The herald., 1897-12-31
THE TRIP TO KLONDIKE
TERRORS OF THE TRAIL AND
STORMY LAKE BENNETT
Another Letter From a Determined
Los Angeles Man-Why the Lake
Did Not Freeze Sooner

Another letter, probably the last for
received from M. c. Ford Of East Los
Angeles, VINO early in September left for
the Klondilxe gold fields. The letter Is
dated November 30, from the head Of
Tagish lake, N. W. T. In October a let
ter from him was published in these
columns, giving an account of his trip
across Chilkoot pass, and of his narrow
escape from the avalanche that played
havoc with so many of the northbound
travellers. His experience above referred
to is more than duplicated by his adven-
ture farther northward. The journey
was marked by no accidents nor events
of special interest until reaching Lake
Bennett, where his party was joined by
three Canadians from Toronto.
They joined forces in their journey
down the lake, and the first trip was
made with comparative ease. Mr.. Ford
and his partner returned for the re-
mainder of their goods. They had a
hard time rowing against head wind.
After loading the boat and starting
back, they were out about a mile when
they ran into ice. Cutting their way
through, they were caught in a heavy
gale, which forced them to seek shelter
on shore, where they were compelled to
remain for eight days before being able
to proceed. Starting again. they were
hardly out in the lake when another gale
struck them, and they were forced to
seek the shelter Of the brush on shore
the second time, where they had to stay
for two days longer.
Finally starting the third time, they
were, under great disadvantage, able to
proceed slowly nearly to where their
companions were camped, when they
abandoned their boat and journeyed the
remaining distance by sled. This awful
trip was made with the thermometer at
so degrees below zero, and with the wind
blowing almost a perfect gale.
Mr.. Ford writes that it may be hard to
understand how, with the thermometer
SO low, the lake was not frozen over, but
says it is so situated that the winds
blow almost continual gale and the
water is capped with waves from four to
ten feet high all the time. He accounts
for its being open by reason of the wa
ters never being still, and says that If 1t
would remain quiet ten minutes it would
be frozen tight. Lake Bennett is a large
body Of water being twenty-eight miles
long and from five to six miles wide.
After reaching their camp, tired and
nearly dead, they began their onward
march by shedding their goods, each sled
carrying 500 pounds, and two men in har-
ness making from six to twelve miles a
day. 1t took his party just fifteen days
to make the trip down Lake Bennett to
their camp, distance Of thirty miles.
From Lake Bennett the party will go to
Tagish post, frontier post of the Cana
dian police, where, prior to going down
the lake, they visited and were royalty
entertained by the Canadian soldiers.
At Tagish post they will cache what pro-
visions they do not need, and will jour-
ney on to the headwaters of the Hoota-
linqua river, which Is about $50 miles
from this post. On reaching this river
they will prospect the bars and the
streams. If unsuccessful, they will re-
turn for the remainder of the stores and
go forward to the Stewart river.