The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-13
LETTER FROM KLONDIKE.
Lieutenant Walker Writes of His
Experiences in Far NOrth-MOney
Necessary to Find Gold.

Experiences in Far NOrth-MOney
Necessary TO Find Gold.
From the Santa Fee CNew Mexico) Herald.
When George Tllton, the third mate of
the Arctic whaling schooner Belvidere,
passed through Fort St Michael, Alaska,
in January. 400 letters from miners, pros
pectors and soldiers to their friends and
relatives in the states were intrusted to
his care, and he brought them to Port
land, Ore. reaching that place on April g.
Among those letters was one for Judge j.
n. Walker, from his son, S. f. Walker,
who is lieutenant in the Eighth Infantry
stationed at Fort St Michael. The letter
was received on yesterday, and reads as
follows:
Fort st. Michael, Alaska, Jan. 1e.-Your
letter reached me all right. II was brought
in by Lieut.. Jarvis and Dr. Call. of the
Scar. Mr. TIton, of the whaler Belvidere,
now al Herachel Island, is going to. take
the mail out for us. He left his vessel last
october on his way out for relief for the
whalers. You know there were II vessels
up there; three got out. The Orca and Nor
ach were crushed and all the others will
perish, unless 1t Is the BelVidere She may
escape, but 1t is doubtful. The papers will
ton gets in. He Is hardy, practical man.
and has made wonderful trip of 1900
miles At one time he was about four DAYS
without anything to eat He has two ma
tives with him that he brought from Point
Hope When they were so hungry. they
found dead whale, which the Indians be-
gan eating. He couldn't 60 the whale. but
shortly after killed a duck. Mr.. Tilton says
the imprisoned whalers have enough pro-
visions q Tt11x
only two scant meals a day.
l expect the people up the river are very
short of supplies. Provisions are scarce at
Nulato and Mlnook; we have had no news
from farther up as travel is ell up the
river and none down. Parties leave the
boats and start out on dog sleds for Mi
nook to prospect. l expect to start shortly
for that place to ascertain the condition of
affairs, and as we are expecting the Port
Clarence reindeer herd down soon, I will
use reindeer teams. / have been anxious for
trip all winter.
Lieut.. Bell returned from Nulato few
days ago, but could not get much news
from up the country. However, he found
an Indian with some nice nuggets of gold,
and brought back one worth about $40
One of the party staid up there and the
Indian is to show him the place where the
nuggets were found.
Some funny things happen to parties
starting out while some of the happenings
are pathetic. Two men, who did not agree
very well, came to camp the first night out
and had disagreement about supper One
wanted biscuits and the other hapjacks
One poor fellow started out alone very
poorly provided for. He had no team, but
pulled his own sled. He gave out by the
time he reached Unalaklik. the beginning
OF the portage of Nulato and there he
bought two or three dogs. and where Lieut..
Bell overlook him. The man had a badly
frozen foot and Bell hired a sled to bring
him back TO the surgeon. He would not
come, but said he would take a Ratchet
and chop his foot off, and even pulled out
his knife to cut off a toe or two when he
was prevented by those standing by His
own expression was, Dawson or BUST"
We all wear more or less OF the native
clothing. The boots are of hair, seal or
reindeer legs and are very warm. A
bunch of dry grass Is put in the bottom
every day. The "parkle Is a skin coat
that comes nearly to the knees, with a
hood to cover the head IL is pulled on
the same as shirt and is very comfort
able, Then on trip, a reindeer sleep
ing bag is necessary. With such an ont
fit one can keep quite comfortable The
natives are an ingenious lot but filthy
beyond description. They will eat any
thing. The sense of taste seems TO cut
no inquire at All, Iney are covered with
Vermiu, and when Bell came back from
Uulato he was in the same fix. If any
one sleeps In their huts while travelling
he is sure 10 become covered with the
loathsome insects.
We hear nothing of gold finds FOR. as
said before, the travel is all up the
river. ] believe man could make a find
If he came prepared to stay a while. hut
he must bring plenty of money The
transportation companies will carry pas
eengers up the river, but viii not carry
their supplies They will sell plenty of
supplies but Will not ship up those brought
by new corners. SO a man needs cash 10
buy all these things and then he is indie
pendent
We have had a very mild winter. On
Christmas night ii was thawing here, but
Is freezing now. Yesterday II was 10 de-
grees below rero; to-day It Is IS below.
although we do not feel the cold much.
1t Is very rainy in summer and there are
millions of mosquitoes IL is almost i'm
possible 10 travel in the summer time.
as one has to carry his pack on his back.
or hire an Indian to do Il, and the walking
is very hard. Strange to say. vegetables
are raised sixty miles above here, They
do not mature as they do farther south.
but still they are good Those raised are
carrots, cabbage, potatoes, beets and tur-
nlps.