The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-23
NEWS FROM ALASKA.
The Sea-0tter Catch Turns Out
Unsatisfactory.
BAD NEWS FROM THE YUKON
Miners who Expected Bennnxa Di. =
appointed - Supplies staI
Very Dear.

sailed hence Tor E0Tf townsend. via the
Ssska route, on the Och instant. and the
Corwin will be the next vesssl dispatched
southwark Meanwhils Lieutenant Rein
burg and his guard Of seamen from
the Rush and Corwin has been landed at
St George island, aud Is prepared 10 give
all poachers . warm welcome.
The weathe. grows more rstormy every
day now and the incoming cruisers report
very disagreeab.e work outside. Capt.
Hague, of the Alaska Commercial Com
psny's steamer Dora. arrived here from
Unga island on the Sd instant and re-
ported having experienced q terrific gale
on the way. The Dora had on board the
horses and part of the machinery of the
coal mine at Herendeen bay, which was
abandoned this year on account of failure
to find the coal in paying quantities. Ii
is rumored that the company will utilize
this plant TO thoroughly prospect the coal
deposits at Chiguik bay. Samples of coal
which have been found at this place show
il TO be OF excellent quality, and if the de-
post proves to be in the form of veins aud
not pockets it will be as good as gold
mine to the owners.
Early in September the Rush was dis
patched by Commander Ludlow to cruise
among thes Shumagin islands and
vicinity for the purpose OF enforcing the
new law in regard to the capture of sea
otter. But the capture of the schooners
ST. Paul and Alexander in July by Capt.
Hooper seems to have put quietus at
once on the pursuit of the sea otter by
other than native hunters. When the
news came that white unters would no
longer lie permitted to take otter, Capt
Brown, of the schooner Mary Brown,
which has been engaged in that industry,
Immediately fitted his vessel out for
sealing voyage. and went to the japanese
coast The wisdom of his course is seen
by the fact that be succeeded in tax
ing over 1870 skins, which will
net him over ten thousand dollars for
the seasons work. To your correspond
ent he stated that If he had continued sea
otter hunting he would not have made the
same amount in i've years. The result Of
the Mary Browns change of business will
be very Gard on the squawmen. who. l am
informed. have petitioned the government
to rescind its ''harsh order" as being one
calculated to deprive them of their only
means Of getting living. 1t is probable
that Ia the future this class Of settlers will
have TO go TO work like other whites who
live in this country and who manage TO
exist very comfortably without hunting
sea otter. The catch OF sea otter by native
hunters has been unusually small this
year on account of very bad weather.
The entire catch made by the Unalaska
natives was less than fifty skins The
Morzovyi hunters got twenty skins and
those at Belkotsky eot seventy-eight The
entire catch OF the Kadiak island hunters
did not amount to more than % per cent.
of the usual quantity taken.
Among the passengers who arrived here
on the steamer Bertha on her last trip
from 81. Michaels we're tao prospectors
named Peterson aud Pearson, and the
story they tell of their experience in the
gold diggings ofthe Upper Yukon might
well be considered with pront by others
who are thinking of going into that coun-
try. Both of these men appear TO be
thoroughly reliable and the story of their
trials and sufferings is too simple and
straightforward to be doubted. They left
Juneau in company with about twenty
other miners early in April last and
reached Chilcat. at the head of lynn
canal, in the course of few days. At this
place they left the steamer and iourneyed
inland to the headquarters of the Chilcat
river. which they found still full of ice
and the weather bitter cold. After ieav-
ing the trading station at Chllcat they
were compelled 10 camp out every night
and many OF the party were frost bitten.
Finally the party reached the base of the
mountain forming the divide between the
Yukon and the ChIlcat country. and here
ha- Haia
Gus snow storms and dense fogs. which
made it impossible to find the trail over
the divide. When the weather cleared
and the party got ready to move half OF
the miners decided TO return rather than
try the rough ascent Peterson and his
partner. however, being young and strong.
started up the steep mountain trail, drag
ing a sled containing all their effects.
making load of about $50 pounds. The
labor necessary 10 get over this part of
their road was so great that they were
nearly two weeks travelling the forty miles
necessary 10 reach the headwa;ers of the
great Yukon. After resting a day or so
the two men set out on their long tourney
down the river dragging their sled after
them, sometimes over the smooth ice of
the river, but oftener forced TO make long
passages around places where the ice had
broken up. During the middle of Nav the ice
in the upper river melted and the men
were compelled 10 step and build a boat
This work detained them a week. when
they again set out. A. the mouth of the
Pelly river, after undergoing great dangers
and enduring an incredible amount of ia
iigue, their boat vas swept into an ice lam
by the rapid current and upset. Every
thing they had was lost and both were
nearly drowned before reaching the shore
Peterson fortunately had secured around
him n belt containing all the money be-
longing TO the two friends, amounting to
a little over 500 By forced marches and
By living eff OF fish and few edible roots
found along the river, the two men finally
reached the upper trading station on the
Yakon. Here they got something 70 eat
and purchased pair of rubber boots. a
pick and shovel each, which cost them s46
They were then advised 70 move on down
stream to the famous Foriy-mile creek
region. where they could get work aud 10
some prospecting on their own account.
When they reached the station al this
pace they we're informed that no one
wanted any help yet. but that later in the
summer when the different claims thaued
ouI they might get work 10 last them
ahoat SIX weeks 80 the rate OF s. per dAv.
The time which they expected 10 be uros-
pect.ng they now f0urd very ggad TO pot
in working on aRothsr's claim. and
the cost Of actual uecssssries Of life Is
stall 50 high that unless 3 man goes into
the country with money enough 10 pay
his xay the FIRST year he Is apt 70 be In =