West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-04-06
WHAT ISAw IN ALASKA.
IYouth,. Comrnnion I

went to Alaska in 1874. NV uncle,
Mr.. G.. h. Symonds, of San Francisco,
had been appointed post-trader at Nutato
on the Yukon, and accompanied him
thither.
We arrived on the 26th of September,
and found that the winter had already
begun. So far north were we, that for
three weeks in December the sun scarcely
showed itself, and one day the temper
ature went down to 620 below zero.
But when once the long winter had
broken, summer came as if by magic
On the 9th of June the whole country
was one beautiful dark green. The TO-
liage of the trees burst forth at once, and
the earth was quickly covered with a
thick carpet of verdure. The great river
was alive with ducks, and the air was
filled with the song of birds. But with
all this beauty and new life there came
mosquitoes, with innumerable black
flies and midgesl 1t was now uncom-
fortably warm, too, and the days were so
long that the sun did not keep set"
more than an hour or two, making IT a
difficult matter to sleep.
On the 1lth of June / set off from
Nutato for Fort Yukon, Father of the
River Yukon. My boat, called baidar,
was made of hides, and had two sails of
deer-skin. With me were two old
attaches Of the post, named Rathsbon
and Timberlake, and three Indians, of a
tribe known as Birch-bark Folks" We
carried calicoes, flannels, knives, needles,
tObacco,etc. for trading. My uncle him
self remained at Nutato.
The Yukon is one of the largest rivers
in the world. i never realized the fact
till went 10 Alaska. But then found
that the maps failed to give any correct
ideas of a river which appeared to me 10
be larger than the Mississippi.
At.Nutato, seven hundred miles from
its mouth, it is over a mile in breadth,
and for a thousand miles above Nutato
it is from three-fourths of mile to a
mile wide.
The current is so powerful that. our
rowers had to pull strongly TO breast it,
and even then we made slow progress. A
steamer ascending the river would find
clear navigation for near two thousand
miles.
The Indians call the stream Yukon, a
word meaning the river" and some
times Co-Yukon, or " great river" For
the same reason the tribes living along
its banks 60 by the name of Co-Yukons,
or " Great River Folks"
The river was still filed with ice, that
came sweeping down from the Artic
regions. Occasionally field of ice swept
by, on which we're fir trees, standing as
erect as when the current tore away the
frozen bank where they grew. Drift
wood was floating all about
1T required all the skill of the Indian
boatmen to keep the floating logs from
upsetting the baidar. One stood in the
H.. . l. ~ &. N 4
ice, and often, despite his efforts, float
ing tree would foul us and lift the bow
clean out of the water.
now saw the advantage of having a
boat OF hides A wooden boat would
soon have been stove and rendered use
less but our tough, flexible old baidar
bore the knocks without the least injury.
Although the water was ice-cold, the
sun was 80 hot that j actually feared a
sunstroke. Whenever we got near the
bank, we were beset by clouds of mosqui-
toes, flies and midges
The water teemed with fish, some Of
which we're the Oddest fish / ever saw,
and doubt if they were ever named OF
classified.
II any one wants salmon-hshing with
out paying for the privilege of catching
them, rs they do on the Canadian rivers,
let him 20 TO the Yukon Our Indians
could catch n thirty pound salmon any
time. ] could often see them darting
about us when the light struck them
right
During the first days Of our trip, we
found the shores generally low, and
covered with frs and spruces. Occasion
ally We saw smoke rising from the woods
which lined the shores, and sometimes a
lodge stood out in sight. But these were
either old deserted lodges, or such as
were used for only few weeks Of sum.
mer fishing. The winter hunt Of Alaska
rs an altogether different affair.
Summer-like as 1t was, VIC discovered
that winter rs never far of in those arctic
regions AtnOOn on our fourth dav out
my little thermometer indicated 88c
above zero An hour later the weather
changed Dense, cold, misty cloud,
drove in from the north, and before half
past three we we're shivering in our
thickest coats, with the mercury at 89'
above zerOl
Half an hour later thick snOw-storm
rolled down the river. The wind drove
lt sharply in our faces, and 20 thick WA
the cloud that, sitting in the stern, could
we scarcely see Young Bill, the Indiar
tending at the bow.
1t was far from pleasant 70 be aAoat il