The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-18
MUSK OXEN CONE HIGH
Buffalo" Jones Lacked Some
Of Having the Price,
BALKED BY SUPERSTITION
He sEeIIs a Thrilling Tale of
Adventure in the North.

'BuNaIo Jones was IN topeka yeSteI
day on mis- way 10 Chicago from the Alas
ka regions. While here Mr.. Jones wa
the guest of Col. Henry Inman. He lef
last night for Chicago where he goes I
perfect arrangements for publishing
book Of mis- travels.
Buffalo Jones has mad a varied ca
reer. The story Of his trip 70 the north
land for the very ambitious. If sanguinar,
| purpose of rounding up a herd OF .nusl
oxen and bringing them out alive, is th
/ best told In his own words. The Capita
reporter was told the following story O.
| his trip and its unsuccessful ending
81 left Oklahoma about seventeen
months ago for the avowed purpose o.
/ bringing out of the region Of the north
| herd OF live musk oxen.
II met with almost unsurmountablt
| obstacles. The Indians and Esqmmau1
worship the musk OK as a god. They
are so very superstitious that they be.
lieve If one is taken out alive, all the
others viii follow.
'AH the obstacles known to the Gun
was piled to prevent the accomplishment
Of my purposes. They refused even to
pull ashore when stranded on the rocks
in the Grand Rapids of the Athabaska
river. They scuttled my boats and APP
piled the torch to my cabin; stole my
provisions and refused me meat when
starvation looked TO be inevitable.
81 r. Rea Of Alberta Joined me at Fort
Resolution on the Great Slave Lake and
proved himself hero of heroes We
sailed to the northeast corner of the Great
Slave lake and wintered at the ruins
of the searching party OF Capt. Ross 60
years ago.
''In March we went far beyond the Arc
tic circle on dog sledges after musk oxen
We found a few small herds near the
Great Fish river and killed about dozen
for their heads. We captured five young
ones and started for camp, 500 miles to
the southwest.
The Arctic wolves surrounded US Of
nights and even invaded our tent They
ate up two Shepherd dogs and bit sew
eral others. -Four dogs which were bitten
took hydrophobia and were killed.
both Mr.. Rea and myself were obliged
to fight wolves during the night TO a fin
ish; and sleep in the middle of the day.
while the wolves skulked.
1--WE Travelled evenings and mornings
and were worried in this manner three
days and while we slept in broad day
light, the Esquimaux or Indians slipped
up and cut the throats of all our animals.
Then they mysteriously disappeared.
Il caught a number of silver grey fox
and martin alive and intended to rear
them on an island in the North Pacific
ocean. also secured a good many furs
besides
Reindeer are found on the barren lands
by the million; quite a number were cap
tured alive by driving them into blind
corrals. On July 1 we were imprisoned in
the ice near our winter quarters. We
sailed to the north of of Mackenzie river
which was reached by July q.
I'VE here heard Of the war with Soain
and met thousands of people hell bent
for Klondike. We concluded 70 take the
midnight sun route for civilization. In
stead of returning via the Slave and At
habaska rivers we turned northward
again down the Mackenzie river to t1e
Arctic ocean.
I'VE visited the ruins of Fort Franklin
on the Great Bear river. From the Arc
tic ocean we turned our boat up Pel1v
river 10 the Rat river and up the latter
stream 10 the cascades. Here we found
hundreds Of people from all parts Of tbe
world bound for the golden FIdors7o
"All the boats being DESTROYED and
small slliffs constructed in order to ascend
forty miles Of rapids and cascades. We
divided up our cargo and would pull II
about mile up the rapids. Then we
would return for another load. and in This
manner managed 70 get along SLOWLY.
This place I named Destruction CITY
Out Of between 1000 and 5000 peonlA who
started for the Yukon during the vears
Of ~ and '9S. fully % per cent are now
frozen in far beyond the Arctic Circle
and will not he able to reach their des-
tination before July or August of next
year.
They vii get foretaste this winter
Of eternal darkness and no doubt many
viii suffer and some die Of exposure a
they did last winter. Their suTerncs
for proper food viii BE- easier - under
stand when the statement is made that
vegetables up there can not he sa,Dra5
and that fresh meat is very scarce
Mr.. Rea and myself reached the v,,-
kon river just thirty-eight DAYS after
leaving Great Save Lake. We passed IS
boat loads OF fortune seekers on the four-
nev.
When West Rat river was reached We
Guided down the ranids ir.o the Bel river.
then into the Porcunine and down that
river 70 the Yukon. We passed Mr.. Thgr-
scr. the Associated Press agent a. De- 4
struction CITY; also many people from
Chicago and many others from aImo~-
every state in the union. Canada. and all +
parts OF the world
Mr.. ThumEer Rad sent = -e1o-. ~ w.
y Herschel Island in the Arctic O.a,, .
expecting 20 get ii ont on a whole ho7+
Il is doubted whether i VIII -oao+ rf,-;,- 1
cation before next year He would have
sent report by ne had ne not doubted 4
nv ability TO reach the states before next
year.
i descended the Yukon II nv boat m
Ninsook. where took steamer for 5,
Nicholas. At this place 7 boarded an
1oean steamer that went as far north az
ioiAver Bay 70 discharge cargo. We
men put 70 sea an August -
me tCc.nNxial storms struck rs =,
'nce- We came IN sign; Of ne 'o-tune
hunter. : small boat that was drifting
before the storm. having been driven on,
rom near shore by the sale. They had
ost ''1ei7 barge the nish, previously with
'ne man On IL
The barge had sone 10 the sottou1 or
iIIi'ed AZ the mercy OF the furious WINDS.
Toe steamer was towad back sa,o ne
1ay and our vessel proceeded Tor Dutch
5arbor.
Tee storm increased ua;n the b,iadirE
snow and spray drove ali passengers be-
OK Tna N-.s-l rs 49,. - -