The herald., 1898-05-01

discouraged Our trades are: Decorator,
glove maker, blacksmith. travelling sales
man and printer.
Fort Yukon Reached
FORT YUKON. Nov. 13.-We started
from the cabin, eighty miles up the river,
October seth, taking our provisions, change
of undertaking. tent, stove and blankets
about 115 pounds apiece, leaving the bal
ance in the cabin. We all had to leave
clothing, and the others left mining out
fits. We went about two miles the first
day: the ice was piled so high and was so
rough we had to take the things from the
seds and pack them on our backs, then
go back and carry the sleds, making sew
eral trips.
The first night out we pitched our tent
on the ice digging holes in the ice for our
stake pins. We made comfortable beds
by cutting down several spruce trees,
using the small branches for feathers The
next day we went four miles, got lost and
had to go back two miles. Next morning
we carried sleds and all over Il mile. where
We struck some new ice and had good
sleghing for several miles, one of the
boys RogeO fell into the river and had Il
narrow escape from drowning. The next
day We got as far as jam Camp the
place where about fifty boats were stopped
in the ice gorge several weeks before.
From there we had Il fairly good trail,
reaching Fort Yukon November 9th, weary
and fotsore and out of provisions. We
called on Captain Ray, who is in charge
here. We gave him the letter intrusted to
us by Custom House Officer Smith at Cir
Gle City
With Captain Ray
The captain received us cordially, is
sued US ten days rations, but could not
furnish us with lodging, stoves nor tents.
Fort Yukon is nothing more than few
log cabins, log church QIpiscopalinn mis-
SION and a couple of large warehouses
the Alaska Commercial company's and
the North American Trading and Trans
portation company's buildings, we'll filled
with provisions and stores, over which
floats the United States flag, Captain Ray
having taken possession, issuing a proc
lamation warning all people against tres
passing. There have been between three
and four hundred people here during the
last few weeks; some have drawn three
months rations and gone out to cut cord
wood at So per cord to apply on outfits
Others have taken a seven months outfit
and started prospecting, giving Their
notes, to be paid as soon as they can gel
the money, $l75. All others who are no,
able to prospect or cut wood are giver
ten days rations at time and expected tc
provide themselves with shelter ant
clothing. There is no hospital here, an6
the Indians occupy all the old cabins ex
cept what are used by Captain Ray, Lieu
| tenant Dick Richardson, private
soldier. Mr.. Hawkesley, the minister
and his family, consisting of his wife ant
four boys. I parted company with Messrs
Roger, Doyle, Carpenter and Clifford, the,
drawing rations for seven months ant
going out prospecting. l found shelter il
brush shack without door or stove, ant
stopped there alone for three nights, will
the thermometer from 16 to 30 degrees be
low zero You can imagine the time hat
cooking breakfast out doors, mixing flou
and water for cakes the batter froze be
fore I could get 1t into the fryingpan.
worked three days with man name,
Tarweather from northern California
| helping TO dig out foundation for
house, and froZe my nose and ears. TIL
doctor told me l would have to take res
| if wanted my feet to get any better, an,
this is the first day have stayed in. l an
writing in the captains hospital tent.