Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-01

to drive the beat up the seventy or eighty
miles of water between Caribou Crossing
and the Taku Arm of Tagish. From there
the way was e2 sier, with a little sailing.
maybe, TO the landing of Taku City. From
Iaku city. a short and easy portage of
two miles leads to Atlin lake.
All this sailing and rowing was on one of
the most superb and splendid inland wa
tiers IN America. Far to the south the lofty
glaciers of the savage coast range shone
IKE glass and the bases of the peaks were
ant grassy slopes with fine streams and
meadows reach to the waters edge
ne hfst great rush was joyous. but as
the gold fields neared the gold grew more
elusive The locations near discovery We're
already staked and those who came after
We're driven to less inviting ground-were
mneed. forced to prospect for themselves
MS they had not planned to do. Their
nope mad been to profit by the skill and
toi! OF some other man and afterward to
sell at high price as the excitement grew
6elnS smut out of Pine creek. on which the
discovery lay. they waited sullenly, swear
ing at every soul but themselves until
some other actual miner made a strike.
tnen they rushed after One such rush had
ALREADY taken place, a mad, midnight fran
NC scramble took place about August 10,
d rush winch resulted in very little to most
OF those who took part For while they
s.aked claims for themselves and Others
lney never returned to look upon their
sadhes again. They only succeeded in con-
game Ultimately their meager store of
grub vanished. and then profane, sullen
ana Ntuperative they started for home
IoudlF proclatming the iniquty of the off,
ciais and the utter worthlessness of the
gold fields VI ZIG
Inc boundaries of Atlin lake are even ya+
untraced upon the map. For nearly a hun
urea miles its position among the noun
Jams can be traced from the hills above
the cl0mp of tents called Taxi, C,;tv,, ~
reaches from the coast range just back of
3uhtau 10 the range of mountains which
wills RESIN lake on the south. Its shores
are low nils with alluvial terraces reach
ing 10 the water, with immense peaks in
the background at the south west and
north a powerful stream which takes its
rise In the glaciers of the coast range on
tiers al the southern end and a sm,1Iar
stream. called Pine creek which takes its
source in another and superb lake flows
IN at the southeast. some thirty miles from
tHe southern end, This creek Is the one on
which the first discovery was made Other
creeks enter along the shore on both sides
Nhile far to the north a big dome-like
mountain seems to divide the northern lake
INTO Two dlvergins arms. Pine creek rising
In Lake Surprise (Which is said to be nearly
sixty miles in length flows down through
series OF wooded terraces into the lake.
and is about eighteen miles long
Some two or three miles from the mouth
OF ZINE creek small creek, which has been
named Spruce. enters from the southeast.
and Birch creek comes down from the hills
and enters Pine not far from ten niles
above the lake. The entire region shows
Signs OF upheavai. glacial action and fire
That 1T is shot with gold throughout all its
wash is pretty we'll determined hut wheth
er In paying quantities or not remains to be
seen.
Not Like kIOndile Country.
This thing is certain, the whole region is
utterly different in contour and formation
from the coast range. 1t appears dryer
and much more alluvial. Its peaks resem-
Bile those of Montana and Colorado. There
is scarcely trace of the cold gray granite
OF the coast range. They all are iron
stained. rotten" as the miners say. and
covered With slides Small assures still
IN volcanic action are reported from some
of the valleys.
On its face it is an ideal mining country.
Should the camp develop it will be a city
served by boats. Even now, twenty DAYS
alter the first rush. boats come and go in
shcals Tne beach before "Atlin City" Is
ff1nged with water craft like the wharf of
New England fishing village 1t is neces-
sdry t. be a sailor, at last a boatman,
as well as a prospector, if one wishes to be
sue cessful in the Atlin lake gold country.
When L arrived trails were already
beaten, sluice-ways were being dug Ium-
b=r was being rip-saW ed by most awkward
but determined men. The feeling was buoy
ant A permanent camp was being estab-
lished- The gold is hare" says those best
Informed but in what quantities no one
can tell During my stay pans WELDING
as high three dollars in coarse gold were
taken from the bench claims which only
a Few days before had been considered of
10 account.
The best results came from the dry
benches high above Pine creek. This would
seem to indicate that the placars were due
to quite other causes than the flow of this
meager stream. If this should turn out 20
be true, then an immense placer field re-
curing extensive systems of hydraulic min
ing will be opened next year.
The country Ia not only most beautiful
it is fairly accessible. 1t may be entered
by way Of the White Pass or Chilkoot
routes. thence by water down Bennett lake
and through the Taku Arm of Tagish to the
Atlin portage. There Is a second route al
ready called 'the Brooks trail'), which
runs overland in short cut to Tagish wa
ter; thence by boat to Atlin portage. This
route. as soon as the lakes freeze and snow
falls, will undoubtedly be the shortest and
easiest. A third route Is reported whereby
Lake Surprise may be reached from the
Teslin lake trail by boat to Wrangle thence
up the Stickeen river to Glenora by river
beats From Glenora the Teslin lake trail
can be followed for a hundred miles. From
a point at the head of Long lake or near
there the divide may be crossed without
much trouble, probably with pack animals.
This, however, Is only reported to be prac-
t.cat!e. No one has yet actually gone in
by that way.
Trails and Water Routes.
The route likely to be most travelled, how
ever Is by way of Bennett and Tagish, for
II is possible to lire a boat through Atlin
rivera strong, swift river which connects
Attn lake with the Taku Arm of Tasish
lake. Thus the argonauts who reach tnis
spread of water with a good boat will be
in command of at least three hundred miles
OF lake shore, with wide areas of good
prospecting ground on which to land.
A tran leads up Spruce creek. as we'll as
the full length Of Pine creek to Lake Sur
prise, and on these two trails men are rack
Ing to and fro with tents, stoves sacks of
flour. picks and shovels, boots and boxes
on their backs. walking swiftly and in
trains, Ike some new variety of pack an
imal.
The camp OF the lake was swarming with
men in hot discussion on the evening that
! pitched my tent among them. The ma
jortty believed the camp to be a failure
and their loud cursings resounded among
the trees. Boats were setting off on the
return trip filed with sour and sullen voy-
ayers. We, who were incoming were
greeted with Jeers. What do you think
you are doing here; come to hunt or fish ?''
In the face of such universal detection late
corners made very little statement of their
i purposes in reply. The town-site men were
nervous. The camp was decreasing In pop-
ulation. and the general feeling was one