The record-union., 1897-11-29
MANY MINERS ARE
LEAVING DAWSON.

Continued from First Page)
the second day Dalton and two other
men Went back to Selkirk and brought
up canoe, to which was transferred
the packs, thus greatly tightening the
horses. On the third morning the
horses were swum over the Yukon, on
the further side of which was a falr
trail One of the animals drowned al
most the moment he entered the wafer
indicating great weakness. FEED was
scarce, and the animals, reindeer-hke'
had to paw down in the snow to get
it. 1t showed off and on for two days,
and much more, was constantly threat
ening. On the third day it seemed that
further snowfalls might make the trall
impossible for anything like rapid
travel Two feet already lay on the
level Under these circumstances, ana
with over 800 miles of land travel be-
fore us, Dalton strongly urged us to go
back to Selkirk But we refused, and
for very good reasons. My son and
had already contributed all our proyis-
ions, and a single pound was not to be
had at Selkirk. The Yukon was then
almost closed with ice, too. There was
therefore no apparent hope that we
could get back to Dawson, and even if
we did there was nothing to be had to
eat.
ITO go on was, therefore, the only
resource, we thought. Without food,
life at Selkirk would have been living
death. on the left side the river was
a constantly rolling one; the weather
was continuously gloomy. showing
~ i,acy
Near Five Finger Rapids the horses
swan the river again. and we pushed
up the right bank to Cornack's post,
twenty-five miles, where We left the
Yukon, without any possibility of turn
ing back. Six days over very rough
country but with no new snow, brought
US TO Hootchey-Eye, seventy-five miles.
where there were three deserted Indian
cabins Mr. Dalton had a cahce of
provisions there, but it had all disap-
peared, except one sack of flour, five
pounds of sugar and thirty pounds of
bacon. Fortunate all of our food
was not out or we would have been in
a very bad fix. The next cache was
at Dalton post, 100 miles further on
The next day We passed through a
country bare of timber, in very gloomy
threatening weather. On the summit
of the surrounding mountains heavy
gales of snow We're prevailing. Dense
clouds as black as the blackest smoke
We're seen. They looked as though a
vast confagration had started
"A more gloomy or forbidding sight
could hardly have been seen outside of
Tartarus. Bad water beyond Hootchey-
Eye poisoned most of the party, caus
ing severe and frequent cramps with
hemorrhages. In addition to this. /
had a severe attack of lumbago. The
first day l was lashed to an Indian
freight toboggan. In thus being pulled
over the trail my back and every rough
spot in 1t were brought in violent con-
tact, making intense pain much more
intense. The next day / rode and
walked. and on the third day / walked
altogether. A portion of the time ON
that day. although on my feet and
keeping up with the procession. 1 was
unconscious from pain. We got only
! two meals day on the entire trip,
breakfast always in the dark between
. and q. and dinner and 3 The short
daylight and the difficulty of packing
provisions did not allow of stops for
midday meals. a meal at Dalton's
post, which We reached in six days
from Hootchey- Eye, composed of can
ned corned beef bread baked by Dali
ton and a can of cold tomatoes had
at once such physical strength. COM
fort and physical satisfaction in it that
strains blown from far-off sunset lands
or the music of Aeolian harps could
not have been more soothing. The
| horses We're left here. Two died on
the way, but three new ones, estrays,
We're picked up.
Thirty miles from the post was an
other base Of Dalton's supplies in two
! tents. We should have reached this
place, called the cache the second day.
We walked from 7:3O a. m. until 4
D. m-' three hours past daylight, with
out reaching timber shelter or with
OUT reaching the cache. We then lost
the trail. Dalton was still behind at
the post y night spent far within the
Arctic regions could not have been
iioie uesoiately exposed though, of
e0utFe' II could have been colder The
.iiefinoineter was about 20 degrees be-
~" zero, and the wind made it vastly
worse four OF the party were partial
iiozeh IN their feet during the night.
! Next morning we found. much TO our
uissuSt, that We had been only three.
quarters Oh a mile from the cache. Next
day by moonlight. very early we wera
/ on for the first summit, for tbera ,,,a,,e
TWO to cross. The first has an elevation
or -,eou feet, the second is 900 fec,
lower. The pace was a running walk
ana the course largely over smooth Toe
got some very bad falls on # After
crossing this summit the worst Of on.
troubles were over. and we We're within
iofty miles of Ghilkat. l had for forty
days been on icy. up-rIver work for
-oV miles, and by land for ovar 400
been pushing on. in very poor condition
+ IN uhceasing work; portion Of the
time. too, in intense pain. Part of tho
time did not in the least care wbatb.,.
lived or died. Had / been assured on,.
morning of the trip that | womb he
dead before night / would with mono tha
less appetite have eaten my fun share
/ OF bacon and beans and drank NV COT
Zee in confentment-
On the last day / did not walk h,,.
gladly rode in an Indian sleigh on tho
ice of the Chilkat River.
I'VE entered the world again ~, ,ha
forty second day from Dawson
| New York unions have decided that