The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-22

sonous substances OF any kind in the river
water. Considering the hardships incl
dental 10 Sc rough a journey up the river.
he thinks the country as healthy as might
be expected. The river water must ne
drunk by every one. as few springs can
ns found along the stream that are readily
accessible. The water. he says. is very
turbid; TO such an extent that nearly
teacupkli OF sand would settle az the
bottom OF a quart can OF the whis!sh
brown fluid. but IL has no other taste than
that OF mud or clay. There are springs
along the stream In some localities. he
says, that are strongly impregnafed with
sron and soda, and the water, though clear
and to all appearances wholesome. is
strongly medicinal In It's effects. Unpieas-
ant consequences might follow drinking
such water he thinks, could anyone bear
Its nagseous taste.
Up and Down the Copper.
The McIsae party was one Of the earli-
est TO reach the hsadwaiers OF Copper
river. after a Journey fun of hardships,
and without any substantial result In the
way of gold discoveries Leaving Copper
Center on May Z. In twenty-foot row.
boat, they spent I'VE whole weeks In reach
ing the mouth OF the Salinas river, only
rs miles up stream. This trip was full OF
Dsrils and hardship. There was hardly
foot OF the way that the boat did rot have
10 be towed. for in the swift current row.
ing was out Of the question. A ls-foos
tow line was used. and while six OF the
party piodded YEARLY along. alternately
on the banks and In m.datream waist
deep in the Icy waters. the seventh man
stood In The boat and s'eered Several
times the boat was upset. but luckily
nothing was lost from the cargo. The
mosquitoes were simply a plague. and gave
the adventures no rest, night or day.
The Salinas river reached. the party did
not continue up 10 the divide between the
Copper river and the Tanana, but as
cendei the Salinas instead. For the first
Ave miles they found the stream rapid,
but after that for rnaSe miles a rather
slow-nowing river. with low, muddy
shores. With SIX oars 70 the boat, they
We're able TO make ten miles day In the
Salinas no C0lcrs were found but In
small creek three or four days pull up
the stream good prospects were obtained.
As many as afteen good csieFs were count
ed Ia one pan. This creek was rrospesctcd
10 Its headwaters. and It's sands all along
carried fine gold.
McRae believes the creek, on further
prospecting. VIII show up we'll. ana he
will return 10 IL again next spring. In the
meantime he will visit Boston and make a
report 10 hts hackers In that city.
lie mp " the party uUHn tAe
treacherous Copper river 20 Copper Cen
ter was as exhllaratin. rs the ascent had
been tiresome. The entire journey was
made in thirteen hours of actual travel
Eve strong oarsmen aided the ;en-nile
current nearly the whole time, arid the
scenery few by like Il panorama on a
spree On the way down dangers from
snnken bouIisrs vera successfully avoid
90. but other parties. both ascending and
descending, were less fortunate McEsa
says that upturned boats floating down
were sighted on several occasions, and
resting on sand bars were others.
McRae thinks a. least twenty-five men
have lost their lives by drowning in Cop
per river. He gives the names OF r J
Mcintyre, whose former home was not
sscpstasae3. and j IL Il. buckley. az Min
nespolss, Both we're drowned Ga jay H.
on 3hetr way III stream froGn Copper Cen
ter. The bodies had not been recovered
Brtween July Il and July y McRae says
seventeen nleg were drowned 20 his ow1
knowledge. besides u canoe lead OF Ia
dams.