The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-09-21


IN Outing for September Edward
spur Of the United States Geological
survey, speaks as follows Of the great
Alaskan river:
uhly two routes are available. One
nauN either 10 to 81. Michael. In the
nenring sea. and thence up the River
iukon, from ia outlet % the begin
ming OF lis headwaters. some 1900
miles or land at some point Of the
'sfiaeihc. cross the head Of land and tap
the heGawa,ers OF the Yukon At their
source
In either event the Journey must be
completed before September. when the
Yukon ireez'es. and Alnska's arctic win
ter Of the utmost rlgor sets In and
grirs its vlsel
AT the It'll le town OF Juneau We len
the steamer I'd made preparations to
turn our back1 for good upon clvillza-
ton. Our prop osed route lay across the
coast mount ms 10 the headwaters OF
the Yukon ah d thence down that river
az a highway making such excursions
from II az bed ame necessary.
Alaska is y most dificult country
for travelling. eyl en- In the only available
short season Of a arctic summer. there
being no roads: and even Indian trails.
on account OF ~ small number OF ma
tlvea. are very Rare The surface IL
rough. being travshrued by many ranges
Of mountains. Even In the more level
portions travel IL hindered IN the sum
mer by the vet moss which grows
knee-deop. and by fthe insect pests; IN
the winter Il IL made impossible BY the
intense cold. In vicw Of all these din
cultles. the peculiar relation Of the Yu-
kon river 20 the coast IL such that ore
might fancy NatufF had arranged Il es-
peclally for a highway. through this
Inaccessible interior IN partial compen-
satlon 70 man fdf the obstacles she
has put In his way
The headwaiers Of the network OF
streams that ultimately drain into the
Yukon river fortunately he within
about thirty miles OF the sea. Just on
the northern or inland side % RANGE
- mountains which runs along the
southern coast Of Alaska. From this
point the Flver flows north. away from
The sea. Oar toward the Arctic Ocean
then. suddenly changing its mind. turns
vesi; and finally after travcniug the
Vn,.s width Of Alaska. arrives az the
JBehrIhA ~ lls-uhsius, course being
considerably over two thousand miles.
faf q considerable distance Il u a
broad and deep stream, 20 that one may
60 quite through the center OF Alaska.
non sea 20 sea. by crossing only thirty
= nile or 90 Of land.
There are various routes across the
coast mountains 20 the various heads
Of this river. on these We chose that
> over the Chilkoot Pass. which is the
shortest. although the mountains
which must be thereby crossed are
HIGHER than any Of the other routes.
Hsrdsaips Of the Trip 10 the Kiondiks.
I'VE were huddled together 30 closely
that We perforce became speedily ac-
= oualnted. Tor although the space on
the floor was large enough for all Of us
10 al down. there was hardly room "a
stretch out. When We grew weary OF
chatting. however, and OF listening "a
the sound Of the water as the boat
threshcd lta way onward. we were
forced By drowsiness to sleep where ",
could. and soon sleepers we're scattered
around In the most grotesque and an,
comfortable attitudes. had coveted
a space on or under the little table used
FOR eating purposes. but found thai
choice position fully occupied before
made up my mind to retire: but In
aliy wedred myself into a narrow spao,
between the boiler and the pilot house
where. throughout the night. passeri
continually stepped on my head How
ever. slept several hours
The system OF eating IL worthy o
note The table accommodated abon
ak Al time. whereas a. ! have men
TONED. We we're hfty or sixty In all
Al each meal one or t~o. or sometime
three. sets Of passengers would be fed
then The captain. the sailors. the Chi
ness cook. and the dish-washer. afte
which the rest OF us gui our rations
IN good time. As We grew very hun
AIRY during this process. We wouh
stand around patiently waiting Gu
chance 10 slip In but sometimes be
re- We had tasted the tempting live
and coffee Go say nothing Of N
beans). We would be summarily eieete
hy the dlsh-washer. who was a Yer
young man Of dashing exterior and ~
s. cullar vocabulary. and who would dis
perse us with the assertion that n
-. the crew Ia going TO eat now"
n crn.slns ths New Famous Chiihoes Pas
THE trip from salt water TO the hea
of the navigahle waters Of the fuso
Il usually made In two stages. OF eae
about fifteen miles. The trader
Dyea had brought In few horses, an
Ne engaged him to transport our cam
outfit and provisions over the mn