The San Francisco call., 1897-07-31
WENT ON THE AL-Kl.
j. c. Boatmen Writes of His Trip
From Seattle Over the Pass
and Onward.

OAKLAND. CAL, July 30.-The follow
Boatman of Alaska was received and pub
lished by Frank A. Leach OF the En-
quirer to-day:
KITCHIKAU, ALASKA. July 22.-This Is one
OF the unusual trips of the steamer Al-Ki The
arrival of the lucky miners from the Klondyke
at Sal Francisco on the steamer Excelsior, fol-
lowed by the Portland from the Yukon that
came into Seattle on the 21st instant with
s1xty-eight Klondykers and 800, 600 in gold
nuggets, seemed to whet the appetites and
raise the excitement to fever heat all along the
northern coast from Portland to Juneau.
In Seattle all kinds of business except do
miners outftters was practically suspended
Crowds were gathered on the streets listening
to stories from the newcomers that sounded
like pages from the Arabian Nights, and
under ordinary circumstances would have
been about so regarded mad not the real
stuff been there to attest The truthfulness OF
all they asserted BUSINESS men and the
workers on The docks were elbowing each
other eager to catch every werd that was
said.
In the stores the clerks had apparently gone
daft over the wonderful reports they had
heard and the few customers that put in an
appearance had to wait until they got
through talking Klondyke before being at
tended to-
Al the express Office the rooms were jammed
with curious throng, craning their neeks
looking al more than a ton OF bags containing
the precious nuggets OF gold that were being
shipped to the mint in san francisco.
At the mlning-outttters' stores the places
were packed all day Saturday with persons
securing their supplies, SO as TO take the
steamer Al-Ki that left on The following sun
day morning tor Dyea, Alaska, the starring
point for the overland trip to the newly dis
covered PAGER dlggings. The proprietor of
one store alone told me he h8d done the larg-
est business in a retail way he had ever ex-
perienced-taking in during the day $4,000.
The steamer AI-Ki OF the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company, on which the gold-seek
ers expected to sail, was billed to leave at 9
O'Clock on the following morning, but on sc-
count OF the extraordinary amount OF freight
offered it did not get away from its dock until
5 Pm.
Among the consignments in its cargo were
1000 mead OF sheep, 100 cattle and abouthity
horses, besides vast amount OF other freight,
all going TO the Klondyke. On the passenger
list were eighty-fve persons forward aud forty
in the cabin, bound Tor the same destination.
Most of these people are young, strong and
Injured to rough hing it, but there are many past
go years of age, and about twenty or twenty
five clerks from various stores in Seattle: In
one store every clerk deserted his post to wor-
ship at the shrine of the goddess of fortune.
There are also five ladies and one small child
and deter mined to brave the hardships and
dangers OF the terrible long journey of 700
miles from Dyea TO the Yukon. so as to reach
there before the winter, when the thermom-
sets in. After they get there logs m must be cut
and hewed and cal bins built, ana other prepar-
ations made 10 endure such fearful test for
the next seven months, commencing about the
1st of October.
The first thirty miles over the mountains,
on what is called the divide, is by ali odds the
most difficult part OF the journey. The trail
over the mountains is botn tortuous and
treacherous except to one who is thoroughly
familiar with its dangerous character. 0dly
the Indians who have lived in that vicinity
for ~ n IN onn Uori taf
except at the cost OF many DEulse Oh. broken
limb.
The water from the melting snow on the
noun tains runs over 1t in torrents, ana at the.
very best it is a case of wade in mud and
slush from start to finish.
1learn here from persons who are familiar
with the pass that even the Indians who make
q bus siness of packing goods over the difficult
trail will not under take TO carry anything
over for less than 20 cents pound, II they
will even do 1T tor that at this lime OF the
year. In some places the grades are SO precipi-
tous that horses must be let down by block
ana tackle. The only time OF the year when
the trail is in passably good .coEditlon Is in
the spring, when the ground is frozen and the
snow is on the er0nnd. Then person can
drag sled with a moderate load of perhaps
fifty to sixty pounds with compar ative safety.
An Indian who is used to this kind of work
can pack as much as 100 to 125 pounds.
Last season many persons became utterly
discouraged in trying to make this trip, so d
their outfits and returned home. MANY of
the old-umers in this country will be much
surprised If that should not be the experience
of many who are now rushing pellmell to the
new gold diggings without ascertaining the
fearful cost their rashness must necessarily
subject them to-
All the timber has been cut off in the imme-
diste vicinity OF the lake and the logs must be-
cut several miles up a small stream, which
flows in at the head of the lake. and ficated
down 10 where the boat is to be built and is TO
be launched. When these rude affairs are
constructed then will commence the real race
for gold.
Inere were many treacherous places in the
river-the principal OF which are the Wbita
Horse Rapids and the Five Fingers. THESE
places are dangerous TO the uninitiated aud
inexperlenced, but to men accustomed to
rapid water they are not SO formidable The