The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-29
WILDERNESS Or VEAL TIL
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is named after him He intended. with
three of his men, at once to return to Sell
stream. From that point, with five horses,
he meant to go over his trail a distance
of $40 miles to Chilkat Three old Yukon
miners, Messrs- Ferguson, Celine and
agreed that we should accompany him.
In canoe with one of his Indians and
Mr.. Ferguson, my son and left Dawson
on Oct IA with about 600 pounds of food
and personal effects Mr. Dalton, two
days later. with an Indian in 14-foot
shell and about 200 pounds of freight, fol-
lowed. He overlook us ten days out and
when the ice was running very heavily in
the Yukon. On the fourth day we en-
countered very severe obstacles In cross
ing the river, at a point where it was
hours work and repeated danger of
laundering, we finally got across. The
ice in the main river grew worse daily
until the ninth day. when in a slough,
with racing current, high banks and
overhanging trees, we We're caught in
nearly ica-closed water.
THE INDIANS ANGUISH.
Further progress seemed impossible
The Indian grew wild over the dreadful
obstacles. He exhausted his vocabulary
of filthy English and Indian oaths over
and over again, and finally. in combined
rageand despair, broke wholly down and
cried. He Refused to go further Here
Dalton and his Indian joined us. his
ice jamming half mile ahead. We
therefore joined forces Towing our boat
was the. chief work, my son always TAX
ing the lead in this. 1 stayed in the boat
and steered with an Indian paddle.
Digging the water. rather than steering
in it, is the word expressive of that
kind of padding work. 1t was very hard
work, too. when in shallow water, it be-
ing then almost impossible to keep the
boat from going ashore and grounding
At first my padding caused frequent
river work, all days OF difficulty, doubt
and danger, we reached Selkirk on Oct
25. Dalton's other men got in the next
day. After rest of two days we left
DEEP SNOW.
Mr.. Dalton was the leader of the party,
in which thsre We're nine white men and
three Indians. Three other men followed,
inches of snow was on the ground and
more was threatening. This was very
unusual so early in the winter. A trail
through the woods had to be cut as we
slowly headed for Five Finger rapids, 90
miles further UP the Yukon.
We had five horses, one of which was
at my disposal when l cared to ride.
The trail kept so bad that on the second
day Dalton and two other men went back
to Selkirk and brought up a canoe to
which were transferred the packs thus
third morning the horses were swum over
the Yukon. on the further side of which
there was a fair trail One of the animals
drowned almost the moment he entered
the water, indicating great weakness.
Feed was scarce and the animals. rein
| deer-like, had to paw down in the snow
TO get to it. 1t showed off and on for two
| days, and much more was constantly
threatening.
REFUSED TO GO BACK.
ION the third day it seemed that fur
| Their snowfall might make the trail i'm
passable for anything like rapid travel;
two feet already lay on the level. Under
/ these circumstances and with over 800
miles of land travel before us. Dalton
strongly urged us to go back to Selkirk.
But we refused, and for very good reas-
ons. My son and 1 had already con-
tributed all our provisions and a single
pound was not to be had at Selkirk.
The Yukon was then almost closed
with ice, too. There was, therefore no
/ apparent hope that we could get back to
Dawson and even If there, nothing was
to be had to eat. To go on was, there
fore, the only wise course we thought
Without food. life at Selkirk would have
been like living death.
HOOTCHY- EYE.
1.-The trail on the lefthand side of the
river was a constantly rolling one the
weather was continuously gloomy, snc-w-
ing some and always threatening more
Near Five Finger Rapids the horses swan
the river again and we pushed on up the
right bank to Cormacks Post, % miles
where we left the Yukon and any posi-
bility of turning back. Six days over a
very rough country, but with no new
snow brought us to Hoochy-Eye, Is
miles, where there were three deserted
Indian cabins. Mr.. Dalton had cache
of provisions there, but it had all disap-
peared, except one sack of flour, five
pounds of sugar and 30 pounds of bacon
Fortunately all of our food was not out
or we would have been in a very bad
fix, the next cache being at Dalton Post,
! 100 miles further on The next day We
passed through country bare of timber,
in very gloomy. notwithstanding wealth
/ er. On the summit of the surrounding
J mountains heavy gales and snow were
! prevailing. Dense clouds, as black as the
! blacklist smoke ware seen: they looked
as though a vast confagration had
| started.
GLOOMY SIGHT.
"a more gloomy or forbidding sight
could hardly have been seen outside of
| Tartarus Bad water beyond Hootchv-
severe and frequent cramps, with hem
| orrhages. In addition to this, l had a Sc
we're attack of lunnbago. The first day
! was dashed in an Indian freight toboggan
In thus being pulled over the trail my
back and every rough spot in it were
brought in violent contact, making in
! tense, pain much more intense. The next
| day l rode and walked, and on the third
| l walked altogether. A portion of the
time on that day although on my feet
| and keeping UP with the procession, 1
! was unconscious from pain. We got only
two meals a day on the entire trip break
| fast always in the dark, between 5 and s,
and dinner between and 5.
THE short daylight and the difficulty
| of packing provisions did not allow of
stops for midday meals. A meal at Dali
tons post, which we reached in six days
| from Hootchy-Eye, and composed of can
| ned corned beef, bread baked by Dali
| tor! and a can of cold tomatoes. had at
| once such physical strength comfort and
| physical satisfaction in it that strains
blown from far-off sunset lands or the
! music OF Aeolian harDs could not have
| been more soothing. The horses were left
! here two died on the way, but three new
ones, estrays, were picked up.
LOST THE TRAIL.
Thirty miles from the post was an
| other base of Dalton supplies in two
called the Cache, on the sscond day. We
walked from 1880 am. unlil after pm.
three hours past daylight. without reach
| ing timber shelter or without reaching
the cache. We then lost the trail. Dali
ton was still behind at the post. A night
spent far within the Arctic regions could
not have been more desolateiy exposed,
colder The thermometer was about 20
degrees below zero, and the wind made it
! vastly worse. Four of the party were
| nartiallv frozen in their feet during the
| night Next morning we found, much to
our disgust that we had been only three
quarters of d mile from the cache.
WORST OVER.
Next day, by moonlight, very early
nm xvara off for the first summit for