The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-06-24
PACE sRln UUnEz SAY,

now learned from these natives they
considered the latter impossible in the
summer, and 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 trip. We had now
shown our hands" SO plainly to all
natives Dy these discussions that we
were determined to make Copper river
that they raised all sorts of objections
to prevent 1t. They urged they would
be held responsible by other whites for
our loss. Their customs as to such re-
sponsibilities are often at such variance
with our own that their deduc-
tons seem as absurd to US
as ours probably do to them.
In many other WAYS too intricate and
tedious TO dwell upon they tried to
drive this idea out of our heads until it
seemed as if the very sword of Sweara-
Giles hung over the expedition. On the
18th and 18th we refitted: 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 a young
man of rather stupid appearance, whose
father, grizzled 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 hirh,
That night we camped near a small
lake fairly steaming with vapor it was
SO warm, evidently with hot springs
emanating from its bottom.
The 18th carried US over an unusually
high ridge from which the whole country
for miles around could be seen. From
Selllirk on we had seen and occasion
ally felt few thunder showers. but
now we began meeting longer-con-
tinued rains, without electrical exhib-
its, SO characteristic of the Pacific
slope of Alaska which we were rapidly
nearing. That night we all 60 wet. +
We had no tent with us now, every
possible thing we could abandon hav-
ing been left behind at Mr. Rarper's. 4
The goth we made but six miles on ac-
count of the rain, and having secured a b
caribou that required an unusual
amount of strategic hunting before the
Winchester laid il out. The 2lst. still
raining, gave us nineteen miles. how
ever, as the Indians were anxious to
make another native village. which we
found deserted. but nearly midnight
couple of boys, wild as hares. came in
to tell US their village was few miles
up the river. This new stream
IL
river, so to 100 wards wide.
The contemplated route was to raft
down this river some unknown distance
and then take to packing again. In
the middle of the afternoon of 22d the
three RATS came in sight and were soon
alongside with the worst looking svl-
van symposiums ever saw constructed
and called RATS. After enough nego-
tiations to have purchased the Cunard
line or the Canadian Pacific railway the
RATS were ours; that day and part of
next being employed in repairing them.
We had frost the night of the 22d-23d
OF July. Next day at > we got away
on the RATS Il called this the Raft
River, southwest. and at came to the I
main White coming in from the south, (
and after an hours run landed on the :
west bank, abandoning the RATS. {
Here the White river is about mile in
width and very muddy. When the
raft was submerged only the cross
ties could be seen and it really seemed I
as if we We're floating down stream &
without anything under u& Next S
great excitement reigncd in '
camp caused by two caribou charging
through it, followed by shouting men
firing guns and pistols and bowling /
dogs that seemed like a lunatic ASYLUM G
RsteE b-Gaen-loose menagerie. Moth
ing WIS secured, Of course, but later a q
wounded animal bayed by a dog was q
killed Our camp that night was near
a deep stream Of warm water where
we enjoyed bath, less the misery of
the mosquitoes. The Indians urged US S
to start early the 25th, as there was e
large glacial stream ahead, and these u
are found at their minimum depth in ?
the early forenoon, they begin to r
rise about 10 and by to in the e
evening are roaring torrents unless the C
day has been a cool, cloudy one, a
The stream really amounted to nothing q
as an obstacle, being about knee deep. &
We were now getting high enough on a
the bald ridges to see our old friends p