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

SaPt.otrlcKlanQ ana MS party on his way
out to Bennet for provisions. We had to
go back from here, and made our old
camp for supper; 30 below this night.
Started out good and early, strong south
wind and very cold. Mr.. Strickland and
myself both froze our noses on starting
out. We reached our boat, but couldn't
use it on account of the lake being froz-
en- up to the next open water. We had
all our bedding and eatables on sleigh
which we were pulling by hand. We
only went about a mile, when we came
to open water, and had to take the shore
and abandon everything there, only TAX
ing two hard-tacks apiece. We rented a
boat from some Jews, to take us down
to the ice. Went ashore at noon at the
fifteen mile Cabin, and had a cup of soup
and hard-tack each. We had only a
few more miles to go, when we came to
some new ice, and had to pull ashore,
which we reached about 33:3O, but on the
wrong side of the lake. We took to the
shore, but didn't go very tar, when we
came to high rocky cliff and very thin
ice. We couldn't go ahead on the ice.
or over the steep cliffs anywhere at
this point. We found lots of wood here
and decided to camp. Idivided my hard
tack with one of the boys, as he had
eaten his on the way. We almost froze
during the night. We only had about
nine miles to go from this point. Next
morning about six, we tried the ice, but
found it too weak, SO went back way
and tried the mountains. We were nine
hours in going three miles, and one of
the boys played out and the other boys
threatened to warm the seat of his pants
if he didn't get move on, that put some
life into him, but finally we had to pull
him up. then went on ahead to push
on one of the police boys who had his
right foot and hand badly frozen. As
we had not had a square meal for two
days, we were uot in good walking con-
dition. found HIM in a discouraged
state, and he had given up all hope.
soon hustled him over the last hill and
kept him cheered up, so that he came
along pretty we'll. We came to miners
camp and sent him in to get Bit to
eat, while went on almost frozen, and
SO hungry that finally went into tent
and got biscuit and got warm, and then
went on. finally reached Bennett, and
about 20 minutes afterward my frozen
man came in; they put his foot in ice
water and thawed it out and then in coal
oil. He has been confined to the house
for over two months now, but will soon
be out. The rest of the party came in
about nine. They had supper on the
way but were ready for another. Our
hardships are harder than that now, al
though we have three meals day. **
]. A. Marion MY partner, met us here
last night, on his way to Dawson from
Bennett, with two trains loaded with flat
sleighs.
We had to come back from Lake La
Barge to White Horse Rapids. That
has been our mode of travel for some
time. Our next move will be to Daw-
son with Judge Mccain and party from
Little Salmon, and come back for Major
Walsh. We had to come back for dog
feed. l can't describe this trip to you.
We were ten days from the head OF
White Horse Canon to the foot of Lake
LaBarge, distance of IS miles, and we
rested one day; SO you can imagine from
that what kind of time we had. We
travelled 8 miles one day. n
We are back once more to the foot of
Lake LaBarge, making 1870 miles in eight
days and we are now giving the dogs a
breathing spell in order to go down the
Thirty-mile river. It usually takes from
three to seven days to make that distance
as It depends on how the ice is. Ittakes
all the men you can get for each sleigh.
Sometimes dogs, sleighs and drivers are
all mixed up in the water, and as the cur
rent is very swift, it is very dangerous.
A person going through is wet all the
time, for that matter, everything on the
sleigh is wet, as it is impossible to keep
from slipping into the river. In coming
up the stream the shore ice broke away
letting one Of our dog teams float down
quite piece before they could be res
cued. The dogs are very treacherous in
most cases, my face and hands can testi-
fy to that, as have eight marks on hands
and face. have the meanest dogs in
the party. So far this month it has not
been very cod. the coolest being 90 be-
low. with very little wind and l have
been wearing hat all this month and
part of December. don't wear any
more clothing than / do right at home,
and not as much as when hunting in the
Roseau. My beard is a grea, protection
A.. n a