The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-01-11
HOME FROM THE KLONDIKE

lntcre6t1DR E9perlenCes Oh SOuth
CaroIinian in Alaskn-How tho In
dians Preserve Their Food.
Mr.. II. j. Langston, OF Johnston, S.
g., has just returned to his home from
the gold fields Of Alaska, and has been
absent since March %, 1898. He has
related some very interesting expsri-
cnccs in regard to his sojourn IN tho
klondike to a reporter for the Augusta
Chronicle, as follows
He says, among other things, that
the lowest temperature experienced in
the country he was in, was IA degrees
| below zero. The average temperature
| during ths winter was 40 degrees be-
low The only way Of fascertaining the
temperature after all tho mercury
thermometers had which
they do at 60 degrees below zero-was
by means OF u couple Of spirit thermo-
meters, which were in tho place.
MIR. Langst0n is q fine photographer,
and took many pictures OF the scenery
and native lndsns in this bleak coun-
try, tho negatives Of which he brought
home with him. Hc made this quito
| business while there, and relates some
amusing experiences with tho indians
on the line. In the summer the In
dians fish along tho liver, and put
their fish in what they call a " cache "
at different points on the banks of the
rivcr. A cacho such as they use is
made like small cabin, and sot up on
posts. above the high water mark
The fish placed in these caches are
tO be- used on their winter hunts, wnen
nothing Of the kind could be had, owing
to the extreme cold. Caches arc also
made on the trail by prospecting par
ties, rs provision against starvation
on their return. In this instance tho
fooJ ls|sOmctimcs strapped TO trees,
above the reach Df prOwling dogs.
The lnuians mad TILED their caches
preparatory to their hunt last winter,
and some white prospcctors had passed
that way and robbed them, feeding the
fish TO thcir dogs, (dog teams are the
: chief means OF transportation overland
: thurc) and when the Indians camc to
V the rmntj caches, they nearly starved
s before they got home, having not suf-
! hcicnt food for themselves or their
u dogs. Previous To this tlcy had always
> been willing To let Mr. Lnngston make
Il pictures OF them, and would pose in
: any position he suggested, but on heir
! return from the disastrous hunt, If he
u Only made prctcnce Of pointing the
Z camera at them they would run, say
ing,
No, no, you 70 good; you bad medi
cline. They wore under the impress
sion that hc had " hoodooad " then;
with the camcra, and had caused all
their misfortune One came I'D and
glarcd At him savagcly, and shouted
You bad medicine man, turning and
going toward his cabin in a hurry, as
II TO sc! his gun. Mr.. LRngstOn said
: he looked SO fierce that he lost no time
: N moving out Of his reach. He at
= tempted 10 take the picture Of an Ola
/ sQuaw as she was 2hopping down ~
tree, but she was also under the i'm
preston that he was q bad medicine
man, and rs fast rs he would get tho
camera directed toward her sho would
turn her back on him, and that was the
only position in which he ever got
= picture OF her.
Mr. LangstOn had some specimens Of I
gold with him, and says nc mado quito
| Is collection OF Indian CuriOs there. |
which he prizes very much. He had |
quite severe accident last summer,
helng shot through the upper part of
his arm, by an accidental discharge of
pistol in the hands Of u friend, on the
fourth OF July, which is very exten-
sivcly celebrated In Alaska; our Christ.
mas celebration being not a circum-
stance 10 it, he says. He was laid up
all summer in the hospital on account
him TO lose his best opportunities
financially.
Travelling overland is done, as stated
before, chiefly by means Of dog teams,
consisting Of from three to six dogs
usually, always driven tandem. These
dogs cost all the way from $50 to 5000
piece. Some OF them are beautiful ami.
mails; the hair being long and curly,
the head small and nose sharp. The
fur on their backs, under the curly
hair, being so thick, that although
they fight much among themselves
they are seldom able to oven bring tho
blood, unless they strike the feet and
legs. They will not bite people, how
ever, and ono can go among them
when turned loose In Indian villages,
and they make no attempt to bite.
They make bowling noiso when tied
up, but do not seem to know how to
bark.
The Indian huts or cabins are built
Of hewn logs, notched at the end, aud
chinked 90 we would call it here, with
a thick moss, which keeps out all cold.
This moss grows 80 thick end covers
the ground 80 extensively that Mr.
Langston says 1t is like climbing up
to quite depth in 1t. There is also O
certain species OF grass which grows
up in such thick masses and then turns
over at the top for ming round mound,
that the prospectors have given 1t
the name OF "Nlgger Heads," and these
grow very closely together covering
extensive plains. Walking on these Is
quito difficult task, as you must bal.
ance yourself exactly on top OF the
Nigger Head" each step, otherwise
you are apt to slip of, and sink al.
most knee deep between the mounds
Sometimes your feet reach the ground
dry, and sometimes you sink to that
depth in the water, and then climb.
ing up again 10 not very pleasant
job.
Mr.. Langston arrived in time to cole
brate q happy Christmas with his
family and friends, after such long