The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-08-26

Ce1tIul tn1ng. lne uOuh~iiho io'" w.
fat as the plains and there Is no trace
on the map of one OF those deep rocky
canyons that are the bane OF the pros
pectors. One Of these which must be
passed is Miles Canyon. 1t matters not
what they are going into the fields Tor
they have to pass the awful obstacle
That Is, they have to pass It II they
20 by way OF what Is known as the
Overland route" and that is the way
the greater number of adventurers will
70. THOSE who go fy the way OF the
Yukon river will avoid the obstacles
by several hundred miles. but they
will also miss one OF the most exciting
Incidents that man can crowd Into his
life.
The story OF Miles Canyon was told
by Thomas Warner, an old Alaskan
prospector who spent several months
Of the early part of the years in San
Francisco, but who 10 now, very likely,
right in the midst of the big gold ex-
element AS he told the story 1t was
about as dramatic as such a narrative
could well be, and incidentally he men
toned few facts that will give an
idea of what has to be gone through
with:
"In going over the range OF noun
tains along the coast the trail is taken
that leads from Dyea to the top of the
range and through sort OF low sad
die that Is known as Chilkoot Pass.
The climb to the top of this Is some
thing awful, and unless the men are
good and strong Is likely to consume
the greater part of three days.
well, we got over this part Of the
country all right, and on the other side
'ound such down grade that 1t was
more of an object to hold back than
II was to go ahead We went down
dying. and In couple Of days found
ourselves on the shores OF Lake Lin
derman. 1t was frozen solid and was
several feet deep in snow, but we made
good time over 1t and successfully
reached Lake Bennett, Lake Mares and
The upper end of Lake Marsh.
Here we found 1t necessary to stop
and build our boat. You see that the
season was advancing and the ice was
getting 'mushy,' so that we had to be
prepared for water. OF course we had
.aken tools with US. In few days
here was quite colony of us, as sew
eral other parties came in soon after
Dur arrival. Things were quite lively,
and the buzz Of the saw and the thump
Of the hammer could be heard for
miles. A party of about eight started
at the same time, and there were at
least fly men jus behind us working
"a heir boats and ready to start as soon
as they were finished. The way we
did was to put our boats on the sleds
We had in the first place and drag them
he best We could. This comes pretty
close to being hard work, but it had
The advantage of keeping us warm.
LAS 1t happened, we did not need the
,leds for very long, for the first night
out there came thaw, and in the
morning the ice on the lake was all
broken up. This was naturally a de-
ay, for while the ice was still heavy
we coud not launch our boats, but
when it did break up into small bits
| The lake looked as II there was yacht
club out for summer cruise. This, OF
course, was very pleasant, and when
we got to the lower end of the lake
there was large party Of us.
This canyon Is about half way be-
tween Lake Marsh and Lake Lebarge.
The distance between the two is abou,
torty-f1ve miles. To give an idea of
This point I may say that the river, as
we have been coming over 1t for many
| miles, has been about 300 feet wide.
but suddenly narrows down to about
thirty feet between canyon walls, and
from a smooth. placid stream becomes
raging torrent, tearing through the
narrow opening at the rate of about
twenty miles an hour. The walls OF he
canyon rise on both sides to the height
Of several hundred feet, so that there
was no way Of walking along the banks
Of the stream. When we reached this
| point OF the river there were about for
| ty OF US. 1t was either to 10 through
the canyon In our boats or laboriously
climb the hill to the west, dragging all
of our belongings with US. In climb
Ing this hill It Is necessary to 10 over
4 ridge at east 1000 feet high, and then
down on the other side. To move the
ordinary luggage of four men 1t would
AXE quite four days. and be the hardest
kind Of work. One way took four days
and the other four minutes. But all Of
is hesitatsd long time.
Il will never forget that trim I can