The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-07
SHE TRAMPED ACROSS ALASKA.
Adventures Of Young White Woman
I'm the Upper Yukon Region.
San Francisco Examiner.

san L TdllCioCO T1AdiiiHei
Among recent arrivals here on the steamer
Bertha, from Alaska, Mrs. 4. N. Beau
mont, OF Fort Yukon, the first white woman
who ever crossed the perilous Chilkat pass
Mrs Beaumont is the wife of the post
trader at Fort Yukon, and went into the
wilcs Of that section four years ago. In
order to cross the Chilkat pass she had to
don mans apparel. The snow was fear
fully deep, and as she had TO walk with the
men who were drawing sledges loaded with
freight there was no other way that she
could dress and live. Mrs. Beaumont has
put in two winters at Fort Yukon and one
at Rampant House, near the boundary line
between Alaska and British America. She is
a modest little woman: scarcely twenty
terror by the Yukon route she ard her hus-
band had lived in the larger cities of the
Eastern states: she says, however that at
lonesome, though there were no other white
persons than her husband and children
within many hundreds of miles.
Sometimes too, she was left alone for
weeks while her husband went down the
river to get more goods for his post. At
such times the Yukon Indians swarmed
around, coming from the further wilds to
exchange their furs for supplies. Mrs. Beau
mont carried On the trading. She says they
never attempted TO modest her, and she
was so busy with the duties of the post
that the idea scarcely entered her mind
Only one white woman had previously
braved the wilds OF the upper Yukon. and
she was the wife of an English missionary
1T was In March, 1892. that / started with
my husband TO Fort Yukon said Mrs.
Beaumont. AS no other white woman had
ever crossed the snowy Chilkat pass II was
deemed a very hazardous undertaking. I
was not, however, afraid, and got through
with entire safety. In fact, l rather enjoyed
it. The snow was very deep, and part of
the time it was very cold but 1 put on one
of the native coats, which had a hood for
the head and holes through which to see.
the sledges. which enabled US to keep warm
at night. My experience at Fort Yukon has
been very pleasant. The pest is on the edge
of the hills a little way from the Yukon.
were great variety of wild flowers among
which are roses, buebells, yellow flowers OF
carpeted the entire surroundings. In win
ter the snow was very deep but / was so
busy cooking, sewing, attending to the chill
dren and with the details of household work
that did not think much about ii.
Our trade has been almost solely with the
Indians. The Indians brought in lynx. otter,
beaver. mink and other skins, and for all
these we exchanged such things we kept
in stock fer the Indian trade. There are -four
or five families of Indians that live almost
continuously in the vicinity OF the fort,
but many times as many fifty Indians
would come in from long hunting trips.
Last winter we came up TO Rampant House.
on the boundary, with a stock of goods,
thinking Ii would be good place to trade
FOR awhile. Ii Is fourteen days journey by
boat from Fort Yukon. and the ice caused
us considerable 1S trouble but we got through
back in the spring that the Indians had
broken into the fort and stolen quite an
amount of our goods.
MY husband was the first man TO sue
cessfully open and continue American
trading post at Fort Yukon, though two oil
three others had attempted il. The Hui.
| Quoted a post there. though that was before
| Alaska was purchased by the United States
We have got along very well with it, am
| are entirely satisfied with our experiences
| on the Yukcn. NV husband was for som.
years with the United States coast AM
| geoletic survey in Alaska. He went there
| four years ago with !. r. McGrath and wa:
| entirely familiar with the opportunities fol
| trading