The Portland daily press., 1899-08-08


party Left ne In few days and pulled
down ths river 70 reach trading post.
Our party started down the river but
found our boat was rather small to carry
our Supplies. The river was also very
shallow and we struck numerous sand
bars which made IL necessary for as to,
get out and either drag or lift the boat
over the bars. We couldn't use oars as
the river was 30 crook ID and Ice sur
rounded as.
I'VE overlook party Of e5 people that
we had seen In the fall that had been
travelling continually. Nea-ly all Of this
party were smokers and We found that
their supply of tobacco had been exhaust
ed several months before. The men IN
order that they might enjoy smoking had
been using coffee as q substitute. AS we
had a quantity Of tobacco with MS we
gave the party q su ppiy which they OPP
preciated very much.
"Our journey fro m the east branch of
the Black river was a very hard and tedi.
GUS one. We found the west branch of the
Black river and had to portage o dis
rance Of three miles reaching tho main
branch OF the river down which we start
ed. We knew nothing whatever about the
river and had no charts, SO IL was haz-
aruous Undertaking. We reached an out
post a distance Of 90 miles at tho mouth
Of the river. Here we met party Of two
campers composed of Klondikers that had
come In by another route. Tbs post was
one formerly inhabited by the Hudson
Bay company Indians, but had been
abandoned as nearly all OF the Indians
had died OF. The Hudson Bay company
are responsible for the condition of
affairs among the Indians as they keep
them In Ignorance In all matters, and as
q result intermarriagss are numerous.
These marriages usually result in death
from scrofula. Naturally the Object OF
the company In keeping the Indians in
ignorance Ia TO enable the compauyis
agents to trade for animal furs, skins,
etc., with the Indians at ridiculously
low figures.
"Ihe regions about the Black river are
abundant with game. One camp that
we came across had In short time Sc
cured % moose, another camp had 90
mountain sheep and I've caribou. These
mountain sheep are to he found at the ex-
treme peak Of q mountain where the tenn
perature Ia betweesn 50 and 90 degrees be-
low zero.
From this abandoned trading post q
part Of our party struck out for journey
Of a hundred miles to McDsme's creek.
The journey is over hard mountainous
trail. The others Of the party went
down onto the Leared river and waited
there three daysf or the Toe to break up.
Our party then started out for Leared
post, hundred miles distant, at the
mouth Of the Dease river. Five miles af-
ter starting out VIC reached the Cranberry
rapids and got two miles through them
when we met with a disaster There were
90 Of us In tine respective parties and we
covered the distance In four Loats. We
had gone nearly through the rapids when
the head boat met with a disaster which
cost one man his life. The men In the
head boat were trying to make too much
Roadway when suddenly the boat was
smashed BY going over the rapids. As
a result the boat was destroyed and one
Of the man drowned. We dragged the
river for three days but could not fluid
thesman's body. SO We iourneyed on. tax
Ing care of course to avoid the rapids. We
took the remainder Of the unfortunate
crew into our boats. Before we reached
Leared port We met q party of about fifty
who came in from Devils Portage. Here
we also met q relief boat sent out by the
Canadian eoevrnmens to take tbs sick
and disabled Kloudikers home. The most
of the Eiok ones we're men advanced In
years. There were twenty SICK ones wait
ing to go home and We were told that 1t
would bo early In the fall before they
could reach their homes owing to the
slow rate OF speed that the relief boat
could maintain and properly cara for the
sick ones. This relief party also rendered
eur party great assistance.
Landing at Leared post, which is q
central point. and where is IL possible
to &c. most any kind Of news. wa learned
from a party just returning that 1t was
useless to explore further north 50 we de-
ciied TO put hack fer home, which we
did leaving there about ths ffsss OF Jnne,
and arriving 10 Seattle aboas two weeks