Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-10-27
A MOUNTAIN OF silver.
Wonderful Story Of a Valley Where
1t Exists in a Pure State.

OpO1 LIS 14CebSu4O o. clA4A A44c4- w
Repeated Risks Of His Life-Tons
Of the Metal-Used by the Ma
tives for All Purposes.
After untold hrdships and hair
bread.hs escapes from drowning, freez-
ing and being murdered by hostile
tribes, John Atkins, miner, has ar
rived in Seattle from the wilds Of Alas
ka. The story which he brings IS one
Of the most startling ever told, and,
# verified. viii undoubtedly result in
many expeditions setting out for chat
strange land.
Atkins is a miner Of long experience,
and hearing fabulous stories Of gold in
Alaska ne and some companions de-
c,ded TO investigate.
Accordingly, a small party was or
ganized, and in March, 1894, started.
All went we'll and the Yukon river was
reached in safety. Some time was
spent there in prospecting for gold, but
the results were poor, and the party
determined 10 go to the Cooper river
district. This was reached in due time,
and work commenced in earnest. After
a short time some members Of the
party became dissatisfied. and being
led on by the tales told by miners re-
turning from the north, they persuaded
Atkins 10 join them in an expedition
into the unexpl0red northern region.
Leaving the rest Of the original party
behind, they started out with provisions
for thirty days and followed the course
Of the Copper river
Day after day went by without any
noteworthy happenings; the prospecting
for gold going on wherever conditions
seemed favorable; until finally, when
twenty days out the river suddenly
changed into four tributary streams.
three Of which continued northward.
Selecting the most direct one, the party
pushed forward, eager to get as far north
as possible before their return 70 camp.
This necess.t3.ed quick travelling, as
provisions were getting low and the
temperature steadily colder.
A. the end Of he next three days,
two Of the party gave cut from exhaus-
ton and had to be helped along (of.en
carried by the others.
This terrible strain soon had is effect
and wi.hin the next few days things
had grown so bad that a halt had 10
be called. Every member Of the party
Was suffering severely from the -erri-
bic cold and from pains and bruises
from repeated falls. A camp was es-
tablished and the sick members were
cared for, while The parry took a rest.
h.. fs1@- 90 = fasT f,r~ n
sick being 10 better and but four days
provisions left, q consultation was held
and ,- was decided shat Atkins with
one companion should push on alone
for five days. and chen return, while
,he others remained In camp and re-
plenished the lardo- by hunting eXps-
ditiols.
Taking ten days rat-ons with him,
Atkins started, ana that was the las.
ne saw OF the party. Pushing north
ward as fast rs he could. he ana his
companion reached a large lake on the
evening Of the .hird day, and were pre-
pairing TO round Il when his c0mp3l-
-on slipped and falling b7-veen two
stcep icdges was crushed n the icy
abyss below.
Being now entirely alone, with hardly
any provisions left, and miles away from
his former companions, he continued or
with the sole hope Of finding game CI
the opposite side Cs he lake. BY noon
the next day he had reached there, bur
50 weak from repeated tum5lings and
lack Of food tina. he fell exhausted.
How long he lay IN a semi-conscioGs
state he does not know, 5U, he was
finally aroused by approaching voices,
and the neX- lnS.an, a spear flew Icy
him and buried itself in The snow.
Hastily g,ancing around, lie saw th3.
he was surrounded by a horde Of fur
clad savages, gest.culating wildly. Es-
cape was impossible, and as he was al
ready almost dead from exposure, he
awaited the death blow with a sense Of
relief
The Indians held a long conference.
and finally picked him up and started
off. After a long silent tramp, they ar
rived in SIGH, OF. On Indian village, and
Atkins. who by Jhis tine had become
thoroughly aroused, saw that it was
town Of large proportions and realized
tina. he had fallen into the hands Of
some mysterious tribe that had is home
at the headwGcers Of the lake.
Upon arrival, the whole populace
came sw2rmirg out and gazed upon him
cur.ously. Subsequent events proved
that ne was the first and only White
man that ever reached this strange and
mys- arious race.
They treated him kindly and nursed
him for days. during which time ne
closely studied them. Instead Of hay-
ing the customary small stature OF the
Fsouimo. they were men Of tall and
good physique, and as a rule muscular.
Another popularity which distln-
guished them from both the Esquimo
and other known Alaskan Indians was
a heavy beard. square heads and short
hands and feet. While wholly unciyil-
Ted they we're not altogether unklnd,
and with few exceptions seemed indus
trious ,.,-.-- Ao.o,,
70 nartlv master their language, and
from laborious attempts at converse
tion with the natives formed the idea
hat he was many hundred miles north
-