The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-26

ample -four beans. rice and oatmeal. but
had no fruit or vegetables. except City
pounds Of dried fruit. ali there was IN
Juneau. We went in canoes TO CniaAoo',
at the head az Lynn canal. where We
completed cur OUTFIT AZ the store
There was no good trail then, The only
one having been made by the Indians IL
followed the streams. 50 that We were IN
water most of the way. The trip ever
the pass was very hard. for We had 70
Climb much Of the way over glaciers. 1t
took lis Indians 10 pack our outnt over
the pass and cost US "a cents q pound.
We took whip saws with us and oul.l TWO
boats. which we fioated down the Yukon
to Fort Reliance. where we wintered. re-
naming in the country thirteen monsas-
We unioaded half our cargo at she can
yon and ran through il az all right also
made portage at White Horse rapids.
Our party named the Five Fingers. which
are five rocks standing across the river
like the Ave fingers OF the hand, and We
shot the left hand one.
The Indians said We were the first
white men they had seen come down the
river since they destroyed Fort heiance
sixty years ago, and the younger Indians
had never seen a white man. The only
white men we found on the river were
Jack McQuestion, after whom McQues-
ton creek was named, John Harper. Al
Mayo and MERCER. brother OF the FORM
er premier OF Canada. They were on the
river when the United States bought
Alaska, and the Alaska Commercial COM
pany bought them out and hired them as
traders, McQuesfion al Fort Reliance.
Mayo at Nuklukyet.
We prospected on Stuart, Peily. Sal
mon and White rivers and found gold on
all those streams. / don't know whether
We were on the Ciondyke, or Bonanza or
Eldcrado creek, for we did not know the
names OF many streams We profpected
We made caches on the creek opposite
Fort Reliance and in other places where
We found gold in paying quantities, IN
tending 10 return and work those streams
The largest nuggets were about the size
Of grain OF wheat. Over the mountain.
east of Fort Reliance, We cached on
ground which has since paid $s5 day
per man. We brought out $li from one
pan OF dirt for Ed Sheffelsn, who went up
the river with four or FIVE men in small
stream called the New Racket, as Ear as
Nukiukyet, 1.ooo miles below Fort Reli-
anee. think there viii be no lack OF new
pay ground for the people who are going
in. Ii the climate were as warm as that
of California, the Yukon would equal that
state In the output OF gold
THE thermometer was 60 degrees below
zero twice during the winter Of 1923 and
the cold was intense. We went in ILL.,
prepared for the climate, but the Indians
provided US with furs, moccasins, caps,
etc. Furs were cheap then, for / was Of
fered u silver fox for a fancy blanket.
We found lots of game and plenty OF ber-
riss in the summer.
I'm consequence of eating salt meat and
having no fresh vegetables or fruit. three
OF us took scurvy in April. 1883. and we
floated down the river in our boats after
the ice broke up on May IL. I had 1t
worst of all. for was blue from the waist
down and kept weakening. so that the
other men were alarmed about me. When
wa reached the Tanana river. an Indian
made ME some tea out OF herbs, which
broke up the scurvy, and when we reach
ed ST. Michaels / had so nearly recovered
that l thought of turning back. 1 have
never been back, but now think seriously
of going. l got into. Okanogan county in
1854 and have been there ever since until
] moved to Spokane recently.
Il would not advise anybody to leave
here after August Is with the intention Of
going over the pass. This is the very
latest date at which they would escape
the early storms on the summit and get
down the river before 1t begins freezing"