Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-04
LOST IN ALASKA'S WILDS
LIEUT.. CASHIERS PERILoUS JOUR.
NEY IN THE YUKON COUNTRY,

The rigors of the Alaskan climate in
the fall months and the difficulties
which attend reconnoissances in the
Yukon country are set forth in re-
port which has been received at the
War Department from one of the ex-
ploration parties sent out to secure
more accurate information regarding
the most northern territory of the
United States. A number of such ex-
peditions are now making surveys,
but nothing had been heard of them
for several months, until Captain Z.
F. Glenn. Twenty-ffth Infantry, sent
in report of the experiences OF Lieu
tenant J. G. Castner, Fourth Infantry,
at the head of one of the small parties
under his command. This report,
dated October 13, details the expert.
ences of Lieutenant Castner since
leaving Captain Glenn at Camp Sepa-
ration, on August 80 last, until his re-
turn to the mouth of Chena River on
September 80, during which period
nearly one hundred miles of territory
were covered in an effort to reach Cir
Gle City.
The trip was abandoned on account
of lack of food and the great priva-
tions encountered by Lieutenant Cast
ner and the two enlisted men who ac-
companied him. The supplies, con-
sisting of twenty days short rations,
blankets, axes, etc., were carried on
two mules, named Weyler and Jack.
The party met with many obstacles in
crossing the Delta River, and narrow
ly escaped being drowned several
times in the glacial waters. The
mules were really an incumbrance
much of the time, and they were
taken across the streams with great
difficulty. On one occasion one of the
mules was used as a means of propul-
sion for raft, but the animal was
soon overcome by the cold and be-
came dead weight, causing the raft
to be whirled round and round by the
currents. The party was compelled
to camp many nights without protec-
ton other than afforded by the blan-
kets, and the trail followed led the
men across numerous ravines, canyons
and fallen timber. Weyler failed
rapidly and delayed the party, and it
was finally decided to abandon him,
and part of his pack was transferred
to Jack.
On September Castner found his
own strength failing for want of food,
and the situation became more serious
when it was discovered that the maps
carried afforded little accurate infor-
nation of the country. Eleven grouse
killed on the 9TH furnished food for
the two succeeding days. At this
time Lieutenant Castner made an
effort to ford the river, but he was
carried off his feet by the swift cur
rent and lost valuable tools. He was
able to land on the shore about three
quarters of mile from where he
started to wade. On September 10
Jack showed signs of blind d-staggers,
and it was decided to kill him. Some
of the meat was packed up and carried
by the men. The trail continued
across streams and over the toughest
kind Of roads, which apparently had
never before been traversed, the party
much of the time being compelled to
make trail.
On September 13 the streams
swelled to the proportions of noun
tain torrents, full of long rapids,
the strength of the men dwindled,
and it was decided to abandon every
thing except the food and firearms.
On September IA the party made
eleven miles over messy roadways,
which impeded their progress greatly.
The next day the men walked with
bleeding feet over rough rock, suffer-
ing pain at every step. The supply
of food was reduced to two weeks
stock of tea and coffee, slice of bacon
for supper, and another for breakfast
Ahead of the party was mountainous
country. There was no sign of a
divide and no evidence of the Yukon
waters, while, if the men had been in
the best physical condition, it would
have taken week to have gone over
the hills; then there was the risk that
they would find nothing on the other
side. 1t was here that Castner de-
cided to retrace his steps with the
hope of reaching the body OF the mule
which had been killed. On September
l6 the party was without particle of
food, coffee constituting the morning
meal. Fortunately Castner killed
two ducks, and these served as the
food for supper.
On September II the party sub
sisted in the morning on coffee, and
later in the day one of the soldiers
encountered three wolves. He fred
six shots before he killed one of the
animals, which proved to be young
Yukon wolf, the meat of which was
speedily cooked and proved most well
come to the tired and hungry ex-
plorers. Lieutenant Castner says it
tasted much like mutton.
On September IS the party became
discouraged at the slow progress made,
and Castner determined to build raft.
The blankets which had been aban-
doned were recovered, and ribbons
from them were used to tie the logs
together. Castner being without an
axe, the roots of the trees used were
burned, The next day the party en-