The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-02
A PERILoUs TRIP.
Two Months Journey Through
Alaska Mountains.
MEN AND DOGS BADLY FROZEN.
A Party Of Miners Driag $4,000 In
Geld Dust From the Yukon River
General Alaska NeWa

Among tho passengers on the eamship
City of Topeka. which arrived from Alaska
yesterday. was II. Henderson, who has
just completed q rerilous trip of two
months duration from Forty Mile creek,
on the Yukon river, TO juneau with dogs
and sledges, the account Of which is inter-
esting and exciting.
Mr.. Henderson il 3 miner, and his COM
panions on the perilous midwinter journey
wcre Hank Wright, miner. John Reed, a
saIoonkceper. and halfbreed named
Pitka in the employ of Wright. They left
Forty Mile December IS and arrived at
Wilson's February &, and at Juneau Feb
ruary -. They had hard tine Of il, but
brought out $4,000 in gold dust. and will
return in the spring. The ALASKA Nesos
gives the following story of their trip:
They lef. Forty Mile December Is with
two sleds hauled by two teams OF dogs,
having i've dogs in one and four in the
other. Each sled had load OF about 500
pounds. consisting of blankets. tent Yukon
sheet-iron stove, grub. dried salmon and
wearing apparel. They made from ten to
fifteen mica q day travelling on the ice
upon the Yukon river. At the end Of 800
miles the snow became deeper and the
ice rongher. compelling the unloading of
the tent. stove and some of the extra eff
fects. which they cached. They stopped
over one day. Some days the thermometer
Was g degrees below zero. Several times
the dogs feet we're frozen TO the ice and
the mems faces. feet and hands were
nipped by the intense cold, compelling a
halt. They met with no great difficulty
antH thew reached the foot of the divide
on the Yukon side. They made an al.
tempt to cross, but the snow and wind
blinded them. They wrapped up in
blankets and lay in the snow three DAYS
and two nights. eating frozen bread and
beans tha~ed out by their tive candies.
Snow was melted BY the candies TO sc,
water to drink. The storm abating, they
re,reafed to the timber on Lake Bennett.
taxing one sled. They made camp and
kept IRE going 10 dry out their clothes
and blankets. staying there two nights
and day. They made up lunch OF four
pounds of bread ana three pounds of hs-
con. and started for Wilson's, leaving the
sled and blankets At camp. They nearly
lost their way, but finally reached VII
sons. almost exaAused, having eaten only
one rieai from 10 =. m. until A. m. the
following day. They had eft their SIS 90
of gold dust y. the t2rst camp where they
we're buried by SNOW. Seven dogs followed
them over the divide. and two remained
at the Bennett Lake camp They we're
oat Of dry salmon. aud had not given the
cogs anything 20 eat FOR I've days. uae
deg sas caught in trap ana had TO be
killed. After a ten days ress a; Wilson's
they recrossed the summit To get tie gold
dust and camp outfit Hank Wright re-
manned n; Wilson's. sending an Indian in
his place. Taey crossed the divide, got
their aust. tao sseis and effects and re-
turned to Wilson's. making " in thirty
hours The Caiika; Indian gave out and
had 20 be hespea- Thr~ found one OF the
dogs NJ Bennett lake frozen to death ard
the ether almost deal from starvation.
living for fifteen days with nothing To eat
IL VAS given er<aa and dried salmon AMI
able To wax 10 Wilson's IL Was even
chances whether they xoGid survive or
not ON the ss a rrit. bat they managed ~
last 70 GET their bearings and push through.