The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-01
SHOOTING WHITE HORSE RAPIDS.
PerjIOus Trip of Joaquin Miller
Through Upper Yukon Canyon.

PerjiOuS Ir1D Joaquin
Through Upper Yukon Canyon.
NEW YORK, Aug. S1.-Joaquin Miller.
writing to the Journal from White Horse
Falls n. w. T., under date of Aug. 6, says:
We are now through the great canyon Of
the upper Yukon and below the fearful
White Horse falls. Only five hundred miles
more now. Captain John Mccormick. at
present in charge of the barge Examiner,
bearing the members of the Journal spe-
cial expedition to the Klondike mines, has
shot the canyon and the White Horse falls
of the upper Yukon this hour without the
loss of so much as piece of rope or cam
vas. The feat is the most remarkable thing
that has taken place in the history of the
country. The White Horse falls have been
the terror of all the travellers on this river.
They have never been shot with a cargo,
crew and passengers altogether before. 1t
is truly terrible place, magniflcently ter
rible. 1t is called the slaughter pen. How
many have persisted here no one can say,
as these cataracts rarely give up their
dead.
This is one of the portages and all boats,
without exaggeration, have always stop
ped at the head of the canyon and falls to
take out their effects, leave ali the passen-
gers and all the crew that can be spared
or care not to take the chances. The boats
are, rule. led and let down, guided
by long, easy cables. Many times strang-
ers have been drawn in here and made to
take the shoot whether they would or not
1t is fact that never before boat crew,
cargo and all passed through this perilous
place, as the Journal party has to-day. 1t
is stated on good authority that during the
last four years twenty-three men have per-
ished here in these waters, all having been
ctr f,,41 fl,o
fore knowing their peril
Never yet did men dare death for
higher purpose or nobler cause. There
are thousands on their way to the Klon-
dixie. There will be tens of thousands on
their way in the spring. Are there sup
plies in the new mines? VIII men suffer
If not informed by this hasty and swift
expedition? And will tens of thousands
sacrifice their small fortunes to rush to a
false field of discovery, or is the gold there?
And is 1t there in such quantities and in
such an area as to warrant the venture
OF our best blood into this frozen north
land? We were sent out to see and to
say. That is the situation This is our
reason for the boldest captain and the best
crew and some devoted scribes taking
their lives in their hands and rushing on
and on and on. To have stopped and made
the portage it would have taken at least
two days TO carry over our three tons
of cargo-tme enough to lose or win a
Waterloo.
READY FOR THE RAPIDS.
Let me tell you of our reasons on the
banks of this regiment of wild and terrible
white horses, for ii is from their resem-
blance to great band of plunging white
battle steeds that the White Horse falls
take their name The owner of the barge
Examiner, who had placed it in command
OF Captain Mccormick for this expedition,
waited at the head OF the canyon with an
Mt har
pointing out to the captain the point TO
land ana unload. for the portage
Il am going right through. They want
me 70 go right through. and | am going
] will then come back and take your ernpfy
noat through but will not land till land
below
What, What You" and then
heard. we flew on over the little white
hills that were growing higher and higher
al each bound the first real hard swearing
] have met with In this expedition. Loud
and long above the roar of the canyon and
falls that dismayed owner OF the boat and
cargo called as he came running down into
the foaming river and up the steep blum I.
that looks down into the foaming white
canyon IN It's narrow. perpendicular basalt
walls. And as we ran the miners. boatmen.
government officers and all ran after him
leaving their boats and their packs and
stores and all TO take OF themselves.
Men beckoned TO us, but we could not
hear their cries above the roar of the mad
wild waters. Boom, Bang We were lit
orally loaded into q canyon, shot I'm and
down and out as though out of a gun into
q very hell of waters, and then the shout
that went up with the tossing arms and
waving hats. Is WAC nearly, heartful hu-
man. as IL the mon were almost choking
with solicimdc "A Wild wild Western
ahout from the strong Western men. vet n
shout with tears in IL.
But the regiment of unbridled white
horses still plunged and leaped and charged
IN our narrow, wreck-scattered way. Ten
thousand cleaning white horses-these
must be ridden down IN one desperate dash
There was no old guard 10 follow II our
first brave charge failed. We must ride
them down this instant or be ridden down
The special expedition, contemplating and
ell the time quietly planning for this tme-
saving venture had the day before run up
the American flag. although on British soil.