Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-24
EXPLORING ALASKA.
Details Of Lieutenant Sehwatka's
~ Journey on q Raft.
Three Thousand Miles Of Peril
Gus Travel in an Unknown
Country.

SAN Francisco, October l2.-No
sooner had Gen. Nelson A. Miles as
sumed command Of the Department Of
the Columbia, in July, 1881, than he
began to look forward to a military
examination and Typographical explo'
ration Of Alaska. Rumors had been
current for years that this section was
rich in mineral wealth, and that its
vast forests we're unequalled. Gen.
Miles, therefore, sought an approprlaN
ton from the last Congress, but the
bin was buried. Despite this obsta'
Gle. last spring Lieutenant Schwatks
was detailed to make an examina,
ton Of the country, commencing, II
possible, at the headwaters OF the
Yukon and following that stream to
its mouth. Schwatka left Vancouver
in May, with Assistant Surgeon Geo.
f. Nilsson, G. A. Holman, topograph.
| ical assistant; four enlisted men and
an interpreter. Arriving at Sitks, he
made bis way across to the country OF
the Chileot Indians, 100 miles dis
tant, where he employed 90 natives to
carry his provisions across the Daba>
dee Tor Kutusk) Mountains. Among
these Indians we're two who proved to
be of great worth during the trip
Billy Dickinson, who was a good Eng,
lish and Chicot interpreter; lndianne,
who was Of great service on the lower
Yukon. Some six thousand five hun
bred pounds we're packed" across
the mountains BY less than sixty-hve
Indians.
HUMAN PACK MULES.
The pass in the mountains was
named after the Secretary OF the
French Geographical Society, NJ.
Perra. "perra Pass is severed with
snow and ice most Of the year, and
when Schwatka's party went through
the trail (if such it could be called
| it was one sheet of snow and ice.
Leaving Chilcot June Z, the party
went through this pass, forty miles in
| length, at slow pace. The whites
report that il was almost impossible to
retain their footing as they wendell
their way around the sides Of the
steep mountains. A mishap would
have sent the unfortunate one some
eight or twelve hundred feet in the
canyons below; but Notwithstanding
that the whites were so cautious, their
Indian allies went along with apparent
ease-boys not yet eighteen years OF
age carrying SIXTY five pounds; adults
| from enc hundred to one hundred and
thirty pounds. The path was Oft,
times 50 narrow that the packs on the
natives backs sOraped the inner edge
Of the mountain side clear Of snow, OF
| left the impression Of the boz as it
scraped along the ice. The Indians
without exception carried their entire
| load BIZ band around the forehead
and never attempted 10 steady the
load or allow its weight to fall upon
the shoulders. The whites say it ex.
celled anything in the packing line
that ever came under their observa
ton.
TIE HEAD WATERS or THE YUKON.
After reaching the opposite side Of
the mountains the attention OF the
party was attracted to q low gurgling
sound IS Of running water. Probing
the snow and ice, they found it to be
water, and what afterWard proved TO
be the head waters Of the Yankton.
Following the meanderings Of the
stream (which was less than 40 yards
wide at that plAce), the party came to
a lake, some seven miles long and
averaging about one mile 10 width.
At this spot most Of the natives were
dismissed and sent back to their
homes, and the remainder Of the party
set about constructing = raft. The
timber Of this place was not the most
tempting for this kind Of naval arehi.
lecture, but a small aud stanch raft
was constructed on which the party
commenced their long and perilOu:
journey. The lake { Lake Lindermann
named after DR.. Lindermann, Of the
Berlin Geographical Society, safely
passed, the river took awell defined
! course for three>fourths Of mile anC
emptied into a much larger and NOR,
beautiful lake, about twenty miles il
length, and averaging about one mil
in width.
BENNETT LAKE AND FLYNN RIVER
This lake was deprived Of its un
/ pronounceable Indian name and pur
down on the chart as Lake Bennett
/ named in honor Of the proprietor O
the Herald. The explorers say il il
one Of the finest lakes they.ever beheld
\ About midway this lake. on the west,
ern side, a river Of more than ordinary
4 pretensions flows into it. There beinl
! no civilized name attached to it, and 4
: being one Of the great tributaries O
a the Yankton, il was put down OF
the chart as Flynn river, il
honor Of a New York journalist. Will,
on Lake Bennett. the raft was driver
, ashore by a high wind. Here more
! desirable timber was found, and !
!. large raft, sixty feet BY eighteen feet
, was built, with three large logs as thu
. basis Of the structure, leDgthWise. II
: this new raft the journey was contin
E ued. Passing out Of the north end o
! Lake Bennett q series Of small lake
D and chutes were encountered for sew
4 eral miles, when suddenly the raj
shot into a lake some forty miles il
length and about ten wide. This wa
, called Lake Marsh, after Professo
Marsh, Of the Smithsonian Institu
ton. The course all this time ha,
been northeasterly, varying, Of course
With the meandefing Of the lakes o
: river. Passing through Lake Mara
| the Yukon again assumed its proper
tons as river for six miles, Ehel
Lake Tahoe was encountered. Thi
,, lake is about thirty miles 10 length
and FIVE 10 width. After leaving hi
lake the river was uninterrupted 70
the navigation Of the raft for fort
miles, when canyon or gorge il III
mountains seemed to forbid the part
from proceeding further.
A DANGEROUS RAPID SAFELY PASSED
: The river narrowed down at In
upper end Of the gorge, and all tba