The evening times., 1897-08-23

New York, Aug. 23.-Joaquin Miller,
writing To the Journal under date OF Head
or Lake Bennett. Alaska. August z, says
1 write 10y the bank OF what is already
a big river, and al the fountain head OI
the mighty iukon, the second III BOT tue
mrs. OF american rivers. We nave SI0% %
inc summit passed the terrible Chtlk00l
Pass and Crater Lake and Long LII ke an1
Llnuerman Lake, and now SIT dow IA 70 Oell
the story of the past, wnile The man Mhols
10 take nle up the river 500 miles 10 the
hIolldike rows his big scOW, run OF cat
tie, brought from Seattle.
We started very early from Sheet camp
10 cross the pass, as il threatened rain.
The clouds closed right down upon us
and blocked the path before US, and the
sun above US.
we walked briskly up through a mile
or TWO OF StuInpS cut higher IMAM your
head. where the snow vas, aud then simply
granite, snow and raging floods.
The day and night had been Sultry,
almost hot, This had let loose tie baffled
tongues of 10000 streams. and more Ulian
that IL was not only difficult but dan
gerOuS 10 cross the flood before US, and
80 We lifted our faces To the clouds
black, granite path. There had been more
life and action about here than the Wonu
knows about. Thousands ana thousands OF
people had passed the range during the
past six months going To the hiOndise
Men. women and children anu lhOuSahtS OF
tons of supplies.
We were the only party that everohnhed
Jnllkoot pass without packs on Our HACKS.
People turned TO look at us retaining
packers. Resting little tine the cioucs
hrted and We looked up. What glorious
spectacle and what a splendid example
Of American manhood. 1t made my heart
thrill and throb with pride IN ny great
people. Away up where an eagle iight
pause and poise his daring wings with
care, we saw below the clouds, against
the clouds, and even ia the clouds, the
brave men climbed. and climbing ana climb
ing with their packs Ugni IN hanu, holding
on with one hand, holding the pike with the
other sixty pounds, Seyeniy-fiNe, one
hundred, and in one case a giant collier
with two hundred pounds. never waS SO
exalted ln manhood over unselllsh, lTaNe
and glorious American manhood, In my
nfe.
All the pictures that had been paint
ed 10y word, all on easel OF even IN
inlagination, OF Napoleon and his men
elm bing the Alps are hrt crlf sh '-ia'-
things In comparison. We raised a shout
ana II ran the long steep aitu tUllsOLs
line that reached from a hlUff q hove us
ana over and up tai il lost Itself n the
clouds. And down 10 : flCm The Clouds,
the shout and cry of exUitaiion OF those
brave ConQue rOrS came back ana died ava
when the distance made IL possible TO
toe heard no longer. And now We began
to ascend.
Il was not so hard as Il seemed. The
Stupendous granite mountain, lie home of
the avalanche and tie father of glaciers,
melted away before us as We assembled,
and m a single hour of bllsk climbing we
stoUd against he summit. or rather between
the tug granted blocks that marked the
summit.
Right In the path and within ten feet
Of snow bank that has n0t perls he'd Tor
Thousand years 1 picked and ate q little
strawberry, and ae L rested ana r0aineo
about Dit looking down into the brightly
DlBe lake that MADE the head waters OF
the Yukon 1 gathered d little sun flower,
q wild hyaclnth and wild tea blossom
Tor my buttonhole.
From the height above US a raven of
great size and voice flew between Us,
fAN ia
cold and keen from the blue lake below
US. lie was not heading for the hlondike
and now we began to advance. Hard
ships. burdened care. doubt, all these Were
behind We had cross ed the one
dreaded pass IN las ka.
At aIitue turnin the granite " allied path
where flour, beans and SO on were piled
even more prUfusely than at any tine along
the tran we were asked 70 look down ana
through the pass by which we had come
from the tidewater- Ii was worth all
that we had endured.
Away down mile distant over the deep
world OF solid snow at the bank Of the
lake lay a boat and the running gear OF
tug wagon. This was Crater La ke, two
miles long and the bluest Of blue lakes
ever saw sort OF intense green: Ihen
another lake and stiil another; but We
Kept on jill we came TO Lake Lindennan,
and here We drew our first camp fire
ana drank our COffee made by our own
hands from the waters OF the wonderful
Yukon.
The head or our expedition showed amaz-
Ing tItTEA. anu dIlDOuEl worn 10 iiie EDne
by -the last two days IN making a pass.
winch IL SAID to he twent weight miles,
Dnt which is quite forty is at work a L once,
and ar we gather about the bright and
ordOrous campfire, ne informs us that we
must push on an the morning down the
lukon. lie VIII take Indlan couriers 10
bnng back the letters
inns place Is very pretty, and IL Is
20 be hoped tnat the Indians are good
natured and willing TO hurt no one.
nDd mere only two graves. one that or a
moving SglnntIpS an . a
that was wrecked, blew cut his brains,
and the other that OF a little child
We stun nave wall OF snow about as
here at the beginning or our inland voyage.
ana stream or moving ice, hut we have de
Clded not 10 wait for hOat OF our own,
tut TO 60 down Tomorrow in the Black
Brlar. As l write the Black Briar lies
tied up before the door OF our tent, which
we have pitched on the sand OF what is
called Long Beach.
We sailed down over the first lake
LInderman, rye miles, and then made The
portage, carrying our bags and satchels IN
our hands on the shore oi Lake Bennett.
Here ~ is proposed 10 embark on a scow
loaded with cattle by the interchangeable
Kurns, the man VINO built the elevator at
the tnIkoOt Fass. ana the man who Is the
synonym or energy a Scotch-Ir Irlsnman. He
promises To land US at the kIondike capital
m ten days we are told that the Yukon
Il 80 swift that no DOatman. not even In
dians, venture to travel upits SWIFT w aters.
we are now told that AZ takes less than
ten DAYS 10 redcn Dawson, the capital OF
the kiondIke. 10 come back UP this river
ana out TINS way at takes about thirty
days.
still, we shall send a courier. for the
world wants to know, and has a right TO
Know and shah know as soon as we can
let il know. 1t is raining now a little. the
very first rain that as fallen on us. How
fortunate " G are and how grateful. IL is
announced now that we sail dow n the
YUKON in few minutes. Hook a way down
the great river and see SUBMITS and sum-
mits of great rugged peaks, but no snow
Away up yOnder is a IiOud-capped steep,
and the hills on either side are streaktsd
and striped as Jacobs kline, but down the
way we are TO pass the granite gates are
open 10 the approach of summer.