Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-28

would get to sheep soon, but found they
knew no more about it that I We came to
a hut built on piles in a swamp near the
river. In this 1 found a whole white sheep
skin. Then l knew l was on the right
track. We made permanent camp at the
foot of the mountains, and hauled the boat
out of danger. It rained constantly, and
the mosquitoes were the largest and most
savage 1 ever saw or felt.
Packing up -four mixed with baking pow
der and a little bacon for provision, with
plenty of ammunition and blankets. We
started to climb the mountains. We climbed
two days through thickets of devils club, -
a shrub with leaves like rhubarb, each of
which is armed on the under side with
barbS that tear and cut the toughest gloves
and canvas clothes. The formation of the
country is basaltic rock and the mountain
sides are steep and the rocks columnar in
shape. The rock crumbled under foot, and
every forward movement meant the possi-
bility Of q long fall. At night we slept in
the rain, I sitting under a small canvas
shelter, the Indians sitting back to back
all under a blanket stretched over three
sticks. It took five trips into the mount
aims to get the number of skins 1 wanted.
When we found the sheep l had the most
exciting and adventurous hunting l have
ever experienced, and l have killed big
moose at THE Lake in the Woods" in
north of Pagoda peak, in Colorado, Rocky
mountain rams and bull walrus in Green
land. But the chase after the white sheep
was fraught with greater danger than any
of the others.
1 had got a number of ewes and lambs
after four hard journeys, but desired par
ticularly to get some rams. One evening
about o'clock-it was as bright as noon in
this latitude-I saw some rams up the
mountain side. I could see their big horns
outlined against the snow as they lay at
rest or browsed around the rocks. The
next day we went after them. After a
fearful climb, which was made very slow
ly and carefully that we might not fright
en- them. staIked them to within seventy
five yards. Some of them were feeding,
others lying down. The Indians are very
jealous of the white mans rifle, and always
want the first shot John, the "big 1njun,
my guide, said he would kill the first sheep.
1t was ticklish business, but I told him to
fire away, holding myself in readiness to
back him up. He picked out the biggest
ram of the lot, and shot. He missed. He
fired five times, and missed every time.
The rams scattered at his shooting and
ran down the mountain side and along a
lateral divide. A big ram that weighed
over 800 pounds ran down the mountain.
I was perched on ledge directly over the
valley. The big ram passed directly be-
low me, 800 yards away. 1 was lying fiat
when I shot at him and brought him down
in his tracks.
On the lateral divide the other rams were
running along, with the Indians shooting
across at them. They were 200 yards away.
The Indians had succeeded in killing two.
One big ram ran along the divide and
passed me. 1 shot at him and missed. He
became confused and turned back. I shot
at him several times and missed. At last a
ryirr fta
elevation, and the next shot reached him,
tumbling him 1000 feet into the canon. We
got five rams out of the lot, and with this
1 was obliged to be content. 1 brought
back altogether seventeen hides and heads.
We skinned the rams and ewes in the
mountains and dressed the hides with salt.
It rained or showed incessantly, so we
could not dry them. We had incredibly
hard work getting them down to the boat.
Then came an exciting journey down the
river. We Travelled with the current, stop
ping to fish and shoot. The Alaskan rivers
are alive with salmon, and anyone strong
enough can catch them. 1 saw Indian
boys struggling on the shores with salmon
almost as large and good deal stronger
than they. But an Alaskan boy is a plucky
little beggar when 1t comes to hunting or
fishing. 1 shot three grizzly bears, each
of which weighed over 1,SO0 pounds, but
the hides are useless in summer, and
was compelled to leave them. There were
plenty of moose, also. But 1t was hard
ship to hunt in the swamps on account of
the mosquitoes and yellow fly that is the
most insidious and painful insect know.
Alaska derives its name from the Indian
word Al-ay-ek-sa, meaning a great coun-
try" and the name hits it off exactly. It
is one of the greatest possessions of the
United States, and the most interesting
and wonderful. But it is only half made.
1t is tumbled up into volcanoes that belch
vapors almost constantly, glaciers that cut
paths across 1t, and it is the greenest spot
on earth, where vegetation grows rankly
and grass in the swamps and on the ISL
ands is six feet high, and berries, the most
delicious ever ate, may be picked by the
ton 1t is rich in timber in gold, in fish
and in furs. It presents wonderful possi-
bilities in the way of cuftivating fur-bear-
ing animals. which 1 am inclined to be-
heve can be made paying industry. The
tides in Cooks inlet rise to a height of
thirty feet, making it one of the most dam
gerous bodies of navigable water in the
country. This season twenty-five men lost
their lives in it, and probably hundreds
more before them.
The sands of Alaska carry gold richly.
In the Yukon country are vast coal beds
so. soft that they can be whitfield with a
knife. The country is so big and the ex-
tent of 1t to the westward so great that
If one draws a line exactly midway be-
tween the coast of Maine and Attu. the
most westerly of the Aleutian islands. it
would strike out in the ocean 500 miles
west of San Francisco. It is a possession
worthy of better government, and should
receive the earnest attention of congress.
LEWIS LINDSAY DYCHE.