The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-26

bridge not wide enough for a team to
cross, ana hand cart was used TO carry
things over. After that we knew we
must pack our goods on our backs for
forty miles as all pack teams were en-
gagged for six weeks ahead. and even If
they were disengaged. at ruling prices it
would have cost US $4,000 to get the
goods transferred. fully believe none
OF the newspaper reports this summer
were exaggerated in the least.
Just before we arrived, 4 young fellow
from Seattle, of wealthy family. was
drowned at this narrow bridge while at
tempting to cross before the structure
was complete. He lost his footing and
help came too late. The teamster who
had the boys goods returned to town
with the body and demanded $40 from
the dead boys partner. When it was
refused the teamster took 1t from the
pocket of the corpse. When the men at
camp heard of 1t they at once held u
meeting, and there was talk of lynchng,
but at last they gave the teamster five
hours to sell his team and leave. He
tried to board Il ship, but the captain
refused to have him, and at last he took
to the woods until he could get aboat
TO Juneau. This is a sample of frontier
justice. Any man caught stealing is
shot on the spot; you can leave your
clothes and provisions by the road with
your name attached and be sure Of find
Ing them when you return.
After we had crossed the river we
again encamped. The four men in our
party had taken tn ms dragging the hard
cart by ropes and steering it around
stumps. Once in a while the cart upset
and then there was nothing to do but
look pleasant and load the things on
1t again. At this second camp we cook
cd on" first meal; l was the chef and
made baking powder biscuits and coffee
which was pronounced drinka.ble. The
next morning we started to pack our
stuff to the foot of the first hill, which
looked "a terror" We finally hired an
other team and paid $40 for Il two-mile
lift. Then we bought four burros for
$500 and fifteen minutes later were offer
ed $500 for them, but we knew Z good
thing when we saw 1t. and kept them.
Three hundred dollars seems rather
steep for four little animals like burros,
but when We arc through with them we
can easily get our money back Our
first expedition with them was back to
SkaEuay for our portable boat with
which we intend to finally conquer the
Yukon. The steamer Willamette had
Just landed 300 passengers, and what
they did or how they managed was hard
to tell. Two miners arrived at the same
time from klondikc with over $40 900 in
gold dust. representing but six weeks
work, and this seemed to cheer I'D The
new arrivals, who are going to have a
hard time before the winter Is over I'M
less am mistaken. The miners had re-
turned for provisions, and said there was
no question about the gold-the trouble
was getting al it.
Back at our camp beyond the river,
right nj tho font hn -;
saw constant procession of men mass
Ing onward to the great Mccca-mcn in
heavy clothes, each with from so to 100
pounds on his back-miners, III echlnics.
policemen, clerks of all kinds, business
men-all working like beavers. There Is
no loatlng in Alaska. When our party
started for the summit of the formita-
BILE hill, supposedly about fourteen miles
distant, we loaded 100 pounds on the
back Of each burco. About a quarter Of
mile away. when we Were going up a
slippery rock. horse ahead of us slip
ped and fell back down the TRAIL knock
ms down three of our little bu:roS like
- many teupins but it did not affect
them, for they are wonderful animals
Several times they fell down heights of
ten or fifteen feet, only to get UP and
checrfully so on. The trail was some
thing f!ightful. up and down. and prac-
t'SatiS nv pam. wa mountain men say
1t Is the worst they ever encountered
In some places we went through mud
knee deep, and at other spot, the path
ran along mountain lake and then
again along the edge of cliff, down
which we looked thousands of feet into
canons, while the cliff on the other hand
was equally high. The path was scarce
ly more than two feet wide and yet
men and horses passed each other in ut
ter disregard of danger. In one place we
clambe!ed 800 yards up the bed OF 4 roar
ing mountain stream with the water
rushing by knee deep. We pushed on
that day until We were within a half
mile of the summit and leaving our
goods went back over the trail 20 camp
dead tired and hungry. Next day we
succeeded in moving the rest of our
things to the top OF that awful first hill
and carried all of it on our backs, being
unable to use the buIros OH account OF
the rain. The trail was full Of roots
and snags that caught cur feet. ANA CT
ten we stumbled and fell with our loads
in the driving rain. Two ladies from