The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-31
Blockade of the River Makes a
Long Journey of No Avail
Gymnastic Exercises With
Sacks of Gold Restore an
Invalid to Health Again.

ST. MICHAEL. Alaska, Oct. 1.-the
badge of the Chicago Athletic Club. a red
''C'' on a background OF white surrounded
by q circle OF black. has been carried
north OF the Arctic circle this year. IL
was worn by Miss Helene G. Healy.
daughter OF the pioneer Indian fighter Of
Montana and explorer Of the Yukon and
BY Mrs. Ely A. Gage. whose husband made
a noted dog-sledge journey in mid-winter
from Circle City 10 the head OF Lynn
canal
Since leaving Seattle on the second trip
of the Portland, Miss Healy has travelled
nearly $500 miles. of which 100 were on
the Yukon alone She left Seattle greatly
reduced in flesh; she viii return a picture
of rugged health.
On this extended tour. which perchance
has not been eaualed by any other young
lady in the Unirad States Miss Healy es-
tahiished in unique way her claim as an
athletic woman. and reflected credit on the
badge of Chicago's crack club. A part Of
the journey was made on the steamer
John j. Healy. named after her father.
She amused herself and recuperated
strength by practicing calisthenics with
dumb bells improvised from sacks OF gold
dust. One day she surprised her friends
by picking up Il sack containing S. 00o and
holding it directly above her head. and
likewise by extending at fun arms length
another sack containing 81 90.
BY this time every trace of feeble
health had disappeared, and the erstwhile
invalid who had travelled from Hell ma.
Mont with the expectation OF joining her
father at Dawson. was anxious to push
on 10 the end Of the journey. But unpre-
cedented low water on the Yukon Flats.
2s5 miles from her destination, prevented
the steamer from ascending the river.
and Miss Healy was compelled 10 return
to the states.
Barring this disappointment. which was
grieyous Miss Healy has spent most
delightful summer. She speaks OF the
scenery OF the Yukon as surprisingly
grand 1T is stupendous and magnifi-
cent" she says. "At the mouth. or more
properly the outpourings Of many mouths.
] was much impressed by the tremendous
sweep of the mighty river. You know IL
ranks among the largest in the world. and
where IL discharges its loads of yellow
water into Boring sea il is more than 50
miles wide The part I liked best was
the Ramparts near which Rampant City
is located, above the Tanana There the
current comes charging down like a trot-
ting horse. making al least eight mi es an
hour In the bed are numbeyless sunken
boulders over which the water pours furi-
ously. Each of them can be pick out
by surge and a wreath of foam left by
the mad flight of the river, and the effect
of so many whitened objects in TIE midst
of the rushing stream is very beautiful
indeed. The Yukon reminds me o. the
upper Mississippi, though of course on an
immensely larger scale
The transitory darkness OF the mid
summer night on the Yukon often m st
disappeared under the brilliancy OF the
aurora borealis, which Ike a waving cur
tain of purple was spread across the
northern heavens.
Within the Arctic circle the caprice OF
the weather was well illustrated on the
visits of the party to Fort Yukon. They
arrived there September 1 by the steamer
Charles II. Hamilton. The day was so
warm and sunshiny that the lightest sum-
1ner clothes were uncomfortable. The
Hamilton. unable 70 pass the fats,
dropped down the river. ard the party re-
turned 10 Fort Yukon September II by
the steamer Healy. At that time there
was a foot of snow on the ground and
the ladies OF the party. their attire sup
plemented by mucklucks and parkies en-
joyed the sport OF snow-balling in mid
summer.
Miss Healy has a fine collection of mug
gets, some OF them the bright god from
Mastodon creek on the American side and
others the duller metal from the KIondike.
One OF them IS an almost perfect likeness
OF two bears In a fierce struggle
Along the Yukon Miss Healy Is a uni
versal favorte. She is also well known
in Seattle where she has spent sev-ral
months. She is a brunette az medium
height. finely chiseled features ard ex-
pressive gray eyes. one OF her compan-
ions on the long Journey was Mss Sara
Beazley, of Seattle