, 1890-11-20
INDIAN RENDEZVOUS.
How Races Are Run at
These Meetings.
MINING ON The YUKON RIVER
Adventure With Bear-A Fish
Story From Tacoma Which
Leads All Others.

The Ruby Miner says: Judge
Henry Carr, cashier Of the Lichten-
stadter bank, recently returned
from trip along the frontier and
boundary line. While at Lake
Osooyos he was an eager visitor at
the annual rendezvous of the In
dians of that Section and tells some
interesting details of their pro-
ceedings.
1.-THE occasion was one Of great
eclat," said the Judge, 'sevoral
hundred Indians, with their squaws
and klootches, having assembled,
arrayed In all of their finery and
decked In their gaudiest coors.
Besides the reservation siwashes,
the Tonasl<et and Similikameen
tribes, from British America, were
on hand in full force.
"Strictly speaking 1t was not a
pot-latclI, as that implies giving or
interchange of presents, but the un-
certain issue of the races makes that
designation highlyappropriate. The
race track is the broad bosom of the
earth, each rider choosing his own
ground. The distance run is three
or four miles with turn-back to the
starting point. The riders start
themselves, and 1t Is always very
fair and even, without any jockey
ing or quibbling. If the result Is
close enough to be doubtful the race
is run over.
1.-THE contests are all made up on
the spot between individuals and
follow each other as quickly rs the
terms are arranged. The riders strip
down to their birthday garments
with u breech-clout for ornament
and every muscle free for action.
When within half mile of the
finish the hackers of the
horses took hand. They range
alongside or behind the flying herd
and with whips, sticks, clubs or
anything handy, belabor their re-
spective favorites for all they are
worth. 1t Is great sport. Horse
and rider both catch it,, and If the
excited gambler misses one he gets
the other. Ever lick counts, and
the backer has the satisfaction of
took his money out In pounding.
"Fire-water was plentiful, and the
bucks all wore comfortable jag.
The only trouble was caused by u
couple of whites and was quickly
settled. Chief Moses was present
and made Il speech urging industry,
sobriety and morality. The Simili-
kameen tribe seemed the most pros
porous and intelligent and generally
got away with the stakes"
From w. r. Joslyn, of Victoria, a
reporter of the Seattle Telegraph on
Thursday learned some accurate and
important facts concerning Alaska
mines. Mr.. Joslyn has been as far
north as Stewart and his informa-
ton Is valuable. To show why
miners do not penetrate that coun-
try in great numbers, Mr.. Joslyn
cited an instance of the hardships
sometimes endured'there.
"In the fall of 1887 he says,
"there were 290 miners at Forty
Mile creek. They worked on until
their provisions run short, but a
small steamer was expected up the
river from the supply station of the
Alaska Fur Company at st. Mich
aeps island. The miners pinned
their faith on the arrival of this
little vessel, and they were finally
reduced TO their last pound Of flour.
Just at this time, and long after the
supply boat was due, an Indian
runner reached the camp bearing IA
message from the vessel, which had
been wrecked Off Nukulahuyat, the
Indian trading post, nearly midway
toward the mouth of the Yukon.
1t was near the close of the season,
and the miners, already alarmed,
were rendered desperate.
"They abandoned the camp and
fled down the river for their lives.
1t was frightful expedition, and
eight of the miners perlshed from
starvation and cold before the trad
ing post was gained. At Nuku-
lahuyat they were met with most
dlscouraging state of affairs. Their
supply boat had half sunk, and
when hauled ashore, the flour was q
sticky mass. The miners found
green mold on the flour, and the
bacon was so fiabby that it could
easily be punctured with ones fin
ger. 1t became necessary to dry the
flour and screen 1t, and on such food
as this the miners subsisted for many
day till a new boat brought more
palatable provisions up the river.
"To prove that the region is a
land of wealth, which holds to the
quest the miner who has once set
eyes upon it, let it be said that every
one of those survivors returned TO
Forty-Mile creek last spring to re-
new their placer garnerings
"There are quartz mines as we'll
in the northern part of that coun-
try" continued Mr.. Joslyn, "but
under existing conditions 1t is al
most impossible to get in the
requisite machinery. The new
route will be called White pass. The
river breaks up in May and the min
ing season begins in June and lasts
five months. There Is very little
snow in the country near Stewart,
but 1t is intensely cold there in the
winter months. After October the
thermometer drops down to thirty
five below zero. With an ordinary
pan and without a sluice box man
can easily clear from SIS to $40
day.