The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-30
OUT OF THE WILDERNESS.
Returned KIondiEer's Recital of the
Trip From Dawson.


Trip From Dawson.
Seattle, Wn., Nov. sO-Thomas Magee
of San Francisco, who arrived in this
city on the steamer City of Seattle
from Dawson City, thus graphically
describes his trip over the Dalton trail:
In a canoe with one Indian and Mr..
Ferguson, my son and myself left Daw-
son on October Il with about six hun
bred pounds of food and personal eff
fects. Jack Dalton, two days later,
with an Indian in IA foot shell and
about 200 pounds of freight followed.
He overlook US ten days out and when
the ice was running very heavily in the
Yukon On the fourth day we encOun-
tered very severe obstacles in crossing
the river, at a point where it was much
to deep for polling. After two hours
work and repeated danger of founder
ing, we finally got across. The ice in
the main river grows daily worse until
the ninth day, when in a slough, with
a racing current, high banks and over
hanging trees we were caught in near
ly ice-closed water. Further progress
seemed impossible.
Here Dalton and the Indian Joined
US, his canoes having been partially
wrecked by ice Jamming half a mile
ahead. eW therefore Joined forces.
After Is days of this up-river work,
all days of difficulty, doubt and danger,
we reached Selkirk on October 25.
Other of Dalton's men got in the next
Selkirk.
Thirteen inches of snow were on the
ground and more was threatening. A
trail through the woods had to be cut
as we slowly headed for Five Finger
Rapids, So miles further up the Yukon.
I'VE had five horses. The trail kept
so bad that on the second day Dalton
and two other men went back to Sell
kirk and brought up a canoe, to which
were transferred the packs, thus great
~ tightening the horses. Feed was
scarce and the animals, reindeer-lil1e,
had to paw down in the snow to get to
it. 1t showed off and on for two days
and much more was constantly threat
ening. On the third day ii seemed that
further snow falls might make the trail
impossible for anything like rapid
travelling. Two feet already lay on the
level. Under these circumstances and
with over 300 miles of land travel before
US, Dalton strongly urged US to go back
to Selklrk- But we refused, and for
very good reasons. My son and had al
ready contributed all our provisions
and a single pound was not to be had at
Selkirk. The Yukon was then almost
closed with ice. 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, therefore, the only wise course we
thought.
Near Five Finger Rapids, the horses
swan the river again and we pushed on
up the right bank to Cornack's post,
% miles, where we left the Yukon and
any possibility of turning back. Six
days over a very rough country, but
with no new snow, brought us to HOOt-
chy-Eye, 20 miles, where there were
three deserted Indian cabins. The next
day We passed through a country bare
aOf timber, in very gloomy, Wind-threat-
ening weather. On the summit of the
surrounding mountains, heavy gales
and snow were prevailing Bad water
beyond HOOtchy-Eye, poisoned most of
the party, causing severe and frequent
cramps and hemOrrhages. We got only
two meals a day on the entire trip,
breakfast always in the dark between 4
and and dinner between 4 and
o'clock.
The short daylight and the difficulty
of packing provisions did not allow
stops for midday meals. meal at
Dalton's Post, which we reached in six
days from HOotchy-Eye, composed of
canned beef. bread baked by Dalton
and can of cold tomatoes, had at once
such effect on physical strength, COM
fort and satisfaction that strains blown
from far off sunset lands or the music
of Aeoleon harps could not have been
more soothing. The horses were left
here, two died on the way, but three
new ones, strays, We're picked up. Thir-
ty miles from the post was another
base of Dalton supplies in two tents. We
should have reached this place, called
the Cache, on the second day. We
walked from 1880 a. until after p.
m, three hours past daylight, without
reaching timber shelter, or without
trail, Dalton still being behind at the
post. A night spent far within the
Arctic regions could not have been
more desolately exposed, though. of
course, it could have been colder. The
thermometer was about 20 degrees be-
low zero and the wind made it vastly
worse Four of the party partially
froze their feet during the night. Next
morning we found, much to our disgust,
that we had been only three-quarters of
a mile from the Cache. Next day, by
moonlight, very early, we were off for
the first summit, for there were two to
cross. The first has an elevation of g.
500 feet, the second is 900 feet lower.
The pace was a running walk and the
course largely over smooth ice. I got
some very bad falls on it. After cross
ing this summit, the worst of our trOu-
bles were over and we were within 40
miles of Chilkat. / had, for 40 days, on
icy, up-river work for 200 miles, and by
land for over 300, been pushing on in
very poor condition, in unceasing work
a portion of the time, too, in intense
pain. Part of the time I did not in the
least, care whether I lived or died Had
I been assured any morning of the trip
that I would be dead before night, I
would with none the less appetite, have
eaten my full share of bacon and beans
and drunk my coffee in cOntentment.
ION the last day 1 did not walk, but
gladly rode in an Indian sleigh on the
ice of the Chilkat river. We entered
the world again on the forty-second
day from Dawson"