The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-03-25

We will not see any more mail from the
east, as we will be keeping ahead of it
most of the time. have not heard from
home for over two months, and it will
probably be two more before do.
We have just finished putting on our
loads for an early start tomorrow. Five
men will come with us from here and
help us over the rough places. As we
advance on the way, the reports are get
ting more favorable for person making
strike Paper reports are good deal
exaggerated as to the richness OF the
country. and to the amount of gold cons
ing out We se- them every day, and
one hundred pounds is the most taken
out by one person. A good many have
sold for very large figures, but not as
large as reported. Travellers tell us that
people are not in want of provisions in
Dawson, as they have been supplied from
provisions that were kept back and when
put on the market made things very
cheap. ]. A. Marion says it's Dawson
or bust" but am afraid it will be like
the old Californians, "busted by gosh"
l would not advise any person to come
out here. The Americans say it is very
''hard proposition" A person need not
come out here with less than 1000 pounds
OF provisions and thousand dollars,
Major Walsh has issued orders to let no
one pass with less than that.
There are several companies building
roads over the Skagway trail and per-
son can come ov in the spring very
easily. AS boats on Lake Bennett are very
high it would be much cheaper to buy
Peterborough canoe. am
going to make blanket suit in the
spring; have found out that with good
pattern person can make most anything.
made pair of gloves but don't feel
quite as proud Of them, though they ans
wer the purpose; it took me longer to
make the pattern than it did to make the
gloves. 4 II
would like to say something about
our management but cannot express my
self properly. That is the only hard
work we have to contend with. Wei
have no day of rest unless we take it.
Dinner is about ready. Twill write more
fully from Dawson. Give my love to the
girls and tell them to think of me when
they are trumping their partners ace in
whist. will not say anything about
those whist parties, it gives me the blues
to think of them. 4 ri
Little Salmon, N. w. T., Feb. ;th
Since commencing this letter we have
crossed the wonderful Thirty Mile River.
We were four days in going over; don't
care to go through the same experience
again. 1t is very slanting shell ice and
hangs over a swift running stream.
Sleighs have to run over that with four
men to hold them from running into the
water. There is only eight miles of the
road that is bad l was badly wedged
in the ice by my load and almost had my
leg broken; had quite time to move
my load enough to get my leg out.
Three hundred and fifty pounds is quite
weight to move when you are at dis
advantage. We had some close calls
from sliding into the water came near
floating away on piece of ice which
broke loose from the shore; my dogs
were pretty badly frightened and they did
not take very Ion to go up the hill out
of the danger. We are now about three
hundred miles from Dawson and start
out tomorrow morning with all the mail
We have ten dog trains offour dogs each
We had quite hard time getting here
and we are told we are not over the
worst of the road. 1t has been very cold
during this whole trip, the warmest we
have had for this week was Al below and
the coldest 63. We slept out when it
was the coldest, our tent was occupied
by the government officials. The cold
is more intense here than in North Da.
kota, but we don't suffer from 1t as much
as there; there is no wind during the cold
spells.
We are to come right back from Daw-
son if we ever reach there We have
been patching and mending all day and
getting our sleighs in shape for morning.
We are all thoroughly disgusted with
this trip. We had one head driver sent
back as he did not use us right and we
are now under J. A. Marion of Leroy.
This trip is good thing for me, it is
bringing my home and my friends nearer
and dearer to me. think a trip like this
is liable to make person think more of
home and friends. think it is the hard
ships miners go through that make them
so generous and willing to give helping
hand. They know the true meaning of
(ex II,