The Portland daily press., 1899-08-08
IN THE KLONDIKg.
Experiences of a Port
land Man.
Harry NeVenS Of Woodfords Returns
Home.
Story of His Hunt For
Gold. ST.
A Series Of Terrible HardshIps
With Small Reward.

Ine many friends CT Mr.. harry A. New
ems. who resides with his mother, Mrs
H. II. Nevens. Spring street, woodfords,
| will DO glad 10 learn that he has returned
from his IS months journey TO the Klon-
dixie and that be Is In the best Of health
and glad TO return to his home and old
friends. II was only a few weeks ago that
the PRESS published letter written by
Mr.. Nevens to his mother In which he
said he should return home In the esriy
fall. The letter was written last March,
bue Mr.. Nevens was more fortunate than
he expected TO be and so secured means
OF transportation home much snrlier than
he imposed he could so he is home at
least six weeks ahead OF first caicuia-
tiuns.
The party Of which Mr. Nevens was a
member left Portland early in February
Of 1898 en- route to Edmunton, Canada,
where they purchased bob rleds, etc.,
with which to make the journey. The
party consisted of Mr.. Nevens, Victor
Brewster, motorman for the Portland
Railroad company; MIR. Harry Phillips,
Of South Portland. employed at the
light house at the Two Lights, Cape
Ell zabsth; MIR. w. 8. Jones, Of South
Portland, and MIR. Charles Morrill, OF
Orr's island, the two last named, how
ever. having returned to their homes last
August.
The outfit purchased for the journey
consisted Of 1000 pounds of beans, 5000
pounds of fiour, 500 pounds of bacon, a
quantity Of evaporatod potatoes. sliced
and drieo; canned onions and other well
known staple articles in cans. There
were ak bob sleds. one for each OF the
party. Each man wore q heavy, com-
mon suit of CLOTHES and carried with him
several cults Of underwear. For footwear
the men purchased Indian moccasi ms,
made Of moose skin. the tops Of ths moe
casins coming up well onto the ankle.
For headgear heavy fur cap was worn
and for the hands heavy lined gloves.
"our rarty left Edmunston early In
March on our overland journey via
Ahabasca lake and Slave river.
sowing to o dispute which we had
with Nixon, our guide, who had misrsp-
resented the country. we decided at Slave
lake TO rid ourselves Of his services.
Nixon left us here and returned to his
home In the States from which he had
left short time befors to a as guide.
Msssrs. Jones and Morrill, Of our party
decided ct Fort Graham that they would
return home, which they did, starting
out August %. This Left three OF us In
the party, Phillips. Victor Brewster and
myself. We then moved on down the
west branch Of the Findiey river where
we sent pack train over the trail. The
party went In two coats. We worked
on and struck the forks Of the west
branch OF the Findley and White rivers
September .. From here we went about
a mile beyond to q creek which we ex-
piored. We were unable 10 get our boats
up the creek as they were so large. SO we
Gus them In halves and hauled them. In
hauling the boats wa had TO walk in the
rivef which was filed with los, so that
IL was impossible for Ms to 60 far ON a
stretch a. our legs would soon become
numb ana purple from the intense cold
water and temperature. We were bound
for what 10 called the Summit, a point
between the Findley and Black rivers,
and as we wers told was about 90 miles
away. but we found when we had gone
that distance that the Summit was yet
ahead OF us probably as great distance
as we had travelled, $50 we made cache,
an Indian word for storeho use. These
caches we would build out OF lumber,
the platform bsing high In the air 90
that the wolves and other animals could
not get at our supplies.
Two decided that things nsd been
greatly. misrepresented to us. so we con-
oluded 10 stay hsre for a time and not
press forward. In the meantime we
made four trips back to our former stop
ping place whore We got the remainder
of our supplies and carried them back
| to camp. We had to walk this distance
and carry our packs ON our backs az we
were short Of horses {. having lost nearly
all Of them by death due to exposure and