The San Francisco call., 1897-07-29

Yesterday Bondo or Konyke.

pened into certain store and saw the
floor Uttered with four or five outfits.
Among the things that caught my ewes
were blankets and pack saddles. Why.
they might as well take mosquito nets
along to protect them from the cold as
blankets Why. the only kind OF apparel
that will he a protection in that climate,
where the murcury gets down TO 40 de-
grees below zero, is the clothing made of
the furs that are obtained from the ami
m ais that are denizens of the region.
II see that q nun ber of people are
taking burros and horses to help get their
belongings across the divide 10 the head
waters of the Yukon. These animals Will
last just about two weeks. They may be
able 10 get one load across the pass on
them. 1t is absurd to expect that animals
taken from warm climate like California
will be ole to live in the severe cold up
there. Their blood is thin and their lungs
are not accustomed to the thin, dry air up
there.
II feel safe in predicting that half of
those who have gone into the klondyke e
country from this side OF the country will
not live to come back. The outfits that
they are taking will be of little or no use
to them. If there is the least weakness in
their lungs they will go off with pneu-
monia and consumptio almost before
they learn what is the natter with them.
If any of them get caught in one OF the
billiards. that occur there they will be
frozen to death without being aware of
the TACT. People in the East rarely be-
lieve that We have green grass here in the
middle of the winter. So it Is with those
who are going to the Old fields OF the far
north. They are inclined to disbelieve all
the reports of deadly cold
Another serious danger that threatens
is starvation. | do not see how it Will be
fn Vpt
for the great number of people who are
already on their way into the country. l
am aware that large Quantities OF pro-
visions and other supplies are being taken
up TO sDyea but from all that have read
in the papers there Is enough freight now
awaiting transportation across the pass to
keep them busy for the next two years
with the present facilities.
'In my opinion, it Is wrong for the
Government to allow these people to rush
into that country. under the circum-
stances. 1t should compel them to
turn back, as is done by the Canadian au-
thorities under similar circumstances.
No one is allowed to go in from the Cana.
dian side unless it is known that there is
q sufficient supply OF provisions i'll the
country to prevent famine. There will
be suffering enough without people facing
the risk OF starvation,
III | were advising any one to go into
lnaL region L SnOulO tel Iuetn TO wall un-
til at least year from next March. By that
time the country will be well supplied with
all the nj ssaIies, and will have ample
transportation facilities. They need not
be afraid of being unable to locate pay
ing claim at that time. There is plenty
of goIo there. OF that ! have no doubt.
Those who go in year from next spring
WILL in my estimation, have better
chance Of life and fortune than those who
are now rushing In.
THAT country is just full of gold, silver,
copper and tin. At the time l was up
there it was no unusual thing to see the
Indians using gold and tin for bullets.
They would bring the gold to the trading
posts of the Hudson Bay Company and
exchange it for bullets OF lead, liquor an
beads. 1t was no uncommon thing to
see the company's agents weigh out a
quantity OF leaden uIets and receive in
retGrn the same weight in gold. Tie In
dians would not at that time tell any
white man where they obtained the gold
They would leave the trading posts i'll
May and return in Septemb Der with guam
titles Of gold"