The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-03-30
THE kLONDlKE PILGRIMS HEARD
FROM
Tie following interesting letter ap-
pearel inla.t weeks peaoctat.ldeet.-

we'll aud iii good spirits, after being on
the ocean for sixteen DAYS. knowing
that the people at home ave moro or
less Interested IN the movements of
the Pennington contingent IN Alaska,
| will give you short account of our
trip So lar As We have already writ
ten home We changed our plans on
arriving at Seattle. Instead of gong
To Dawson CITY. rs we intended when
We left home We joined party head
ed hy W. d. Cook, of Boston, bound
for the head waters of the TNnana
River, about midway between heCop-
per RlVer region and Dawson, We
shall go about three hundred miles
from here overland, It IL claimed to
be an easier route than Ivy the trail
from DNCH There are twenty slN
people IN our party. They are all
Jolly, Whole-soulcd lot III boys and II
seems already rs II We had always
known each other.
The schooner Berins Sea, Capt.
Gfetel, Wns chartered Tor the trip and
We left Seattle, Saturday, Feb. l2th.
Right here a word oi advice to any
friends IN the East who may contem=
plate making the Alaskan trip. II, on
arriving ut Seattle, you cannot secure
passage ON steamer, doh go. bet
ter go back home. The accommoda-
toms ON sallpg vessels leaving that
port are SIMPLY vie. imagine twenty
four people packed Hike cattle EN- cahlh
about l2NlS, and not room enough 10
strengthen up. No windows ahd the
only means oi ventilation through the
smutl hatchWaN Mt the top by which You
enter. The balance OF the party and
crew were slowed away IN the alter
cabin, winch was much smaller. The
second day out most OF the party were
seaslck, and the hole, honored by the
name cabin, was soon terrible rluee.
Those of MS who were not sen sick
were home sick. which Was about ~
bud. All the gold III Alaska would
hardly tempt MS to mike the trlpln the
same manner again. But we ARE hap-
by once more since We landed, although
We renli2e the hardest part OF the trip
il yet before rs.
We had very stormy passage, the
Captain says the worst he has eXpef-
fenced in many years smiling over this
route. The third dry ont II severe
storm came up and the Captain ran the
ship into Neeah Bay, near the mouth
of PUGET Sound. where we were an
chored for three days before we could
leave. There il IN Indian village of
about GOO population there, with II post
Office. government school andtc lograph
station. 4 number OF the lndlans
came ont to the ship IN their curlons
duaout canoes. and one of them, Char
ley White, brought II large duSout and
took ten of our purity TO the village,
charging II quarter eneh, or two bits
ns they cnll it west Of the Rockies
Nolk and Bcrron We're among the
number Who went over. They found
the town laid out in streets, the houses
being frame and most of them neatly
printed They farm IN Summer and
hunt aud fish in Winter and had the
appearance of heinz prosperous com
munitv. When the boys landed, Nolls
said gamc Of hnse ball WAS being
plaved on the bench by the lndian
boys. They had all the points of the
game. even to kicking nj the decisions
of the umpire
When WE left Nee8h BaN We had talr
weather form day or two Then We
run into u terrible gale In fact ii was
n feeulnr hurricane and lasted two
DAYS. We were compelled to remain
below all during the storm Aud TO
say We were scared il putting il mild.
The waves broke over the ship with
aurh violence that the man 1T thcwheel
had to be lashcd fasi But oW good
ship weathered the storm nohly. life
on the ocean wave may be fine, hnt We
Jeraeymeu are not hankerin% utter it,
likewise none of the others,
iasi Monday morning, 2lst inst
80, Il -Iar44t itnlt 'huI InN I,tI-
ron, who joined as ut l1ambcrtHllIle,
narrowly escaped losing his NE" lie
and Dan Hayes, one of the Conneeti=
cut boys, were standing nenr the alter
cabin when n huge wave suddenly roll
led over that lmlt ai the ship khofk-
ing HIVES down aud throwing Charley
ON top the cabin, his head striking The
boom Of the nalnsall and atunnin% him
for m instant was followed ny II
second wave which would surely hive
swept HIM overheard, had not young
Hayes, with rRre presence OF mind
jumped and grabbed INN hf Va" loot.
1t wa very close call
! ana AFRAID our friends home
would have disoWncd rs could they
have seen MS when We landed here.
As there was no watef ahoard ship, eN-
ttiN ~ '''hihE ~, = 80" - -
were unable 10 wash during thGt time.
Salt water was tried the first day out
but could not use IT. II waswnsh day
with us when We landed, you can bet.
II may bc of interest 10 friends Mt
home to know " hat eenstitutesan out
fit. The following ~ what we pun
chased for six. The firm we dealt
with, one of the lnfsest III Seattle, sald
il is one of the most complete outfits
they had yet pnt ont,
Clothing & mackihaw suts, Gs lleep-
ing bags, q pairs mnekhaw blankets,
IL suits heavy underwear, ~ heavy
flannel oyershirts, 3G pnlrs wool socks,
19pair German socks, Gpairsmoccasins,
9 pairs rubber boots, 6 pars hp rub
Der boots, II pairs Yukon socks, &
pairs high top leather hoes, 30 palrs
gloves aud mitts, 6 wool hats, q pairs
duck lined pants, I wool sweaters, q
clothes bags, 80 bandenna handler
chiefs, - towels, 4 pieces mosquito
netting, 6 pairs suspcnders, q wool
caps, q fur caps, ihfead, buttons,