The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-01-07
From Alaska.

From Alaska.
The following private letter from A. D.
Cavileer to his friends here, we are
kindly permitted to copy, as it will be
of general interest, both on account OF
the letter Itself and its writer. Mr.. Cavi-
leer it will be remembered went to Alas
Ia in the employ of the Canadian govern
ment as a mail carrier, and went there
in company with detachment of mount
ed police.
Bennett, N. w. T. Dec. 18th, 1897.
My Dear Father:
Since writing home have had good
many hard knocks and some pretty rough
experience and good many hardships.
l have never missed home luxuries as
much as | have on this trip. miss home
feed. Here, when meals are ready the
cook goes out and cries GRUB pile" and
everybody makes rush for the table.
We landed on Sunday at Skagway; we
had seventy-seven dogs to lead up to the
loot of the White Pass trail, distance of
four miles, through mud and water from
four inches to foot deep, over rocks,
stumps, fallen trees and in and out among
the trees. Ifyou ever led dog through
the woods you can imagine what kind
OF time had leading five. didn't
lead them, they yanked me through
every kind of bad places they could find.
had on very heavy pair of hip boots
and when we got through thought my
arms were pulled out. My clothing was
as wet as though had been in the water.
Rather than sop with the police we
built shanty eleven by thirteen inside.
We had quite comfortable pace here,
but it ra'ned almost all the time. 1t was
not very cisagreeable kind of weather
as it does not rain very hard. We finally
started with forty dogs and thirteen pack
horses for our baggage and feed. We
We're three days on the trail; don't care
to ever try it again. We started out in
rain and we had TO climb up step
mountain in oil skin slickers and hip
boots; you can imagine in what condition
we would be at night had about fifty
pounds on my back to start with, but
was relieved of twenty pounds, and even
tn t got very heavy. We did not get any
thing to eat till six. We had quite a
time to start firein the dark; everything
was soaking wet and soggy. We finally got
some coffee made and ate our bacon on
hard tack as we had no dishes to eat
on. Our tent was pitched along side oil
steep cliff; we barely had room to tie
down our guy ropes and had to go round
very carefully for fear Of slipping. Our
meals consisted of hard tack and bacon
during the whole trip, and eaten without
tools. Our second day was the hardest
on us all, the dogs could scarcely go up
the mountains, they kept slipping back
all the time and horses were going down
all the time. Five went down in the
space Of about half an hour. Packers
say it is the most difficult pass they have
ever tried. We finally got through, but
Vii Ss''S " CApCilClICC IL dEduls
When we reached the summit it was the
bleakest, most desolate looking sight l
ever saw. There was about two feet of
snow. We could not find enough wood
to build a fire with. As we only had
two meals day we did not need wood
here. We packed wood for our night
camp.
From the 10y caLil here had quite
time driving dogs and ireighting some of
our goods. 1t was hard work as it was
among the mountains. across creeks,
over rocks and boulders, stumps and
down timber If / tipped once l must
have gone over at almost every hundred
yards or so. One day was sent back
ten miles after seventy pound cooking
stove and packed that about eight miles.
was wishing that stove in hotter place
than this good many times. We have
very good quarters here and live very
high. sit up to nice table and have lots
to eat and three times day. We have
about eighty quarters Of nice beef here
and we can have that twice day and all
we want.
Since being camped here we have been
cutting winter wood and hauling it in