The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-10-26
HUNTING FOR GOLD.
Hardships Of Two Prospectors---Daya
with Nothing to Eat.

Hardships Of Two Prospectors---Days
with Nothing to Eat.
The Pacific whaling steamer jean
ME has arrived at Astoria, on the
Columbia river, from Alaska, bring
ing two miners rescued from star
vation at the mouth of the Copper
river, near Prince Williams sound,
writes the Oregon correspondent OF
the st. Louis Globe Democrat. They
are robed in fancy buckskin attire,
trimmed with beads and fringe, such
as is worn by the natives of the in
terror of that country. The story
of their wanderings and their hard
ships reads more like a chapter
from a dime novel than the mere
recital of actual adventures. Their
names are J. G. Davies and John
Maloney. They were three years
in the wilds of Alaska prospecting.
They exhibit about a pint of fine
nuggets and coarse gold, and a
large chunk of copper, assaying IS
per cent, which they recovered from
a remarkable ledge they discovered,
and Which was the cause of all their
wanderings and hardships. Mr..
Davies is of fine physique, possessed
of more than ordinary intelligence,
and fluently relates the thrilling
experience of a life in Alaska, and
the hardships that are endured by
explorers.
In 1885 Lieutenant Allen and
party explored the Copper river
from its mouth to it's extreme head
quarters in search of a copper quartz
ledge that had been discovered by
a tribe of Indians known as the
Maniskies, but failed to locate the
desired place. It was not on the
Copper river, 80 it transpires, but
lies between a point twenty-five
miles southwest from Forty-mile
creek, situated at or near the mouth
of Stewart river, a tributary of the
Yukon, and the extreme headwaters
of the Tananah rivers. also tribu-
tary of the Ukon, which finds it's
outlet in the latter river at Tukluk-
vet. Mr.. Davies and his partner
started from Juneau about six
months ago with an assaying out
fit and provisions valued at $1,000
and endeavored to find their way
to Forty-mile creek, where about
100 miners are located. The dis
tance is about $50 miles and before
they reached their destination sixty
one days had passed away. The
route selected was over the noun
tain from Juneau to Chilkoot pass
and thence by rowboat down lakes
Sinderman, Tohka and Marsh.
Just before reaching Lake LIE
Barge, in what is called Miles can,
yon, the boat upset from the swift
!: ness of the water, and the entire
plant, provisions and men were
thrown into the seething mass Of
, , water and floating ice, where gigan-
. tic walls stood up majestically on
| either side and uttered defiance to
their chance for life. Chilled to the
.. bone from the extreme cold of the
) water, they battled in the tor
i tuous current until the cargo had
| sunk from the boat and it had come
. to the surface, when fortune allowed
them to grapple it. In this condi
,, ton they drifted hours, finally
8 emerging from the canyon ano
l dragging themselves ashore almost
helpless from cold and exertior
without food or dry clothing or
match to kindle a fire. All ex
, pectation of being rescued wal
| abandoned, and they threw them
selves on the lonely beach ant
P waited for death to come. But t.
their great surprise and good for
tune other members of the party
: who were travelling to Forty-mil
t creek via the mountain range, over
: heard their cries of misery am
: saved their lives. They reaches
. Forty-mile creek in about fourteen
}, days, and made their headquarter
h there for about two months.
Still determined to prospect TO
9 the famous quartz ledge that Lieu
! tenant Allen had failed to find, tha
+ two men had left Forty-mile cree
k to prospect for two years ago an
!. have never been heard of since, the
I started with provisions on thel
!. backs and crossed the ice-covere
= Alaska mountains and struck tn
headwaters of the Tananah rive
II They were forty days making tn
7. trip of $50 miles, and suffered III
:. told agony from cold and hunge
Il having been seven days witho'
food.
ID After wandering around they nj
70 an Indian named Nicola, memb'
of the Maniskie tribe, who furnishe
b. them with some fish and meat, an
e. they recuperated sufficiently to r
to sumo their search for the famo1
y lege. They found it, and the o.
- = brought out was the result OF the
le untiring efforts. They started, t
e. gether with the Indian and n
m souaw, to Kokai river-toward Il
e. .rnono;t If the mountains. crosse