The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-03-14
Went via the Ash
croft Route.
IN ADVANCE OF THE Big rush
IN GeGiiskmsn Who vhlnh. We'll
Of tbs Nsw csustry--plsnty
Of Geld.

Among the men who went 90 the
north last year by way Of the Ash
croft trail was James Edward Lang
ford. Of Romily. Cheshire. England.
With a careful bringing up In the
old country and a college education
AT oxford. the youns man was hard
ly prepared FOR roushins II all the
way In the north. nevertheless he
got along fairly well. and was one
OF the first 20 go Into Attn district.
as he was just passing there when
the frat news OF the excitement was
spread. In a letter 10 Vancouver
friend. Mr. Langford says;
Il have only been In the country
for year now. having left England
In February last. I heard from a
prospecfor at Tasiah that he knew
that there were some men taking out
gold from q creek on Atiin lake. as
he saw one Of them passing gold
dust In skaEway. lie Was very re-
,ic.ut as to where he had heard this.
however. but IN. word Atlin was
mentioned and my Informant passed
the news to me. not believing u TO
b. Of much account himself. I was
on my way To Dawson and had AR
rived at Tagizh when I heard ahs
news. 90. making up my mind TO In
yertisatc the rumor. l left my stun
and went across the country 10 the
lake. which was told was about 70
miles across. I began the Journey
AT about > o'clock Ia the morning In
the latter part OF July and Travelled
through a thick pine forest for some
hours. having 40 my only guild. my
compass. The travelling was very
rough and I had In many places
quantity Of heavy fallen timber Go
set over. 7 continued. resting only
once at noon. and OF course again
at night. At II O'Clock on the follow
Ing day I decided TO 81 back To
Tagish and set an Indian To show
me ;he trail. ! might here state that
the reason I did not get the Indian
In the nrrt place was because had
not the fnonsY. but had an out
M and I decided To give the Indian
something for accompanying me. l
procured tire services OF the now
famous Indian. Tagiah Jim. and
started again for Attn. The Indian
plictsd me 20 the shore than he said
was Atlto and there was left 10
my own devices. travelled up the
lake for about ~ miles ard there I
found that II terminated In a river.
was confoundcd. for knew that
according 10 tho map. the iass was
between 10 and % miles long. I
travelled down the river Tor two days
and a halt and then found myself
on the shores Of tho beautiful lake
that I knew then must be Atlln-
had mistaken the small lake for ".
but have learned since that the In
dian Was right. for he pliosed mo Go
the lesser. and thc other lake In pro-
perry called Tsku. arrived at Pine
creek Just a few hours before the
rrxt rush of about 20 men came In
from the coast was lucky enough
to locate clore 10 discovery on Pine
creek. and two days afterwards the
second creek was located and ! got
I Information from the discoverqt
himself. no ! thereupon started for
the creek and stakcd out No. be-
low discovery. have little inter
est on some Of the other creeks. bu,
I think that my latest location on
MCGEE creek will be the richest. az
have seen more gold taken out of
the next claim than have on any
claim In the district as yet. ! think
the Atiin country vii certainly
boom In the spring and have ev-
cry faith in the district. I never
did any mining before although l
vas for several years on the west
coast Of Africa. The cold boihers
me very little now. although | suf-
fsrcd good deal from II when
first came here"