Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-06-02

their adventurous trip.
AtSeattle there was no steamer ready
to sail for Dyea and they decided to
continue to Victoria, where they
learned they would arrive in time to
purchase their outfit and catch the
steamer Islander, which sailed on the
18th Of the month. and was due in Dyea
five 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 oil 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
buckslsin bugs to hold gold, heavy IRON
shod shoes, moccasins of moose hide,
, with socks as thick as mans hand and
reaching to the knee, mittcns, hats.
/
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, a
fact which both Tom and his friend
marked with satisfaction.
The purchase of an outfit would have
been serious stumbling block but for
the advice of the storekeepers. who.
however, We're not only very honest,
but very well posted as to the require
ments of 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 FULL 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 ac
count of the fog, and the passengers
took advantage of the delay to arrange
for the landing of their goods, for TIL,
transportation company took no re
sponsibility more than to deliver then
at the rail. This was soon done, and
vote Of thanks passed the captain TO
his courtesy on the voyage. Then som,
one started a song, and all Joined will
will till the air rang with the un
usual noise.
Suddenly the fog lifted from tn,
frowning hills, the anchor was weighed
and the argonauts saw a number O.
vessels ahead of them, while just be
yond was faint streak of whit,
sparkling in the fitful sunshine acros
a little valley at the edge of bay OIL
the right hand, with the steep hills ris
ing on either side, their tops lost in thu
canopy of clouds.
Beyond the line of white were greer
trees, and far away stretched a leve
valley, winding among the hills an,
growing blue and faint in the distance
THAT is Skaguay bay" said the cap
tain to the eager qnestioners, "and 20,
the distance"
A shout went up at the wclcom
news, and then as the steamer moved
slowly into the little bay the whit
streak resolved itself into tent
stretched across Level plain for
space of half mile and fronting tn
water.
AS the anchor chain went rattlin
through the hawse pipes the steame
was surrounded by Il fleet of rowhoat
and Siwash canoes. trying to pick ii
passengers. On the beach could be seel
the large seows used for unloading TIL
horses, and the passengers were cage
TO go ashore. This could not be done
however, until the captain came bac
: with the customs officer.
The beach at Skaguay is low, an
runs out several hundred yards befor
dropping off into deep water. At 10y
tide this Is all bare, SO steamers al
forced to lie outside and try TO unloa
at high tide.
Tom and Green were to continue fou
miles further 10 Dyea, but as the
found 1t impossible to secure scow t
tow their horses and outfit to this
port, they were forced to leave thel
on the steamer until she finished he
trip after unloading the bulk of he
freight at Skaguay.
! When the customs officer had mad
i his visit the two friends went ashore
rowboat and took their first gllmps
of u typical mining town.
! What a scene 1t was! Crowds of me
rowipg In boats to the beach. the
: clamherlng out and carrying the
goods above the reach of the tide an