The record-union., 1898-07-01
ON The TRAIL TO DAWSON.

Sss
DR.LooKwRITEs FROM WHITE
HORSE RAPIDS.
70 3sSs1 4sS@ - =
s4ssSe4S-z-- sa.
Thousands Of People Pressing ON
Toward Dawson City-And
.4-., for What7 -5-~a~.--,
J. B. stocker Of this city has received
a letter from DR.. H. H. Look, dated
at White Horse Rapids, on the trail to
Dawson, May Sth. The writer saws:
Dear Friend: After many vicissi-
tudes and much experience. we are at
the White Horse Rapids. We left Lake
Bennett April 10TH and after eleven
days of various forms of locometiou we
reached this point There was good
sleighing across Bennett, which We
made in a day, distance of twenty
five miles. The next day we made the
Portage, six miles, and camped on
Tagish Lake. That lake we made in
day, a part of which We ran, the wind
being SO strong, especially ait Winly
Arm, that we could scarcely keep the
sledges straight. OF course we had
sails UP.
That Portage and Marsh Lake took
us two days and half Here we found
the Lewis River open and sleighing i'm
possible. We met a man by the name
OF John Mcbride, who was constructing
a raft, SO We fell to and did likewise.
1t took us all day, and when we rolled
her Off the ice bank / chriStened her
the "Argonaut" She was an ungainly
looking thing, and could not help snil-
ing at her as she lay moored to the
shore
On landing OUR supplies found that
had made an error in displacement, for
we stood half way to our knees in wa
ter, SO / shouldered my ak and took to
the woods and an the course of a few
hours she rode theswaVes high and dry.
We enjoyed rafting for two days. In
the evening of the second day We came
| to some rapids. Through them we found
cred about like a. dead whale till the
current waited us ashore. We were
| informed of an ice jam somewhere near,
| so We towed her down past the swift
| current and landed ON the opposite
| side a few hundred yards. above the
| jam. Just as We tied up this moved
out. leaving the river open for a few
| miles. = -
| The next day we tried rafting again.
After opening one jam the ice ap-
| preached too near the center Of the
river, and the current became too swift
to be safe SO We dismantled our craft
and / saw her pass into the stream With
real regret. We were now within three
| miles of the canyon which we lid. nos
reach till the next day. It consumed
two days for the canyon and the rap
| ids. The day before we campei' here
the people passed and repassed over A
I bridge of ice over the rapids, but: the
next, the, 21th. of "A pril the first boat
of the season passed through. :
Here We decided to- build boat,
which has consumed eleven days. Al
though cranky and will tip on the least
provocation she excited the curiosity
and criticism of the native" on ac-
count of the prediction to ueathess,
! the sunallness and straight sides which
/ could not have been avoided on account
| of the brittleness of the lumber This
/ / chriStened the 'Argonaut H." and If
/ a person does not smile crOSSwse she
| will skim the water lake a bird. We
| leave tomorrow for Lake LIE Barge, a
| distance of thirty miles.
! At the White Horse Rapids / gather
j ed the first information concerning the
/ interior that was worthy of credence.
There was quite colony here. They
had been here all winter, and lived in
tents comfortably with the thermometer
fifty and sixty below zero. The features
- ~
expression, and the enthusiasm has dis
/ solved before the hardships they have
had to endure They are generous,
| kind and accommodating, but Spartan
Like, will answer you in a few words.
There We're about thirty frozen in here,
and some of the time they worked for
the tramway companies of which there
are two, one on each side of the river
The cold winter and hard fare has left
some with the scurvy, and on all it has
produced effects from which they will
never recover, however trifling it may
1 now seem to some. NJ:
| Many went to Salmon River when
the excitement was on, but returned
pronouncing 1t a fake, and affirm il
louder than whisper that the Cana
dian Government was responsible for
it. They believe, and with some 'shoW
of reason, that the Canadian Govern
ment wants to settle up that part Of
the country, fearing that if the immi-
grants get too near the American line
they will stampede for Circle City and
Canada will lose her revenue.
The marrow policy pursued by Canada
will drive a large per cent, if not q
ma joTity, to American territory. In the
name of revenues, royalties, fines and
privileges, the Government saps all the
wealth of the country, leaving nothing
for those who sacrifice health and hap
piress to develop it. There is deep
rooted dissatisfaction, and with no
signs OF abating. Pioneers do not care
to be taxed out of everything to keep
| population along the banks OF the
have nothing to do but collect revenues,
as no lawlessness exists in this country.
Criminals are towards and cannon
thrive outside of dense populations.
None ever got this far.
If no more rich strikes are made on
this side, Circle City will be the center
of this country. Dawson City will
cease to be the main city, but will sink
to a subordinate position rendered SO
by the shortsightedness of the Govern
ment
The immigrants present a motley
crowd. There are about 10000 on the
of sight of a tent, and from ten to
| twenty boats pass the rapids daily.
Is the journey dangerous? 1t de-