The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-20
Horse rapids the river is safe and we made
quick run TO the junction of the Tahkeena
/ river sixteen miles below.
TWENTY-GIx DAYS, TOTrpNEv

Horse rapids the river is safe and we made
a quick run to the junction of the Tahkeena
river sixteen miles below.
TWENTY-SIX DAYS JOURNEY.
THE next day we started early, and soon
made the remaining fourteen miles Of the
! river and reached Lake Debarge This is
the last and largest of the chain, being
thrty-one miles long and about five wide.
| 1t is stormy lake, and much dreaded by
miners We began rowing a l o'clock, and
| pulled steadily on the oars till II at night.
| There is no darkness during summer, and
night travel presents no extra hardship.
| We fired a flock of ducks and the report
| OF the gun made wonderful echo. Imme-
| diately more shots of artillery were sounded
| up in the mountains.
When nearing the end of the lake vio-
| lent storm suddenly arose. Our boats were
| in danger, and although within five miles
or the outlet, we had to camp until the
| journey, reaching the outlet at night. II
| was no small relief to reach the river and
| leave the lakes behind.
The river from Lake Debarge is known
| as the Lewis We continued down the
| Lewis thirty miles, and the next day, July
| l, passed Big Salmon river We passed on
as far as Little Salmon river, distance of
| seventy-one miles, and then camped The
storm on Lake Debarge had scattered the
party, but we came together at this point.
The next day, we travelled sixty 1.-TWO
miles and arrived at Five Fingers. The
| landing must be made in eddy above
| the rocks. Six miles below Five Fingers
we came to the Rock rapids, the noisest
but least dangerous in the river This is
| the last obstruction. and from here down
| 10 the sea the Yukon presents an unbroken
| stretch Of navigation. Our tortures from
mosquitoes could hardly be borne.
hours nd at cay o'clock ached the oe
| of Polly river The confluence of the Lewis
and Peily forms the Yukon, and is marked
| by the old post Of Selkirk, which was raided
we Are now in the vicinity of the gold
| mining camps. Starting down the Yukon
| the following day, we made seventy-four
miles and camped at Reliance. Formerly
! there was a trading post here, but not q
yestige remains on our way we passed
| SiXty-mile creek. where the first great dis
| coVerieS were made. The next stream we
passed was the Klondyke corruption OF
an Indian word. Tondatt, meaning salmon
! stream. The inhabitants were anXiously
! awaiting the coming of the salmon.
! The next day five hours pulling brought
us to the famous mining camp of Forty
| mile creek. which was our destination.
! From the time of our departure from Jul
neau. June H. to our landing at Forty-mile
! creek. July O. we accomplished in twenty
| six days a journey of $50 miles through a
The writer OF this letter is an intelligent
! traveller o man of high character and en-
| tireiy reliable. The narrative of his trip
| 10 the kIondyke camp, known last summer
| attention Of the miners in this country Will
| exhibit faithfully the incidents attending a
| Ike journey Undertaken by any prospectoT
! in summer
THE GOVERNORS REPORT.
This is the route recommended by the
Governor of Alaska in his last annual re-
port. The distances given in the letter
tally with the route from Juneau outlined
by the Governor, which is follows:
Haine's Mission. 50 miles: head of canoe
navigation, 106: summit of Chilkat pass,
rs; Lake Linderman, 124; head of Lake
Bennett 1919; foot of Lake Bennett, 1856; foot
of Caribou crossing, 159; foot of Takou lake,
| 10: Takceh House. 179; head of Mud lake
iS0; foot OF Lake Marsh, 200; head of White
| Horse rapids, rs; Iakaheena river, 24O;
| head of Lake Debarge, 256; foot of Lake
| Reb2rge, 2S9 Hootalinqua, 500; Cassiar bar,
347; Little Salmon river, 800; Five Fingers,
| 451; Pelly river 80; Stewart river, $50;
Governor Sheallley's report gives many
| hints to the prOspector, which should not be
"A large number of those who have gone
! to the Yukon region will not realize their
expectations Mining in that friSid region Is
D. TENDED with so much difficulty and labor
<lat only those of great experience and en-
| durance can succeed No rich developments
or discoveries have been reported from
there at this writing, but 1t is estimated
| that this seasons output Will be fully up &c
! that of last year. The government or the
United States has given this part OF
| Alaska but little consideration. No judicial
! or other officers have been sent there. Inc
| miners meeting mas full control and juris-
! diction of every function of government.
| The miners make the local laws which gov
ern the people. They decide what the law
is and execute the DEGREES and decisions
of the miners meeting. both as to persons
and property. So long as these meetings
are kept under the control OF actual miners
and workingmen, the rights OF persons ana
! of property will be comparatively safe
Property rights will be decided without de-
lay and crime promptly punished.
THE Canadian government MAINTAINS a
! police force consisting of a company OF
! twenty men. the captain OF which is clothed
| with the powers of a trial magistrate. ThlS
| company is located in the mining district
on the line between Alaska and British Co.
lumbia 1t is reported that it is very eff1clent
in Furnishing criminals and preventing dls-
| orderly conduct. Authority Is exercised
| with fairness and discrimination, and is
| productive OF great good on both sides OF
! the line.
| This is no poor mans country; no one
| should arrive here with less than $500; the
! road is long supplies are costly. seasons
! are short and fortune is tickle. Failure to
| find gold the fils season entails SuTerlng
| upon those whose funds are insufficient to
| carry them through the long winter, when
| absolutely nothing can be done; not one In
| a hundred makes a strike the first season.
| ''Inexperienced persons, unless prepared
for ionelextended delays, should stay away
| gold finding is a science which can be ac-
| Guired only in its native fields, and the arr
! must be mastered elsewhere, for IN Alaska
! there is no time for pioneering; action must
| be quick and sharp or the season is loSt'
ALL ABOUT KLONDYKE.