The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1901-05-02
FIEND OF THE ARCTIC
Terrible Form of Mental Derange-
ment in the Yukon.
rntenae suffering OF Gold Prospec-
tors in the Mines of AInska-hun-
dreds Dying Of seurvy and
Starvation.

AiAuiiG AR7hA'AAf6
rush of prospectors from Port valdez
Alaska, into the Yukon valley in ls9e-
% has Just been brought to light in
the report of Capt. w. II. Abercrom-
bic. Second United States infantry, in
charge Of building the Trans-Alaskan
military trail, says a western ex-
change. He says:
after an u%neventful voyage Of six
DAYS anchor was dropped at Port
Valdez, Alaska, on April p, 1899,
about six o'clock p. m. The scene
that followed the arrival of our yes
sci at Valdez was one that | shall not
soon forget. Crowding aboard the
steamer came the a%rgonauts of last
seasons rush into the Copper River
valley. They now considered them
selves ~full-fedged miners, although
many of them had never hand
led either pick or shovel since their
entry into the country. A more mot
ley-looking crowd it would be hard
to imagine. Mackinaw suits of all
varieties and c%olors, faded and worn
BIZ exposure to the elements and
their long journey over the Valdez
glacier from the Copper river valley.
''Tney seemed to be sadly demon
allied, and from a hurried conversa-
ton / had with six or seven | had
known the year before | was led to
believe that hundreds were dying OF
starvation and scurvy beyond the
coast range, in the Copper River val
ley. Most of those then in the set
Element OF Valdez had little or no
money, but Notwithstanding this fact
a wholesale orgy was inaugurated
that lasted until midnight, the cabin
and decks of the steamer giving evil
dence of the potent influence of the
liquor on those who had INDUCED so
freelyandw who were now lying around
in various attitudes sleeping off the
effects. That they had passed a ter
rible winter was beyond all question
Of doubt.
cone of the first men from whom
could get an intelligent account OF
the condition OF Shings was Quarter
masters Agent CHARLES Brown, whose
sa~lutation to me was: My God, cap
tain. ii has been terriblel / tell
you the early days or Montana were
not a marker to what / have gone
through this winter: 1t was awful
II noticed in talking to these peo-
pie that over 70 per cent. Of them
were more or less mentally deranged.
NV attention was first directed to this
fact by their reference to a glacial
demon One big, raw-boned Swede,
in particular, described to me how
this demon had strangled his son on
the glacier-his story being that he
had just started from Twelve-Mile
Camp Ga small collection Of huts just
across the coast range of mountains
from Valdez with Lis son to go to
the coast in company with some 9th
er prospectors. When halfway up
the summit of the glacier, his son,
who was ahead of him hauling a sled,
while he was behind pushing, called
to him, saying that the demon had
attacked him ana had his arms
around his neck. The rather ran to
the sons assistance, but, as he de-
scribed it, his son, being very strong,
soon drove the demon away, and
they passed on their way up toward
the summit of Valdez glacier. The
weather was very cold, and the wind
blowing very hard, so that it made
travelling very difficult in passing over
the ice between the huge %crevasses
through which it was necessary to
pick their way to gain the summit.
while in the thlckest of these
c~reyasses the demon again appeared.
lie was said to be a small, heavy
built man, and very active. he again
sprang on the. soa's shoulders, this
time with such a clasp that, although
the father did all he could to release
him, the son was finally strangled tc
death. The old man then put the
son on the sled and brought hin
down to Twelve-Mile Camp, where the
other prospectors helped him bury
him.
"During the recital of this tale the
old mans eyes would blaze, and he
would go through al the actions IL
illustrate Just how he fought off thi'
imaginary demon. When ] heard this
story there were some ten or twelve
other men in the cabin. and at tha'
time IL would not nave been safe e
dispute the theory of the existenc'
Of this demon of the Valdez glacier
a. every man IN there firmly believed
81 to be a reality. I was informed b!
Ar. Brown that this was a common
form Of mental arrangement inciden
TO those whom a fear of scurry had
driven ont over the glacier. wnere 81