The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-06-11
A pERILOUS TRIP.
An Alaskan's Return from Gold
Hunt.

an article on Jimmie Jackson's he
turn tale full of thrilling romance,
and illustrating the hardships OF the
Alaskan gold seeker. The article fol-
lows:
after one of the most perilous trips
probably ever made, and covering a
distance of over 1000 miles, Jimmie
Jackson, who left Juneau on Decem-
Der 18th for Forty Mile via the Takou
route, returned by the steamer Rustler
from Dyea Thursday last. Most OF
our readers are familiar with the his
tory of his trip as given by the Search
light, CLEANED from different parties
arriving from the Yukon country with
in the pasl two months, and who had
met jackson on the trail, and the re-
ports have been verified by his arrival
at this time. On December 18th,
Jimmie jackson, the mail carrier, &C
companied by his nephew, and an In
dian called Chilkat Bob, together with
two white mon named l.. S. Hodge
and NJ. McNelis, left Juneau for Forty
Mile, via the Takou route. 1t seemed
beyond reason that these men should
attempt such a trip at that season OF
the year, and they were importuned by
friends not to undertake it,. But as
jackson was man who had for years
lived on the trail, those who were to
Join him thought that he could safely
pilot them through Hodge and Nc
Nelis never had experience of this
kind and were in no condition to make
the trip, but the advice of their friends
was unheeded, and the result is that
they have probably lost their lives in
consequence. Jackson states that they
proceeded to Takou inlet to the mouth
of the river. Rough weather was en-
countered from the very start, and
most men would have given up the
trip until a more convenient season
but jackson would not allow such an
idea to enter his head. A few miles
from the mouth of the river they were
compelled to camp for eleven days,
the weather at the time being extreme
" cold. Here jackson and the two
Indians started on leaving Hodge and
McNellis to follow in their trail, but as
the white men were not used to the
rgors of an Alaskan winter, they were
not able to keep up with the Indians
and fell behind a considerable dis
lance. Hodge had started from Ju-
neau with heavy load of newspapers
and magazines, which he was intend
ing to take into the interior and sell
but soon found that they were a dead
weight and threw them away, keeping
lust such articles as would be neces
sary to prepare food and keep hin
warm. At last the mon became eX
hausted and had camped off the trail
and had it not been for the fact thai
jackson came back searching for them
they would have persisted before they
had hardly left civilization, they a
that time being but few miles from
thn ,,,N,,th Of {hn Ernto + hi,
time the, white men were able to keep
along within a short distance of thu
Indians and after most bitter suffer
ing, succeeded in reaching the uppe
end of Atlin lake, where party of In
dian hunters were camped. Here
halt of few days was suggested b,
Jackson, but after short rest Hodg
and his partner started on in advanc
Of the Indians. By some mistake tn
men lost the trail and when jackson
and his party came along, it was no
ticed that the white men We're off tn,
trail, but it seems that Jackson did nc
trouble himself further concerning
them, and forged ahead over the trai
toward the great Yukon. From thi
time on it became apparent that tn
supplies carried by the Indians wer
about exhausted and starvation stare
them in the face. The dogs had b.
come SO footsore that it was necessar
at times to put them on the sleigh
and haul them until camp was struc
when they would wrap blankets aroun
them to keep them from freezing.
On reaching the Takish house
where they expected to replenish the
provisions, they found that they wei
unoccupied and nothing was left f,
them to do but to go ahead and tru
to providence in getting through
their destination. Upon reachin