Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-06-28
FROM THE kLoNDlKE.
Letter of Interest From J. X.
Martin Describing Shoot
ing the Canyon.


ing the Canyon.
Il. II. Tanner has kindly permitted
US to publish part Of q letter received
thia week from j. X. Martin. A
later letter received June by Mr..
Ms family states that the second
boat Of the party was successfully
taken through the rapids. r. /
LAKE BENNETT, B. c..
May 81, 1893.
MY DEAR BERT:-We are commence
ing to move after a long seige Of 1t
at Linderman, hut luck has been bad
to some extent, and still don't
know but what we can consider our
selves lucky. We broke camp at
Linderman Thursday at 3 p. M, and
thought we could make the head Oi
the canyon at foot of Lake Under
man before morning, but the ice
commenced moving and at midnight
we were forced ashore, In a cove.
and at 2 q. m. the wind came up
strong and the ice piled up all
around, and we had to hustle to get
our goods ashore. We got part OF
our goods out and put Lever under
the edge of the boat and pried 1t up
over the rocks and the Ice forced
them out. The wind whipped tho
ice all to pieces, and Monday morn
ing weloaded our boats. and arrived
at the canyon at noon. and hired
our outfit. all but a ton, hauled,
CHOSE are the boys that make the
money-ten dollars ton for emile
haul and just all they can dog which
we were going to have put through
in the boats, as the pilot said he
would line them through II we
would put a thousand pounds In
each boat. so that 1t would pay him
to take time, and we thought 1t
would be best to do that and not
take chances ON smashing on boat
by shooting. the rapids, but the
"bugger" came around this morning
and said he could shoot the rapids
all right with 1t and asked me to go
down with him and help hold it off
the rocks, and show him where our
goods were, SO ~ to land.
Well, we made the start alright, >.
but only got about two-thirds Of
the way through when we run the
bow smash into the solid rock bank.
which set US spinning, and we
brought up u little further down on
some rock, knocking the back corner.
out Of 1t. and we had great hustle
to get our goods ashore. The boat
sank right down and wet the goods
Ia great shape, but luckily the water
" as only up to our hips, 80 we were
able by the aid OF a line to wade and
carry our goods ashore. That hap
pened at 6 O'Clock this morning. and
our boat is still there, badly wrecked,
and 1t is now s p. M, but we expect
To raise 1t yet this evening or early
tomorrow morning. It's most too
q place TO work in while
the boats are shooting by.
It's better than circus to sit up
IN the high banks and watch them
zone down through the canyon.
About every fifth boat is more or
ess damaged, but 1 know of only
;wo outfits being lost. as nearly
pnts their boats through
light, or nearly so. / wish our other |
,oat was down, as we will surely |
eel that tate is against us II that |
Iets smashed. A person. has just
bout oil he wants to do to stay in
he boat coming through. Saw
everal thrown overheard today.
)ne man caught q large rock and
:ot on top Of 1t, and caught the
'ext boat thdt came BY close enough |
kept him there over two hours
md another man that went over
BOARD caught the rear end Of his
,oat. and as 1t was a long pointed
,oat he would change from one side
o the other, az 1t would sheer to-
ward a rock, finally he succeeded in
winging himself In. He was a regu-
ar acrobat. #s H.
! The boys are all down on the
'ocks now watching the boats 30
through. It's one Of the most ex-
iting scenes l ever witnessed, and
he banks are just crowded with
,eople casing. sometimes breathless.
Ind at other times cheering.
. l was in hopes to hear from you
before leaving this section Of the
Mail is very slow and un-
here. The last letter I re-
eived was one written by my folks
IN April 3, and 1t will probably take
onger the farther in we get. My |