The record-union., 1898-07-31

Territory"
Dawson City June "A, 1898
Dear Friend: We landed in this place
one week ago yesterday, after a journey
of four months and a half. Mr.. B
and / left White Horse Rapids May
18th, and in two days we We're at the
head of Lake le Barge. Here we were
detained week The ice was too weak
for sledging, and not open sufficiently
along the sides so as to boat to the solid
part of the lake. While at LIE Barge
q little baby boy was born. The mother
and child did WELL but the little
cherub came to world of hard condi-
tiOns. 1 suggested to name the little
fellow LIE Barge, in honor Of his birth
place, but they thought it would be
too historical.
It was not all romance during my
stay there / was forced to wade
across the head of the lake, which is
three miles, and pull a boat, having
been caught out by adverse winds. Re
turning along shore, in Wading a creek,
stepped into a channel up to my neck.
I was wet all day and will say, pa
renthetically, that the water was cold.
1t was the 10Th of May when we
struck camp to proceed down the lake.
For the part of two days we skirted
the shore and ice, sometimes having to
break our way through, and some
times having pretty fair water. But
the third day we came to solid ice,
when we sledged twelve miles. The
wind was strong, and we sailed over
the smooth surface like a bird. With
the boat are two sledges. l could steer
and ride. and sometimes we made
eight miles an hour, for it only took
about two hours and a half to make
the trip.
At the lower end we launched cur
boat on the right bank and broke a
channel. The lee was in large cakes,
and became quite proficient in riding
and floating them around Before we
launched the boat the ice became dan
gerous. 1t would bend under US like
q carpet Of velvet, and one load broke
through 1t was rather eXhilarating g
exercise gliding over the rotten places
and shooting the boat of from the
brow into the water. jumping in just
in the nick Of time, but we must get
to shore A number of boats would
congregate, which rendered 1t possible
to open a channel. l saw no Sinking
and no shrinking. They would help
each other religiously, but if one fell
behind, from whatever cause. he was
left without thought.
At one place of about 300 yards we
could not break SO we determined 70
sledge over the rotten ice. Just as
we were unloading a snowstorm arose,
with an east wind, and ice and shore
parted, leaving a broad, clear chan
nel. The foremost boat fastened
through, but the wind veered, driving
the ice back, which caught the rear
boats, crushing some. Some 1t COW
cred completely, while many were cap
sized and carried twenty-feet high on
a mass Of broken ice. None perished
however
The foremost boats, after escaping
the dangerous part, pushed right on,
like soldiers in battle. to encounter an
other mile of an icejam, never looking
back to the unfortunate ones wrecked
by the in-fooding ice. I must confess
it is an awe-inspiring sight TO see q
field Of ice OF twenty-five or thirty
square miles moving with fearful vio-
lence over the surface of the lake III
erinds the rock like clay In Its slow
but mighty sweep, and leaves It's traces
on the granite base OF the mountains
But the poor unfortunatesi | could do
nothing for them. After satisfying
myself that none had perished,
turned my eyes from the scene and
soon lost myself in the clearing Of a
new channel. 1t consumed five Gays
in crossing the lake. thirty miles long
Some days we did not gain mile
The work was hard, and the water
was cold. which we learned by daily
experience.
Thirty-NIile River.
we drew long breath when we
oamped at the head Of Thirty-Mile
River. little dreaming what was before
uS ( had heard that the current was
rapid and there were a few rocks in
the channel but we had crept like
snail for so long that the prospect
ras rather pleasing. In the morning
Ne started. and it was indeed pleasant
to glide down the rapid stream, but
on turning a sharp bend / saw rip
lie and in a second we shot by q
huge boulder sufficient to wreck any
thing IT woke me up. but scarcely
nod 7 time TO look around, when the
little boat was whipped around another
bend and was dancing in the swells
of a rapid 1 rowed italian fashion
so was on the alert What was tc
come next / knew not, but / realized
that my labors had not ended with the
lake The rocks became more fire.
ouent and the current more treacher-
Gus for about ten miles. The river
was SO crooked one could not see his
danger until almost on it. | shieo
every point, picked the currents rowec
backwards and forwards. crossed anc
recrossed, yelled to the man in the
stern in a voice not mistakable, anc
after FIVE hours found an eddy, ano
went into camp completely exhausted
The whole palms Of my hands were
blistered, which even now, after
months rest, show traces. and which
were hardened by three months OF
hard work.
I did not know where we We're, bu
after a nights sleep felt able to I'M