Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-03-24
Sailing In Alaskan Waters.
A QUICK RUN, BUT A STORMY
ONE OUT OF PUGET SOUND
MANY SEA SICK,
The Waves Ran High in the Stiff Gale
but the Little Ship Braved Her
Way Fhrough-G. W. Wylde
Writes of His Trip Thus
Far Toward Klondyke
Gold Regions.

/ E0A ASWoAN 4AAO00yAO
| Gold Regions.
Correspondence Of the Ledger.
MARY's ISLAND, INTERNATIONAL
BOUNDARY, ALASKA, Thursday, March
10, s p. m.-We arrived here at 4 p. m.
to-day, this being the first American
port after leaving Port Townsend.
Officers of the steamer went ashore to
report to customs officers. This is the
first stop since leaving Victoria, B. G.,
Tuesday; 4s hours steady run. Four
hundred miles covered. We had a
quick run, but stormy one. When
we came out OF Puget Sound waters
and got in the North Pacific breeze
the waves ran high, as stiff gale was
on, coming from the west, and as our
| course was northwest our brave little
ship struck the waves quartering,
which gave her two motions; while
one end was riding awhile high In
midair the other was down in the rough
sea, and then the ship would take q
tumble sideways until the hurricane
deck almost touched water, to be fol-
lowed by the same motion In the other
direction and lunge forward at same
time. We had 40 miles of this kind of
travel, much to the discomfort of the
500 passengers aboard.
/ have often heard of sea sickness,
but person must have an attack to
realize what the words mean. First
dizzy feeling, then q choking sensa-
ton, which lasts several minutes, then
deadly feeling In the pit of the
stomach, something like Corbett ex-
perienced when Fitzsimmons gave
him the famous knock out blow, then
a heave up, q Ia Jonah, to be followed
by several more and continued with
out intermission until the storm sub
sides.
After we got in clear water and the
boat got steady took tour of the
ten cabins fore and aft and, judging by
the blanched faces and red eyes, 1
think that over hall of the passengers
were sufferers. met DIR. Haley
aEnIdship and asked him il he was
sick and he said, 'only headache but
I learned afterwards that he had quite
a severe attack to-day.
Thursday we crossed Dixon's Inlet
and had another piece of bad water,
but We all stood it better; getting to
be better sailors, as our captain re-
marked. All of our party have excel
lent health. Rev. Headington said
this morning he never felt better in
his life.
We have on board 465 men, twelve
women, five children, seventy two
dogs, two goats, 400 tons of freight.
The dogs are Grated and put up on the
hurricane deck. They howl most
piteously all night. 1t is a shame to
treat dumb brutes in such manner.
Several crates of dogs rolled of the
deck and overheard during the gale.
| Among the women are several that
have husbands at Dawson or brothers
and will attempt to 60 over the trail.
Others are accompanying their broth
ers and intend to take claims in the
gold fields. Taking it all around we
have a quiet crowd considering that
they come from every quarter.
To-day we passed schooner well
loaded that, was told, was en- route
from Australia to Dyea. One passed
Seattle Sunday from New York with
600 argonauts.
| viii write more later. Will mai
this at Fort Wrangle. We are due al
Juneau Friday at 8 p. m.
l cannot close this hasty sketch
without writing something about the
beautiful scenery, as We are taking the
inland or shore route. We are con-
tinuously passing beautiful islands
covered with pine trees from the
waters edge to summit while away te
the east in clear weather can be seer
the snow-capped peaks Of the coas
range among the CLOUDS.
Fishing boats and canning factories
are occasionally seen with . lumber
camp or Indian village sandwiched
in. This would be the paradise of the
lover of nature and landscape artist
every turn giving new scene, beauti'
full and picturesque, while beautifu
sea fowles circle around the ship II
myriads and bright colored fish swim
leisurely by in countless numbers, and
at night the surface of the water Il
lighted up and sparkling with numer
ous small shell fish that give phos
phorescent light as far as the eye cal
see. This country must be seen to b
realized. G. W. WYLDE.
The above communication was writ
ten aboard the City OF Seattle II
Alaska waters.
| The First Sun Since November.