The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-12

to observe that know his company
would be agreeable to the byes, and
he will be of great help to the same
Wen, I'm blessed, exclaimed the
old miner, removing his hat and mop
pins his forehead with his big red
handkerchief, Then he turned half
way around and looked steadily at the
fellow who was standing with his head
down.
Poor dog. let him come along, but
if he makes any trouble, I'll hold you
responsible, Tim
And I'll be happy to take charge of
the same 'sponsibility, and if he don't
toe the mark it's mesilf that will make
him. Do you hear that, Ike?" he roared,
turning fiercely toward the fellow, who
started and meekly replied that he
heard, though it was impossible for
anything to reach him except the last
thunderous demand.
1T isn't for US to say anything" re-
marked Roswell aside to his chum, "but
that means trouble for us all.''
1T surely does; we must be on our
guard against him"
The outfits were piled on a sandspit
about a mile below the trading posts
of Healy and Wilson. In the foreground
were the ranch and store owned by
mountains, their tops cleaning in the
sunshine with enormous masses of
snow, while hundreds of miles still be-
yond stretched the immense Yukon
country, towards which the eyes of the
civilized world are turned at the pres
ent time.
One of the strange facts connected
with Alaska and the adjoining region
is that in May the sun rises at 3 O'clock
Il O IT, --ic.e OF
1:30 and sets at 1920 Thus the sum
mer day is 20 hours long, and it has a
diffuse twilight. The change from win
ter to summer is rapid, winter setting
in in September and in the Klondike
region zero weather lasts from No
vember to May, though at times the
weather moderates early in March, but
does not become settled until May. The
Yukon generally freezes shut in the
latter part of October and breaks up
about the middle of May, when the
western route to the sold fields by the
river becomes practicable.
The hour was so late when our friends
had finished carrying their outfit be-
yond reach of the high tide, which rises
20 feet at Dyea, that they lodged and
took their meals at the ranch. trading
post. BY arrangement an early break
fast was eaten the next morning and
]
Yukon sleighs with which they were
provided These were seven feet long,
16 inches wide and were shod with steel.
Other gold seekers were stopping like
themselves at the ranch. but they
Jagged so much that when the men and
/ boys headed northward they were alone.
Jeff Graham and Ike Hardman
passed the rope attached to one of the
sleds over their shoulders, the elder in
/ Il Ia1 off he n1 n
! with the boys behind him with the sec
ond sled, following the trail left of their
friends. The deep snow was packed so
! hard that no use was made Of the snow
shoes which Jeff had provided.
From Dyea the trail led for five miles
over the ice when they reached the
mouth of the canyon. This is two miles
| long with an average width of so feet.
/ The sleds were dragged over the strong
| ice. but later in the season, when it
| breaks up, travellers are obliged to fol-
| low the trail to the east of the can
yon.
The party were so unaccustomed to
this kind of labor that they found 1t
exhausting. Curiously enough, jeff bore
| the fatigue better than any. His IRON
muscles were the last to yield, and he
was the first to resume the journey. He
| chaffed the others, and offered to let
! them mount his sled while he pulled
them.
Beyond the woods is a strip of woods
! three miles in length which bears the
name of Pleasant Camp, though it has
not the first claim to the name. 1t does
not contain the ruins of even cabin or
shanty-nothing, in fact, but trees
| through which the wintry winds sough
and howl dismally. There the party
| halted, ate lunch, rested for an hour
and then set out with the determine
| ton to make the next camping ground
| before night.
The ascent now became gradual, and
before the day was spent they arrived
at Sheep Camp, on the edge of the tim
! Der This is the last spot where wood
! for fuel can be obtained until the other
side of Chilkoot pass is reached. The
tent was pitched on top of the snow
| the poles and pins being showed down
| into it. All the men were good COOKS,
! but Jeff took it upon himself to cut
what fuel was needed, gathered at
the same time a liberal quantity OF
! hemlock brush upon which to spread
their blankets for beds.
! Stree IT was necessary to use the
stove, and it must rest upon the snow,
a simple arrangement provided against
trouble from the melting of the latter.
! Three poles, eight feet in length, were
| laid parallel on the snow, and the stove
placed upon them. Although hole was
soon dissolved beneath, the length of
the supports kept it upright.
By the time Jeff finished his work,
Tim had supper ready and the keen
! appetites made it enjoyable. Then the
| hemlock branches were spread on top
of the snow at the side of the tent, a
large square of canvas was placed over
them, upon which the blankets and
robes were put, the whole forming a
! springy, comfortable bed.
! Roswell and Franz were sure that in
| all their lives they were never so tired.
| Leaving the three men to talk and
smoke, they stretched out on their
| blankets, wrapping themselves in them
and almost Immediately sank into deep,
! dreamless slumber.
The sleep had lasted perhaps a couple
of hours, when, without any apparent
! cause, Frank Mansley awoke in the
full possession of his senses. Lying
motionless, he listened to the soft
/ breathing of his cousin beside him,
while the regular respiration of the
men left no doubt of their condition.
| Everything around was in blank, inn
penetrable darkness, and all profoundly
still
It's strange that 1 should awake
like this he thought, slightly shifting
his position I'm tired and was so
drowsy that felt as if I could sleep a
week, but l was never wider awake
than I am at this minute
Amid the all-pervading silence he was
sensible of a low, solemn murnur like
| 4 a