago Tribune._ + + A remarkable book, original and dramatic in + conception, and pure and noble in tone.--_Boston + Literary World._ + + REV. DAVID SWING said:--The books of Marah Ellis Ryan + give great pleasure to all the best class of readers. + "A Pagan of the Alleghanies" is one of her best works; + but all she writes is high and pure. Her words are all + true to nature, and, with her, nature is a great + theme. + + ROBERT G. INGERSOLL says:--Your description of scenery + and seasons--of the capture of the mountains by + spring--of tree and fern, of laurel, cloud and mist, + and the woods of the forest, are true, poetic, and + beautiful. To say the least, the pagan saw and + appreciated many of the difficulties and + contradictions that grow out of and belong to creeds. + He saw how hard it is to harmonize what we see and + know with the idea that over all is infinite power and + goodness * * * the divine spark called Genius is in + your brain. + + +SQUAW ÉLOUISE. + + Vigorous, natural, entertaining.--_Boston Times._ + + A notable performance.--_Chicago Tribune._ + + A very strong story, indeed.--_Chicago Times._ + + +TOLD IN THE HILLS. + + A book that is more than clever. It is healthy, brave, + and inspiring.--_St. Louis Post-Dispatch._ + + The character of Stuart is one of the finest which has + been drawn by an American woman in many a day, and it + is depicted with an appreciation hardly to be expected + even from a man.--_Boston Herald._ + + +IN LOVE'S DOMAINS. + + There are imagination and poetical expressions in the + stories, and readers will find them interesting.--_New + York Sun._ + + The longest story, "Galeed," is a strong, nervous + story, covering a wide range, and dealing in a + masterly way with some intricate questions of what + might be termed amatory psychology.--_San Francisco + Chronicle._ + + +MERZE; THE STORY OF AN ACTRESS. + + We can not doubt that the author is one of the best + living orators of her sex. The book will possess a + strong attraction for women.--_Chicago Herald._ + + This is the story of the life of an actress, told in + the graphic style of Mrs. Ryan. It is very + interesting.--_New Orleans Picayune._ + + * * * * * + + FOR SALE BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. + + RAND, McNALLY & CO., Publishers, Chicago and New York + + + + +ESTABLISHED 1840. + + +GEO. B. CARPENTER & CO. + +MANUFACTURERS OF + +Miners' and Camping + +[Illustration] + +TENTS + +[Illustration] + +Sleeping Bags + +Camp Outfits + + =WATER-PROOF CLOTHING,= + =WATER-PROOF DUNNAGE BAGS, Etc.= + +WESTERN AGENTS FOR THE + +Primus Cooking Stove + +=Used Exclusively by NANSEN on his Trip to the Pole.= + + Send 4 cents in stamps for Catalogue, + and mention this Guide. + + =202, 204, 206, 208 South Water Street,= + + =CHICAGO, ILL.= + + + + + Alaska-Klondike + Gold Mining Company + + CAPITAL STOCK ... 500,000 Shares. + Par Value ... $10.00 each. + Full Paid--Non-Assessable. + + * * * * * + + This Company is a + Transportation, + Commercial, and Mining Corporation + +owning large GOLD GRAVEL claims on the Yukon, Klondike, and other rivers +in Alaska, and now have under construction steamers to ply on the Yukon +next season. + + The Board of Directors are a sufficient guarantee that + the affairs of the Company will be well managed. + +_DIRECTORS._ + + =JAMES RICE=, + Late Secretary State of Colorado. + + =WM. SHAW=, + Capitalist, Chicago. + + =E. M. TITCOMB=, Vice-Pres't and Gen'l Manager, + Eastman Fruit Despatch Co. + + =H. C. FASH=, + Member Maritime Exchange, New York. + + =GEO. W. MORGAN=, + Circle City, Alaska. + +A limited amount of Shares are offered at =$10.00 per share=. + +For information, address, + + Alaska-Klondike Gold Mining Co. + 96 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. + + HON. JAMES RICE, PRESIDENT. + W. L. BOYD, SECRETARY. + + + + + HO! FOR THE + Klondike + REGIONS AND THE + Gold Fields + of Alaska + + We make a specialty of outfitting, and can supply you + with everything you eat, wear, or use. We have ... + + =Jumbo Shirts, Underwear and Hosiery + for the Northern Regions,= + + sold by us exclusively, + + =Gum Boots,= =Fur Robes and Blankets,= + =Miners' Boots,= =Canned Food Products,= + =Woolen Shirts,= =Meats,= + =Pants,= =Portable Camp Outfits= + =Overcoats,= (tin and aluminum), + =Arctic Clothing,= =Miners' Tools,= + =Sleeping Bags,= =Guns and Ammunition.= + + In fact, we can supply you with anything and + everything you'll need during your stay in Alaska. + +=Our General Catalogue _and_ Buyers' Guide= + + Tells the prices. Send 15 cents to partly pay postage + or expressage, and we'll send you a copy. It has + nearly 800 pages, over 13,000 illustrations, and more + than 40,000 descriptions of everything you wear or + use. + + MONTGOMERY WARD & Co. + 111 to 120 Michigan Ave., + CHICAGO. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Text uses Shagway, Shkagway and +Skagway once each. + +Page iv, "intensly" changed to "intensely" (is intensely curious) + +Page vi, repeated word "to" removed original read (travelers to to that +far-away) + +Page 49, "guage" changed to "gauge" (for a narrow gauge) + +Page 50, "Lindemann" changed to "Lindeman" (miles below Lake Lindeman) + +Page 52, "oulet" changed to "outlet" (The outlet is a clear) + +Page 73, "reconnoisance" changed to "reconnaissance" (examined until the +reconnaissance) + +Page 75, "Cambell" changed to "Campbell" (1840 Robert Campbell) + +Page 79, "completely" changed to "completed" (completed, when, on +August) + +Page 80, "exhorbitant" changed to "exorbitant" (at an exorbitant profit) + +Page 85, "murcury" changed to "mercury" (rocks with the mercury) + +Page 118, "ACRICULTURE" changed to "AGRICULTURE" (CLIMATE, AGRICULTURE +AND HEALTH) + +Page 123, "accurred" changed to "occurred" (65 below, occurred) + +Page 127, "ophmalmic" changed to "opthalmic" (the opthalmic nerve) + +Page 135, "raindeer" changed to "reindeer" (of a reindeer skin with) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Golden Alaska, by Ernest Ingersoll + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41158 *** |