Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-16


for tmmedi1e use on arrival at the lakes,
but they are new left to, rot with the other
useless supplies. A great many improvised
signs on trees convey the information of
different parties having goods for sale all
along the trail. From the foot of tine first
hill to the summit of Poreupine Hill is o.
gradual rise for four miles, and then a de-
scent to what is known the first bridge
over the Skaguay river. To the third cross
Ing of the river Is simply a repetition of the
first three miles-mud and dead horses on
every side At the third bridge the first
camp of any size is reached. cutoff
around one of the larger hills has been
blasted out of the solid rock and this is
followed until the ford is reached. This
1oro Is the last crossing of the river.
A climb of an hour and the summit of
white Pass is reached, half way from
Skaguay to Lake Bennett. About three
inches Of snow has fallen. The wind blows
In the face of the prospector. The snow
and sleet Is so binding, even at this sea-
son of the year, that it is often necessary
for the prospector to double on his track
1or the purpose of finding the trail
At Middle Lake.
FOLLOWING along the summit for ~ miles
Is broad table land. Descending, you come
at once to valley perhaps two miles wide,
known as the first meadows, and the trail
leads from the first meadows a distance
of three miles to Middle lake. The
OF coarse grass. The horses are turned out
to craze; eat beautifully, but obtain no
nourishment camp of thirty tents was
at the head of Middle lake when 1 ar
rived there, waiting for the dying down OF
the wind SO that boats could arrive from
the other end of the lake. In the me. n
Tune the campers were busy shooting ducks.
Wnlcn were everywhere to be seen. In fact
1t seemed that the air was full of feathers
At the sound of gun, these ducks would
rise up ten or fifteen feet and light again.
apparently having never seen a man before
or heard the report Of gun. Goods can
be taken across this five miles for l cent
per pound. providing the wind is fair. A
portage of quarter of mile and another
pretty lake is reached called Shallow lake
ID miles in length. A charge of u cent
per pound for carrying goods is made here.
one man has four boats engaged in freight
ing on these two lakes, and it is needless
to say he has Klondike himself.
Leaving the lower end of Shallow lake
and the beginning of the last tramp toward
Lake Bennett commences. The trail runs
through timber meadows and marshes at
fording a pleasant diversity of scene and
is by far the best portion of the Skaguay
trail. Within a distance of ten miles,
twenty six marshes are crossed. On every
hand the final rush to reach water before
the freeze can be seen. Immense pack
trains are hurrying along. Blockades of
horses and goods are of hourly occurrence
and the oaths of men turn the air blue.
The prize is almost in sight, and the men
feel that it cannot be lost by delay at the
final point. Prices have suddenly become
very high. Oats sell for $40 per hundred
pounds. Two miles from Lake Bennett
and the sound of hammers, axes and saws
is heard. Crowds of men telling trees and
cutting timber, tell of the struggle to get
material for boats.
A short distance beyond, and numerous
signs of every nature and description are
| met. Men with goods to sell-men who
have lost their partners on the trail-men
who want passage down the rfver-men
who want work-in fact, men who want
anything-have hewn smooth places on the
sides of the trees beside the trail, and
the markings in these smooth places tell
the story of their desires.
For instance:
BOAT AND OUTFIT FOR 2 MEN
FOR SALE. PIACE-HANSBURY
NEAR MATHES' GRAVE.
Another:
HORSE SHOE NAILS, 25c.
Apply first tent to right
Another:
o. R. WILLIAMs-A. DELFEL.
Another:
HOLBROOK: GO TO LAKE
AT DIVIDING OF TRAILS.
Reaching Lake Bennett the beach is COW
cred will. tents, their occupants being i'm
patiently waiting to get away. A strong
breeze diSturbS the surface of the lake,
and the boats put out as they are COM
rleted, with all manner of rigging. One
The wind takes the boat in direct line
toward the mighty Yukon, ana 1t soon
passes out of view.
The proverbi:,l hore sty OF mining camps
does not prevail at Lake Bennett. In
stances of stealing are SO common that
every party leaves guard on duty with
his goods all the time.
\ few days since, three men started down
the Yukon together. After going thirty-five
miles, two of them landed to see friend
On shore The third stole the entire outfit
and went on down, compelling the two
who had landed to tramp back through a
wilderness of woods to Camp Bennett,
which they reached during my stay there.
1t Is next to impossible to purchase pro-
visions or supplies of any kind at Lake
Bennett, although much are passing
through. Everyone prefers to keep his I'M
til Dawson City is reached. Flour, If sold
at all, brings $40 per sack of fifty pounds,
oats, $40 per hundred pounds; sugar, 81 per
pound; coffee. 81 per pound; whisky, fifty
cents drink Every man must carry his
own blankets and provisions. Klondikers
on the trail are very ready to accommodate
strangers with shelter in their tents, but
will not supply blankets. Very often, so
otter causes, that the tents are more than
crowded 1 know of one instance when
seven men slept in the same bed on the
ground. In cases of this kind, middle
berths are at premium on these cold
nights.
Boats are the one great commodity at
Lake Bennett Everybody wants one. A
small. wheezy saw mill ATTEMPTS to supply
lumber and boats. All the lumber they can
cut-a thousand feet per day-is readily
gobbled up at seventy-five cents per lineal
foot. An ordinary river boat sells for $500.
Larger ones for 800 and $500. A passenger
for Dawson City without goods can buy
passage in one of these boats. or rather
place big enough to sit down in, for 500.
Most Of the boats carry four or five pas
sengers. in addition to the regular supply
of goods. When a party finds that It has
room left in boat a sign is placed on q
convenient tree. offering passage for men,
and possibly goods. at a stated price.
Whisky Mt Lake Bennett.
Last spring 5000 gallons of whisky were
brought through Alaskan territory to Lake
Bennett in bond. Fifteen hundred gallons
are now buried in the sand on the shores of
the lake; the remainder having been ship
ped down the river billed to Dawson City.
These 1850 gallons were shipped north the
week previous to my visit.
Leaving Lake Bennett. and walking half
mile to the southwest, the worst section of
the rapids in the portage between Lake
Lindeman and Lake Bennett is reached
Here many prospectors. after a hard strug-
gle in the mountain passes, have lost all