The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-16

tHStc - oHc pi2tS Oh the water front
where Kotxebue sound is talked Of more
than another It ID on small wharf half
way between Arlington and Schwabacher
docks. In front of this wharf three or
four thirty-ton schooners are lying. all n.y.
ing banners that announce their early de-
parture for Kotxebue sound. On this
wharf all OF the latest Kotsebue news IL
resailed and discussed. The news they
have . very late. too. November 16. 1897.
being the date Of the last letter.
When . man finally decides to 60 to
Kotsebue on one Of these smaller schoon-
ers he u allowed to come aboard with his
baggage and live until the boat gets a
fun list OF passengers. He hunks with his
own blankets in the cabin, and COOKS his
own meals on the galley stove. 1t costs
the owner OF the schooner. who Is usually
tho captain. nothing, and enables him to
hold his passengers for an indefinite length
Of time. It costs the passengers almost
nothing to live in this way, and all con-
cerned are satisfied. This Is why the dock
near which the schooners anchor is the
headquarters for Kotxebue news
crowd of men gathered yesterday to
talk Kotzebue. The news on which they
Place the most dependence came IN a Letter
written By certain John Ross to a friend
In San Francisco From the Golden Gate
city the letter has spread all along the
Coast. and a number OF copies have beer
made. An old miner who will go north
on one OF the first steamers to leave port
has copy. and he read portions of 1t
yesterday to an interested crowd. The
part Of the letter that pieases the pros
pecttve Kotxebuers most Is where Ross
tells how his party cleared up $4,000 m
few days on two occasions
Ross says In his letter that he left ct.
Michael on June % in d skin boat for
Port Clarence From that point he hired
Indians to take him to Kotzebue sound
The Indians would not take him up the
river unless he gave them whisky. He
had none OF that very necessary article.
but made substitute which suited the
indiana taste almost rs well. man
named Harvey had a gallon OF alcohol and
some drugs which made mixture fit for
the Indians. and in that way the white
men got up the kubuk or Kowak river.
After the opening statement. Ross' letter
reads:
"Our original intention was to go up as
far as Fort Cosmos. but before we got
there the Indians told Hardy and myself
or two men who had gone ND before US
and who were located on q snnnii stream
where they were getting plenty of gold.
We thought this too good to be true. but
concluded TO follow on around TO where
they were. Imagine our surprise TO hnd
them with not less than $4,000. which
they had taken out In fifteen days. The
mosquitoes were nearly H., but az we
had little grub we started in at once
to do our best. Our foudest hopes were
vVaAP fhox Roo1 xasf n1A fn INF " HoR<
s500oe'
When the miner who was reading
finished this remarkable paragraph, those
gathered around HIM demanded to know
where this Kotxebus sound was. and how
long 81 would take to get there. They
were ready 10 start at once. The old
miner showed them the location OF the
Sound away to the north Of Norton sound
and st. Michael. and told them that they
would have to wait for the ice 10 get out
OF Bering straits before they could start.
The reading OF the letter was again taken
up. and the listeners learned that Ross
and his companion had decided 10 stay
for ten days after the two early arrivals
had started down river with the inten-
ton OF gsfsing 70 ST. Michael before the
last boat left.
two days after they iaft.'' continues
the letter. IA native who had been hunt
with plenty OF fresh meat He brought
nugget which viii weigh not less than
twenty ounces. | gave hin~my last pug
Of tniacfs, for II. l hatee' to part with
the pug. for gold was more plentiful than
tobacco. We went back up the stream,
s::.a re native led us to the small rifle
where ne found IL. We started TO work.
and found gold in such quantities that II
almost made US crazy, often getting ten
ounces TO the pan. In ten days we
washed out 3se.e0o Oh, how we hated 10
leave. We had only nifty pounds 81 -four
left. and very little tea or sugar. 30 We
started down 10 the mouth OF the river.
Ice Was making fast on the kubuk. and
the natives told US We would nos b. able
20 60 down until 1t frose. They said II
was 40 near to go to the Yukon az TO tue
mouth Of the river. They agreed TO go
with US II we would give them whisky
and -four when we xot there. We started
for tire Yukon October Is, via Zaine's
pass, and reached Nulato after fifteen
days."
Ross. letter was written from Rampant
City. where he Rad gone from Nufatc. He
SAYS that IL Is his Intention 10 20 10 81.
Michael On the first steamer. and from
there 10 San F~anctRco. He says he VIII
40 -