Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-07-13

between times. Am writing on a gold
pan bottom up.
We left Skaguay a week ago last Sunday
morning and after a. terrible experience
reached the summit Of White Pass, walk
of twenty two miles over one of the worst
trails man ever attempted to climb. The
first few miles the mud was anywhere
from a foot to two feet deep, the re-
mainder was snow from ten to fifty feet
deep, packed against the side of the can
yon, and that is where the trail lies, said
step from there would mean instant death
to man or beast.
There are hundreds of dead dogs and
horses lying all along the trail. We
reached the summit about dark only to
find that our packer had left our tents be-
hind. We pulled one sled up with about
200 pounds Of provisions and baggage. We
were tired and hungry, and had no place
to sleep, but we had to make the best Of
the situation, SO made friends with the
police and through them managed to cook
our supper. Let me say here that there is
not a stick of wood within seven miles
of the summit in any direction.
After we had eaten our supper, such as
it was, we got some shovels, dug holes in
a great snow bank, made up our beds,
crawled into our sleeping bags and went
to sleep. 1t was storming when we went
to bed, but next morning the glass regis
tered seventeen degrees below zero. s.
and slept side by side and l don't be-
lieve either of us will ever forget our first
experience in sleeping bag-not that we
slept cold, we were warm enough, but the
hole we dug was only about a foot above
our heads and we were nearly suffocated.
S. woke up in the night and called me;
we crawled out of there in hurry and
went outside and slept.
Monday morning we started, each with
sled load, for Summit Lake where we
could find wood. We are now at Middle
Lake, but will probably move to Lake
Bennett by Friday, most of our provisions
and hardware being down there. We have
packed it all from the summit on our
sleds, and shall continue to do so until we
reach the lakes where we will build our
boats.
had read great deal about the hard
ships on the trail, but the half has never
been told. A large proportion OF those
who left Skaguay with US, or were on the
boat with us, have turned back broken
hearted and discouraged.
came here prepared to meet anything
and my courage is just as good as ever
II there are any weak hearted ones in oul
| 7 \.
one seems determined to accomplish what
we have undertaken. We are all well
and oh my, such appetites! l am sure
none OF US ever ate so much before. Oui
fare thus far has been bacon, bread, beans
rice, apricots and apple sauce. When We
get settled we shall have more of va.
riety, but what l have mentioned, with
plenty of tea and coffee, will do very vel
for awhile.
Last Friday was a terrible day. regular
blizzard. l. and started out with 75t
pounds Of bacon and flour on one of thu
large sleds, hosted sail, and how we die
go! The trail for six miles was over small
lakes and was as smooth as a floor, thu
sail did the hauling and we only had t.
steer the sled. We went down mucl
easier than we came back, with the storm
in our faces.
Yesterday another blizzard set in, bu
we loaded POO pounds on a sled, hoistet
sail, and three of US made a quick trl
down, but had a terrible time getting
back. 1t was very cold and windy, an'
we had to keep digging to keep from
t freezing. We were all covered with ic
r and we'll nigh exhausted when we reached
l camp. AS we were all pretty tired w
| thought days rest would do us no harm
l We are badly in need of another tent
: so to morrow | shall start for Skaguay ant
F.; have one made. 1t is a walk of thirty
eight miles down and forty eight mile
y back, and before return the boys will hav
: moved the camp ten miles farther dow
t the trail. l shall go down in one day
t have the tent made the next, and Frida
/ shall start for camp.
n have not had much cooking to do We
n was cook for one day as | had a blistere'
; heel and was obliged to stay in, but a
5 there was plenty of bread l had onl
5 beans to boil and bacon to fry, and go
: along very we'll. All the other boys ar
p very good cooks.
The only man with US that did not max
h up our party from Boston is an old pros
d pector, an Englishman. He does not owl
8 anything in our outfit, but simply keep
e along with us and pays his way by help
a ing haul.
d There are thousands Of dogs here an
|, everybody is sorry for having brough
r them, they are almost useless. Horse
n are not much better. Oxen are dom
s good work, as are also goats. Dogs an
g horses are daily being turned loose t
: freeze and starve, and we have to waite
|, our provisions. Some of the dogs ar
s ugly. One man here was badly bite
through the hand in two places by one c
o the dogs. A dog grabbed me by the ankl
e but did not get his teeth through m
9 clothes.