The herald., 1897-10-25


Bernard Of Trail, John Garvin of Den
ven and Rev. g. L. Pollard OF East
Orange. N. J.
Hon. ELTON, minister OF the interior,
has started in over Dyea trail with
Major Walsh, administrator Of the
Klondke district, the mounted police
end ofi1clals. Sftoxs will return by
Skaguay trail If he gets through.
THE DEADLY TRAIL
SEATTLE, Oct. 24.-Only the merest
chance and the lucky discovery of the
half-hidden trail by one of their num-
Der saved six members Of the party
headed by F. L. and julius Trippe
from a horrible death by starvation on
the Dalton trail late in September.
The party was headed by the Trippe
brothers, formerly of Chicago, and in
cluded Charles Wilkes Of Whatcom,
Charles d. Dugas from Juneau, John
Frye of this city and w. Gillier Of Wood
man and a prospector living at Fort
WrangeL They left Dawson for the
states in a small steamer August 2Sth,
and after reaching Fort Selkirk, pre-
pared their outfits for the long and ar
duous journey over the Dalton trail.
A week after leaving the Yukon river
they encountered a deadly Alaskan
blizzard. The trail was covered with
snow. until they lost their bearings.
Their provisions ran out, and after
cropping for three days in a binding
snowstorm, they were finally rescued
by Indians and taken to trading post,
where they were given food
The experience Of the Trippes. who
re3ched Seattle on the steamer Farallon
today, would make columns Of good
reading matter. In many respects the
story they tell is not materially diff
ferent form the experiences encoun-
oered By men nearly every winter in
oroseing the long, blizzardswept range
OF country lying between Five Fingers
and the Chilcat mountains.
As related by one Of the party, the
trip up the Yukon to Fort Selkirk was
without unusual incident. At this place
they secured rough map of the route
With only about forty pounds of pro-
visions each, they started over the trail
leaving Fort Selkirk September 18th.
The weather was clear, and there had
been but little snow to obstruct the trail
over the range. They made good time
for the first three days, but soon found
that they would be unable to reach Dali
tons cache before their provisions gave
out. Their only hope was to meet in
coming prospectors and surveyors, from
whom they expected to secure enough
food to take them to the cache On the
third day from the river it began snow
Ing, and the wind was icy cold. They
struggled bravely on until they reached
Hootchai. Here they met a party of
four men. and secured three days ra-
tions from them.
Again they started for Dslton's post
The snow was getting deeper, and,walk-
Ing was extremely difficult. Soon after
leaving Hootchai they found it impos-
eible to keep the trail, and finally they
found themselves wandering aimlessly
over barren, snow-covered wastes their
bearings lost and their food exhausted
Just AZ 1t seemed as if they were des-
tined to have the snow for a shroud,
they came upon an Indian camp. Here
they purchased fifteen fish, and with
these as their only sustenance, again
headed for the direction in which they
believed Dalton's trading post was sit
uated.
AC SiiOWStO LA Pal lldlly CedsSu alter
they met the Indians. Their simple diet
of dried salmon was not enough to keep
up their already wasted energies, and
after another days travelling they found
that they were confronted with dangers
as great as ever. On the second day
Hfter leaving the Indians they ran out
of food for the third time. The trail
was entirely covered with snow, and
they were unable to locate the Dalton
cache by the directions given on the
chart. They camped in the woods and
while one party went in search of the
trail, another started out with a gun
after food. They at last obtained sal
mon in small stream, and they had
these for supper and out Of the scraps
made breakfast the following day This
was the last food they tasted for three
days, with the exception OF an owl,
which they shot and made into soup.
Mr.. Trippe said tonight that he was
ready to give up as the days passed
without his having eaten any solid food.
1t was bitter cold, and only by the ex-
ercise of will power We're they kept from
being frozen stiff.
Toward evening of the third day in
camp Gillies discovered the location of
the trail. and with the help of an In
diam whom they met, they made Dali
tons camp. Here they obtained the
first real food they had eaten for four
days. After resting two days they re-
sumed their march to Chilcat pass. and
reached the end of tlnir journey with
out further mishap.