The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-08-05


to be hard, and crusted, being on tn,
lsst part Of the ascent more like ice thar
snow. At IL O'Clock We had reached thu
foot Of the last and hardest part Of the
ascent.
''The slope being too steep for direct
ascent, We resorted to 'zigzagging'-tha'
is, moving obliquely across the bottom Of
the trough for about 60 feet and then
turning at right angles in the opposite
direction. Our progress was painfully
slow, as every step had to be cut. -
Behind us and to the right and to the left
was tumble Of icy peaks, and below the
zigzag trail up which we had lsbored &C
breathlessly. But these things were now
Of small interest, and our gaze was fixed
ahead, where, stretching away in pillows
of spotless white. was the valley of the
great river Of the north. There was
neither rock nor tree nor shrub nor any
living thing to break the monotony OF
that huge blanket of snow, the wooded
shores of the lakes being concealed by a
range of low hills.
Between Lake Marsh and Lake lie.
barge, which is the last and largest OF
the chain of lakes, there are 80 miles OF
river, but in this short space are the two
greatest Instructions in the whole Yukon
system-Miles canyon and the White
Horse rapids. The stream was about
800 feet vide, from two to six feet deep,
and very swift. Great quantities Of ice
were piled up along the banks. and in
some places large blocks were grounded
on shallow bars. These. with occasional
boulders, made navigation exciting work.
Spring had now 90 far advanced that the
snow had nearly all disappeared, and the
weather was superb. At 2 O'Clock We
passed the mouth Of the Tahkenna river,
coming in from the left, and at went
into camp for the night. We knew tha,
we must now be near Miles Canyon, and
the next morning kept a sharp lookout
We had gone scarcely q mile when we
whirled around bend and saw ahead a
low. brown rocky ridge, divided by Sill
less than 80 feet wide, and at the same
time heard the roar Of the river in it's
wild rush through the canyon. With
one impulse We pulled frantically for the
bank, and got line ashore and around a
tree just in the nick of time.
This canyon was named by the late
Lieutenant Frederick Schwatks, in honor
of Nelson A. Miles, who had been instru.
mental in sending him on his trip to the
Yukon in 1883. The river which had
been about 800 feet wide, suddenly con-
tracts to about a tenth of that width,
and, increasing its velocity to 20 miles an
hour, PUSHES with terrific force through q
canyon with absolutely perpendicular
walls 100 feet high. The canyon is only
three-quarters of a mile long, and at its
lower end the river spreads out into a
series of rapids, eliminating three miles
below in the White Horse. There are
two ways of passing this canyon, one by
portaging over the hill on the east bank
and the other by boldly running through.
Some Of the men We found encamped
there were utilizing the former method.
The boats were unlosded and dragged
out OF the water, and by means OF wind.
lass hauled up the hill slope 100 feet high,
and then pulled on wooden rollers for
three quarters Of q mile, being finally
slid down another hill TO the river. The
| contents OF the boats were carried over
by the men on their backs. 1t ia the
most slavish work imaginable, and uses
up the better part Of four days.
eve had seen both ways of passing
Miles canyon, one requiring four days
and the other two minutes. We looked
at each other in an inquiring sort of way,
and then, without a word. walked down
to where the Nancy Hank was moored
against the bank. All took their places,
kneeling and facing the bow. Mcconnell
in the stern. Mattern amid ships and l
forward. | must confess that never
felt sicker in my life than as we showed
away from shore and started for the en-.
trance. 1t was all over so quickly thst
We hardly knew how it happened. Bare
| ly missing the big rock at the mouth OF
the canyon, the boat started on its wild
ride. The walls seemed to fairly fly past
US, and, after starting. we heard a cheer
from the rocks above, but did not dare
look up. By frantic padding we kept in
the middle, and off from the canyon walls.
The sensation was akin to that OF riding
q bucking broncho. There was not dry
spot on one OF US when We got through,
and the boat took 30 much water that
she nearly foundered before we could bail
her out. But great weight was off our
minds, for Miles CANYON, more than all
other things, 10 dreaded by Yukon trav-
elers. Including those lost in 1894, an
even dozen of men have had their boats
swsmped or crushed like egg shells
against the canyon walls, and not one OF
them has come alive out OF that wild
maelstrom OF water.
THE next day we drifted down the
river Is miles to the head OF Lake LIE
barge, which was still frozen. although
the ice WAS becoming quite soft. This
lake is 81 miles long, and eight wide.
Here We found in Camp Mark Russell a
well known Alaskan prospector, and
three other men, with two boats. After
delay OF . day, caused by severe
storm, We began our last and longest
portage, Russell and his party accom-.