The Nome nugget., 1904-03-05

graphical and geological knowledge of
the section of Alaska lying between
the COlvile river and the Canadian
boundary. Up to the present time
these parts have been for all practical
purposes terra incognta.
CONRAD STEM.
Report of Exploration Work in the
Extreme Northern Part of Alaska
in 1901, 1902 and 1908, to Obtain
General Data for the Purpose of
Advancing the Mining Industry in
Northwestern Alaska, in Connec-
tion With the Work Now Being
Carried On by Conrad Stem. of
Nome, Alaska.
The section of country which this re-
port describes lies between the meri
dians OF l4l and $50 degrees west longi
tude and the parallel of 6S degrees
north latitude and the Arctic coast. 1t
also takes in the headwaters of the
Chandelier river lying between AS
and 14S degrees west longitude south
to it's confluence with the west fork.
The region actually explored between
IA degrees 30 minutes and 149 degrees
west longitude embraces a strip of
country ia miles in width and about
240 miles in length southwark from the
Arctic coast, a region hitherto unex
plored and unmapped.
The work was done under somewhat
peculiar circumstances. Al times.
owing to lack of proper means of
transportation to get my supplies into
the interior. could only make rather
cursory examination of features which
were deserving of closer inspection.
| arrived at Collinson Point, Camden
bay, Sept. 81, 1901, in company with
Mr.. F. G. Carter, having taken passage
on the schooner Helen from Port Car-
ence. There we built winter quarters
out of driftwOOd and remained until
the following April. During the win
ter all OF the dogs in the vicinity died
from mild form of hydrophobia. This
epidemic materially interfered with
our plans.
On the It'll of April, 1902, | left the
coast alone. hauling 1850 pounds of sup
plies by relays. reached Cache creek
June |, when the snow gave out. Mr..
Carter started few days later, intend
ing to make short trip into the noun
tains and to return to the coast in May.
Although he took similar route, l
didn't see him again until August
After building a cache of rocks to pro-
tect my supplies | proceeded up the
Koogaro river and to the eastward
along the northern slope of the main
watershed, packing supplies and tools.
During the summer | sunk many
prospect holes and explored the noun
tain sides, studying the rocks, etc. l
covered quite large section OF coun-
try. In the latter part of August de-
scended the KoOgaro river to about %
miles above it's mouth. Here fell in
with Carter. Ned Alvey, fur trader,
two Japanese fur traders and number
OF natives ascending the river in skin
canoes towed by dogs. They were the
first human beings | had seen for a
period OF 1913 days. l accompanied
them back to about 10 miles above
Cache creek on the Koogaro, where we
all built winter quarters, using willows
for the purpose, the only material
available. After hauling my supplies
from the cache and making another
short trip to the westward l settled
down for much needed rest for the
winter, utilizing some of the nilder
weather to make surveys and triangu.
lations for the map and to collect other
data, and l put in my spare time in
teaching q native boy to read, to writr
and to figure.
On Feb. 81, 1903, Carter left. intend
ing to cross the mountains to the koy
ukuk, taking with him a native anf
wife. On the 9Th of April started
out with about 275 pounds OF supplies
going up the left fork Of the Koogaro
l crossed the main watershed by
very accessible pass, which l nance
after Carter, as l found out that he hat
taken the same route. On April 80
overlook Carter and his natives abou
30 miles down river which l after
ward learned was the Chandelier,
tributary of the Yukon.
As the river was beginning to breaI