The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-19
KL0NDIKE SIDE LIGHTS.
RAM JONES, 4 Fla HUNTER
<SD GUIDE, WRITES YITIDLK.

VCADbl WHITES IlVIOLI.
He TelIS Of killiaE n mad Hear" and rive
Others-Snw seveA Minds OF Theua on the
kiondike RIver--ShOatiaE the white EnoFuo
RaPids-PeoPio at Dawson weiI-DISposed.
HARRrsBURG, juno 19.-Frank Jones, a IA.
nous hunter and guide OF the far West, is now
in the Rlondike. where he won't several years
ago. His experiences have been exceedingly
varied and exciting. and he tells them in his
own way In letters to Casper Dull, a prominent
lawyer Of this city, who has frequently hunted
Dig game In the Rocky Mountains with Jones as
mis- guide. Extracts from two of these let
ters show in the most graphic way the toll
and danger associated with the hunt for tho
precious metal In Alaska and likewise throw in.
tereatinR side lights upon the customs In that
frozen part OF Uncle Sans domain. Jones
gives some information about the game of the
country which will DO news to many. In q let
ter written at Fort Cudahy. Yukon River. Dec.
A,lss4. which was received by Mr.. Dull in tho
following April. Jones writes gloomily OF the
outlook:
The old spirit Is within me still II 1 can got
1t TO move" he says. but 1 think evolution Is
working on me backward, and II I stop long
here 1 shall degenerate into a bear. 1 don't love
everything and everybody, as 1 used to; in fact
this Is my last deal. My last chip IL up. II I
win. then hnrrah for better days; II 1 lose, then
j will not Kick. but my body will never leave
Alaska. Hurd usage l have had; hunger and
cold 1 do not fear. II l did I would be badly
scared now. for there is not an ounce of provis-
ions to buy within four hundred miles Of
InnS; and those OF us Who have not enough
hope to get this letter out this winter. IL l do
~ VIII cost 81; that Is the price that is charged
enough: $50 miles overland and the thermome-
Ter standing at seventy and eighty degrees be-
low for weeks at Il time. l would give my last
clipping. which little bit Of outside news iS scat.
suppose that 1 had better begin with N my triRp;
mere and take you, around with me.
left home feeling bad. ! did not want to
by the Northern Pacific RAILROAD to Tacoma.
the Rustier for Dyas. There work began. The
INDIANS fn ia sn at Dya $, are TS greot PPSS.e1r n- they pack to
dred weight or over. to the lakes Tor 81. Wa
packed. our own plunder over. There were
Ist our stun on o. Sieds and nd p SHi STe down Srn r hafc;
Linderman and half way down Lake Bennett,
W Werse o wS stopped o pnm 10 o1 goinS our III eo SdS;o There
among whom were three women and a little girl
md boy. Our mess built two boats; we sawed
tho lumber with q whipsaw.
The ice still remaining solid, we concluded
70 go bunting for meat, as our grub was begin.
travelling along the side of the mountain. and
%rustling down through the bush I found one OF
appeared. and found that they were bears, one
white one. which made me think at first they
closer than 400 yards. so trailed them for about
three miles, when they went down into the tim.
picking berries on tho side Of the mountain. We
worked around until Jim-1 mention the man
1pFshsrn ! shf:l , 9Sx2 G Soa XIII to ons spfS rom Of here RiT T
Yes. l answered. but would like to kill that
white one first; that Is the bad bear and 1 know
"'0h. kill any one; wo can manage the other
It'll is too far to the other side, I said. but
here goes for the nearest one with Its head this
way. 0ne hundred and, twenty-five yards will
lott; Now, Jim. be ready for trouble and don't
Almost at the report Of my gun the bear
away H' sad u rI's sai HdE" 'fho ree r oeseT YOUR 5wo b 5sa
bear Yes. and here he comes back again.
when they both jumped out into the, open and
started in a circle around us. We both fired
the ball opened. The bears were both roaring,
S3minG over logs and around trees and the
dance after. It seemed as though we could
not keep them down. aud l don't think either
Darkest q. Ks w ene G EaRs it ANY ap and m's'i fsii de Tdinf %illssrt Thy
cut to pieces, but tho white ono seemed more
Ss1eFI1a sbd than Ht i iSS bl | tri Sf t tSG ed to F E1, ny by
vas moving around so lively that all 1 could
had now got within. twenty yards Of US.
When n;. rearing rear, .G up On. biz his haqnches. he got a
now right and again we fired together. His last
hlttle was fought. Two bullets within an inch
Inlred jim. as l watched him very close all the
time. was standing behind a tree and shoot
other, two rods off and shooting as cool as
though it were a turkey instead Of a bear.
1dont think 1t possible that that bear could ever
have reached us even { we had not fred the last
were two bullet holes in his heart and his sides
were literally stove In; That is vitality 6t for
the best and an animal worthy OF any mans
Jones gives this description Of how he and
up along The side of the canon ana looked down.
We. saw some go through. Several struck the
t T"i1 Scs but si FL F tSL iinFo Sf o sHtiS! in bN wS got N l1,O
die and let her float straight for the centre; you
word.' We'll, i Worked her out to the SS csentre
ana pointed her down stream. We were draw.
It looked awful. the water in the centre several
feet higher than at the sides; and one great
exact mate at tho other side. Every wave
and It's mate Gang together in the centre in
and the centre was our route. I have
read Of the jaws of death, Of the jaws of he'll
never had such a feeling before. But the cur.
rent had us now. and no power on Garth could
been so bad but for the horrible roaring. Just
thought. we must do as Others did and nerved
Straight for the arst E6EEeaksep' nodded to Jim. SnS
shouted to Set her aAre-we will make itl The
way no bent to those oars was magnificent
After striking the first breaker we were part OF
the time in the air and part In tho water, but
felt like a now man. took delight, IN the waves
occasionally shouting to jim; Right left,
hard noW-both,' and. we rode right on the
comb OF these waves and never dipped a bucket
full Of water. The canon would never moro have
any terror for me-"
,ofthe White Horse Rapids. three miles below
tho canon. Jones says: urhe upper end Of tn!
end looks like a cayvy OF white horses all buck
ing furiously. each one with a white rider who
mounting. We packed our plumber around ant
let our boat down with a long rope. walking or
the wall rock above. Some boats were crushed
some broken in Two like strawS. We got dowr
all right"
on the river and of tho arrival at Forty -milI
Post. He predicts that some day this will he 4
great tourist route. going TO the mouth of the
river. over 1000 miles. and there taking steamer
for about 5000 moro by sea. He gives an &C
count OF his first prospecting for gold and tells
Of The mnaaIisfncEnrX rnAnlIA llhara hnmever