The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-09-15

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went few miles and camped for the
night, Sandstrom killing Q bear, and
the meat making q delicacy in the bill
of fare. On the 10th the camp was at
Moskeag. On June 30, July l, 2 aud
3, the party moved very slow. The
4th was celebrated by some yelling,
etc. On July 9Th the forks of the
Findley river were reached, and they
we're crossed on RATS and pulleys.
On the 7th the party went from 40 to
IS miles up the wrong fork, and had to
retreat, getting back to the starting
place on the l4th, where they found
Indian marks on q tree showing the
right way up. On the 18th and 18th
| it rained. On the 18th the party went
up the right fork, but on the 18th and
18th it rained, and proceedings
stopped.
On July Goth Mr.. Sloan received q
letter to the effect that George Rosen-
dahl had died in Delhi. The news
affected Mr.. Anderson whose son,
James and George were great friends,
and on the 22d he wrote in his diary,
"he was thinking strongly of returning
home" On the % his mind was set
tied on this point, and he Immediately
notified Mr.. Sloan, who gently re-
marked:
81 think that l have gone far enough
myself"
They were then about 100 miles
north of Fort Graham, or nearly 500
miles from Dawson City, although the
latter was not the objective point, they
believing that the Pelly and Findley
rivers would yield placer gold. They
communicated their intentions to their
colleagues, and the latter gave their
assent. Messrs. Anderson and Sloan
furnished them with more money, and
took only three days rations from the
large supply on hand, and on the oath,
with rudely constructed raft, they
started down the stream, homeward
bound, and men of much experience
on the hardships of that region.
On July 25th both men came near
loosing their lives, and Mr.. Sloan's
danger was exceptionally great.
There are whirling pools and terrific
rapids along the river they traversed,
and wrong channel brought them in
contact with one of these bubbling,
roaring currents. The raft was thrown
violently against snag, and Mr..
Sloan was thrown overheard. He pad
died with his hands violently. Mr..
Anderson hung to the raft, but finally
went after Sloan, seeing the latter was
rapidly becoming exhausted. Mr..
Sloan struck sand-bar and stopped
for second, but soon another gushing
current took his feet from under
him and carried him further on into a
deep, roaring whirlpool. Mr.. Ander-
son was close after him, and just as
Mr.. Sloan's strength seemed exhausted
the former caught the latter by the
shirt, and throwing his own arm over
a fallen tree, he supported himself and
Sloan until the latter was strong
enough to help himself. They went
to the shore and found the raft had
lodged against sand bar, everything
on it being apparently all right. Mr..
Anderson got off some of the articles,
built fire, made some hot pepper
mint, which he gave to Mr. Sloan, and
then put Mr.. Sloan to bed. The latter
complained of sore back, probably
caused by his tussle with the water.
That night the two men got on the
raft again and f1oated down to big
island where they remained for the
night. The next morning Mr.. Ander-
son explored the river further down
and found it safe. On July 26th
the men and raft went to the main
land, where the two men met
the son of the author of
"We'll Meet Beyond the River" of
whom they obtained some provisions.
The son was going to the gold fields,
and the men didn't discourage him,
but when he heard some of their ex-
periences, he turned his face eastward
with them. They met another person
going north, but he too joined them in
returning, and on July 30th the party
reached Ft. Graham, having made 30
miles that day, Messrs. Sloan and An
derson travelling on foot.
On July 3lst boat came down the