The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-24

then another lake, and still another. But
we kept on till we came to Lake Linder-
mann, and here we built our first camp
fire and drank our coffee made by our
own hands from the waters of the Won
derful Yukon.
Plenty of good, sound ground to sleep
upon. Not so many tents at our last
nights bivoac the other side of Chilkoot
Pass, but perhaps 100. Boats are built
here There is a sawmill near by, but
the demand for boats is bigger than the
supply, and you might have to wait
month to get one. The head of ex-
pedition shows amazing energy, and al
though worn to the bone by these last
two days in making pass, which is said
to be 2S miles when it is really quite 40,
he is at work at once, and as we gather
about the bright and odorous camp fire,
he informs US that we must push on in
the morning down the Yukon. He will
take Indian carriers to bring back letters.
AS I write the Black BrIar lies tied up
before the door of our tent which we have
pitched on the sand of what is called
Long Beach. We sailed on down over
the first lake, Lindermann, five miles.
and then made the portage, carrying our
bags and bundles in our hands on to the
shore of Lake Bennett Here it is pro-
posed to embark on a scow loaded with
cattle by the indefatigable Burns, the
man who built the elevator at the Chill
koot Pass, and the man who is the syn
onym of energy here, a Scotch-Irishman.
He promises to land at the Klondike
capital in ten hours. We are troubled,
as we cannot send a courier back up the
river to this point. We are told that the
Yukon is so swift that boatman, not
even Indians, venture to paddle up its
swift waters.
So you will have to wait for news from
the Klondike a little longer. We are now
told that it takes less than ten hours to
reach Dawson, the capital of Klondike.
To come back up this river and out this
way it takes about 30 days.
1t is announced now that we sail down
the Yukon in a few minutes. look
away down the great river and see sum-
mits and submits of great rugged peaks,
but no snow. There is a broad field of
snow across the river, away up the
cloud-capped steep, and the hills on
either side are striped Jacobs kline,
but down the way we to pass the
summer.
We have descended the Yukon waters
but a short distance, passing a chain of
blue lakes, not longer than 10 or II miles
all told, and yet this river is great river
already. But it is most great in it's saw
age and grand walls of snow-capped
granite on either hand. How proud am
to set forth on the bosom of this mighty
river from the source to mouth, go miles
wide, away down yonder thousands OF
miles away and yet here so near it's
source, Notwithstanding it's fearful and
wonderful granite walls, no broader than
the Hudson.
No news yet, not even a word from the
mines as no one can come this way.
We are delayed little, as often If not
always happens, and as we are-so says
Captain Burns-on the eve of pushing off,
line of sturdy and rugged men rush on
the boat with axes on their shoulders.
They are manly and strong men, but
hungry. Each man has ak on his
shoulder and each man is hungry. There
are about 20 of them. You remember we
wrote in a former letter from the head
of tide water, the other side of Chilkoot
Pass, now happily behind US, that there
had been bright accounts of a new road
around the old steep and scarry Chilxoot.
We also wrote there was great conges-
ton of gold hunters at the start of this
new road; men trying to sell outfits for
next to nothing and return, etc.
Well, these axmen are from the end of
the road, and the whole command of
about 20 young, strong fellows assert in
| one voice that the new road is o. K, a
| good horse trail and 20 miles shorter than
| the old Chilkoot, besides being 1000 feet
lower; grass plenty for stock; wood, wa
! ter. ETC., and string of lakes.
The lakes empty into this, the Yukon
river, almost 40 miles below here. This
| is good news and true news; yet 1 am
! glad I climbed the cloud-capped Chilkoot
This new pass only illustrates how new
| and almost unknown is Alaska Hurrat
| for the Americani All he wants is the
| gold ahead, and he will get there. This
| news has thrown this camp of boat build
| ers into high state of hilarity. Yet il
| spoils their business at this point and will
| leave this upper end of the Yukon as
| empty of life as a dead mans hand
| These men, some of them new from
Skaguay. say that 5000 men are there
| 400 horses and untold supplies.