The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-05-07
$BARAGA DEPARTMENT;
Letter From Jerry Real.

Following is a portion OF letter
received by Edward Real from his
brother Jerry, who is a member OF
the Baraga Klondike party, seek
ing fortune in the gold fields of
Alaska, The letter was written at
Tagish Lake and dated Easter
Sunday:
ARRIVED here Thursday, and yes
terday got the last of outfit here.
We will build our boats here, then
wait for the opening, which will be
in about six weeks. We are about
eight miles from the foot of the lake.
We have been hauling and camping
since the 18th of March, making
mules, horses, ETC., of ourselves.
The first day l could hardly haul
$50 pounds; now l can take two
dogs and haul /, 400 or 1000 pounds
ten miles and return, which con-
stitutes days work. We have
about 5000 pounds altogether, SO
you see it requires several trips.
Then on stormy and windy days we
don't do as well. We have gotten
along remarkably fast, in fact about
the best of any on the trail. There
are several poor fellows who started
from Sheep Camp the same time we
did, and am afraid they are be-
meath the tons of snow and ice that
slid down the canyon last Sunday,
killing and covering probably 200
people. There must have been that
number at least, for every time |
went up to the summit from Sheep
Camp, and l went there several
times, there were hundreds and hun
dreds. 1t won't be reported in the
newspapers as bad as it really is, on
account Of keeping people away.
We were fortunate to get over as
soon as we did. have to go up to
the head of Lake Bennett tomorrow,
a distance of about 40 miles, with
my dog team, to mail this and other
letters; also to get a few little nick
hacks and see if | can't possibly get
a postal card or an almanac. Have
not heard one single word from
home yet, and it makes me feel as
though | am forgotten, when Nc
Intosh and Hammond get four or
five each. Arthur or Flynn haven t
had any letters either. There GER
tainly must be some on the road.
Where are they? | cant find out
Tomorrow will be my last trip back
wards looking for any. You can
m 70 ~
Tagish Post, N w., being here for
six weeks, and may catch me. If
not, will have p. M. forward to
Dawson. We will probably strike
there some time in the fall.
This is beautiful morning The
sun peeping over the snow and
glacier-capped peaks, some of the
peaks 5000 feet high. Here is
list of articles comprising a portion
of our outfit: 81 tons -four, = / ton
bacon, 800 pounds sugar, 240 pounds
candles, aluminium dishes, 4 large
stoves, 4 tents, II axes, II shovels,
~ picks, gold pans, $50 pounds bag
gage each including blankets, foot
gear, clothing, etc, 500 pounds
pork, 900 pounds dried fruit, 300
pounds evaporated potatoes, 400
pounds rice, 300 pounds rolled oats,
300 pounds corn meal, $50 pounds
tea, 200 pounds coffee, 3 cases milk,
100 pounds butter, 800 pounds peas,
vegetable soup, baking powder,
yeast cakes and innumerable
things. For breakfast we have
rolled oats or rice and syrup, coffee,
bread, bacon, butter, sugar, apricots
or peaches About the same for
dinner with the addition of pea
meal soup and pork and beans, And
by the way, we have 1000 pounds
OF beans. There are lots of elks and
moose here. Our healths
e all 0. K, mine especially. Was
never better in my life; in fact have
been feeling good ever since left
the coast. / eat more for breakfast
here than in two whole days when
at home, and weigh 1J5 or 100
pounds, which is more than / ever
weighed by - or 20 pounds, not
exaggerating at all We go to bed
about dark, that's about 500 or 9
o clock, and rise at ), about an hour
after daylight. It's regular every
night with US. You may know that
we are keeping good hours, and also
nearing the land of the midnight
sun. The sunrise and sun
set is very beautiful here, beyond
description. There is lots of vegeta-
ton. | find under the snow buckle
berries, in places. Climate very
much like that of Lake Superior,
the coolest % below, then don't
feel it. It's the wind, when it does
blow. and blow, and blow some
more, too, as the Frenchman says.
HOW TO HAVE A KLoNDIKE AT HOME.
"Do your own washing, cooking,
barbering, wood cutting and hauling,
tailoring, doctoring and draying.
Don't smoke cigars, drink whlskey
or beer, keep bad company, or stay
l..