The Nome nugget., 1903-12-23
The Great COe Country s: rs pyosps Sesss S Ss sss "


 parties at Nome. He kindly volun- teered to land and store my freight (lI tons) until could make arrangements to reach my destination. He stated that he considered it almost impossible to employ natives, as he did not be- ieve there was an able-bodied man on the beach. An epidemic of measles had been raging all along the coast during the summer, and it had created havoc among them, many having died, and there was hardly one at that time who was not sick. Over one-third of the natives at Cape Smyth and Point Barrow died before the freeze-up. The census of 1900 gave 300 natives resident of Point Barrow, and over 100 deaths occurred during the summer of 1902.
 We left the Bear that afternoon, and it was with great deal of regret l parted from the captain and his officers. had been treated with the utmost courtesy and kindness by them dur ing our three weeks trip. l will ever remember it as the most delightful trip l ever had.
 The evening we landed 1 met Capt. Klinkinberg, who had arrived that day from Cambden bay He had lost his schooner, The Helen, during the sum mer, and she was at this time lying in about six feet of water close to shore. He stated that with assistance he could raise her, and if we would assist him he would agree to return to Pt Barrow and take our outfit to the mouth of the reach our destination | agreed, and we left the next day in whale boat for the schooner, distance of 300 miles. l have had some disagreeable trips in my time, but up to that time this was the worst. It was case of rain. head winds, fog lodging icebergs, sleeping in wet clothes, eating when we had the chance to run ashore, for three weeks, and nothing accomplished.
 When we reached the vessel we found she had been drawn into deep water, and it was impossible to raise her. We remained here two days, camping on Collinson point. This has been a great summer rendezvous for natives for years. Capt. Collinson win tered here in lS53-4.
 The Romanzoff and Franklin Noun tains are here plainly seen, probably l5 or 20 miles from the coast, and be- tween them and the coast the foothills are similar to those immediately back of Nome.
 Marsh and Carter, who left Nome in 1901. prospected this country in the summer of 1902, but one summers work in this vast range would be but looking at it..
 This is the first time the mountains appear near the coast after leaving Cape Lisburne, a distance of about 600 miles south. After leaving Cape Lis burne they range east, dividing the Noatak and Kob1k from the Cofvlle; then gradually northeast, dividing the Koyukuk from the Colville: then north west to the coast, appearing at Camb- den bay. Thus half moon is formed, 1 closing in vast country, 600 miles of coast line and extending back at an ex- treme limit of 250 miles. And this is called the Colyille basin. No man has yet prospected in this country, with the exception of George Beardsley, who spent couple of months on the COlville about 50 miles from the mouth in the summer of 1901. He was drowned off Point Barrow on his way out for provisions.
 After returning to Point Barrow l felt somewhat discouraged. l found it impossible to get natives and therefore made up my mind to remain there un- til the freeze up, and endeavor to get in with dog teams enough provisions to last the following summer for prospect ing. MT. Brewer kindly loaned me a cabin and supplied me with coal, and did everything in his power to assist me.
 After being here about month. Dr.. H. k. Marsh, who had charge of the government herd of reindeer. suggested that l make an experiment with the deer, claiming that some were already broken, and agreed, if would accept his proposition, he would immediately start the natives to breaking deer and making sleds and harness Being short of provisions he agreed to supply deer, etc., if I would let him have certain supplies. This being my only hope of getting any large supply in that year, accepted, and he ordered the natives to go to work. l wished to leave about the 10th of November to take advan- tage of the full moon. The sun dis appears November 23 for about sixty days, leaving only about three or four hours daylight. Therefore considered the moon of great assistance. But when man endeavOrs to hurry an Eskimo he has got hard job on hand. It was November B before everything was ready to start. We left that even- ing and the outfit consisted of 36 deer, P sleds-each sled drawn by one deer l-the balance of the deer (l4) driven ahead to break trail, one dog team of eight dogs, and five native herders, and Graber and myself. Hayes withdrew from the outfit few days before leav- ing. I gave him years provisions and he intended remaining at Point Barrow