The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-05-19
TO THE LAND OF GOLD
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF a
VOYAGE.
AZ Told By the Correspondent % . Neu
yorf Sew.paper-sso-s Pilgrims WIN
Tell An About rhsm.slve. The Man
who Il Out for The stun"

Dyea. Alaska. Correspondence New
York Press. when the pilgrims Of |
madness put on brave front
they do not In the leas; deceive |
the agents OF the three or four
frst-C ass steamers that ply be-
tween Puget Sound and Alaska. II
you offer an agent a deposit he spurns /
H. He Is 100 busy, he says. to make a |
note OF such details on his books He I
asks you either 10 pay for the ticket In /
full or else he will reserve Il for you /
on your word until three days before |
sailing. II you do not appear then
why. there are others who will be glad !
enough OF H. II you complain that the
steamer Ia late. that you cannot AFFORD
to spend a whole day waiting to have
your baggage checked he scornfully
tells you to transfer your patronage to
other steamers. which demand large
deposits and never sail al all. As he
looks you fairly In the eye you know
that you are beaten. and you admit as
much by your actions.
Our steamer was billed 10 sail on
wednesday By Friday morning the
agent had written in pale chalk for the
benefit Of the passengers an announce
ment that she would sail on the NOR
row at a. m. BY daylight Seattle
was witnessing the customary siGst Of
500 passengers seated upon their lug
gage waiting for Il 70 be checked. Be
hind them was long row Of teams
loaded with belated freight and sides
OF beef.
At s o'clock two men began the work
Of checking. They were energetic. but
independent. ordering that the long
canvas bags which the pilgrims use
instead Of trunks for the more personal
portions OF their outfit be taken into
their staterooms Well might fat
passenger with ave or six such bags
ask where he should sleep. The bag
7 gageman did not take time to reply.
but hurried away. After the baggage
came the dogs, led by or leading the
pilgrims who owned them. aud the
sides o. beef. which were hung from
the ceilings o. the decks IN such num-
bers as 20 impede the opening OF the
stuteroom doors. Alaska must be led.
aud the fresh meat for lbs increasing
white population ls additional freight.
which the steamship companies care
for 10 au original manner.
Once al things animate and lnanl-
mate booked for passage were aboard
the 0nl0Okcrs. who have come 10 the
pier out % curiosity or for sadder rea.
sons. closed around the gangway. By
common accord the women. already
called "Kloudike widows. get into the
front rank. They look up into the
confident faces u the men ON the deck.
above murmur Goodbye" and watch
the vessel until n Is FAR out into m,
stream. until handkerch!efs bccom,
specks and speoks are blo,tcd out
There Is shouting. there Is cheering
there Is glamour. and 20 follow-th.
wait Of six months. a year. nsrhap.
two years. withou, regular nail com
muuicati0n. Tor the outcome OF a haz
ardous venture. ending perhaps 10 un
he,lldei death holding It's secre, DO
the mystery which heightens MISERY
with nuttering hope and fear Tor month
on month
Not a few pilgrims are leaving famI
lies al home unproyidcd for unless sue
cess should almost Immediately re-
ward their sacrifices The wives ar
pilgrims of madness az heart as well
They cannot resist taking a chance "a
the luxury attendant upon wealth Bu
the iniauatlon Is not limited 10 tn
poor and lowly alone Just before thD
gangplank was pulled up the wife OF Al
ex- governor passed me a letter for he
husband. who Is near Circle City Sh
had not heard from him or he from
her for three months.
That night the steamer lay at m
b. pier 10 Tacoma. and the chug-chug
chug Of the donkey engine taking OF
{ ton upon ton 0t outfits hammered IN
r sleep ont OF sensitive heads until
% o'clock Ia the morning Al Victoria
] - e.. an already overloaded hold re-
r ceiyed sti,l more freight. Every bert
r. was taken and the capacity Of th
q steerage had been increased by a pro
q cess Of crowiug which admitted Of n