Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-12-06
CHAPTER VI.-CoNT1NUEp.


purchase their outfit and catch the
steamer Islander, which sailed on the
18th of the month and was due in Dyea
Eve days later.
At Victoria they found the streets
thronged with men, each with an earn
est look on his face as he hustled
about. They were from all walks in life,
but all animated by the same purpose.
Some were buying horses, others learn
ing to secure packs with the famous
diamond hitch" which alone will an
swer the purpose. Others were purchas-
ing heavy woolens, belts to wear about
the waist, with flaps that buttoned down
over the compartments.
Exposed for sale on every hand were
buckskin bags to hold gold. heavy iron
shod shoes, moccasins of moose hide,
with socks as thick as a mans hand and
reaching to the knee, mittens, hats,
coats, flour, bacon, saddles, coffee, sacks
and everything was for the Klondike!
Men talked and thought of nothing
else. All were interested. Many of
them were to sail on the Islander with
our friends, who were fortunately in
time to secure passage. Some were 60
ing by one route. and some by another
after reaching Skaguay, but no one
seemed to mention the Dalton trail,
fact which both Tom and his friend
marked with satisfaction.
The purchase of an outfit would have
been a serious stumbling block but for
the advice of the storekeepers, who,
however, were not only very honest,
but very well posted as to the require
ments of a miner. Toms knowledge
of horses came in very handily, and he
soon found six good animals which
promised to serve his purpose. To get
these and the other purchases on board
the steamer in time kept both men very
busy, but it was safely accomplished
at last, and they saw Victoria fade
away astern as the stout steamer made
her way up the inland channel two
days later.
The voyage of nearly 1000 miles was
made without accident, but our friends
were anything but comfortable. The
steamer was packed with miners and
the hold was all of horses, the latter
being cramped for space owing to the
great number shipped. They required
great care, but although many died
on the trip, Tom succeeded in preserv
ing those he had bought, as they were
vastly superior to most of their com
ranions.
An hour or two was spent at Juneau.
where the steamer stopped, but the
rain was falling in a steady drizzle,
which made the steamers deck pref
cradle to sightseeing. In fact, for the
previous two days she seemed to have
entered land of perpetual fog and
rain.
At the entrance of the Lynn canal the
captain was obliged to anchor ON &C
count of the fog, and the passengers
took advantage of the delay to arrange
for the landing of their goods, for the
transportation company took no re-
sponsibility more than to deliver them
at the rail. This was soon done. and a
vote of thanks passed the captain for
his courtesy on the voyage. Then some
one started a song, and all joined with
q will till the air rang with the I'M
usual noise.
Suddenly the fog lifted from the
frowning hills, the anchor was weighed
and the argonauts saw a number of
vessels ahead of them, while just be-
You'd was a faint streak of white
sparkling in the fitful sunshine across
little valley at the edge of bay on
the right hand, with the steep hills ris-
ing on either side, their tops lost in the
canopy of clouds.
Beyond the line of white were green
trees. and far away stretched level
valley, winding among the hills and
growing blue and faint in the distance.
That is Skaguay bay" said the cap
tain to the eager questioners, "and you
can see the White pass way off there in
the distance"
A shout went up at the welcome
news, and then as the steamer moved
slowly into the little bay the white
streak resolved itself into tents
stretched across a level plain for a
space of half a mile and fronting the
water.
AS the anchor chain went rafting
through the hawse pipes the steamer
was surrounded by a fleet of rowboats
and Siwash canoes, trying to pick up
passengers. On the beach could be seen
the large scows used for unloading the
horses, and the passengers were eager
to go ashore. This could not be done,
however, until the captain came back
with the customs officer.
The beach at Skaguay is low. and
runs out several hundred yards before
dropping off into deep water. At low
tide this is all bare, so steamers are
forced to lie outside and try to unload
at high tide.
Tom and Green were to continue four
miles further to Dyea, but as they
found it impossible to secure a scow to
tow their horses and outfit 10 that
port, they were forced to leave them
On the steamer until she finished her
trip after unloading the bulk of her
freight at Skaguay.
When the customs officer had made
his visit the two friends went ashore in
! rowboat and took their first glimpse
Of typical mining town.
What scene it was! Crowds of men
rowing in boats to the beach, then
clambering out and carrying their
goods above the reach of the tide and
piling them in little heaps on the
ground. Horses tethered singly aud in
groups. Tents Of every size and kind,
and men cooking over sheet iron stoves