The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-10-02

In Outing for September Edward
Spur. Of the United States Geological
Survey, speaks as follows of the great
Alaskan river:
only two routes are available. One
must either go to st. Michael, in the
Behring sea, and thence up the River
Yukon, from its outlet to the begin
ming of its headwaters, some 1900
miles, or land at some point Of the
Pacific, cross the head of land and tap
the headwaters of the Yukon at their
source.
"In either event the Journey must be
completed before September, when the
Yukon freezes, and Alaska's arctic win
ter of the utmost rigor sets in and
grips Its wise.
"At the little town of Juneau we left
the steamer and made preparations to
turn our backs for good upon civiliza-
ton. Our proposed route lay across the
coast mountains to the headwaters of
the Yukon and thence down that river
as highway, making such excursions
from it as became necessary.
Alaska is a most difficult country
for travelling, even in the only available
short season of its arctic summer there
being no roads; and even Indian trails,
on account of the small number of ma
tiVes, are very rare. The surface is
rough, being traversed by many ranges
OF mountains. Even in the more level
portions travel Is hindered in the sum-
mer by the wet moss which grows
knee-deep, and by the insect pests; in
the winter 1t is made impossible by the
Intense cold. In view of all these diff
culties, the peculiar relation of the Yu-
kOn river to the coast is such that one
might fancy Nature had arranged it es-
pecially for a highway, through this
inaccessible interior, in partial compen-
sation to man for the obstacles she
has put in his way.
The headwaters Of the network of
streams that ultimately drain into the
Yukon river fortunately lie within
about thirty miles of the sea, Just on
the northern or inland side of a range
Of mountains which runs along the
southern coast of Alaska. From this
point the river flows north, away from
the sea, far toward the Arctic Ocean;
then, suddenly changing its mind, turns
west; and finally, after traversing the
whole width of Alaska, arrives at the
Behring Sea, its entire course being
considerably over two thousand miles.
For considerable distance it is
broad and deep stream, so that one may
go quite through the center of Alaska,
from sea to sea, by crossing only thirty
miles or so of land.
There are various routes across the
coast mountains to the various heads
of this river. OF 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.
Hardships of the Trip to the KIOndIke.
eve were huddled together so closely
that we perforce became speedily ac-
Quainted, for although the space on
the floor was large enough for all of us
to sit down, there was hardly room to
stretch out. When we grew weary of |
chatting, however, and of listening to
the sound of the water as the boat
threshed its way onward, we were
forced by drowsiness to sleep where we
could, and s0on sleepers were scattered |
around in the most grotesque and un-
comfortable attitudes. l had coveted |
a space'on or under the little table used |
for eating purposes, but found that
choice position fully occupied before |
made up my mind to retire; but l fin
ally wedged myself into narrow SPACE |