The Alaska prospector., 1902-07-03

ring and instantly there was intense action and excitement in the tent. The gold alarm had rung. Some commenced to dig with pick and shovel. others to write location noticcs and one or two commenced to write letters home of their good luck. They had struck it. Of course they found nothing, and from the smiles of some of the members of adjoining camps it was thought that some one had turned' the current on, full force, for pure maliciousness.
 One party of half q dozen men. two of them accompanied by their wives, came from St. Louis and brought their valetS. They also brought two full dress suits, with silk hats, and carried these things over the glacier 150 miles into the interior, and gave them to the natives, and to this day if you go to certain indian village. the chief will come out to welcome you clad in full dress suit and silk hat on. all much toe small for his un- graceful form
 Among those who came in search of gold were ministers, lawyers, doctors. merchants. bankers, art istS, clerks of all kinds, and nearly every branch of industry was repre- sented. There were men who had never slept mut of doors, cooked a meal of victuals, pitched d tent, cut d stick, made fire, washed hand- kerchiei or sewed on d button. Many did not know whether to cook a gallon of beans for d meal or fill bucket full of dried apples to cook for supper.
 Many of these people got into the interior d few miles, built ! themselves cabins, and actually sat around eating bacon and beans. reading novels, getting no exercise, and they were soon badly afflicted with the dreaded scurvy. Some were carried out to the coast and sent home physical wrecks. Others died, and were buried far from home and friends. Some went to sea in boats; others travelled over ! glaciers. through deep canyons and up winding rivers, not taking prop CT care of themselves or being care ful of the dangers about them. Consequently many have crossed over the great divide and now prospect in an unknown country. from which no prespector ever re- turns.
 Thu they came into the country Every body had d sure thing. or d tip from some one to ''j just follow me" They moved about the country cautiously and mysterious ly, afraid that some one would fol- low them and discover their sure thing" More than 1000 came to Valdez and went over the glacier into the interior. Half as many went into the Cook Inlet country and thousands of others went into other parts of Alaska. It was d heterogeneous mass of humanity with not one in twenty that was fitted for the life of prospector in Alaska. Of the more than four 1 thousand who came to Valdez, less than a hundred remained. They could not stand such d life, not being accustomed to the depriva- tions that one had to endure in the early days.
 Is it any wonder that thousands travelled over Il rich country and found nothing. They did not know how look for gold, and were not fitted for the prospectors life. They returned to their homes CUTS ing Alaska, themselves and every thing connected with the Alask;, expedition. A few remained and have been sue ,essful. More men of experience are now coming into the country and they will profit by the experience of those who have gone on before. The country is rich and needs only to be developed