The Columbus journal., 1899-03-15
aooitional local.
The Far North.

El!'iiIilllllliillliiillli ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Far North.
James McAlhster, whom many of our
readers know, has lately been in the
northern part of the United States pos
sessions, and under date of March 3, at
Seattle, he writes to his brother, William
A., of this city, from which We condense:
A hundred and nine took passage on
the Guardian sailing from Seattle April
26, 1888, and anchored near cape Blossom
in Kotzebue sound July 1, sailing over
the Pacific, stopping at Dutch Harbor
three weeks on the Aleutian Islands, as
the captain feared the ice in the Arctic
ocean. They went through Behring's
strait, and through floating ice, making
some narrow escapes and lodging several
days, getting into clear water, the con-
tinuous sunshine hrc:..ins the danger
and the monotony. The lower edge of
the sun just dipped to the ocean at mid
night and then went upward again, max
ing continual sun and daylight.
There are three large rivers running
into the sound and forming deltss, 80
that large vessels have to lie out 40 to
50 miles. 1t was n peculiar scramble
amongst the gold seekers to get their
outfits into small boats, then up the
rivers, to get the first claims Upward
of thirty lost their lives, anl a great
many lost their outfits, and were left
destitute, but as the report Of much gold
there proved fake and absolutely moth
ing there, and they began to come down
tho river again. supplies were plentiful
on the beach at small mission where
the natives and whalers generally meet
to trade. They went up the kowak, the
middle river, and strange to say saw as
fine June grass or wild Red Topi in many
low places as are fOund anywhere, and
more blue berries than he ever dreamed
of, still the ground frozen a short dis
tance beneath.
The sun never ceasing to shine for a
few weeks makes the native grass and
berries grow very rapidly. The ground
is mostly covered with moss and in
places these berry bushes grow amongst
it about foot high, and in places the
ground is perfectly blue with the berries.
There is not much game in the country,
a few bear, deer and cariboo. The
Indians live principally on fish. They
are q poor, measly looking lot Of people
but very friendly and honest. Most of
tho outfits had two to six men with two
to four small boats going up the river.
In Mr.. McAllister's company there were
four men with two years. supply of about
four thousand five hundred pounds in
two row boats and scow. They had a
thrilling time of it. Nearly every one
had his own idea about how to row, and
steer boats and who should get out into
the water first to get boats over bars and
rifles. As it rained great deal through
August, nearly everybody was wet most
of the time. Not many agreed about
where to land for camping, who and how
to get dry wood, who to cook, etc. Along
with Mac were a Norwegian, Swede
and an ex-policeman from Chicago.
After making 25O-mile trip up the river
and back they had to camp in little
cove on the wrong side of the sound four
or FIVE days during a storm, unable to
cross. A party Of five more were lost at
the time and never heard of. Macs
party divided at the cove and he got
chance to bring his stuff over to the
Mission the next day, but as most Of it
was vet he traded it to Indians for very
little, and a few days later took a return
vessel for Seattle, at which place he tip
ped the beam at 17G pounds and but very
little of it in his purse. 1t is either rain
ing or threatening to rain at Seattle all
the time. He expected to start to
Alaska again in about two weeks, and
hopes to have on his return less expe- |
rience and more scads.
District "A and Vicinity.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Engel seem to be |
having their share of trouble and more,
too. with sickness in family, some of the |
little ones being seriously i'll for some
time, and doctors from the city quite |
attending.