Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-06-09
now learned from these natives they

considered the latter impossible in the
summer, ind almost SO in the winter,
even when the ice covered the numer.
GUS torrents and snow filled in the
many glacial crevasses that had to be
met in the rough mountain pass. None
Of the Indians here would even think
of discussing such n trip. We had POW
'shown our hands" SO plainly to all
natives Oy these discussions that we
were determined to make Copper river
that they raised all SOFT, of objections
to prevent it. They urged they would
be held responsible by other whites for
our loss. Their Gust Dms as to sucl, re-
sponsibilities arc often at such variance
with our own that their deduc-
tions seem rs absurd to us
as ours probably do to them.
In many other ways too intricate and
drive this idea out of our heads until It
seemed as If the very sword of Sweara-
| cies hung over the expedition. On the
18th and 18th we rcfitted; exchanging
some dogs, and getting two additional
Indian packers. The middle of the.
afternoon of the 18th we got away
| One of the new packers was young
man of rather stupid appearance, whose
father. q grizzicd veteran of the camp,
threw his arm over me, begging me to
look after his boy. and rubbed his
rough chin-beard against mine until
| looked about twice as stupid as his
son. The first four or five miles from
the Ripple river village, southwest,
was across a fiat bottom, where in one
place we passed through fine red
topped grass, oftentimes head high.
That night we campad near small
lake fairly steaming with vapor it was
so warm, evidently with hot springs
emanating from it's bottom.
The 10th carried us overa unusually
high ridge from which the whole country
for miles around could be seen. From
SclkirS on we had seen and occasion
ally felt few thunder showers, but
now we began meeting longer-con-
tinued rains, without electrical exhib-
it's, SO characteristic of the Pacific
|, slope of Alaska which we were rapidly
nearing. That night we all go wet.
: We had no tent with us now, every
possible thing we could abandon hav-
ing been left behind ut Mr. Iarpcr's.
! The 2Cth we made but six miles on &C.
count of the rain, and having secured a
caribou that required an unusual
} amount of strategic hunting b ,fore the
Winchester laid it out Tn. .lst, still
raining. gave MS nineteen miles, how.
ever, as the Indians were anxious to
7 make another native village, which we
, found deserted. but nearly midnight q
couple of boys, wild as harcs, came in
. to tel us their village was few mile.
up the river. This new stream
was an imposing, nnfordablt
river, 80 to 100 yards wide
The contemplated route was to raf
down this river some unknown distance
and then take to packing again Ii
the middle of the afternoon of 2od the
three RATS came in sight and were sooI
alongside with the worst looking syi
van sympOsiums ever saw constructed
!, and called RATS. After enough nego
- tiations to have purchased the Cunar(
line or the Canadian Pacific railway tn,
= RATS were ours; that day and part o
next being employee | in repairing them
u We had frost the night of the 2:d. s3t
Of July. Next day at 2 we got ava,
ON the RATS Il called this the Raj
River). southwest and at came to tn,
p main White coming in from the south
and after an hours ruin landed on TIN
west bank, abandoning the RATS
r Here the White river is about mile il
width and very muddy. When tn
raft was subm .rged only til, cross
ties could be seeh and 1t really SCENE,
as If we were fioating down stream
g without anything under us. Mex
morning great eXcitemcnt reigncd il
camp caused by two caribou chargin
Il through it, folio - shouting me
firing guns and Ee>,.s ana howlin
n dogs that scemcN &c luIntic asylum