The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-30
WOMEN TRAVERSE WHITE PASS.
Edith CrOftOn Tells of Her Severe IN
periences in Alaska.

SKAGAWAY, Aug. H. via San Francisco,
Aug. @.-The White pass is no longer am
bition, but rather thing accomplished. and
the dangers, exaggerated or belttled, &C
cording to the idea of the raconteur, are
not beyond the ability of a woman, for four
women have so far crossed the pass.
The trail from Skagaway to the foot of
the hills, as they call the mountains here,
is very passable wagon road, TO
ten feet wide, smooth and dry, and about
four miles in length. All along it men are
camped, and for mile from the town you
see every fifty feet a tree bazed and with
this inscription on the exposed side: The
undersigned hereby claim this lot, 90 by
100 feet
Great piles of flour and other provisions
are cached on the side, and one wonders at
the blind enthusiasm which leads every one
of the men, whose labor has put just com
menced, to believe that they Will winter this
year in the KlOndike
Alas alasl at the foot of the hills the
trail changes and thenceforth winds it's
sinuous course through what was recently
virgin forest, along the sides of the
the river that foamS beneath Climbing
this zizzag trail L was obliged to stop sew
eral times to sit down. After twenty min
utes of it l grew dizzy and my heart beat
so loudly and rapidly that seemed to hear
the pulsation.
To pass each other in the White trail one
man must step aside into the bushes while
the other passes, and it is not easy to step
aside. In several places one may see
canned goods, flour or bacon heaped up by
the WaySide and SurmOunted by a sign
which reads: Help yourself" the original
owners preferring TO go to Dawson snort
of provisions rather than to winter on the
trail with a full outfit.
They are shooting horses daily here, as
the poor beasts are plunging wildly at the
steep inclines and frequently break their
legs. | saw three dead horses on the trail
and heard of many more: The horses also
cut themselves badly, and the great SpatS
of blood on the stones tell the awful tales
dure The trail leads over the mountains
on the left hand side about eight miles,
and then crosses to the other side OF the
river, enormous rocks and precipices max
impossible. The path from here on Is a
little wider, possibly owing to the forest
growing less dense as the elevation IN
creaSeS.
Six miles further on the trail takes to
the river bed, and men have to leap from
rock TO rock, while animals must wade IN
neither hop nor wade, and just Scrambles
along, scratching her hands and brulsllng
her feet while She bewails the fate that
forbids her trousers. 90. 49,
trail to Lake Bennett, a distance OF twenty
miles, there being no timber at TINS eleVa-
ton suitable for bodybuilding. l ala not go
10 Lake Bennett. the trail beng relaDly re-
norted TO be uninteresting and fairly good.
Boats were selling at Lake bennett Tor PLY
each. and last week they were even WITH
their orders. .. 80 +oo,,
occuDies a little over three days. The dls-
lance has never been surveyed, puC ~ 10
estimated to be twenty-five miles 70 sum.
NIT lake That is as the crow Mes, put
over the circultous route that the trail fol-
lows it must be considerably further: 4bo
Tomorrow 1 go to Dyea ana over the
ChiIkat pass to the Yukon. ,.,,,,1>>-
Oiiiih''' PN00 EDITH CROFTON.