The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
vORACIoUs INSECTS.
Mrs. Schwatlxa Says Alaska Swarms
with Big Mosquitoes.

CHICAGO, Aug. Mrs. Schwatka is
spending the summer al the residence Of
Mr.. and Mrs. j. H. Strong, 262S Indiana
avenue, where she is engaged in reading
the proofs of her husbands latest book.
Lieutenant Schwatka explored the Taku
river and pass several years ago." she said
to a reporter. He tried to get the people
Of Juneau to establish a pack-train line
through the pass. to connect with steam
boat on the inlet. That was before there
was much travel to Juneau, and the peo-
pie of the thriving village did not believe
1t would pay then. Now it certainly would,
but l have not seen a word about the pass
in any of the newspapers, and there APP
pears to be almost no travel through 1t.
Lieutenant Schwatka made map of the
region, which / think 1 shall have pub
lished. He made the trip up the river by
canoe and reported the current there very
swift and strong. 1 am certain that the
Taku route is the easiest for persons going
from Juneau, however"
Mrs. SchWatka believes that the difficult
ties that gold hunters meet with and the
dangers of the country purposely have been
kept out of sight by those interested in
getting people there. Il haven't seen a
word about the way the miners have to
sad; The indians, even, who are hardened
to them. have to go about In summer with
their hands and faces Smeared with pitch
and lampblack. A mosquito netting is no
protection, because the mosquitoes force
their way through it. Besides the pitch
and lampblack, the miners have to work in
summer with their heads in a wire frame
covered with close netting. | have known
persons who have died from the effect of
the bites.
In the summer it is so hot in the river
regions that even the moose are driven
away and it is practically impossible to get
game there, in spite of the reports that are
sent out. 1t will not take a very great in
crease in the white population to Kill off
all the game there is. The Indians are
pretty careful and don't kill any more than
they need for food, but it will not be that
way with the whites.
Inc salmon do not ascend the Yukon
Tar as the klondke, either, and fishing in
that region is not nearly as good as it is
made out to be. 1t would be taking a great
risk to go there depending much the
natural resources of the country for food
Prospecting in Alaska is altogether diff
There is as much difference between the the
mountains in Alaska and the most noun
famous parts of California as there is be-
pavement; California is a fla plain COM
pared with it, All of the Indians up there
die of consumption, partly brought on by
the climate and partly by the hardships
they have to endure.
why, 1 have seen these Indians who are
used to the country, come in with packs
ers are now crossing with welts across their
backs from the pack straps almost as thick
as my wrist. Their hands would be torn
and lacerated horribly. The only way they
can get through at all in the winter is by
cutting steps in the ice.
1T seems to me like committing suicide
for any one to start for the gold fields this
fall. 1t is bad enough in the summer, but
the winter there is just like it is in the
arctics. The dispatches say the Yukon
doesn't freeze till Sept. l. I know the Yukon
will be impossible except down towards
the coast by this time.
Few of the miners who are going there
will believe that the first thing almost they
have to buy will be a SEQ overcoat, and
from what / have read | do not believe
many of them will be able to pay that
much. To keep from freezing it requires the
same sort of clothing that the arctic ex-
plorers wear-all furs and no wOoens. The
fur coats are made by the Esquimaux from
skins brought over from Siberia, and it is
likely that they will cost a great deal more
than they ever did before.
Alaska is a poor place for women and
no place at all for children. OF course
many women are able to endure hardships
and fatigue just well as the men, and it
might not be so bad for them to go there
in summer. 1t is fearfully hard life there
at hest