The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-13
FREDERICK in DEMAND
THE ARCTIC EXPLORER ASKED TO
HEAD ALASKAN EXPEDITIONS.
May Go to KIOndike i'm the Spring
Some Advice He Gives TO Pros
pective Searchers for Gold.

Sergeant Julius Frederick. of this city.
Greedy expedition has had about as ex-
tensive and varied experience up toward
the north pole as any man living, and hard
ships, privations and arctic weather were
his lot for a great many months. BY vir-
tue of these experiences and the tough
physical fibre he presumably has developed
the sergeant has become a very interesting
parsonage to prospective Klondikers. In
the last week or two he has been ap-
preached by several we'll known men of
means who want him to conduct an expedi-
ton to the gold country of the Yukon. To
all suggestion of starting this fall, the ex-
perienced arctic explorer has turned a
deaf ear. He knows too well what may be
expected. There is a strong probability.
however, of his departure in the spring
Mr. Frederiek's services as an arctic
leader have a peculiar value aside from
his knowledge of conditions in the far
North and the seasoning he received. He
is an expert packer. He knows how to put
8. couple Of hundred pounds of provisions
on sled and make the pack stay there
He knows how to squeeze a pack into the
least possible space, and this all means a
great deal in country where every pound
a dollar, and where the quantity of pro-
visions carried for a long journey may
mean human life. 1t is said that every
knot tied and the arrangement of every
package for transportation in the arctic
circle by the little band of intrepid men
that came back with Greedy was the
handiwork of the Indianapolis man
"A journey TO the arctic circle" said
tn Al
last night, does not present grave diff
ticulties to the man who is experienced in
such life, but the dangers to the tenderfoot.
the man who has seldom been away from
his comfortable home surroundings, can
scarcely be exaggerated. To the man who
mas roughed it during the pioneer days OF
Montana and other Western States, where
the temperature gets very low in winter
the experience in Alaska would not be I'M
usual But how few are the men living
who have had even this pioneer experience
When we were with the Greedy expedi-
ton we We're hundreds of miles further
north than the Klondike diggings. With
proper clothing the cold is not unbearable
hight and does not effect one il does in
tits cline when the thermometer is low
The human body Graves more food and of
a different kind from that used to supply
human wants down here. 1T requires al
N ost twice as much food a day in the arc
tic territory. L do not understand the re-
ports that game is scarce in Alaska. There
surely must be a great deal of it. l sup
pose the miners do not put in much time
709kng for ron,d ann G9ndSn it
neighborhood of these gold fields with a
rifle and a fishing tackle. When we were
in the north our craving for fat was very
great and oftentimes We would Scrape out
the blubber from seal and eat it raw.
1t is mistake for a man to go up into
Alaska unless he is in perfect health. An
expedition to the far North is never start
ed by the government or by scientists, ex-
cept with men picked for their physical
qualifications and their experience in out
door life An Indianapolis clerk would have
very poor show spending winter at
Klondike.
this winter for more than one reason. 1t
Will be impossible to get over the noun
tains and into the upper Yukon before the
arctic winter sets in. 1t is an exceedingly
dangerous undertaking to attempt a win
ter half way between the sea coast and
the Klondike. Again, If a man We're to start
now he probably would have to lay up on
the seacOast till spring, and by that time
his provisions would be gone. He would
then find that new outfit up there would
be very expensive.
1T is better for those intending to take
the trip next spring to go in small parties.
One frying pan will do for -four or more
people. And what is true of the frying pan
is true of the coffee pot the Dutch oven,
the rifle and other articles that must be
taken. In this way each man pack will
be lighter. If l go in the spring prefer
to go by way of st. Michaels, the all
water route. A party has to be very care
full with it's rations. 1t is an art to measure
out each days rations properly. If there
is any place on earth where the strictest
economy must be shown by the cook It is
in the arctic land. Then the men will find
that the sharp stones will wear out shoes
quicker than it might be believed 1t is We'll
to take extra pairs of shoe bottoms for
they can be sewed or pegged onto the up
pers by the men themselves. When l was
on the Montana frontier during the Indian
campaigns. when the Thermometer was
often down to 40 below, and all the time
was with Greedy, / did not wear an
overcoat. But had mighty warm clothing
when 1 started out. l wore lambs wool
underwear and my outer clothing was of
flannel and canvass, with the canvass ex-
posed. of course. 1t is not wise to have
the body encountered by too much cloth
ing. It's the quality and not the quantity
that counts. l have been around mines a
great deal but have not done much pros
pecting. Yes, it might have been that
quantities of gold lay beneath our feet
when we wintered up close to the pole, but
we, never ,prospected for i. We dug. coal
coal rose out of the sea and there was ex-
posed to our eyes thousands of acres of
lit do not Iot,h hut fbara &c