New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-23
BEYOND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.
C. W wHITNEY's TRIP TO THE BARREN
LANDS.
A PERrLors JOURNEY ACROSS sNow-CoVEREl
CorNTRY-IIABITs OF THE DOG RIBS AND
YELLOW KNIVES - HUNTING
THE Musk OK

THE MvsK-OX.
Cnspar " whitney, the wenknown writer on
athletes arrived In Nea-York on Wednesday last
after an Interesting Journey across the barren anuS
O, tn, bleak Northwest Territory. MI whitney,
,or tho urinary purpose OF gathering materials FOR
work which ne Intends writing upon this COM
naratlvely unexplored part OF the American Con-
,iueut and Tor the purpose also OF studying the
habits and conditions OF the Indian tribes VINO N
habit tho country. and hunting the musK-oH' pehe-
tra,ed three days journey beyond the Arctic circle
The course which Mr.. Whitney mapped out Tor
,,,nser and 70 which he adhered In spite OF many
h,rlshins Law from the Canadian Pacinc line 10
the Arctic circle. From Calgary waere he Ieit
the main lin- he proceeded by branch raitoau u
Edmonton a distance OF about TWO hundred mics
nv means OF horses and sleighs he reached FORT
IA Richie. 2s5 mile, further. and later Fort Nc
Murray anotho- 30 miles beyond. This part OF the
ro.d he covered on snowshoes. but at McMurray
he occurred a team 0. dogs and sedSe' anu pesa"
A tedious months Journey 10 Fort ieso'u"o'
about seven hundred miles along the AthaoaSna
River 10 tho Great Slave Lake upon which the
,or, stands. Then began the real trials OF his tour.
and ten days later he struck into the barren
Grounds which extend from the Mackenzie River
and Hudson Bay eastward and west. ard from the
Arctic ocean to Slave Lake. north and south.
INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY.
For af,v DAYS Mr. whitney explored the terri
,o,v and the story ne tells contains much that
Is interesting Conversing w;h tribune Tepo''e''
he said: Had taken the Journey IN the sum
mcr | would have had comparatNey easy I'M
n, II because could have taken advantage OF Inc
Hudson Bay steamers, which. during the wal"
months run up the Athabaska RIVER across INC
cr.o, Sey. Lake and up the Mackenzie River
where the company has "A post about sixty h'le'
from the Arctic ocean. But my am was 10 "'"N'
an overland trip with dogs and slelges ana snow
shoe, from the Canadian Pacific Halfway 10 inc
,,t,ene north | wanted alro 10 hunt Dig game
md I particularly wanted to experience the winter
favor OF those regions especially AS no man e',nr
y,b,te mr. Indian has made the trip In the midst
., the winter And ! believe | am correct IN STAT
Ing that even In the summer only three ""''e nv"
,,y. travelled the route. Few Indians ever 40
there either and only then when they are Oh INC
hari,.s, character. numbering altogether about
h.v a dozen chiefs who hold small bands OF ABOUT
nf,v subjects In state OF complete seridom Irac-
,,oauv tho country is suN unknown. and have
,oun1 several Inaccuracies In the existing maps
OF that region A,A
o1,hcse barren grounds are hunted for furs' whi'h
ara usnos., If 10 the Hudson Bay Company by
TWO tribes Of Indians. called the DOG KIDS anu
tho Yellow Knives. The former frequent "" upper
part and the latter the southern us''l''' .''"0"s
nov are pretty we'll seasoned. very few nave me
,,,., IN r., out In the winter. They make their
hrn,inr trims twice a year. In the early spring and
autumn These hunting parties are con'ro"e' ny
,tar. o.h, have been selected for the purpose
because OF their prowess. and az nave toiu you,
they absolutely control the men under then anu
,rs,, them exactly as slaves Had 1t not been Tor
,,o absolute dcspotism that these chiefs exer-
else | should never have been abe to accomplish
NV trim II was necessary that ! should have
nat,ve helps and guides. and at Fort Resoiuuoh
secured an interpreter who conducted me ai'e'
a ten days journey to the lodge OF one OF 'hese
chiefs .
Mfr whitney described the pow-wow when foi-
lowed between himself ard the Indians. III was
\, so,s ..th. most solemn thing | ever attend
al and they talked about every blessed thing IN
dor the sun except the real business on hand
With as much diplomacy as he couid muster ho
erpnincl his object to the CHIEF and sought ms a'.
and after bestow!ng the most lavish ana uhdiIu'ei
nattery upon the leader. IN which the chiets codr-
oge and heart were praised up TO the Skies MI
whitney nj last succeeded In obtaining seven IN
dams to accompany him. and the expedition was
ready to start. lie continued But soon iouhu
that there were difficulties to put aside before
got fairly started. First, the Interpreter DacNeu
on, and wanted to take back his dogs ana s!eus
which had hired. Then the women made erea'
fuss and tried to persuade their husbands to re-
main at home Every one seemed in very ugly
mood and II was only after liberal expenditure
OF skins that at last prevailed. lie standa'"
OF value among these Indians, | must tel YOU
,s reckoned by beaver skins. beaver skin Is
worth about 80 cents. and the basis OF the barter
Ing and exchange Is based upon these skins
WITHOUT ANYTHING TO EAT.
We'll our excursion across the barren grounds
lasted ffty days and during the greater part ot
the time we had pretty hard time OF II. es:e-
cla.ly In the starving line. Frequently we had noh-
Ing 10 eat for one and two days. and on one oc-
caslon we were without food for five days You
see the reason why YOU have TO run THIS risK OF
starvation Is because 1t IL no use carrying food
,.cau.e Won could not carry wood In sufficient
for cooking purposes. In The barren lands
there is no wood to be obtained. and the most you
can do Is to take with you small amount OF lue
that will suffice to make tea. Warm Tea Is the ony
comfort one gets In that inhosptlble country; and
in fact without It doubt whether human bsing
would have much chance OF existing. The colo is
Intense and a thermometer ! mad with me regis
tered 50 when unfortunately broke u b ,ha, ors
sufrers from as the Irresistible winds and buz-