Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-11-17
FROM ALASKA.
Alfred Lester Again Heard From-Tn
Camp at White Pass for the Winter,
From The Daily Times

plenty of good firewood, good water
and a good distance from the noun
tains, so it is impossible for any snow
slide to get us. 1t is a safe. comfortable
retreat and we will be very comfortable
until the latter part of February,
when we intend to push on with our
sleds.
We have just completed our cabin
and got good fireplace built, which
draws fine. Mr.. Ballard is sitting en-
Joylng a smoke by it now and says:
"Partner, this fireplace is success
And so 1t is. We butchered poor old
Dock, the OK, and he was in fine con-
dltlon and his meat is out Of sight.
! We think that the weather will stay
cold enough until he is consumed.
My partner killed a mountain goat
last week, SO we have plenty of meat.
We expect to get bear or two just
as soon as we get time to hunt, as we
know where to find them. We went
after some one day, and out of COM
passion for a few boys who camped
near us and had no meat, took them
with US. | knew where the bear was
and went up on mountain opposite to
the one that had the bear on it, and
built fire on it, SO [ could be readily
seen by my partner, who was to lead
the boys to the bear according to my
signals from the opposite mountain.
You see, the underbrush and trees
and rock are SO thick that you can't
see bear until you are right on to
him. But | could locate him from
the opposite mountain and signal to
the right or left, up or down, by red
and white flags (handkerchiefs)
Well, [ got them to Mr.. Bear all right,
but the understanding was that two or
more men were to shoot at him and
no man must shoot alone unless it was
not safe to wait for help. My partner
and another man got right up to Mr.
Bear and the other man forgot all
about the conditions of the hunt
and raised his gun and fired and, |
suppose, missed him. He was excited
and it was the first bear he had ever
shot at, SO it spoiled the hunt and we
had our hard days work for nothing
Next time we will go alone. We can
see goats and occasionally bear from
our cabin door.
Mr.. Ballard is going to- Skaguay to-
morrow-it is somewhere between Is
and 20 miles-so | will send this letter
by him. Letters from here to Skaguay
or from Skaguay here cost 81 each
and nothing certain about it, but we
are going to make couple of trips
down there to get some more provi-
sions to take the place of what we will
consume this winter. Our duty is paid
on our groceries, so we want to take in
as much stuff as we have paid duty on,
SO if you write within a month I will
in all probability get it myself, also
any papers you may see fit to mail to
Skaguay. Idon't think there are any
extra charges on magazines or papers
and the price is just the same to Ska
quay as any point in the United States.
1t rains and SHOWS alternately day af-
ter day and | don't think there is an
other country on tho face of Gods
earth like White Pass.
am writing this letter by the light
of candle of my own make. Old
Dock, the OK, was pretty fat and his
tallow made fine candles. ] don't get
any news here and know absolutely
nothing new about the diggings. We
are as we'll off coming this way as if
we had gone by the way of Dyea, as
we know of some men that came up
on the Bristol wro have not got over
the summit. Some that only have had
small outfits got across, but those that
had any outfit at all and did not have
enough money to pay 40 cents per
pound for packing are not any further
advanced than we are. besides, some
of the Bristol people had narrow es-
cape from that glacier and it might
have carried our stock of goods with
it as it did lots of others that had
their stuff catched along the path. /
am satisfied and will be better posted
when spring comes and maybe can 60
in better fixed than if | had got
through this fall. [ am very we'll and
getting fat. My partner says that my
whiskers will soon be ready to harvest.
l have quite crop and if they are
ripe | think as he does they are
ready for harvest.
We have lady camping near us.
Her husband is at Dawson City and
she is taking her two boys in with her.
They are building cabin near ours.
Don't know her name yet, but suppose
/ will before spring. | know one
thing; she can talk, and fast, too.
Maybe she will want a telephone be-
tween the two cabins. | should pre-
fer that rather than have her rubber
ing around to see how we cook.
Our cabin is 13x16-inside measure
ment-and no carpet. We would have
had carpet by this time, only Mr..
Ballard wants Ingram and | want
heavy Brussels, and neither one will
give in on this point, 80 [ am afraid
we won't have any carpet. Well,
good night and love to all. / hope
Mr.. Ballard will bring me letter from
you on his return.
ALFRED LESTER.