The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-19
OStr0m F0JS Tell Of KI0ldikG
Travel and Hardship.
THEY DO DRAFT HORSE DUTY
Report to the KOhaIa Company.
Boats Madeleine Ma med Hawaii.
Young Men in Good Health,
Tagish House. May 10th, 1898.

idSlSu house, May lUiH. 1880.
Mr.. Lindsay, Secretary KohaIa KlOn-
dixie Company.
Dear Friend:-I intended writing you
from Victoria before leaving, but owing
to the hurry of our departure, it was
forgotten. In Skaguay, too, we were in
such haste to get away that l neglect
ed it again Since leaving Skaguay of
course the confusion of camp life on
glect. However, l will now try to make
amends for not writing before by writ
ing a long letter now.
We left Victoria on the 9th of March,
on the Danube, which is supposed to
be one of the best steamers running
out of Victoria on this route. There
were about 200 passengers aboard and
they were all crowded together like
hogs. There were about four times as
many cabin passengers as there was
table accommodation for, so each meal
there was a grand rush and scramble
for places, equaling any foot ball game
ever played. The food, too, was poor
and yet the company charge $50 tick
ct. We were a little over five days
coming up and except for the accom-
mOdatOns enjoyed the trip very much,
as the weather was mild, sea smooth.
and scenery very fine.
We did not stay but two days in
Skaguay, leaving as soon as we could
pass our papers through the custom
house. There was no snow in Skag-
uay nor for about twelve miles on the
trail above, so we decided that it would
be best to hire our goods packed to the
summit, as we had to pay a convoy $6
per day to go with us, and packers
could make the trip in one day
We left SkagUay on the 18th of
March with our outfits packed on
mules, and arrived at the summit at 2
o'clock the same day. There was no
wood at the summit nor for eight miles
beyond, so we returned about two
miles on the back trail and camped
for the night. The next day we pushed
on eight miles this side of the summit,
where we made our first cache.
Well l shall not attempt to describe
in detail the incidents of our trip thus
far, as it would fill a book, but merely
state that it has not been entirely one
Of pleasure. We have worked like
horses with only two days off. when we
were kept in by a blizzard.
We have dragged loads that would
stagger q horse, moving on one Occa-
sion 1,120 pounds a distance of twelve
miles, after having walked that dis
tance with an empty sled. At another
time we carried 1,6OO pounds a distance
of ten miles and walked back. We are
now camped three miles above the
1siy-n hi oh Of To Jo1
We have completed our boats and ex-
pect to pull up stakes in the morning
and start down the lake and river.
We built our boats eight miles above
this point and dragged them down over
the ice to this point, where we caulked
and pitched them. One of our boats is
seventeen feet long and three feet
beam, the other is twenty-five feet long
with seven feet beam.
We might as we'll have left Skaguay
in January, as the trail was better than
when we came over it and the hardship
would not have been any greater. At
that time of the year one would fear
nothing except the cold, while later the
weather is more changeable, a blizzard
one day and sunshine another, making
it much more trying than steady cold.
Then, too, there are snow slides at
tnlS time OF the year. L suppose you
have heard Of the Dyea disaster before
now. The last accounts we have re-
ceived were that ninety-seven bodies
had been taken out already and there
is no knowing how many more there
are under the snow yet. We are now
out of reach Of all disasters Of such
nature and have nothing to fear but
the rapids. Our boat is strong and al
though she may not be so yachtlike as
some, she is very seawOrthy and we
have every confidence in our ability to
handle her. We will pour a cup of
coffee over her bow and name her the
Hawaii, and though her christening
may not be accompanied with all the
usual fetes, we hope she will bear US
safely down the river to the fortune
that awaits us on the KlOndika.
So far we have spent a little more
than half of our grub stake, but we
| have q good long years supply and
plenty to buy another when that is
gone.
Well as it is nearly bed time, al
| though the sun has just gone down, 1