Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-04-14
LETTER FROM KLONDIKE.
Lieutenant Walker Writes Of His Experi.
ences in Far North-Money Neces-
sary to Find Gold,

When George TiltOn, the third mate
of the Arctic whaling schooner Belvi
dere, passed through Fort st. Michael
Alaska, in January. 400 letters from
miners, prospectors and soldiers to their
friends and relatives in the states were
intrusted to his care, and he brought
them to Portland, Ore, reaching that
place on April 9. Among those letters
was one for Judge j. H. Walker, from
his son Z. S. Walker, who is a lieuten-
ant in the Eighth infantry stationed at
Fort ST. Michael. The letter was re-
ceived on yesterday, and reads as fol-
lows:
Fort st. Michael, Alaska, Jan. TO-
Your letter reached me all right. 1t
was brought in by Lieutenant Jarvis
and DR.. Call, of the Bear. Mr.. TIL
ton, of the whaler Belvidere, now at
Herachel island, is going to take the mail
out for us. He left his vessel last Octo-
Der on his way out for relief for the
whalers. You know there were II ves-
sells up there; three got out. The Orca
and Norach were crushed and all the
others will perish, unless it is the Belyi-
dere. She may escape, but it is doubt
full. The papers will be full of the ac-
count as soon as Mr.. Tilton gets in He
Is hardy, practical man, and has made
a wonderful trip of 1,500 miles. At one
time he was about four days without
anything to eat. He has two natives
with him that he brought from Point
Hope. When they were so hungry, they
found dead whale, which the Indians
began eating. He couldn't go the whale,
but shortly after killed duck. Mr..
Tilton says the imprisoned whaers
have enough provisions to last until
next July, by eating only two scant
meals day.
l expect the people up the river are
very short Of supplies. Provisions are
scarce at Nulato and Minook; we have
had no news from farther up as travel Is
all up the river and none down. Parties
leave the boats and start out on dog
sleds for Minook to prospect | expect
TO start shortly for that place to ascer-
tain the condition of affairs, and as we
are expecting the Port Clarence reindeer
herd down soon, will use reindeer
teams. / have been anxious for trip |
all winter.
Lieutenant Bell returned from Nulato
few days ago, but could not get much
news from up the country. However,
he found an Indian with some nice mug
gets of gold, and brought back one worth
about $l0. One of the party staid up
there and the Indian is to show him the |
place where the nuggets were found.
Some funny things happen to parties
starting out, while some of the happen
ings are pathetic. Two men, who did |
not agree very well, came to camp the
first night out and had disagreement
about supper. One wanted biscuits and
and the other fapiacks. One poor fel-
low started out alone very poorly pro-
vided for. He had no team, but pulled
his own sled. He gave out by the time
he reached Unalaklik, the beginning of
the portage of Nulato, and there he
bought two or three dogs, and where
Lieutenant Bell overlook him. The man
had badly frozen foot and Bell hired a
sled to bring him back to the surgeon.
He would not come, but said he would
take hatchet and chop his foot off,
and even pulled out his knife to cut off a