The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-10-14
HARD ROAD TO TRAVEL
George Guilland'S Experience On the
Terrible SkaSuay Pass.
THE PERILS OF THE PILGRIMS
what the Yakima Boys arc Doing.
Took the wrong Traii-wiil
Winter I'm the Frozen wiids OF
AIaska-To Da wson In she Spring.

| hb1saa-s Oa"sOu IN the spring.
George Guilland returned to Seattle by
the Steamer Rosalie from Lake Bennett
last Saturday on the fruitless journey to
the gold placers of the Klondike. George
looks none the worse for wear: notwith-
standing the almost INDISPENSABLE hard.
ships OF the White psss or Skagusy trail.
He is slightly lame from q sprain which
happened on the trail and a physician
there pronouncing his mshsp serious
upture advised his return to Seattle for
Treatment. On his return to that city
he found that his injury was nothing
more than temporary lsmeness of the
right leg, the ligaments being sore from
falling on the slippery stones while car
rying SO pounds on his back over the al.
most impossible trail. The intrepid gold
hunter, however, nothing dsunted will
90 back in the spring by way of Dyea
pass to Dawson City.
HERALD reporter interviewed Mr..
Guilland on Tuesday on his arrival here
and learned some interesting particulars
OF the hazardous journey. Mr.. Guilland
said: II left Seattle on the 9Th OF Au-
gust on the steamer Willamette for Ska
quay. The great mistake OF our party
was not going further up by steamer six
miles to Dyes bad we done so. we would
have been now In Dawson. The town.
site boomers of Skagusy bay. however,
told us that Dyea was an impracticable
route; that there were tons and tons OF
freight there which the Indian packers
could not pack over the summit before
November. We we're assured We could
get over White pass in three weeks east
ly. We would have been all right II we
had arrived at the Sksgusy three weeks
sooner. Our troubles began with the I'M
loading Of our outfits from the steamer
Willamette, there being no wharf at
Skaguay. We had to stand waist deep
in the water to secure our goods and
traps. We landed there on the 18th of
August and it took US ten days to unload.
There were 900 passengers on board. We
next proceeded with our pack horses five
miles over pretty fair road to the foot
of mountains, a saw -toothed range, we'll
named "Porcupine,' and went into
camp. There We packed 10 the next
camp, ten miles up the White pass, max.
ing the round trip in day, with our
horses carrying $50 pounds each, caching
our outfits under rubber blankets and
tarpaulins. 1t rained all the time until it
showed on Sept. ODD, and it has been
showing there ever since with about two
feet Of snow on the summit. The pass
along the summit OF the Porcupine is
about mile over. A higher peak is
then reached about eight or ten miles
beyond and around this there is a cut off
which sensible men take and relieve the
horses as much az possible. II was here
l fell with my pack on my back and
sprained my leg, 30 that am still limp
ing from the accident. From Sksguay
to Lake Bennett is 40 or 90 miles, for dis
tsnces are mighty deceiving in that coun-
try--it seems like $50. Lake Bennett ia
at the head Of chain OF lakes emptying
into the Yukon and from there II is 500
or 600 miles to Dawson.
~ left Milroy and Cameron about Is
miles from the lake, where they intend
to 90 into camp for the winter. There is
small saw mill at Lake Bennett but it
cannot supply the demand for lumber
although they work day and night.
There we're about 500 or 800 people there
when left"
'Is there no way Of getting down the
lake." was asked Mr.. Guilland.
"No; the north winds are too rough
and three outfits were capsized going
down the lake and they lost all their
baggage"
What were the Yakima boys doing
when you left?"
"Norby and Jungst, who, by the way,
are among the most hardy men on the
trail, and Dick McDanies, Tony Krober
and Johnnie Miller were within four
miles OF Lake Rennett with their outfits
Dan Simmons, G. w. Thompson, Charlie
Pond, Souver brothers, Joe Shull. Jim
Matherson and Geo. Hilfish, of Ellens-
burg, we're about 10 miles this side OF the
lake. The horses were all killed going
over the summit except one, which had
to pack 5000 pounds to Lake Bennett.
We could have sold our four horses for
$3.50 to $l75 piece when We got to Sksg-
uay, II we had known enough and gone
to Dyea and hired Indian packers and
made the trip to Dawson successfully.
We succeeded in getting everything but
1000 pounds OF freight to within Is miles
OF Lake Bennett, where it WAS cached,
that 10 26O0 pounds in charge OF Milroy,
Cameron and Thorpe Carr. Cameron is